Webtoon Review: Blood of Zeus
Heron has had a rough life. Ever since he and his mother Electra came to the polis where they now live, that community has been shrouded in clouds. This made them unpopular, and the subject of ill rumors. Heron’s been bullied, and cheated by merchants. When demons attack the village, Heron helps the Amazonian warrior Alexia hold them off, but the locals suspect Heron and Electra caused the attack somehow.
As with much in Greek mythology, it turns out to be at least partially Zeus’ fault, he having seduced Electra when she was another man’s queen. Zeus had stashed Electra and Heron under the cloud to block them from the vision of his jealous wife Hera, and a chain of circumstances resulting from the initial affair had also resulted in the awakening of the demons.
Heron is disgusted by these revelations, and wants nothing to do with the gods, especially Zeus. But the demons are attacking regardless, so Heron is caught up in the battle against them. And Hera is perfectly willing to have innocent bystanders punished for Zeus’ infidelity. If Heron is to fulfill his heroic fate, he’s going to need to embrace the fact that he has the blood of Zeus.
Good: This tale is suitably epic for a spin on Greek myth. Heron is initially a bit underwhelming for a demigod, which allows him to come across as an underdog with the distinct possibility of losing. There’s a bit of depth to Seraphim, the demon’s leader, who has an even more tragic backstory than Heron’s.
The designs of the giants (progenitors of the demons) are nifty, and make them seem suitably menacing when they are reawakened towards the end.
While Heron and Alexia clearly respect each other, no time is wasted on a romance subplot between them.
Less good: Zeus’ infidelity is played sympathetically. He genuinely loves both Hera and Electra, and presumably his other mortal lovers, and resorts to subterfuge to try to be a father figure to Heron even if he can’t openly support him. Part of Heron’s character development is letting go of his resentment of Zeus’ behavior. By contrast, Hera’s anger at Zeus’ repeated betrayals is treated unsympathetically because she strikes against his lovers and children, and eventually seeks to overthrow Zeus altogether, by foul means indeed.
A lot of the minor characters get so little development that we have to guess who they are by character design.
There’s a sequel hook, but the series can stand alone at this point. It’s currently a Netflix exclusive.
Content notes: gore, rape by deception, harm to children (though Seraphim’s one good point is that he never directly harms a child), infidelity. There may be some salty language in the English dub. For senior high viewers on up.
Recommended to people who like Greek mythology-based fantasy epics.
