This piece “The Old Remains of Hercules’ Club” was created by poet, author, artist, and Cirsova Contributor Matthew Pungitore to help promote the The Mighty Sons of Hercules Volume 2 in its final days.
Medium: ink, pencil, marker, crayon, and acrylic on paper
Recently completed an interview with poet, author, and aesthete Matthew Pungitore, talking some about the new Mighty Sons of Hercules collection. Check it out!
Avok Kur Storn is renowned throughout Cythera for his fearlessness and his unsurpassable swordsmanship. When a cult of Iljerists arrives, bent on converting the Cytherans to their vile creed of demon worship, Avok, naturally, will not stand for it. However, the high priest Arsk Felthor possesses unimaginable powers, and summons an unholy entity. Avok is captured and carried away to Uzz, the moon where demons dwell!
On Uzz, Avok is fated, it seems, to be nothing more than a pawn in a war between two factions of diabolical demons. One is led by the cunning and monstrous Nelgastrothos, the other by the seductive succubus Heltorya. Both sides wish to exploit Avok for their own purposes.
Will Avok be able to break the chains that bind him to the depraved realm of demons and return to his home world? And if he can, will he find his people in the grip of Felthor’s evil cult? His life—and soul—are at stake!
Atlanta, an itinerant princess of the Wild Stars who has (somewhat unfairly) earned a reputation as “the most dangerous woman alive,” has been in hiding, evading warrants on the savage planet Miri. Just when her luck seems to be turning around, Gigwanator-Superior, the pack leader of a species of telepathic saurians known as Dire Griefs who were hyper-evolved by a Marzanti Trident, demands that Atlanta aid her in rescuing a stranded pack on a dying world… And then escort them to Earth by any means necessary!
Back on Earth, the Isshla, primeval races of lizardmen and aquatic hominids created by the Marzanti Spike that destroyed Atlantis, have been stockpiling abducted humans for food in a time stasis chamber, waiting for the day when they can set their plan into motion to reverse the magnetic poles and take over the planet in the chaos!
The fate of the galaxy will be decided, with Earth in the balance, as a secret Artomique base is forced to play host to a summit of the Superior Griefs and Vishnatay, the 75,000 year old leader of the Isshla!
If you already backed it and enjoyed it, consider leaving it a review!
Also, if you haven’t yet, be sure to back Mighty Sons of Hercules Volume 2, which features a new short story from Michael Tierney!
Long ago, in ages past (2023), Cirsova Publishing released a tribute to Peplum cinema: The Mighty Sons of Hercules!
In this new volume, the Mighty Sons of Hercules return in search of further adventure. They will fight injustice, defend the weak and helpless, and right wrongs wherever they are found.
Join the Mighty Sons of Hercules on their new quests! You’ll be amazed by their impressive feats of superhuman strength. You’ll be dazzled by the exotic and dangerous beauties who would seek their downfall. You’ll cheer as they save the innocent from peril and mete out justice to dastardly villains.
Wherever righteousness must have a champion, there you will find the Mighty Sons of Hercules! Whenever there is need and no mortal man can suffice, a Mighty Son of Hercules shall appear!
Featuring the Adventures of…
Melkart – The Phoenician trader-warrior finds himself in Israel, a guest in the court of King Ahab, little knowing that he has walked into a court of madness in Melkart the Warrior, a novella-length adventure by Mark Mellon!
Maxus – A strange cult trafficking in monsters has taken up residence in a ruined temple in the post-apocalyptic wastelands, issuing a bizarre summons to Maxus in Abraham Strongjohn’s novelette, Maxus and the Temple of the Eagle!
Umaeo – Carthage nurses its wounds following its first loss to Rome, but it’s vile god Moloch demands sacrifice! Umaeo must confront a powerful priestess and her centaur minions when the king tries to substitute Umaeo’s ward for his own son as the dark god’s sacrifice in Owen G. Tabard’s A Night in Tunisia!
Makheist – Stranded on an island ruled by a capricious goddess, Makheist must fight against monstrous champions to win his freedom in The Isle of Lathreo by Misha Burnett!
