300
Original Book Cover
Publisher	Dark Horse Comics
Schedule	Monthly
Format	Limited Series
Publication date	May 1998 - September 1998
Number of issues	5
Creative team
Writer(s)	Frank Miller
Artist(s)	Frank Miller
Colorist(s)	Lynn Varley

300 is a historically-inspired 1998 comic book limited series (later collected into a single hardcover volume) written and illustrated by Frank Miller with painted colors by Lynn Varley. Dark Horse Comics is one of the largest independent American Comic book publishers behind dominant publishers Marvel Comics and DC Comics A limited series is a term originated by Marvel Comics referring to a Comic book series with a set number of issues Events January February March April May June July August September Frank Miller (born January 27, 1957) is an American Writer, Artist and Film director best known for his dark Lynn Varley is a Colorist, formerly married to Comic book writer/artist Frank Miller, whom she divorced in 2005 A comic book (often shortened to simply comic and sometimes called a comic paper or comic magazine) is a Magazine or Book of narrative A limited series is a term originated by Marvel Comics referring to a Comic book series with a set number of issues In Comics, a trade paperback ( TPB or simply trade) refers to a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format Frank Miller (born January 27, 1957) is an American Writer, Artist and Film director best known for his dark Lynn Varley is a Colorist, formerly married to Comic book writer/artist Frank Miller, whom she divorced in 2005

The comic is a retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae and the events leading up to it from the perspective of Leonidas of Sparta. In the Battle of Thermopylae, which occurred in August 480 BC (and was detailed almost entirely by Herodotus) an alliance of Greek City-states fought Leonidas ( Greek:; "Lion's son" "Lion-like" was a king of Sparta, the 17th of the Agiad line one of the sons 300 was particularly inspired by the 1962 film The 300 Spartans, a movie that Miller watched as a young boy. Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The 300 Spartans is a 1962 film depicting the Battle of Thermopylae. ^[1] The work was adapted into a film with 2007's 300. PLEASE SEE THE DISCUSSION PAGE BEFORE MAKING A MAJOR EDIT*** The topic of the article is controversial which may be under dispute

Publication and awards

Every page of the comic was illustrated as a double-page spread. When the series was gathered into hardcover form, the individual pages were twice as wide as a normal comic. Miller's art style for this project was similar to his Sin City work, although the addition of consistent color is an obvious difference. Sin City is the title for a series of comics by Frank Miller, told in a Film noir -like style (now known as Neo noir)

300 was initially published as a monthly five-issue comic book limited series by Dark Horse Comics, the first issue published in May 1998. A comic book (often shortened to simply comic and sometimes called a comic paper or comic magazine) is a Magazine or Book of narrative A limited series is a term originated by Marvel Comics referring to a Comic book series with a set number of issues Dark Horse Comics is one of the largest independent American Comic book publishers behind dominant publishers Marvel Comics and DC Comics Events January February March April May June July August September The issues were titled Honor, Duty, Glory, Combat and Victory. The series won three Eisner Awards in 1999: "Best Limited Series", "Best Writer/Artist" for Frank Miller and "Best Colorist" for Lynn Varley. The Will Eisner Comic Industry Award is a prize given for creative achievement in American Comic books It is named in honor of the pioneering writer and artist Will Eisner The work was collected as a hardcover volume in 1999. In Comics, a trade paperback ( TPB or simply trade) refers to a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format US publications -->==Events and publications== January February March April

The popularity on the film has boosted sales of the graphic novel with a 40,000 10th printing announced and a 11th printing to follow. This is in addition to the 88,000 copies already sold since the initial graphic novel was released in 1999. ^[2]

Synopsis

In 480 BC, King Leonidas of Sparta gathers 300 of his best men to fight the upcoming Persian invasion. Leonidas ( Greek:; "Lion's son" "Lion-like" was a king of Sparta, the 17th of the Agiad line one of the sons The city of Sparta ( Doric Σπάρτα Attic Σπάρτη The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia In what is likely a suicide mission, they and their allies plan to stop King Xerxes's invasion of Greece at the narrow cliffs of the "Hot Gates" (Thermopylae). Xerxes I of Persia was a King of Persia (reigned 485–465 BC of the Achaemenid dynasty. Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Thermopylae (θɚˈmɒpəli (Ancient and Katharevousa Greek, Demotic Θερμοπύλες: "hot gateway" is a location in Greece The terrain prevents the Greeks from being overwhelmed by Xerxes' superior numbers.

