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The armies of Persia -- a vast horde greater than any the world has ever known -- are poised to crush Greece, an island of reason and freedom in a sea of madness and tyranny. Standing between Greece and this tidal wave of destruction are a tiny detachment of but three hundred warriors. Frank Miller's epic retelling of history's supreme moment of battlefield valor is finally collected in a glorious hardcover volume in its intended format -- each two-page spread from the original comics is presented as a single undivided page.
Collects: 300 #1-5
Collects: 300 #1-5
88 pages, Hardcover
First published December 28, 1999
About the author
Frank Miller
1,330 books4,801 followersFrank Miller is an American writer, artist and film director best known for his film noir-style comic book stories. He is one of the most widely-recognized and popular creators in comics, and is one of the most influential comics creators of his generation. His most notable works include Sin City, The Dark Knight Returns, Batman Year One and 300.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,163 reviews
May 16, 2021
(A) 85% | Extraordinary
Notes: Served up raw and bloody, it’s red meat course to course: a stew of myth in verve and pith, an ambrosial tour de force.
Notes: Served up raw and bloody, it’s red meat course to course: a stew of myth in verve and pith, an ambrosial tour de force.
February 27, 2020
Δεν ξέρω τι ήταν αυτό που δεν μου άρεσε στους 300.
Ηταν ο βιασμός της αρχαίας ελληνικής ιστορίας? Ήταν ότι το κόμικ στηρίζεται σχεδόν αποκλειστικά στα - ομολογουμενως εντυπωσιακά - γραφικά του, ενώ υπήρχε σχεδόν πλήρης απουσία κειμένων, εκτός από τις κλισαρισμενες βαρυγδουπες ατάκες?
Μάλλον όλα αυτά μαζί. Σε κάθε περίπτωση πρόκειται για ένα ευχάριστο και γρήγορο διάβασμα που θα σας ψυχαγωγησει, αρκεί να μην πάρετε τον Leonidas και την παρέα του πολύ σοβαρά.
Ηταν ο βιασμός της αρχαίας ελληνικής ιστορίας? Ήταν ότι το κόμικ στηρίζεται σχεδόν αποκλειστικά στα - ομολογουμενως εντυπωσιακά - γραφικά του, ενώ υπήρχε σχεδόν πλήρης απουσία κειμένων, εκτός από τις κλισαρισμενες βαρυγδουπες ατάκες?
Μάλλον όλα αυτά μαζί. Σε κάθε περίπτωση πρόκειται για ένα ευχάριστο και γρήγορο διάβασμα που θα σας ψυχαγωγησει, αρκεί να μην πάρετε τον Leonidas και την παρέα του πολύ σοβαρά.
May 17, 2017
Are you ready for the 88-page long epic graphic novel inspired by the most famous historic last stand?
Ahoo Ahoo Ahoo
(I hope everyone here chanted that with me)
Set in 480 BC, Frank Miller's 300 retells the battle of Thermopylae: a battle that raged between 300 Spartans and allied forces against the full strength of Persian army.
And what a battle it was.
This limited graphic series is considered as one of the most acclaimed works of Frank Miller. You'd know why that particular opinion persists when you read this book. The story is so well written and you could actually feel the energy flowing through the words when you read the story.
The art is also beautiful in many panels. But some were just average for me.
We all love the movie 300. And now I can state confidently that the movie is one hell of an adaptation of its source material. The movie not only absorbs the story faithfully but also manages to transcend the source material in many parts.
Overall, if you are looking for something energetic... Read this book!
Once again, together now!
Ahoo Ahoo Ahoo
(I hope everyone here chanted that with me)
Into the hell's mouth..... we march.
Set in 480 BC, Frank Miller's 300 retells the battle of Thermopylae: a battle that raged between 300 Spartans and allied forces against the full strength of Persian army.
And what a battle it was.
This limited graphic series is considered as one of the most acclaimed works of Frank Miller. You'd know why that particular opinion persists when you read this book. The story is so well written and you could actually feel the energy flowing through the words when you read the story.
The art is also beautiful in many panels. But some were just average for me.
We all love the movie 300. And now I can state confidently that the movie is one hell of an adaptation of its source material. The movie not only absorbs the story faithfully but also manages to transcend the source material in many parts.
Overall, if you are looking for something energetic... Read this book!
Once again, together now!
February 1, 2020
Violent but gorgeous, 300 is a fantastic comic book based in the doomed mission of the Spartans against the Persians. Frank Miller brings his unique style mostly known - to me at least - from the masterful Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and illustrates the legendary world from over 2000 years ago with panache. There was, of course, also an epic film inspired by this modern classic.
September 16, 2016
As with many comics and graphic novels, I've seen the movie before I read the book. But despite the extreme pathos, the floods of blood / body parts and the ridiculous make-up/CGI abs, I liked it. Thus I wanted to read the graphic novel.
The book is pretty short but it also has just the right length. It's not historically accurate, but I also didn't expect that since its purpose rather is to entertain, shock (corpses! nudity!) and give a new coating to an already very well-known point in history.
The art in this is gritty but beautiful. Before seeing the movie, I hadn't seen this style before what with the brownish colours everywhere and bright red as a shock - alas, since then many have copied it, but this will always be the first and therefore original to me.
