300 | 
 enlarge | Authors: Frank Miller, Lynn Varley
Publisher: Dark Horse
Category: Book
List Price: $30.00
Buy New: $11.88
You Save: $18.12 (60%)
New (63) Used (39) Collectible (6) from $9.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  237 reviews
Sales Rank: 15198
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1098
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 88
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.9
Dimensions (in): 12.9 x 9.8 x 0.5
ISBN: 1569714029
Dewey Decimal Number: 741.5973
EAN: 9781569714027
ASIN: 1569714029
Publication Date: December 15, 1999
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Amazon.com Review
An emperor amasses an army of hundreds of thousands, drawn from two continents, to invade a third continent and conquer a tiny, divided nation. Only a few hundred warriors stand against them. Yet the tiny nation is saved. It sounds like the plot of a preposterous fantasy novel. It is historical fact. In 481-480 B.C., King Xerxes of Persia raised forces in Asia and Africa and invaded Greece with an army so huge that it "drank rivers dry." Then they entered the mountain pass of Thermopylae and encountered 300 determined soldiers from Sparta.... Writer-artist Frank Miller and colorist Lynn Varley retell the battle of Thermopylae in the exciting and moving graphic novel 300. They focus on King Leonidas, the young foot soldier Stelios, and the storyteller Dilios to highlight the Spartans' awe-inspiring toughness and valor. Miller and Varley's art is terrific, as always; the combat scenes are especially powerful. And Miller's writing is his best in years. Read it. Do not, however, read 300 expecting a strictly accurate history. The Phocians did not "scatter," as Miller describes. His Spartans are mildly homophobic, which is goofy in such a gay society. Miller doesn't say how many Greeks remained for the climactic battle--you'd think 300 Spartans and maybe a dozen others, when there were between 700 and 1,100 Greeks. Herodotus's Histories does not identify the traitor Ephialtes as ugly and hunchbacked, or even as Spartan. 300 establishes a believable connection between Ephialtes's affliction and behavior, but his monstrous appearance, King Xerxes's effeminacy, and the Persians' inexplicable pierced-GenX-African looks make for an eyebrow-raising choice of villain imagery. Nonetheless, 300 is a brilliant dramatization. For the full story of the failed invasion, read Herodotus's Histories or, for a concise, graphic-novel retelling, Larry Gonick's great Cartoon History of the Universe: Volumes 1-7, From the Big Bang to Alexander the Great. For a lighthearted look at post-invasion Athens and a very young Alexander the Great, check out William Messner-Loebs and Sam Kieth's witty and gorgeous graphic novels, Epicurus the Sage Vol. I and Vol. II. --Cynthia Ward
Product Description
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.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 232 more reviews...
 "Fine Theme...Poor Execution..." December 7, 2008
So you watched the movie? Loved it? Want to read the graphic novel that inspired it? Regrettably, you haven't missed out on much...
I, more than anyone, wanted this book to be the epic it promised to be. Zack Snyder's `300' was one of the most awe inspiring films ever made- & I was sold. I wish I could say the same for the book. I was surprised to find the graphic novel both shallow & rushed, with the author doing very little to add value to the tale.
As is the case with most novel-inspired films, the motion picture always tends to fall short of its narrative equivalent. However, this is hardly the case with 300; the movie seems to have far outshone its graphic novel counterpart, by surpassing & enriching the plot conjured up by Miller. I would recommend this book to collectors &/or fans, not to those who are looking for a more exhilarating ride than the movie.
THE BOOK;
The dimensions of the book & the overall quality of `300; the graphic novel' are the only real positives I can think of. The handsome hardcover & over-sized pages will undeniably & literally `stand out' in your bookcase.
THE STORY;
Miller throws you into the fray, right from the beginning & it climaxes & ends even before you know it. 300 makes for very superficial reading; it's as black & white as it comes, so don't expect a deep & philosophical story.
