- Frank Miller's 300
- 5 Issue Mini-Series
- Available from Dark Horse Comics
- Writer/Artist: Frank Miller
- Colors: Lynn Varley
Comic creator and living legend Frank Miller, applauded for his work on such titles as the critically acclaimed The Dark Knight Returns and Batman: Year One, and famed for completely revamping Catwoman, gives the savage Spartan way of life a closer look in his graphic novel 300. A depiction of the ancient tale of King Leonidas, who led a scant three hundred Spartans to their deaths in the war against several thousand Persians and was raised to the status of martyr in the eyes of his people, 300 is a grim and gritty graphic novel that serves as a theatrical portrayal of one of history’s greatest battles.
Madness? This is Sparta!
In 480 BC, King Leonidas of Sparta gathers together three hundred of his best soldiers to fight the upcoming Persian invasion, which is led by the notoriously insane conqueror, Xerxes. Xerxes’ army is several thousand men strong and it’s clear that Leonidas is leading his men to suicide, even though a great deal of Greeks from all over the country come to join the fray.
Still, at the narrow cliffs of the “Hot Gates” (Thermopylae), Leonidas manages to hold the line and cut down a great number of Xerxes fighters. The invading army is forced back and Xerxes offers Leonidas the opportunity to become an ally instead of an enemy--but only if the proud Spartan will bow and be a properly obedient subject. Leonidas predictably refuses and the battle rages on.
Eventually, it looks like Leonidas and his rag-tag fighting force might actually win, but a betrayal from one of Sparta’s own--a bitter, deformed son of a goat farmer who was denied a place in Leonidas’ ranks--sees the warrior king abandoned by the Athenians who joined him. Left with only his original three hundred men, Leonidas makes a last stand, knowing that in dying and becoming a martyr, all of Greece will be inspired and drive out the assault from Persia.
Tech Specs and Final Verdict
From an artistic standpoint, 300 is visually arresting, as is common with all Frank Miller’s work. The layout is unusual in itself--each illustration is a two page spread--which only adds to the book’s allure. It feels like a movie in wide screen format, larger than life and majestic in its expansiveness. The line work is brutal, beautiful and more than a little harsh, but the warm, ruddy earth tones brought by colorist Lynn Varley soften it up a little. It’s not hard on the eyes and the theatricality of Miller’s visuals is easy to get caught up in.
The writing, also by Miller, is very evocative of his signature style. He has a habit of bringing a strong, stubborn alpha male to the center of his storyline. While the practice can get mildly annoying when applied to other universes--especially when he ditches several decades of continuity and canon characterization to fit an established character to that particular role--it works beautifully here. Leonidas is everything a good Spartan ought to be and that comes across very clearly.
History buffs may have a problem getting through 300, since it discards fact in favor of dramatization, but it’s a good story. 300 is an engaging yarn that, though brutal, violent and not everyone’s cup of tea, is still a solid enough book to inspire a sense of awe in its audience.
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