Diametrius – While tracking down his sister, the giant Diametrius finds a haven of warrior women under attack by monsters sent by the gods in Michael Tierney’s Damsel of Distress!
Herakles – A sorcerer in the wicked city of Kastelannikos employs the mighty Herakles to lift the strange and alien Star Stone from its resting place in The Stone Forged by Darkness by Adrian Cole!
Keltos – A mighty warrior tracks raiders taking women captive for sacrifice into the swamps in DJ Tyrer’s Keltos Battles the Bog Witches.
Bato – When a man wearing wings falls from the sky, Bato the strongman, Rasko the legate, and Adir the godling find themselves roped into wild rescue mission that could put them at odds with the Legion in this sequel to Twas Bato Did It from the pages of Cirsova Magazine, All Interests Aside by David Skinner!
These adventures are bookended by the Sanctification Hymn to Hercules Lustrum and the Benediction Hymn to Hercules Nepenthes by poet and regular Cirsova contributor Matthew Pungitore.
Cover art by Kevin John Jacob.
What is Peplum?
Sword & Sandal adventure, also known as Peplum, experienced a cinematic boom beginning with the 1958 Hercules starring Steve Reeves. In this new wave of costume epics, the mythic strongman was king. Between characters like Hercules, Ursus, Maciste, and countless others, there were hundreds of silver screen stories of demigods, gladiators, and swashbucklers fighting bandits, evil viziers, and cunning queens to save the good and innocent from slavery and oppression.
The Sons of Hercules was created by Embassy Pictures to package and sell these films in bundles for syndication. They took a handful of Maciste movies and several other unrelated films, redubbed them, and gave them a cool cowboy western theme song. Each week, viewers could tune in to see a new installment featuring the adventure of a new Son of Hercules.
This fiction anthology project particularly pays homage to this TV series. Cirsova Publishing approached several of its very best writers with a challenge to either create original standalone adventures or rework existing unpublished stories that would fit the strongman theme. The first collection of The Mighty Sons of Hercules was a massive success, so we’re bringing them back! Your favorite Sons of Hercules in all-new adventures, plus a few new ones.
Signed Myrmidon$50 – (Signed Hardcover) – Receive hardcover of MSOH Vol 2 signed by Abraham Strongjohn.
Hero $55 – (Paperback and Hardcover) – Receive both paperback and hardcover of MSOH Vol 2.
Signed Hero$65 – (Paperback and Hardcover signed) – Receive both paperback and Hardcover of MSOH Vol 2 signed by Abraham Strongjohn.
Champion$75 – (Both Hardcovers) – Receive hardcovers of both MSOH Vol 1 & 2.
Signed Champion$85 – (Both Hardcovers Signed) – Receive hardcovers of both MSOH Vol 1 & 2 signed by Abraham Strongjohn.
Lord $100 – (Both Hardcovers and Both Paperbacks) – Receive paperbacks and hardcovers of both MSOH Vol 1 & 2.
Signed Lord$110 – (Both Hardcovers and Both Paperbacks Signed) – Receive paperbacks and hardcovers of both MSOH Vol 1 & 2 signed by Abraham Strongjohn.
Special Add-ons
Patron $100 – Advertise in The Mighty Sons of Hercules
We’re selling advertising space in The Mighty Sons of Hercules Volume 2. Backers purchasing a Patron add-on have the opportunity to run a full-page advertisement that will appear in the back of the book. [All formats.]
Ads should be submitted as high-res image files, 5″ x 7″ or 7.5″ (h) and must be ready no later than 2 weeks following the end of the Kickstarter.
Archon – $300 Written into the Story
We have a few very limited slots for people who are interested in being written into one of the stories as a minor character.
Didaskalos – $500 Written into the Story as a Major Character
We have one slot available for someone who would like to be written into one of the stories as a major character.
About the Authors
Mark Mellon – Mark Mellon is a novelist who writes two-fisted, hardboiled, blood and guts pulp fiction. He has four novels and over a hundred stories published (many as reprints) in the USA, UK, Ireland, Canada, Bulgaria, Denmark, and India. His novel Scoundrel! The Civil War Misadventures Of An Unrepentant Rogue, is represented by Anthony Flacco and Jen Newens of Martin Literary Management. More information can be found at: www.mellonwritesagain.com.