There was little enough dialogue. Instead, we are being told a story, a tale as told by the one Spartan who was sent back and I can imagine telling this tale around a campfire. That was a rather nice touch as well. Plus, the book had (as I had hoped) my two favourite scenes in it:
So yeah, despite the historical inaccuracies and the thick coat of pathos everywhere, I enjoyed myself very much and understand why Frank Miller's work usually gets a lot of praise.
The book is pretty short but it also has just the right length. It's not historically accurate, but I also didn't expect that since its purpose rather is to entertain, shock (corpses! nudity!) and give a new coating to an already very well-known point in history.
The art in this is gritty but beautiful. Before seeing the movie, I hadn't seen this style before what with the brownish colours everywhere and bright red as a shock - alas, since then many have copied it, but this will always be the first and therefore original to me.
There was little enough dialogue. Instead, we are being told a story, a tale as told by the one Spartan who was sent back and I can imagine telling this tale around a campfire. That was a rather nice touch as well. Plus, the book had (as I had hoped) my two favourite scenes in it:
So yeah, despite the historical inaccuracies and the thick coat of pathos everywhere, I enjoyed myself very much and understand why Frank Miller's work usually gets a lot of praise.
January 17, 2023
I won´t make another cheap, „This is Sparta!“ joke
Because this would be too movie centric and the graphic novel is the true core of the theme
As so often, in bloody fandom wars, there are so many, diverse, and stupid opinions that it´s hard to hit the main underlying themes. Or let´s say, this one is just for the fun, violence, and war, so one shouldn´t see too much in it. For instance a
Discrimination of Middle East cultures
Miller didn´t want to make a political statement about the time 2 millennia ago, he simply needed an antagonist. Even I don´t overinterpret and hyperanalyze something into one of the wackiest forms of government by
Combining regality with divinity
But it makes a great pair for crazy dictatorships, because one has a whole theistic military complex with a gigantic bureaucracy, controlling any aspect of life. As always, the less dramatic, but often more realistic reasons for wars, economic ones, aren´t in the game. They simply aren´t as thrilling as god emperors, a typical male characteristic often accompanied by
Megalomania, world domination, and mad sweaty stinky masculinity
The last one is nowadays pure satire, because there is nothing as ridiculous as stereotypies. But in ancient times, archaic warrior cultures were the way to go without any room for eco social patriarchal structures. This could be seen as a statement hidden deep in the seas of blood, that
Extremely male domination leads to chaos
Because the Spartans are antagonists too, they murder their own kind, have nothing in mind except war, escalating bromances, and oily fights, and deem any soft, feminine, sensitive emotion inferior and stupid. Even harder to imagine, than that it once was like that, is the fact that there are still cultures out there that keep living these standards by uniting theistic despotism with chauvinistic misogyny as an official and appropriate governmental form.
Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...
Because this would be too movie centric and the graphic novel is the true core of the theme
As so often, in bloody fandom wars, there are so many, diverse, and stupid opinions that it´s hard to hit the main underlying themes. Or let´s say, this one is just for the fun, violence, and war, so one shouldn´t see too much in it. For instance a
Discrimination of Middle East cultures
Miller didn´t want to make a political statement about the time 2 millennia ago, he simply needed an antagonist. Even I don´t overinterpret and hyperanalyze something into one of the wackiest forms of government by
Combining regality with divinity
But it makes a great pair for crazy dictatorships, because one has a whole theistic military complex with a gigantic bureaucracy, controlling any aspect of life. As always, the less dramatic, but often more realistic reasons for wars, economic ones, aren´t in the game. They simply aren´t as thrilling as god emperors, a typical male characteristic often accompanied by
Megalomania, world domination, and mad sweaty stinky masculinity
The last one is nowadays pure satire, because there is nothing as ridiculous as stereotypies. But in ancient times, archaic warrior cultures were the way to go without any room for eco social patriarchal structures. This could be seen as a statement hidden deep in the seas of blood, that
Extremely male domination leads to chaos
Because the Spartans are antagonists too, they murder their own kind, have nothing in mind except war, escalating bromances, and oily fights, and deem any soft, feminine, sensitive emotion inferior and stupid. Even harder to imagine, than that it once was like that, is the fact that there are still cultures out there that keep living these standards by uniting theistic despotism with chauvinistic misogyny as an official and appropriate governmental form.
Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...
May 22, 2023
Read this after The Histories by Herodotus - blood soaked interpretation that is often at odds with actual events - still one of the major GN of the last quarter century; art and story mesh/flow well. This book (in my opinion) was instrumental in opening the door for GN of historical fiction; Frank Miller has given us yet another work of lasting importance.
March 12, 2022
Me ha gustado si es cierto que ha habido veces que le dibujo perdía definición.
Los colores muy buenos y si es cierto que al principio los espartanos parecían de raza negra luego la cosa mejoró y sí parecían espartanos. La película es tan fiel que me parece que todos los diálogos que salen en le comic lo dicen en la película.
7/10
Los colores muy buenos y si es cierto que al principio los espartanos parecían de raza negra luego la cosa mejoró y sí parecían espartanos. La película es tan fiel que me parece que todos los diálogos que salen en le comic lo dicen en la película.
