“300 is one of the finest graphic novels I have read and I preferred this to the movie. I did like the movie but overall, I think the art work in the graphic novel is so detailed and incredible, it stirs up the imagination a little more than the actual film.
While Frank no doubt did a lot of research on Sparta, I did find that his take on several aspects of Spartan life to be a little 'over the top' and probably, this works well when you are trying to narrate this ancient story to a modern audience accustomed to stylistic gore (from numerous horror films and other movies where graphic cruelty is more or less the norm).
There are also the more glaring examples, particularly from the movie. However, these are minor and do not detract from the overall quality of the work.
Leonidas, for example, is shown to kill a wolf all by himself, the stuff of legend. There is no actual record of him having done so and if he really did so, there is no way he would have been acclaimed as "king" the moment he returned with the hide of the wolf draped on his shoulders.
The ephors were no doubt old men who often were at odds with the kingship but to portray them as leprous, with an avaracious taste for gold is stretching it a bit. There were probably one or two who may have been corrupt but not as a body. At least, my research doesn't indicate that was the case.
Well, these are little nits as also the depiction of the Persian king, with his body piercing and his effeminate ways, contrasted with the manly looks of Leonidas. I don't think the descendants of the Persians (the Iranians, whom we love to hate) took this too well but again, it is an artistic choice and Frank chose to probably do this to heighten the contrast and lend an even more dramatic flavor to the final showdown.
My 2 c.. on this.”
