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Ancient Rome in comics
#1
Hello,

I searched and didn't find any comic book topic, so decided to create one, since I'm a fan of comics and there are at least 3 books inspired by this theme.

I'm currently reading these - The Eagles of Rome by Enrico Marini. So far there are only 2 books but a third one is coming out in November. Unfortunately, it hasn't been translated to English yet (at least officially :wink: ), so they're only available in French, Spanish, German and Portuguese, I believe. Art is pretty good, as you can see from the samples and it's a story of a roman boy and a captured Cherusci prince, growing up together and becoming friends through training and battle...with some women problems in the mix. It's a mature readers book.
[img size=200x200]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H3HSn_JAKLk/TfDdccFwTHI/AAAAAAAAFT8/OwZmtbb3iSg/s1600/AAR_%25231_p29+001.jpg[/img][img size=200x200]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5VXmnImecHE/TfDdFSqAvyI/AAAAAAAAFTw/GWQI3GVH0PY/s1600/AAR_%25231_p.3.jpg[/img][img size=200x200]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7JfG03igCN4/TfDdJO1kYKI/AAAAAAAAFT0/ls8dMXLE8Yo/s1600/AAR_%25231_p7.jpg[/img]

The Adventures of Alix by Jacques Martin is a classic that I also intend to buy and that has been translated in many languages...although only 2 volumes in english. You can read more about it in the wikipedia page linked to the title but it's basically an adventure book, throughout the Roman Republic. You can tell it's "old school" due to the style of the art.
[img size=200x200]http://www.sceneario.com/Planche_bd_2002_ALIX.jpg[/img][img size=200x200]http://www.bedetheque.com/Planches/Alix.jpg[/img][img size=200x200]http://www.bleedingcool.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/alix.jpg[/img]

The third and final series that I know, is Murena from Jean Dufaux. This one is more about politics, as you can tell from the description: Originally published in France, this graphic tale follows Emperor Nero as he consolidates his political alliances and begins his first steps toward the decadence and debauchery which led to his fall. The corruption and greed of the Roman Senate highlight a personal story of one Gladiator who becomes a threat to Nero. Apparently, the first volume is available in english, although with a different name. Definitely for mature readers!
[img size=200x200]http://www.teulliac.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/murena_planche.gif[/img][img size=200x200]http://www.actuabd.com/IMG/jpg/Murena1.jpg[/img][img size=200x200]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OSXAqUzQCEM/TOAFRHtwgXI/AAAAAAAAL2g/u6Js1CeqJKY/s1600/Murena%2BT8-planche1.jpg[/img]

So, has anyone read these? Opinions? More titles that you might know?
André
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#2
Hello Ronon

Yes I am a fan of these and usually buy some when I travel outside the UK. Otherwise I can only get them from Amazon. I have just bought the latest Alix adventure set in Vienne, because I visited Saint Romaine-en-Gal last year.

There does not seem to be the culture for this type of adult Comic book in the UK and in the English language version of Murena you mention all the nudity has been drawn out!

To your list you could add the series 'Vae Victis' which is Dutch and another new series set in Gaul 'Le Casque du Agris'. I met the author and illustrator in Grand a couple of years ago and got signed and illustrated copies! The author has just written another book with a Roman Beneficiarius as the lead character.

In Tarragona a few years ago I also picked up a Spanish book on the siege of Numantia although you could say it was more illustrated than comic in style.

Best wishes.

Graham.
"Is all that we see or seem but a dream within a dream" Edgar Allan Poe.

"Every brush-stroke is torn from my body" The Rebel, Tony Hancock.

"..I sweated in that damn dirty armor....TWENTY YEARS!', Charlton Heston, The Warlord.
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#3
First time I'm reading about those 2 books but they look great, specially "Le Casquee du Agris" which seems more to my liking. And from what I understand it's done in close relation with history teachers and historical associations, judging by the oficial site. Might have to dust out my old french dictionary and buy them.