7/10
July 16, 2019
4.5 stars
"Persians gasp and groan and gurgle and scream and stumble and tumble and fall. Brains splattering across briny stone . . . We Spartans laugh like fools - and keep pushing. No prisoners. No mercy. We're off to one hell of a good start." -- King Leonides commenting on 'The First Day'
Powerfully lean and mean - just like the warriors of the title - graphic novella epic (is that even a thing?) that is hyper-violent but also ruggedly stylish. Leonides and his trusted Spartan battalion are all that stand in the way of the waves of military forces invading the enlightened ancient nation of Greece. Lots of crazy warfare scenes (more severed limbs and appendages than you can throw a javelin at) along with terse but well-written dialogue = a tour-de-force from the talented Mr. Miller.
"Persians gasp and groan and gurgle and scream and stumble and tumble and fall. Brains splattering across briny stone . . . We Spartans laugh like fools - and keep pushing. No prisoners. No mercy. We're off to one hell of a good start." -- King Leonides commenting on 'The First Day'
Powerfully lean and mean - just like the warriors of the title - graphic novella epic (is that even a thing?) that is hyper-violent but also ruggedly stylish. Leonides and his trusted Spartan battalion are all that stand in the way of the waves of military forces invading the enlightened ancient nation of Greece. Lots of crazy warfare scenes (more severed limbs and appendages than you can throw a javelin at) along with terse but well-written dialogue = a tour-de-force from the talented Mr. Miller.
September 24, 2022
Откъм история всичко в „300“ е поднесено отлично и вдъхновяващо, откъм илюстрации има още какво да се желае. Филмa съм го гледал доста пъти и се нарежда сред любимите ми. Комикса/графичния роман го чета за първи път, но определено очаквах много повече от това, което е в действителност. Визуално тук преимуществата са изцяло за филма и той печели по всички показатели. От видяното в комикса не бих казал че съм особено впечатлен от графичната му част, но като цяло става.
3.5 ⭐
📽 кадри от филма 📽
3.5 ⭐
📽 кадри от филма 📽
March 26, 2018
Ovde nemam sta puno da dodam: odlicni crtezi, akcija, zabavna prica koje samo ovlaz dodiruje istoriju. Frank Miler iz svojih najboljih dana. Savrsena preporuka sem za cepidlake :P
April 7, 2023
This is Frank Miller's “epic retelling of history's supreme moment of battlefield valor…” Sparta versus all of Persia. “The armies of Persia—a vast horde greater than any the world has ever known—are poised to crush Greece, an island of reason and freedom in a sea of madness and tyranny. Standing between Greece and this tidal wave of destruction are a tiny detachment of but three hundred warriors.”
I first encountered Miller when he jumped into Marvel’s Daredevil franchise. You may have seen his most popular recasting of Batman as The Dark Knight. He can draw, but with good reason lets Lynn Varley do this book’s illustrations. He has an immense list of comic books and graphics novels to his credit and has even authored successful screenplays. He has been one of the creators and executive producers of the Netflix series, Cursed (based on his original graphic novel). His “dramatic chops” are on display here.
The Spartan encounter with the might of the Persian Empire is the topic of this story. In typical Miller form, there is some extra imagination given to the topic of courage and the nature of Sparta which Miller refers to as the only land of free men. There is much implication of what it takes to be free men. ���We are born. We are inspected. If we are small or puny or sickly or misshapen, we are discarded. We are starved, driven to steal and kill. We are tested, tossed into the wild, left to pit our wits against nature’s fury. By rod and lash, we are punished, trained to show no pain. Our training never ends. We are Spartans.”
And
“Dilios, I trust that scratch hasn’t made you, useless?”
“Hardly, my lord. It’s just an eye and the gods saw fit to grace me with a spare.”
And
“…That’s an easy choice for us, Arcadian. Spartans never retreat! Spartans never surrender!”
Thanks to Michael Finocchiaro for alerting me to this version’s existence.
I first encountered Miller when he jumped into Marvel’s Daredevil franchise. You may have seen his most popular recasting of Batman as The Dark Knight. He can draw, but with good reason lets Lynn Varley do this book’s illustrations. He has an immense list of comic books and graphics novels to his credit and has even authored successful screenplays. He has been one of the creators and executive producers of the Netflix series, Cursed (based on his original graphic novel). His “dramatic chops” are on display here.
The Spartan encounter with the might of the Persian Empire is the topic of this story. In typical Miller form, there is some extra imagination given to the topic of courage and the nature of Sparta which Miller refers to as the only land of free men. There is much implication of what it takes to be free men. ���We are born. We are inspected. If we are small or puny or sickly or misshapen, we are discarded. We are starved, driven to steal and kill. We are tested, tossed into the wild, left to pit our wits against nature’s fury. By rod and lash, we are punished, trained to show no pain. Our training never ends. We are Spartans.”
And
“Dilios, I trust that scratch hasn’t made you, useless?”
“Hardly, my lord. It’s just an eye and the gods saw fit to grace me with a spare.”
And
“…That’s an easy choice for us, Arcadian. Spartans never retreat! Spartans never surrender!”
Thanks to Michael Finocchiaro for alerting me to this version’s existence.
July 16, 2012
Though I'm a Frank Miller fan, back in 2006 I somehow hadn't heard of his book "300" so I went to see Zack Snyder's film first - and it completely blew me away. Maybe because I hadn't read Miller's book or seen anything about the film beforehand, but the film was shot in such a highly stylised way and the story was so utterly engrossing, that I couldn't get it out of my head and is probably one of my favourite films ever. Needless to say once I found out it was based on Miller's book I sought it out and devoured it in one sitting. Years later I sat down with it again one rainy Saturday morning and after re-reading it I decided to set down my thoughts to encourage anyone out there reading this review who hasn't read this book to go out and read it now.
