Lord Hades’s Ruthless Marriage, Vol. 1

Gr 9 Up–Lord Hades ruthlessly rules the Underworld with no queen at his side, much to the dismay of his subjects and retainers. One day, he returns from guarding the underworld with one of Eros’s arrows protruding from his forehead! After unsuccessful attempts to remove it without being smitten, Hades is entrapped by the Goddess of Spring, Kore, into agreeing to find a Consort to marry. With the help of Hera, the Goddess of Marriage, and her disgruntled divine blessing, a parade of eligible goddesses visit the Underworld and begin making their cases as to why Hades would be the perfect husband. Yuho’s illustrations of the Underworld and the elaborate costume and character designs are some of the high points of this work, but there is little else to set this story apart from a crowded field of mythology adaptations, especially in retellings of the Hades/Persephone myth. As should be expected with stories of mythology, there are quite a few moments discussing sexual situations and alcohol consumption, but not much is shown on panel.