xerxes
Geoff Boucher catches up with Frank Miller in a long and comprehensive piece covering his recent and current activities. The big news is that his 300 prequel, XERXES, is underway, and like the Spartans, it isn’t going to take prisoners:

As for the title of the new tale, Miller is aware that his choice will be seen as willfully provocative — the portrayal of Xerxes in “300” was deeply offensive in Iran, where the ruler is viewed as part of a noble era in Persian history.

“Yes, I suppose it will be seen as provocative, but really to me he is such a pivotal character and in this story I get to explain him so much more fully,” Miller said. “I do my best to crawl inside his head rather than have him be this iconic force that simply commands this huge army. There are many scenes with him alone or just with his people. There’s an extended scene set in Persepolis, for instance, where he takes power and there are several scenes where he is going through his transitions and he’s shown speaking to his mother and his wife and with all of that he becomes that much more interesting as a character.”


In conjunction with the piece, Miller answered some questions from fans on his Twitter page, including whatever happened to Holy Terror, Batman, his long brewing tale of Batman vs terrorists. As hinted here and there, it will no longer feature Batman but will see print somewhere: :

RT @aldorantes batman vs. al queda? is it dead? / HOLY TERROR is well in progress. It no longer features Batman. I have made up a new hero.


(This is reminiscent of Moebius’s Batman Black & White story that was rejected and later resurfaced as “Ratman.” The story featured Ratman going through heavy duty therapy.)
Miller also talks about his worldview, the reception to The Spirit film and more.

1 COMMENT

  1. Jumping Jesus in a burning birch bark canoe.

    what the hell is this thing?

    300 was one of the worst comics ever, but judging from this image, the bottom of that sparta well is still a ways off.

  2. I’m interested. Really enjoyed 300 – as a comic, if not a movie – and it had some of Miller’s best cartooning.

    Miller hasn’t done much in the last decade I liked, but if nothing else I always enjoy his art, and this promo image looks excellent.

  3. Oh, it’s the 300 prequel. Phew.

    Because when I saw those gold wing thingies, my first thought was that this was some sort of Wonder Woman rework, and she had her logo on her back.

  4. I’m interested.

    FM has done some of the best mainstream comics of the last 30 years, & he’s also done some bombs. If he’s well edited, though, he could be brilliant.

  5. 06/08/2010 at 10:45 am
    I understood from the getgo that 300 was not historically accurate. I don’t think Frank Miller is racist…but now that Xerxes in the spotlight again, I’m perplexed as to why Xerxes, a Persian ruler, is African and covered in jewlery. He never quite explained that. While I kind of liked 300 when I was younger,I’m curious as to whether it has stood the test of time.
    .
    Sorry,Heidi.