The story is set in 480 BCE and is about King Leonidas of Sparta and 300 of his personal guard standing up to a massive Persian army many thousands strong led by the self-proclaimed god-king Xerxes. What looks like a massacre based on figures alone, changes when Leonidas chooses a narrow coastal passageway called the Hot Gates as the place he and his men will make their last stand. They will die but not without taking a fair chunk out of Xerxes' force, causing his army to stumble in their mission to dominate the civilised world, and inspire others to oppose and eventually defeat Xerxes.
The story is ripe for drama and Miller milks it for all its worth, setting up each of the five chapters perfectly so that not a single panel is wasted. The dialogue is so memorable a lot of it was lifted straight from the book into the film: "This is blasphemy! This is madness!" - "This is SPARTA!", "Spartan! Come back with your shield - or on it", "Spartans. Ready your breakfast and eat hearty - for tonight we dine in Hell!" and so on. There are so many excellent passages like when the Spartans meet up with the Arcadians or Leonidas' confrontation with Xerxes that the words will ring through your mind long after you’ve read it (in my case years later).
Then there's the art. If, like me, you were blown away by the visuals in the film, it's only because so many of the iconic scenes were taken straight from the book and Miller's imagination. Every page is a master-class in comics artistry from the night battle with the Immortals, to the dance of the Oracle, to the bottomless pit in Sparta, to Xerxes' character design, and the Spartans' iconic red cloaks, bronze shields and helmets. The book is printed on A4 pages with many panels taking up an entire page. Miller doesn't waste a single inch of space, filling it up with detail and action while his partner Lynn Varley elevates it with her colours to produce some of the most gorgeous art Miller has ever crafted in his career.
"300" is an incredible accomplishment of art and storytelling and is one of the many reasons why Frank Miller is so revered in the literary world. It's as exhilarating to read on the page as it is to see on the screen and the art is to die for. I recommend this whole-heartedly to anyone who enjoys to read but especially to comics fans who've not picked this up yet. This is an amazing book, this is a work of art, THIS IS MILLER (at his finest)!
The story is set in 480 BCE and is about King Leonidas of Sparta and 300 of his personal guard standing up to a massive Persian army many thousands strong led by the self-proclaimed god-king Xerxes. What looks like a massacre based on figures alone, changes when Leonidas chooses a narrow coastal passageway called the Hot Gates as the place he and his men will make their last stand. They will die but not without taking a fair chunk out of Xerxes' force, causing his army to stumble in their mission to dominate the civilised world, and inspire others to oppose and eventually defeat Xerxes.
The story is ripe for drama and Miller milks it for all its worth, setting up each of the five chapters perfectly so that not a single panel is wasted. The dialogue is so memorable a lot of it was lifted straight from the book into the film: "This is blasphemy! This is madness!" - "This is SPARTA!", "Spartan! Come back with your shield - or on it", "Spartans. Ready your breakfast and eat hearty - for tonight we dine in Hell!" and so on. There are so many excellent passages like when the Spartans meet up with the Arcadians or Leonidas' confrontation with Xerxes that the words will ring through your mind long after you’ve read it (in my case years later).
Then there's the art. If, like me, you were blown away by the visuals in the film, it's only because so many of the iconic scenes were taken straight from the book and Miller's imagination. Every page is a master-class in comics artistry from the night battle with the Immortals, to the dance of the Oracle, to the bottomless pit in Sparta, to Xerxes' character design, and the Spartans' iconic red cloaks, bronze shields and helmets. The book is printed on A4 pages with many panels taking up an entire page. Miller doesn't waste a single inch of space, filling it up with detail and action while his partner Lynn Varley elevates it with her colours to produce some of the most gorgeous art Miller has ever crafted in his career.
"300" is an incredible accomplishment of art and storytelling and is one of the many reasons why Frank Miller is so revered in the literary world. It's as exhilarating to read on the page as it is to see on the screen and the art is to die for. I recommend this whole-heartedly to anyone who enjoys to read but especially to comics fans who've not picked this up yet. This is an amazing book, this is a work of art, THIS IS MILLER (at his finest)!
June 27, 2015
کمیک 300، که دستمایه ی فیلمی از "زک اسنایدر" با همین نام شد که صدای ایرانی ها رو درآورد، نوشته ی "فرانک میلر" نویسنده ی افسانه ای کمیک.
به شخصه، فکر میکنم خیلی از کسایی که کلی سر و صدا کردن بابت این فیلم، فیلم رو ندیده بودن. خیلی ها هم صرفاً احساسات جمعی باعث شد خیلی علیهش موضع بگیرن. کمیک این قدرها به پارس ها توهین نمیکنه، فقط چون از دید اسپارتان ها روایت شده، طبیعیه که پارس ها به عنوان دشمن تصویر شدن.
هر چند، منصفانه نگاه کنیم، بعضی جاها پارس ها و اسپارتان ها رو مقایسه میکنه و حرف های خنده داری میزنه. از جمله این که پارس ها میخوان با تصرف یونان، تنها شانس جهان برای دیدن "منطق" و "عدالت" و "آزادی" رو از بین ببرن.