88 pages seem hardly enough to narrate the harrowing tale of the 300. Sure the pages are wide & extensive, but this hardly translated to more reading... dialog was few & far apart (& was, at times, both uninteresting & tedious) & you could probably finish the book from cover to cover at your first sitting. I also seriously doubt you would be reading it again in a few months.
THE ART;
Personally, I've never been a big fan of Frank Miller's art, just his stories... and if you are someone (like me) who loves to pour over pages of detailed & intricate artwork, this book will bore you to tears... The art was shabby & petty with very little attention paid to detail. Varney's colours were just as simplistic, with blacks, reds & yellow/oranges being used from cover to cover, with little or no variety.
THE VERDICT;
Not all that it is hyped up to be. A very basic presentation of a fine theme that, in my opinion, could have been better staged. Sorry Frank, but no cigar.
 Amazing artistic point of view of the battle. November 1, 2008
Amazing artistic point of view of the battle.
The reality there is greatly represent in perfect lines and emotional quotes.
So much impressive skills makes Frank Miller the best in everything he does (with this book and the movies).
Worth EVERY CENT!
Genious October 15, 2008
This is a beautifully done book and very unique in its genre. The writing and story are both excellent. Miller does a fantastic job of mixing an amazing bit of history with enough fiction for readers to really sink their teeth into. It is no wonder this was made into a film.
Graphic Novel on an EPIC SCALE!!! September 24, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Blood and Rain
Blood for the Masses
Originally published in SavageNight Ezine
300
Story and Art by
Frank Miller
Reviewed by
B.L.Morgan
5 Stars
Q: When can a graphic novel be elevated to the level of high art?
A: When truly beautiful and stylish artwork and resonating dialogue is used to illustrate a story of epic proportions that tell a tale of a heroic struggle against insurmountable odds.
At The Battle Of Thermopylae in 480BC 300 Spartan warriors delayed an invading Persian army of somewhere around 150,000 combat troops long enough so that the rest of the cities of Greece could raise armies and stop their country from being invaded. It was a suicide mission from the beginning.
The king of Sparta, Leonidas knew the odds were overwhelmingly in favor of the enemy. It didn't matter. To the last man, the 300 Spartans fought and died. None gave nor asked for mercy.
The artwork in 300 is moody, tense and in some places downright gross. Hand to hand combat with swords and spears is not a pretty sight. Frank Miller shows this kind of warfare in all its ugliness.
Do I recommend 300 by Frank Miller? You better believe I do! I've never read any story better than this in any medium.
The glorious stand of the 300 Spartans at Thermopylae still echoes in history nearly 2500 years after it took place. Frank Miller's interpretation of this historic battle does it justice.
Art & Adrenaline September 18, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I doubt that the historical accounts tell the side story of betrayal and the treachery of the humpback as he sides with Xerxes and the Persians. But this is what makes up a great piece of fiction, the unexpected and untold story of gods and ghosts. This is one of the best graphic novels ever produced. It has enraged some historians and students of the Battle of Thermopylae, however, taken for exactly what it is; fiction based on a historical event, it is an amazing piece of work. Frank Miller is truly and artist and that includes his ability to tell a story.
If I wanted a historical account I would read "Gates of Fire," or watch the History Channel's account of the Spartans. But for the richness of imagery Miller has put into this book, I can forgive him for representing King Leonidas as a young man, rather than a white hair. I also appreciate the way Miller has represented the Lakedaemonians (Spartans) as more than just men, but as Greek warriors, the epitome of physical power and proportion. This includes giving them manly facial hair and leaving their protective uniforms off showing every muscle and tendon.
Lynn Varley set a great tone, pun indented, with colors and gives continuity to the book. It is a complete piece of work from beginning to end, you have a feeling of great power and immanent doom. Anyone who had to learn the story of the Hot Gates will enjoy this as much as the teenager who hated history and had to learn why their school mascot was a Spartan.
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