Xerxes is a comic book limited series written and illustrated by Frank Miller, serving as a prequel and sequel to his acclaimed 1998 graphic novel 300. The story delves into the rise of the Persian god-king Xerxes and the naval battles that defined the second Persian invasion of Greece, focusing on the Athenian general Themistocles and the vengeful Persian naval commander Artemisia. Miller's signature visual style—stark, high-contrast artwork with sweeping, operatic violence—returns to depict the epic clashes at Artemisium and Salamis.
The series was originally announced in the late 2000s as a follow-up to the massive success of the 300 film adaptation, though its publication was delayed for years. It finally saw release in 2018, well after the film adaptation had already been produced. The comic expands the historical fantasy world Miller created, blending Greco-Persian history with mythic exaggeration, monstrous imagery, and a heightened, brutal aesthetic that transforms ancient warfare into a visceral, painterly spectacle.