این حرف وقتی خنده داره که از زبان یه اسپارتان زده بشه، که به وحشی و جنگ طلب بودن معروف بوده و هستن. همچنین از مسلّماته که یونانی ها خودشون هیچ وقت کار نمیکردن، بلکه همیشه عده ی کثیری برده داشتن و برده ها کار میکردن و مردان آزاد در آتن به تحصیل علم و فلسفه و در اسپارت به تمرین جنگ میپرداختن.
نقاشی
لباس رزم "گارد جاویدان"
به هر حال. نقاشی ها در حد عالی بودن. به خصوص از طراحی کمابیش درست لباس رزم ایرانی ها (نه همه شون) لذت بردم و لباس "گارد جاویدان" هر چند سند تاریخی نداشت، ولی خیلی هیجان انگیز و رعب آور بود. خیلی خوب نشون میداد که این ها ورزیده ترین و وحشت انگیزترین سپاه پارسی هستن.
خشای آرشا یه مقداری غیر طبیعی و زن نما کشیده شده بود که یحتمل به خاطر مقاصد داستانی و نشون دادن نقش منفیش بود.
داستان
داستان بسیار بسیار ضعیف و خام بود. عملاً داستانی وجود نداشت. فقط ماجرای تاریخی سر راست و خطی روایت شده بود، بدون هیچ اوج و فرودی. میخواستم فیلمش رو هم ببینم، اما واقعاً با این داستان ضعیف و مخصوصاً کارگردانی "زک اسنایدر" که تجربه ی فیلمسازی هالیوودیش رو دارم (در فیلم های "نگهبانان" و "مرد پولادین") ارزش نداره آدم دوباره وقت بذاره برای فیلمش.
به شخصه، فکر میکنم خیلی از کسایی که کلی سر و صدا کردن بابت این فیلم، فیلم رو ندیده بودن. خیلی ها هم صرفاً احساسات جمعی باعث شد خیلی علیهش موضع بگیرن. کمیک این قدرها به پارس ها توهین نمیکنه، فقط چون از دید اسپارتان ها روایت شده، طبیعیه که پارس ها به عنوان دشمن تصویر شدن.
هر چند، منصفانه نگاه کنیم، بعضی جاها پارس ها و اسپارتان ها رو مقایسه میکنه و حرف های خنده داری میزنه. از جمله این که پارس ها میخوان با تصرف یونان، تنها شانس جهان برای دیدن "منطق" و "عدالت" و "آزادی" رو از بین ببرن.
این حرف وقتی خنده داره که از زبان یه اسپارتان زده بشه، که به وحشی و جنگ طلب بودن معروف بوده و هستن. همچنین از مسلّماته که یونانی ها خودشون هیچ وقت کار نمیکردن، بلکه همیشه عده ی کثیری برده داشتن و برده ها کار میکردن و مردان آزاد در آتن به تحصیل علم و فلسفه و در اسپارت به تمرین جنگ میپرداختن.
نقاشی
لباس رزم "گارد جاویدان"
به هر حال. نقاشی ها در حد عالی بودن. به خصوص از طراحی کمابیش درست لباس رزم ایرانی ها (نه همه شون) لذت بردم و لباس "گارد جاویدان" هر چند سند تاریخی نداشت، ولی خیلی هیجان انگیز و رعب آور بود. خیلی خوب نشون میداد که این ها ورزیده ترین و وحشت انگیزترین سپاه پارسی هستن.
خشای آرشا یه مقداری غیر طبیعی و زن نما کشیده شده بود که یحتمل به خاطر مقاصد داستانی و نشون دادن نقش منفیش بود.
داستان
داستان بسیار بسیار ضعیف و خام بود. عملاً داستانی وجود نداشت. فقط ماجرای تاریخی سر راست و خطی روایت شده بود، بدون هیچ اوج و فرودی. میخواستم فیلمش رو هم ببینم، اما واقعاً با این داستان ضعیف و مخصوصاً کارگردانی "زک اسنایدر" که تجربه ی فیلمسازی هالیوودیش رو دارم (در فیلم های "نگهبانان" و "مرد پولادین") ارزش نداره آدم دوباره وقت بذاره برای فیلمش.
February 7, 2017
Spartans! Tonight we dine in hell
The original graphic novel that inpired the movie of the same name.
Graphics are amazing, unique and pioneer for their time; too brutal and too tale-like. Lines are as spartan-like as they should be: "το λακωνίζειν εστί φιλοσοφείν" (talk as less as you can to be wise) is the moto of these soldiers that fear nothing, even death himself. "Η ταν ή επί τας" (come carrying this shield or be brought up to it") is the other hesitate-in-front-of-no-enemy moto.
Spartans and their sacrifice still inspires in many forms of art (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kF_nY...). The graphic novel itself inspired cinematography for a new animation-like CGI (like Spartakos)
The original graphic novel that inpired the movie of the same name.
Graphics are amazing, unique and pioneer for their time; too brutal and too tale-like. Lines are as spartan-like as they should be: "το λακωνίζειν εστί φιλοσοφείν" (talk as less as you can to be wise) is the moto of these soldiers that fear nothing, even death himself. "Η ταν ή επί τας" (come carrying this shield or be brought up to it") is the other hesitate-in-front-of-no-enemy moto.
