Frank Miller Reveals ‘300’ Prequel Details

The upcoming, Xerxes-centric 300 prequel comic from Frank Miller finally has a title and a synopsis — even if it raises almost as many questions as it answers.

Xerxes: The Fall of the House of Darius and the Rise of Alexander, a five-issue miniseries, will be in stores from Dark Horse this year and features colors by Alex Sinclair, who worked with Miller on Dark Knight III: The Master Race.

“This series tells the story of the first great clash of civilizations, the first bloody contest between east and west. The odds vastly favor the Persian forces, but the Greeks have Alexander, the greatest military commander of all time,” said Miller in a statement (via io9).

Per Dark Horse, “Xerxes: The Fall of the House of Darius and the Rise of Alexander will launch in 2018. Xerxes rose to power in fifth-century-B.C. Persia and became known as ‘The King of Kings,’ eventually raising and leading a massive army intent on ruthlessly destroying the hated Greeks who killed his father. Xerxes seeks nothing less than to become a god himself—and achieves his wish!”

News reports have suggested that the story will deal with the rise of Alexander III, better known as Alexander the Great. Alexander III would eventually raise up a force that would overthrow the Persian empire, but it was Alexander I who was a contemporary of Xerxes.

Still, the statement from Dark Horse sounds like it’s talking about Alexander The Great:

“This series tells the story of the first great clash of civilizations, the first bloody contest between east and west. The odds vastly favor the Persian forces, but the Greeks have Alexander, the greatest military commander of all time.”

It is entirely possible that Miller, whose 300 was less concerned with literal historical accuracy than crafting an exciting narrative, is playing fast and loose with the timeline. It is equally likely that reporters are getting it wrong and that Alexander I is the one who will face off against Xerxes in the story, which can be one of a number of stories about the Persian Empire leading to the rise of Alexander the Great in Miller’s planned 300 franchise.

Xerxes: The Fall of the House of Darius and the Rise of Alexander will be available in stores and online from Dark Horse Comics on April 4.