A Review of Frank Miller's Xerxes: The Fall of the House of Darius and the Rise of Alexander #1

Frank Miller“s 300 was a violent and engrossing retelling of one of history“s most famous battles: the Battle of Thermopylae. Twenty years later Miller has returned, and expands the story to cover the initial invasion of Greece and the Second Persian War. Xerxes: The Fall of the House of Darius and the Rise of Alexander started this April and will be a five issue-series. With the series well underway we are going to look at the first issue.

For fans of the original comic this has been a long time coming, and while it is good to see Miller back in the gory violence of Ancient Greece it doesn“t quite justify the hype. Although Miller’s story premise for the first installment is clear, the title is a bit puzzling. The character of Xerxes (or Alexander) doesn“t appear and instead the issue goes back to before the Battle of Thermopylae and details the Battle of Marathon in 490 BCE. Perhaps the reason will become clearer in the following issues, but it seems an odd artistic choice considering how important Xerxes was in 300. While Miller is clearing playing the long game, the first issue feels more like a special preview issue.

Part of the reason for this is that Xerxes #1 does not have a clear protagonist, which takes away from the momentum of the narrative. The comic book narrates the story of different characters whose backgrounds and intentions are unclear. Which character should readers put their emotional investment in?

Despite a sub par narrative for the first issue, the artwork for Xerxes #1 is up to Miller“s usual high standards, and those looking for the same visceral feel won“t be disappointed. His hard-boiled and gritty noir aesthetics are on full display in Xerxes #1, especially during the clashes between the Persian and Greek armies.

Miller’s artwork has always been influential, and his historic work on 300 and Xerxes #1 has become well-known due to the two films 300 and Rise of an Empire, which Comics Beat claims was based on an unpublished draft of Xerxes. The style has become widely recognizable and has been used by multiple platforms in their own retelling of the famous Greek battles. There are multiple slots on Foxy Games that are inspired by Sparta including 300 Shields and The Fortunes of Sparta that have been loosely based on the Hollywood blockbuster, and they use the same gritty art style akin Miller that fans will instantly appreciate. With a new collection of comics based on the Greek Persian wars expect more examples of his famous style to appear across entertainment channels.

The long wait for Miller“s 300 follow-up doesn’t exactly pay off in terms of the narrative. There is too much set up, and the lack of a leading character, considering the title has two in it, makes it harder to get emotionally involved. Those who have wanted to see Miller tackle epic battles will find much to enjoy. Hopefully the next four issues open up the narrative.

Frank Miller (Writer, Artist, Cover Artist)
Alex Sinclair (Colorist)