Spartans and their sacrifice still inspires in many forms of art (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kF_nY...). The graphic novel itself inspired cinematography for a new animation-like CGI (like Spartakos)
November 25, 2017
Βαθμολογία: 9/10
Ούτε ξέρω πόσες φορές έχω δει την ομότιτλη ταινία. Σίγουρα καμιά δεκαριά. Όμως το κόμικ, που στην Ελλάδα κυκλοφορεί εδώ και χρόνια, μέχρι τώρα παρέμενε για κάποιον αδιευκρίνιστο λόγο αδιάβαστο. Εδώ που τα λέμε, μέχρι χθες δεν το είχα αγοράσει καν! Όμως το βρήκα μπροστά μου, θεώρησα την τιμή αστεία για την σκληρόδετη έκδοση ενός εμβληματικού έργου, και το άρπαξα. Και επιτέλους το διάβασα! Άφησα στην άκρη την εικόνα που έχω για την ταινία και βρήκα ότι και το κόμικ είναι σε πολύ υψηλό επίπεδο ποιότητας. Φυσικά δηλώνω λάτρης του Φρανκ Μίλερ και δεν περίμενα να μην μείνω ευχαριστημένος έστω και λίγο από κάποιο έργο του, απλά χαίρομαι που σιγουρεύτηκα. Το σχέδιο είναι ιδιαίτερο, ο όλος τρόπος παρουσίασης της ιστορίας μαγευτικός, το σενάριο απλό αλλά αναδεικνύει με έντονο τρόπο την δύναμη και το σθένος των Σπαρτιατών, ενώ και τα χρώματα είναι πραγματικά εξαιρετικά, δημιουργούν μια φοβερή ατμόσφαιρα. Εντάξει, αν κάποιος εξετάσει το κόμικ με αυστηρά και συγκεκριμένα κριτήρια, μπορεί να βρει ψεγάδια, τόσο στην ιστορία και τους χαρακτήρες όσο και στο σχέδιο, όμως εγώ κρίνω την γενικότερη εικόνα του κόμικ και την αίσθηση που μου δημιούργησε κατά την ανάγνωση. Οπότε δικαίως παίρνει από μένα πέντε αστεράκια.
Ούτε ξέρω πόσες φορές έχω δει την ομότιτλη ταινία. Σίγουρα καμιά δεκαριά. Όμως το κόμικ, που στην Ελλάδα κυκλοφορεί εδώ και χρόνια, μέχρι τώρα παρέμενε για κάποιον αδιευκρίνιστο λόγο αδιάβαστο. Εδώ που τα λέμε, μέχρι χθες δεν το είχα αγοράσει καν! Όμως το βρήκα μπροστά μου, θεώρησα την τιμή αστεία για την σκληρόδετη έκδοση ενός εμβληματικού έργου, και το άρπαξα. Και επιτέλους το διάβασα! Άφησα στην άκρη την εικόνα που έχω για την ταινία και βρήκα ότι και το κόμικ είναι σε πολύ υψηλό επίπεδο ποιότητας. Φυσικά δηλώνω λάτρης του Φρανκ Μίλερ και δεν περίμενα να μην μείνω ευχαριστημένος έστω και λίγο από κάποιο έργο του, απλά χαίρομαι που σιγουρεύτηκα. Το σχέδιο είναι ιδιαίτερο, ο όλος τρόπος παρουσίασης της ιστορίας μαγευτικός, το σενάριο απλό αλλά αναδεικνύει με έντονο τρόπο την δύναμη και το σθένος των Σπαρτιατών, ενώ και τα χρώματα είναι πραγματικά εξαιρετικά, δημιουργούν μια φοβερή ατμόσφαιρα. Εντάξει, αν κάποιος εξετάσει το κόμικ με αυστηρά και συγκεκριμένα κριτήρια, μπορεί να βρει ψεγάδια, τόσο στην ιστορία και τους χαρακτήρες όσο και στο σχέδιο, όμως εγώ κρίνω την γενικότερη εικόνα του κόμικ και την αίσθηση που μου δημιούργησε κατά την ανάγνωση. Οπότε δικαίως παίρνει από μένα πέντε αστεράκια.
April 10, 2007
Christ. This is crazy. Sparta's described as having this nightmarish culture where children are left out to die of exposure, men are ritually abused by each other to demonstrate toughness, the disabled are rejected in spite of their potential skills because they fail to fit into the military system, and international law is null and void (this is madness! No one kills a messenger! This is Sparta!).
And yet Frank Miller would have us believe they're better than the cultured Athenians (who're habitually described as boy-lovers, in spite of the Spartans being big macho maries themselves), that they can rationally reject their religion (the priests are painted as corrupt) and that what they're fighting for in their battle against the Persians is WESTERN CIVILISATION ITSELF.
In the end, the invading Persians (who offer to enrich Sparta in exchange for her vassalship) sound a lot more like today's America. And the Spartans look a lot more like today's Iran, proud and smart enough to develop nuclear capability and cunning enough to abuse a few British sailors for the sake of political advantage.
However, the stupid Americentric wankfest does read well. (shrug)
And yet Frank Miller would have us believe they're better than the cultured Athenians (who're habitually described as boy-lovers, in spite of the Spartans being big macho maries themselves), that they can rationally reject their religion (the priests are painted as corrupt) and that what they're fighting for in their battle against the Persians is WESTERN CIVILISATION ITSELF.
In the end, the invading Persians (who offer to enrich Sparta in exchange for her vassalship) sound a lot more like today's America. And the Spartans look a lot more like today's Iran, proud and smart enough to develop nuclear capability and cunning enough to abuse a few British sailors for the sake of political advantage.