Abraham Strongjohn – Abraham Strongjohn occasionally writes for Cirsova Magazine. He’s probably best known for his Neptune stories and his collaboration with Michael Tierney on Texas Goth. Abe hopes to actually finish a trilogy of Maxus stories [sorry, Neptune fans…]
Owen G. Tabard – Owen G. Tabard is a writer and a lifelong fan of the Sword & Sandal genre and heroic fantasy generally. Besides the Sons of Hercules anthology series, his fiction has previously appeared in the Spring 2022 and Winter 2024 issues of Cirsova. His hobbies include cycling, kayaking and bird-watching.
Misha Burnett – Misha Burnett is the last of the New Wave, a blue collar rebel with more tattoos than teeth, equality at home discussing 19th Century American poetry and low voltage wiring for security applications. He would like to extend a special thanks to fellow author John Daker for inspiring portions of the following story.
Michael Tierney – Michael Tierney is an another alumnist of the Mighty Sons of Hercules, and this volume’s entry is a direct sequel to “Battle of the Rages.” In the last ten years he’s put over a million words of fiction and non-fiction in print. This includes his eight volumes of Art Chronologies about the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs and Robert E. Howard. The ninth volume of his 12 volume Wild Stars space opera just completed its serialization in Cirsova Magazine, and the final three volumes will jump straight to book releases beginning in 2026. His other work includes scripting, lettering, and for the first hundred episodes coloring the long-running Beyond the Farthest Star online comic strip.
Adrian Cole – ADRIAN COLE is a native of and lives in North Devon, England.
He has had some 3 dozen novels and 200 short stories published over 50 years, in genres including Heroic Fantasy, Sword & Sorcery, Horror, SF, Mythos and supernatural crime.
Adrian has appeared in several “Year’s Best” anthologies. In 2015 NICK NIGHTMARE INVESTIGATES won the prestigious British Fantasy Award (best collection). His recent works include the WAR ON ROME saga, the ELAK OF ATLANTIS trilogy, a de lux reprint of THE DREAM LORDS and a dedicated issue of WEIRDBOOK Magazine. Forthcoming Ulric and the Valkyrie stories due in AMRA and BATTLEBORN.
DJ Tyrer – DJ Tyrer dwells on the misty northern shore of the Thames estuary in the decaying seaside resort of Southend-on-Sea, and is the person behind Atlantean Publishing. DJ studied history at the University of Wales at Aberystwyth and when not writing, enjoys the arcane art of conlanging. DJ’s stories have appeared in such places as Tales of the Black Arts (Hazardous Press), The Dragon’s Hoard 2 (WolfSinger) and The Black Beacon Book of Pirates (Black Beacon Books), and issues of Black Cat Weekly, Broadswords and Blasters, BFS Horizons, Journ-E, Swords and Sorcery Magazine, and Tales from the Magician’s Skull. https://djtyrer.blogspot.co.uk/ https://www.facebook.com/DJTyrerwriter/
David Skinner – David Skinner has been writing steadily, though not prolifically, since he was twelve years old. His works tend to be weird, fantastical, and science-fictional. Wonder stories, as it were.
He is the author of the novel The Giant’s Walk. He has written several books for young readers, notably The Wrecker. Most of his stories are collected in his multi-volume Stellar Stories.
Matthew Pungitore – Matthew Pungitore is a writer and painter. For more information about his art and works, check out his blog: https://matthewpungitore.wordpress.com/
Author Bonuses
Like last time, the Authors have agreed to let us hold onto their stories contingent upon the Kickstarter funding, after which point they will be paid 2 cents per word for their submissions. However, for every additional $6k we raise, we will be able to pay the authors an agreed upon bonus for the their stories!
Nearly had a stroke today, but things worked out by the skin of their teeth.
Our KDP account was hit by the newly-implemented ID Verification; we had to submit an ID or be locked out of our KDP account.
Well, I don’t have a phone or a digital camera, and my laptop’s camera was far too blurry to take an “acceptable” picture that Amazon’s AI could read.
I broke down and went into the office and took scans, but even those were getting rejected.
I got down to “You have One More Try or you will be locked out of your account.”
