Bob Layton did a great 4-issue HERCULES miniseries in 1982,
where he re-invented Hercules as a pompous braggart
telling tall tales of his own greatness. Very funny.





As scripted by Layton, Hercules began referring to a thing
he termed "The Gift".
"The Gift" is the honor Hercules bestows on someone by
engaging them in combat. So in other words, "The Gift" is
the honor of getting your ass kicked by Hercules !

Layton also followed up this HERCULES series with a second
4-issue series in 1983.

And then a HERCULES Marvel Graphic Novel in 1988.

Another good Hercules story by Layton was a
fill-in issue of THOR during Simonson's run in 1985, in
THOR 356. Scripted by Bob Harras, pencilled by
Jackson Guice, and inked by Bob Layton. Where Hercules,
in braggart fashion, tells a rather convoluted self-aggrandizing
version of a battle he had with Thor.