However, the stupid Americentric wankfest does read well. (shrug)
October 7, 2016
I prefer to die on my feet,than live on my knees.
Ever since I've seen the movie adaptation of 300 (LONG time ago), I've been wanting to read the graphic novel, and now I finally got a chance to read it. I loved the movie adaptation of this (I even liked the sequel), and now that I finally read the graphic novel, I can safely say that I loved the graphic novel as well. I loved the art style, the way the story was told, and of course the characters. But I have to say, even though I loved the graphic novel, I still like the movie a bit more. The reason for that is probably because every single bit of the graphic novel was in a movie, but the movie just expanded the story more. Sometimes that can be a bad thing, but here it made the story deeper and more awesome.
Ever since I've seen the movie adaptation of 300 (LONG time ago), I've been wanting to read the graphic novel, and now I finally got a chance to read it. I loved the movie adaptation of this (I even liked the sequel), and now that I finally read the graphic novel, I can safely say that I loved the graphic novel as well. I loved the art style, the way the story was told, and of course the characters. But I have to say, even though I loved the graphic novel, I still like the movie a bit more. The reason for that is probably because every single bit of the graphic novel was in a movie, but the movie just expanded the story more. Sometimes that can be a bad thing, but here it made the story deeper and more awesome.
August 28, 2021
Year of New Authors
300 swim wear models walk to a bottleneck to fend off Persians, in the most historically innaccurate representation of real events since Amadeus.
I love the film 300. I mean, I love the goddamn film, it's the most gloriously stupid, high camp, bloody mess imaginable and perfect in every imperfect way. Unfortunately, the original comic fails spectacularly by being the movie only taken seriously.
The dialogue is delivered with too much stern solemness, so hilarious lines such as 'Only the ha--rd ' or 'Tonight we dine in Hell!' are shown for the shitty writing they are. The pacing is off and runs too quickly, the action scenes are a confusing mess of Jackson Pollock scratches that convey little dynamic movement, but plenty of lifeless gore.
The relationship between King Leonidas and Queen Gorgo is minimised from an equal partnership of badassery in the film, to Gorgo being little but a badly drawn 'big-boobed wifey' with a single scene, about three lines and no hand in the political intrigue.
The historical innaccuracies are also harder to ignore when all the fun is leeched out. The irony of Spartans calling Athenians 'boy lovers' as if they were known for being staunchly heterosexual themselves, or for Leonidas to go on about freedom when the Spartans were anything but democratic and had worse systems of slavery than the Persians did (historical sources seem a little muddled on that last one, though, namely if the Persians technically had slavery at all).
I'd heard Frank Miller wasn't known for being a sensitive or subtle author, so I had hoped for some deliciously gruesome weirdness or kinkniness that may have been too much for the cinematic release, but no, the book feels more tame if anything.
Another addition to my very short list of 'the film was better', and not worth your time frankly.
300 swim wear models walk to a bottleneck to fend off Persians, in the most historically innaccurate representation of real events since Amadeus.
I love the film 300. I mean, I love the goddamn film, it's the most gloriously stupid, high camp, bloody mess imaginable and perfect in every imperfect way. Unfortunately, the original comic fails spectacularly by being the movie only taken seriously.
The dialogue is delivered with too much stern solemness, so hilarious lines such as 'Only the ha--rd ' or 'Tonight we dine in Hell!' are shown for the shitty writing they are. The pacing is off and runs too quickly, the action scenes are a confusing mess of Jackson Pollock scratches that convey little dynamic movement, but plenty of lifeless gore.
The relationship between King Leonidas and Queen Gorgo is minimised from an equal partnership of badassery in the film, to Gorgo being little but a badly drawn 'big-boobed wifey' with a single scene, about three lines and no hand in the political intrigue.
The historical innaccuracies are also harder to ignore when all the fun is leeched out. The irony of Spartans calling Athenians 'boy lovers' as if they were known for being staunchly heterosexual themselves, or for Leonidas to go on about freedom when the Spartans were anything but democratic and had worse systems of slavery than the Persians did (historical sources seem a little muddled on that last one, though, namely if the Persians technically had slavery at all).
I'd heard Frank Miller wasn't known for being a sensitive or subtle author, so I had hoped for some deliciously gruesome weirdness or kinkniness that may have been too much for the cinematic release, but no, the book feels more tame if anything.
Another addition to my very short list of 'the film was better', and not worth your time frankly.
January 30, 2017
Zack Snyder's 2006 movie, 300 kept me on the edge of my seat as I watched it in the big screen. Until now, it still is one of my best guilty pleasure movies of all time. The slow motion choreography and the dumb macho rhetoric made me smile for days.
So, buying the 300 graphic novel by Frank Miller is the way to go to satiate my desire for more Spartan action. And man I am not disappointed. 300 has mindless fun and glorious deaths. The artwork is the best I have seen from Frank Miller.
300 the graphic novel holds the manliness record for the densest number spears, arrows, shields, red capes and abs in graphic literature.
I love 300 for what the satisfaction it gives from its mindless fun and glorious action.
So, buying the 300 graphic novel by Frank Miller is the way to go to satiate my desire for more Spartan action. And man I am not disappointed. 300 has mindless fun and glorious deaths. The artwork is the best I have seen from Frank Miller.
