Steven’s love of reading about the Ancient World dates back to the Classics Illustrated comic books of his childhood. Graphic novels have changed a lot since then...

The GREEK STREET series by Peter Milligan & Davide Gianfelice transports the ancient myths to the streets of modern London: Vol. 1: Blood Calls for Blood

ZEUS: King of the Gods by George O’Connor First volume in a new series, Olympians. Followed by ATHENA: Grey-Eyed Goddess.

300 by Frank Miller started the current craze by inspiring the hit movie about the Spartans at the Battle of Thermopylae.

More movie tie-ins: Look for a screen version of the graphic novel HERCULES: The Thracian Wars by Steve Moore and Admira Jiwaya. SPARTACUS: Blood and Sand ties in with the TV series on Starz (see the New Movies page).

In OLYMPUS by Johns, Grimminger & Guice, archaeology grad students trapped on Mount Olympus confront the deadliest monsters of Greek myth.

SWORDS OF ROME: The Conquerors by Dufaux & Delaby vividly depicts the decadence and debauchery of Nero’s bloody reign.

For an antidote to all that lurid violence, turn to EPICURUS THE SAGE by William Messner-Loebs & Sam Keith, which spoofs ancient Greek philosophers and myth, featuring 8-year-old Alexander the not-yet-Great.

The AGE OF BRONZE Series by Eric Shanower recounts the saga of the Trojan war: A Thousand Ships • Sacrifice • Betrayal

The Marvel Illustrated series pays homage to Homer on an epic scale in two hardback volumes adapted by Roy Thomas: THE ODYSSEY (art by Greg Tocchini) and THE ILIAD (art by Miguel Angel Sepulveda). Thomas and Sepulveda team up again to recount the epic tales of THE TROJAN WAR.

Franco Navarro offers another take on THE ODYSSEY, from Heavy Metal classics.

Ostensibly aimed at readers 9-12, but beautifully rendered with glossaries and indexes, are the volumes in the Graphic Myths & Legends series: JASON: Quest for the Golden Fleece • ATALANTA: Race Against Destiny • DEMETER & PERSEPHONE: Spring Held Hostage • PSYCHE & EROS: The Lady & the Monster • PERSEUS: The Hunt for Medusa’s Head • HERCULES: The 12 Labors • THE TROJAN HORSE: The Fall of Troy • ODYSSEUS: Escaping Poseidon’s Curse • THESEUS: Battling the Minotaur • ISIS & OSIRIS: To the Ends of the Earth