This is one of those books that you've probably heard about at this point, as just about every critic, online and otherwise, has named it a book worth your time. Every review I've read has been full of praise, and every review I've written equally so. Shanower has given us a wide array of characters, places and situations and has managed to create a truly believable picture of an ancient war in an ancient time. The events that are motivating this war range from the one big event (the kidnapping of Helen by Paris of Troy) to the smaller ones that move various characters (Achilles, Agamemnon, even Helen and Paris themselves) into the roles they will play in this story. He has struck a balance between the personal stories and consequences for each character and the over-arcing tapestry of the war, which cares not at all for personal glories and small goals.
Though I have at times felt that the wide array of characters can be dizzying and even distracting, this feeling is very much lessened by having the stories all together in one volume, complete with glossary and map. Mind you, even the few moments of confusion are well worth it for the feeling of complexity and scope that Shanower gives the book. The stories of some of the main characters, such as Achilles, Agamemnon or Paris, all get a fair amount of play as we see them living their lives, often trying to hide from their destinies, until they are drawn into the tapestry of the war story. More impressively, however, is how important seemingly minor characters are to building the reality and fallout of the looming war. The birth of Paris's child early on, a child he seems unlikely to know, shows us what he has left behind in becoming a prince of Troy. The romance of Achilles (a.k.a. Pyrrha) and Deidamia serves to flesh out Achilles's character, but also serves to give emotional consequences to his decision to embrace a glorious but deadly destiny. The recruiting of Odysseus is another powerful scene that demonstrates the theme of destiny and how impossible it was to escape in the times that Shanower is depicting.
In tackling the stories of the Trojan War, Shanower had some hard choices to make. Did he leave the gods, magic and prophetic visions in, as they were all part of the stories, even though they would give the story more of a fantastic slant? His solution is both simple and very subtle. While visions of the future, messages from the gods and even mythical beasts (such as the centaur or the nymph) are all referenced, they are grounded in reality, and the fantastic interpretation is mostly a result of the worldview of the time. It's possible, even entirely likely, that Paris's dream of being approached by three goddesses was just that, a dream, and that the visions the seers reveal of the outcome of the war were nothing more than lucky guesses based on interpretation of natural events. This feeling of a world constantly watched over (and interfered with) by various gods and directed by destiny and prophecy makes it easy to understand the characters and setting from a 21st century point of view.
Of course, this strong sense of place and time also comes from a considerable amount of research, which shows on the page. The look of the cities, the clothing, the ships and even the hairstyles is a believable depiction of ancient Greece, and even the most casual student of mythology or history will recognize names in the narrative. Shanower talks about the contradictory nature of stories he has based this tale on, and how he has worked with so many sources to build a single account that agrees with them as much as possible. While the book is an enjoyable read for anyone, I can only imagine that it would be nirvana for a scholar of Greek myth or history. In fact, if you know a history or mythology professor who doesn't own this book, I think you've got their next birthday present all sewn up in this volume.
For all that the Age of Bronze serial comics have been entertaining and well-crafted, this is a book that deserves a more permanent edition, and Shanower and Image have pulled out all the stops on this collected edition. The hardcover is just gorgeous, and if you're a fan of the format as I am, it's well worth the extra $10. The paperback edition is also a triumph of the form, however. Shanower has embraced the "extras" that have made their way into so many collected editions, but rather than just a sketchbook section, he has given us material that fits the style of the book. An informative and engrossing afterword talks about how he came up with the story and how he researched it, as well as talking about some of the archaeological surveys being done right now in regards to these areas and time periods. In addition, a thorough glossary of names and genealogical charts help to keep the numerous characters and places straight, and a map of the area is another aid in this regard. The book is then filled out with a multi-page bibliography, suggesting other reading material for fans of the work as well as detailing in full just how much research Shanower has done for this project.
We need more comics like this. Shanower has managed to create a book that is at once educational, artistic and highly entertaining, and it should appeal to a variety of fans. Any fan of the medium is doing themselves a grand disservice if they don't at least pick up a copy of this first book and give it a read. I think most fans will find it very much to their liking, and like me, will anxiously be awaiting the remaining six volumes of the story.