300 the graphic novel holds the manliness record for the densest number spears, arrows, shields, red capes and abs in graphic literature.
I love 300 for what the satisfaction it gives from its mindless fun and glorious action.
January 14, 2023
Excellent! I love the story and the artwork. This book is stunning.
January 22, 2016
The effort by Dark Horse Comics to make this hardcover edition of Frank Miller's 300 into a panoramic edition is appreciated. This was the way Miller intended as the individual issues (or floppies) were a 2 page splash from start to finish.
My only gripe is I cannot display it spine first on my shelf with my other Miller works. But a great read nonetheless.
My only gripe is I cannot display it spine first on my shelf with my other Miller works. But a great read nonetheless.
January 6, 2019
B.R.A.CE. 2019
Απόλαυση στο σχέδιο και στο θέμα! τι να λέμε τώρα;
June 25, 2021
استمتعت بترجمتها. كتابة شعريَّة هي السهل الممتنع ولوحات خلَّابة لفرانك ميلر، وألوان نابضة بالحياة للين ڤارلي
December 13, 2022
Frank Miller is a master at capturing motion and force in still images. There's also a special magic to comic books and the way dialogue sounds amazing on the page in a way it could never spoken. 300 is a read you won't regret.
June 9, 2009
Fun and exciting. A worthwhile story to be told, though the omission of the Thespians and other abuses of artistic license mark the fault of Miller's sensationalism. Like the four-color comics before him, Miller takes archetypes and symbols and drives them full throttle to the epic, gun-blazing climax. Unfortunately, character and emotion suffer. This is not quite the liability that it could have been, as the Epic tradition is often purposefully guilty of the same and 300 fits into this tradition (or the modern swords & sandals permutation).
However, when Miller is forced to give up some of his control, the improvement of realistic emotion shows how good his work can be. In The Dark Knight Returns, he had to keep much of the character's past and could not transform him entirely into an unfeeling, heroic killing machine. Likewise, in the film adaptation of 300, the actors and director helped to infuse the characters with more emotion and depth.
All in all, 300 isn't a long enough read for Miller's drawbacks to really hurt it, and he picked a fittingly manly story to showcase his histrionic machismo.
My Suggested Reading In Comics
However, when Miller is forced to give up some of his control, the improvement of realistic emotion shows how good his work can be. In The Dark Knight Returns, he had to keep much of the character's past and could not transform him entirely into an unfeeling, heroic killing machine. Likewise, in the film adaptation of 300, the actors and director helped to infuse the characters with more emotion and depth.
All in all, 300 isn't a long enough read for Miller's drawbacks to really hurt it, and he picked a fittingly manly story to showcase his histrionic machismo.
My Suggested Reading In Comics
May 12, 2019
É bom, mas esperava mais, nomeadamente quando comparado com o filme homónimo que consegue ir bastante além em termos visuais. Não é apenas uma questão de juntar audio e movimento, o filme socorre-se fortemente da estética criada pelo desenho de Miller mas acima de tudo da colorização de Lynn Varley, e consegue puxar ainda mais pelos amarelos torrados dourados cobertos de espirros de sangue, gerando um autêntico festim visual para os olhos.
O filme foi destruído pela crítica cinematográfica, mas olhando a obra de origem, o filme não lhe deve nada. Pode-se não gostar do género, mas é preciso reconhecer o enorme trabalho colocado na feitura deste livro e do filme.
O filme foi destruído pela crítica cinematográfica, mas olhando a obra de origem, o filme não lhe deve nada. Pode-se não gostar do género, mas é preciso reconhecer o enorme trabalho colocado na feitura deste livro e do filme.
June 28, 2013
This book is excellent if you need something to prop your computer up on if you're using it in bed and don't want the fan to get smothered by blankets.
I do not believe it has any other redeeming qualities.
I do not believe it has any other redeeming qualities.
January 29, 2021
Ok. A "Graphic novel...in this case I say it's a hard back comic book addaption of a movie. The artist gets to cut loose here on lots of action sequences and that's I suppose what will sell this book.
Don't go here for history. the Spartans were a militaristic austere culture. But....there are big differences. The most glaring I suppose would be that the actual 300 (there were other Greeks there by the way the 300 were more like the special forces or Delta Force. They were the last along with a small force of Thespians to stand and fight when the rest had retreated),fought in armor. they wore groin and thigh protection, bronze breastplates and grieves. They didn't fight naked. it was a big reason that they could stand against the lighter armed and armored Persians for so long.
So action and a thriller, but look elsewhere for the history. The Battle of Thermopylae is a major turning point in history, so I'd depend on more than a comic book to learn about it. This is entertainment. Enjoy it for what it is.
Don't go here for history. the Spartans were a militaristic austere culture. But....there are big differences. The most glaring I suppose would be that the actual 300 (there were other Greeks there by the way the 300 were more like the special forces or Delta Force. They were the last along with a small force of Thespians to stand and fight when the rest had retreated),fought in armor. they wore groin and thigh protection, bronze breastplates and grieves. They didn't fight naked. it was a big reason that they could stand against the lighter armed and armored Persians for so long.
So action and a thriller, but look elsewhere for the history. The Battle of Thermopylae is a major turning point in history, so I'd depend on more than a comic book to learn about it. This is entertainment. Enjoy it for what it is.
April 11, 2015
I give this masterpiece 11 Spartan kicks out of 10.
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