Dynamite and Disney announced today a new comic centering on another iconic villain— Disney Villains: Hades. Writer Elliott Kalan leads the new book about the Lord of the Underworld.
First appearing in the 1997 classic animated film Hercules during the celebrated “Disney Renaissance” era, Hades quickly became a fan-favorite in the Disney filmography, mainly due to the character’s comedic wit and signature appearance.
Kalan is no stranger to comedy, with contributions to Mystery Science Theater 3000, The Daily Show, and comics like Spider-Man and the X-Men. He’s bringing that same comedic energy, which he cites as flowing through both his sweat and blood, to this series. Artist Alessandro Ranaldi (Zorro) joins him on the book’s interior pages.
“I was already a teenager when Hercules came out, and a little old — according to my friends — to go see it in the theaters,” said Kalan. “So, of course, I saw it in the theaters anyway, because Disney had been on an epic roll for the past decade or so, and I really enjoyed it.”
“I took to Hades right away,” the writer continued. “I’ve always loved villain characters, and I’m a sucker for demons and devils, so instantly he was my favorite character in the film. Plus, he was the funniest one there.”
In Kalan’s new tale, Hades doesn’t get an invite to the weekly brunch at Mount Olympus, which obviously calls for the complete and total destruction of his fellow deities.
In his mission to make that happen, he must get his devilish hands on the legendary Golden Fleece of Colchis. Because the Fleece happens to be guarded by a dragon and a legion of soldiers, the Lord of Darkness has to round up a ragtag party of minions and allies to accomplish his epic quest.
Readers will meet the spider-girl Arachne, emo singer Orpheus, the childlike brute of the Minotaur, and even winged Icarus. A mismatched group like this is bound to not get along, especially when led by the overconfident and arrogant Hades.
Disney Villains: Hades will feature covers by Karen S. Darboe, Jae Lee, Trish Forstner, and Francesco Tomaselli. Ranaldi will also provide a variant.
Disney Villains: Hades #1 will premier in August. Fans can preorder the comic next month with their favorite comic retailer. It will also be available for individual customer purchase through digital platforms courtesy of Comixology, Kindle, iBooks, Google Play, Dynamite Digital, ComicsPlus, and more.