Before the battle starts, Ephialtes, a deformed Spartan, begs Leonidas to let him fight but is rejected due to his hunchbacked form, which prevents him from lifting his shield high enough for the phalanx. Ephialtes ( Greek:, Ephialtēs; although Herodotus spelled it as, Epialtes) was the son of Eurydemus of Malis. The phalanx (Ancient Greek φάλαγξ Modern Greek φάλαγγα phālanga (plural phalanxes or phalanges (Ancient and Modern Greek φάλαγγες

The Spartans and their allies successfully hold off the Persians for two days and nights. During a break in the fighting, Xerxes meets with Leonidas and offers wealth and power in exchange for his surrender. Leonidas declines, and battle continues. In his depression, Ephialtes betrays the Greeks by telling the Persians about the existence of a small pass that allows Xerxes to attack them from behind.

Learning of the Persian maneuvers, the Greeks realize their position is indefensible, but the Spartans and a few others refuse to retreat. Before engaging the Persians for the last time, Leonidas orders one Spartan (Dilios) to leave, so that he might survive to tell their story.

On the third day Xerxes has the Spartans surrounded, their remaining allies (Thespians) already dead. Thespiae ( Greek Θεσπιαι Thespiai) was an ancient Greek city in Boeotia. He gives Leonidas one final chance to surrender and kneel to him. After some hesitation, Leonidas finally complies and throws down his arms. This, however, turns out to be a ruse and Leonidas throws his spear at Xerxes, intending to kill. However, he only wounds his face. The Spartans are killed to the last man by arrows.

The story then shifts about a year later and ends as now-Captain Dilios relates the heroic sacrifice of Leonidas and his Spartan comrades to his troops before the Battle of Plataea. The Battle of Plataea was the final major Battle of the Greco-Persian Wars in southern Greece.

Reception

Renowned comics writer Alan Moore has criticized 300 as historically inaccurate, with particular reference to the characters' attitudes towards homosexuality:

Miller, in the letters page of the original series, admits the inaccuracy and defends it. He insists that the Spartans were not scholars themselves, and that the offending passage was intended to portray the Spartans as hypocrites. The Spartans, he argued, so maligned the Athenians that any Athenian action was worthy of scorn. Miller states that their hypocrisy is a character flaw, but not unrealistic.

Reviewer Aaron Albert notes that although "Miller does take liberties with the history", he considers it more of a "theatrical portrayal" rather than a "historical battle". He notes the passion evident in Miller's writing. He praised the visuals especially the use of oversized panels. Lynn Varley's painting was also commended. ^[4]

References in other works

There are references to the Battle at Thermopylae in several of Frank Miller's other graphic novels. In Sin City: The Big Fat Kill, Dwight considers Leonidas' choice of "where to fight" and manages to loosely recreate the Spartan defense tactics by cornering the enemy gang in a tight alley; they then annihilate them with heavy gunfire and explosives. Sin City is the title for a series of comics by Frank Miller, told in a Film noir -like style (now known as Neo noir) These are the individual stories usually referred to as "yarns" set in Frank Miller's Sin City universe Also in Hell and Back when the protagonist is drugged he sees his friend as Leonidas with a machine gun. In The Dark Knight Returns and The Dark Knight Strikes Again, Miller's "omega" Batman stories, there are references to a character named "Hot Gates" (the literal translation of Thermopylae), an adult film star who first makes a version of Snow White, and then declares herself Dictator of Ohio. Batman The Dark Knight Returns, originally published under the title Batman The Dark Knight, is a Batman comic book mini-series Batman The Dark Knight Strikes Again (also referred to as DK2) is a Batman mini-series by Frank Miller with Lynn Batman (originally referred to as the Bat-Man and still referred to at times as the Batman) is a fictional Comic book Superhero co-created Ohio ( is a Midwestern state of the United States. As part of the Great Lakes region, Ohio has long been a cultural and geographical crossroads

In the Emmy Award winning episode Jack and the Spartans of the cartoon Samurai Jack, Jack meets a group of Spartan warriors fighting Aku's minions. This is a complete episode list from the Cartoon Network animated television series Samurai Jack. Samurai Jack is a 4-time Emmy Award -winning American Animated television series created by animator Genndy Tartakovsky that aired This episode was partially inspired by Miller's comics. ^[5]

Film adaptation

Main article: 300 (film)

Frank Miller served as executive producer to adapt his work for film. PLEASE SEE THE DISCUSSION PAGE BEFORE MAKING A MAJOR EDIT*** The topic of the article is controversial which may be under dispute Motion Pictures An executive producer of a Motion picture is typically a producer who is sometimes involved in creative or technical aspects of production It used bluescreen technology to capture the comic book feel and was released in both conventional cinemas and IMAX in 2007. Chroma Key is the name under which ex- Dream Theater Keyboardist Kevin Moore records IMAX (short for Image MAXimum is a Film format created by Canada 's IMAX Corporation that has the capacity to display images of far greater size and Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.

Collections

• ISBN 1-56971-402-9 Hardcover, 88 pages, Dark Horse Comics

References

External links

• Dark Horse Product Page
• Sparta Pages: 300 Review
• Frank Miller`s Sin city & 300 & Spirit - Database articles, images and other files about Frank Miller and his comics.