Dave Wallace19 February 2012
Attention for this Greek epic has risen in recent years, following 2007's release of the movie adaptation of Frank Miller's take on the ancient battle of Thermopylae, in which a handful of Spartans attempted to hold off the advances of a gigantic army of Persians. If that sounds like great material for a comicbook, it is - but Miller adds some nuances about ancient Greek politics and some subtleties of characterisation which enable it to stand as more than just a five-issue fight sequence.
Although so unrelentingly masculine and macho that the book almost devolves into self-parody, Miller's tale succeeds in creating an accessible (if stylised) take on Greek society, conjouring imagery which would befit The Ilyad or The Odyssey in his depiction of the Spartan males whose function is to go war in defence of their principles and their country.
Whilst Miller builds the Spartans up as civilised protectors of the rule of law who are required to hold their ground against a horde of bloodthirsty and corrupt savages, there's a certain ambiguity to their mindset. They are educated men, but there's a certain eagerness to fight, and they show a callous disregard for non-Spartans. However, their bombastic sense of honour and willingness to defend their country will probably resonate with many readers, tapping into something quite primal in the male mindset which should make the story involving for anyone who enjoys the excesses of Miller's more traditional superhero fare.
There are some interesting insights into Greek customs and political structure, as well as an emphasis on the importance of word-of-mouth storytelling as an educational and motivational tool in ancient Greece, but they're very much background details of a story which is fairly one-note once it gets going. That's not to say that it is without merit, however, and the continuing Spartan battles at the "Hot Gates" against wave after wave of opposition eventually build to a crescendo which offers a bittersweet conclusion to the story, rendering it somehow more powerful in retrospect.
Miller's artwork is probably a more important storytelling tool that the text of 300, defining its characters visually with some striking designs. The black-and-gold rendition of the pseudo-deity Xerxes is particularly memorable, conveying the importance of wealth to the Spartans' enemy (as well as something of their exotic nature).
The discipline of the Spartans is reinforced by Miller's intentionally repetitive depictions of their strictly regimented forces. But among the similar depictions of these soldiers, Miller also shapes some more monstrous and fantastical creations, such as the pivotal disfigured Spartan who cannot fight, but proves to be an important player in the battle nonetheless.
Fans of the artist's previous work will be pleased to see that Miller's love of negative space and extreme contrast in lighting is still in evidence: indeed, the art style falls somewhere between Miller's 'Sin City' work and his 'Dark Knight Strikes Again', probabl ending up bearing most resemblance to 'Elektra Lives Again'. A lot of that is doubtless due to the input of colourist Lynn Varley. Varley's contribution subtly enhances scenes like the attack of the ghostly Immortals with a pale colour wash, and adds depth and atmosphere to vignettes such as Leonida's boyhood encounter with a wolf, a powerful, brilliantly-illustrated sequence which shows the reader why the King would have the respect of his men, rather than telling them.
When the fighting does occur, it's far more bloody and shocking than Sin City's highly stylised violence, with its flailing swords, shields and spears really conveying the chaotic, gruesome and relentless nature of armed warfare during that period of history. The book's presentation of the artwork is fantastic, binding Miller's pages in an unusual horizontal hardback format which makes it a reasonably pricey investment (as well as making it very difficult to find a suitable place for it on your shelf!).
Through the use of modern language and contemporary illustration techniques, Frank Miller's 300 brings the battle of Thermopylae to life in a surprisingly uncomplicated book (albeit one which hints at a greater depth in some of its details - I wouldn't be surprised if Miller was something of a Greek History buff). 300 is undeniably pretty and makes for an entertaining read with its visceral, bloody action which exudes testosterone from every pore; however, those who enjoy Miller's work for its ability to deconstruct or reinvent genre comics (with Dark Knight Returns, he tackled the superhero; with Sin City, the pulpy noir thriller) may find this an unusually straightforward read with aesthetic attractions which don't quite justify the higher-than-usual price tag.
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