I reached out to Amazon support, who were of course no help at all.
Preparing myself to sink what little money I had left in hiring a lawyer, I tried one last Hail Mary and retook the scans against a black canvas background at 600 dpi. This time it worked.
So, uh… Cirsova Publishing lives on, if just barely.
The Mighty Sons of Hercules Volume 2 Kickstarter will be launched as soon as my Xitter suspension is over [apparently you’re not allowed to post solutions to the problems of a corrupt judiciary that will vacate jury convictions].
We’ve also got another huge project we’ll be announcing in the new year.
Flight From Reckoning (Part 4) By MICHAEL TIERNEY While Fastrick may have humiliated the leader of the Hands, the real conflict is just beginning! Gow of the Purple Order has come in person as a representative of the God Father, aiming to thwart whatever rebellion the Sturn are planning!
They Always Come Back By FRANK SAWIELIJEW By tradition, slaves are given a month to experience and enjoy life as a freedman… Atilio, like most slaves, hopes to use his liberty to escape slavery once and for all!
Reborn From the Blackened Bayou By JACOB CALTA Esmeralda Sinclair’s property is suddenly overrun by zombies emerging from the swamp! Can she drive them back with the help of two strangers in an old Dodge?!
Master of the Hounds By MISHA BURNETT Pietr discovers and cares for a mother dog in a ravaged village… Pietr, once a deserter, grows alongside the pups he saves to find courage as the leader of his pack!
The Gallowsport Resurrections By DANIEL J. MINUCCI Cursewright Ammas Mourthia has been brought in to investigate a miracle-worker in Gallowsport… Sinister forces may be behind the resurrections he performs!
Pact of the Ruin Witch By J. E. TABOR Witches and warlocks vye for control of ruins in the Waste from which they draw their power! A young man sets out determined to rescue a witch who saved his life!
Dreams of an Eden By JED JALECO DEL ROSARIO A rogue “archaeologist” has betrayed his pirate employers for a chance at untold wealth hidden in the Precursor ruins overrun by mysterious giant creatures!
The Fang of Yog-Bora By BLAKE CARPENTER Seeking objects of tremendous power, a wandering mage finds a town beset by a petty sorcerer! Is the vile relic this madman wields one of the treasures he seeks?
Cool Beans By TEEL JAMES GLENN Jack Silence faces his more chilling case when a Goblin grocer is found dead in his own freezer! Can he broker a deal for stolen magic beans before a killer closes in!?
An Elegant Adventure By JIM BREYFOGLE A band of performers moonlights as adventurers for hire, but a heist gone wrong left two of them maimed, in both body and spirit… Can they still aid a young noble courting a girl whose wealthy-but-common father is targeted by criminals?!
A Serial Killer’s Diary By RODICA BRETIN Kayla Blackmoon has been kidnapped by Russell Morgan’s prime henchman, Denton Quin! Quin has vile plans for the psychic that even his master disapproves of!
She was a prolific writer for the pulps, and was particularly beloved by the Planet Stories crowd [though she sold a lot to Thrilling Wonder as well]. She took a bit of a break in the late 40s because she was writing thrillers for Hollywood.
She runs counter to a lot of narratives about women in science fiction. She says she did not experience any real sexism in SF, it was Hollywood where being a woman was a strike against her. Also, contrary to modern memes that she cruised by because she had a masculine name, her gender was well-known among the sci-fi pulp crowd with editors going so far as to correct people who wrote in referring to her as “he/him”.
While most people might know her from her draft credits on Empire Strikes Back, she worked on several western and adventure movies, including Rio Bravo and Hattari.
Her Black Swordsman from Mercury, Eric John Stark, was adapted to D&D by Tom Moldvay and is actually one of the ur templates for Berserker/Rage Barbarian abilities in Dungeons & Dragons.
A few years back, we published illustrated Young Reader editions of her Planet Stories Stark novellas. Because of how Amazon lists public domain works, the easiest way to find links to our editions is through this page: https://cirsova.wordpress.com/illustrated-stark/
x 7″ or 7.5″ (h) and must be ready no later than 2 weeks following the end of the Kickstarter.
Cirsova 
