Xerxes: The Fall of the House of Darius and the Rise of Alexander #3

Issue #3 will surprise people. Maybe even shock them. But it is Frank focusing on a part of Xerxes' life that was not geared solely towards war. Instead, it draws attention to the period where his focus was on the kingdom, and on finding himself love. And in doing so, bringing about one of the books of the Bible to life. Read Full Review

A strong third chapter increases the visual quality and tells an interesting back story. Read Full Review

Frank Miller returns with a mythic take on an old, old story of war, domination and men reaching for heaven and the mantle of God. Read Full Review

Xerxes has risen. We need now only to see the man who will rival him, in the form of Alexander. Read Full Review

0COMMENTSThere's no doubt that the spreads populating Xerxes are some of Frank Miller's best work in the past decade. They reveal someone who can regularly illustrate the essence of a moment, imbuing it with historical significance and narrative power. Read Full Review

Xerxes #5 is another unexciting comic in what could have been a promising prequel. This issue is actually about the titular Xerxes, but we do not learn a thing about him. Plus, the unfocused nature of the story leaves you feeling detached and uninvested. The art does little to salvage any of it. This one is better than the previous installments, but it doesn't earn a recommendation. Give it a pass. Read Full Review

Dani

Jul 07, 2018

This is my first time reading a Frank Miller comic. This issue was basically a historical comic and was dedicated to providing a backstory for Xerxes and Esther. I did not realize this comic would focus on real characters in history until the introduction of Esther. I had never heard of Xerxes but knew Esther's story from the Book of Esther in the Bible. Xerxes was identified as Ahasuerus in the Bible. After reading this comic, I did some research to see how accurate it was. For the most part it was pretty accurate. There were some things left out but nothing pertinent to the story being told. There is not a lot of action in this comic however I don't mind a slow buildup to establish characters. The artwork in this comic was awesome. It was very abstract and definitely sets this comic apart. I'm interested to see how this comic unfolds. more