Yeah, unfortunately european comics are hard to find in some countries, which is a shame and unfair, since I bet you can easily find the also great "Northlanders", which is american. I'm lucky that they're easy to buy here in Portugal and many are even translated, which is good cause my french is very bad.

Thank you for the suggestions, I'll definitely see if I can get them.
André
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#4
Hello Ronon

The Spanish book was 'Numancia' by Angel Benito Gastanaga. Published in 2006 and I think some of the illustrations are based on re-enactors, possibly French and Spanish.

You might also be interested in my own website gsillustrator.co.uk

Graham.
"Is all that we see or seem but a dream within a dream" Edgar Allan Poe.

"Every brush-stroke is torn from my body" The Rebel, Tony Hancock.

"..I sweated in that damn dirty armor....TWENTY YEARS!', Charlton Heston, The Warlord.
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#5
Hi Ronon
Thanks for this thread, and the names of the comics. Thanks also to Graham, with whom I had a conversation about these very publications!

I've ordered the first Murena on Amazon, but the £47 pricetag for The Adventures of Alix put me off. Is it worth that much?

By the way, it's a forum rule that you use your real name as well.
Ben Kane, bestselling author of the Eagles of Rome, Spartacus and Hannibal novels.

Eagles in the Storm released in UK on March 23, 2017.
Aguilas en la tormenta saldra en 2017.


www.benkane.net
Twitter: @benkaneauthor
Facebook: facebook.com/benkanebooks
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#6
Hi Ben

Hope to meet you again at the Roman Army School in Durham next year!

Sounds cheaper to pop over to France and buy a copy but you can also order Alix books from Amazon France.

Best wishes

Graham.
"Is all that we see or seem but a dream within a dream" Edgar Allan Poe.

"Every brush-stroke is torn from my body" The Rebel, Tony Hancock.

"..I sweated in that damn dirty armor....TWENTY YEARS!', Charlton Heston, The Warlord.
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#7
Ben,

Les Adventures d'Alix and its companion volumes, Les Voyages d'Alix (not stories, but reconstruction drawings) are quite enjoyable, though I haven't gotten around to read the last once yet.

47 GBP sounds rather excessive compared to the price in France, though, but I'm not really sure what the English book includes anyway. According to its description, "...the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online." (it only mentions the comic thereafter), and, at 180 pages, it's much longer than the French comics. So what exactly is it supposed to be?

As regards other comics,
- Vae Victis (which I know in French, by Yves Mitton, not Dutch), but it's too sexually charged for my tastes.
- Priscus et Silvanus, which are in Latin and for and about two children; they're set in Augusta Raurica (Augst) in 250-321 AD.
- Carthage: a French series by Grégory Lassablière e.a. which I haven't read yet.
- A comic about Hypatia, which I seem to have misplaced...
- Comics by the J. Martin, who also does the Alix series, about historical personalities; I'm aware of Nero (only a part of his reign), Cleopatra and Alexander.

Best,
Max
M. Caecilius M.f. Maxentius - Max C.

Qui vincit non est victor nisi victus fatetur
- Q. Ennius, Annales, Frag. XXXI, 493

Secretary of the Ricciacus Frënn (http://www.ricciacus.lu/)
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#8
Wow, so many titles to research. Thank you all for your suggestions.

And I knew your site long before I joined RAT, cause when I was working at a bookstore, a customer once asked about one of your books and pointed me to the website. Epic skills, as I'm sure you've been told many times, Graham :-)
André
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#9
Quote:- Les Adventures d'Alix and its companion volumes, Les Voyages d'Alix (not stories, but reconstruction drawings)
Alex in Dutch. Great series, although it went downhill when Martin got older. But truth be told, these books got me into history and re-enactment eventually! Big Grin
Quote:- Vae Victis (which I know in French, by Yves Mitton, not Dutch), but it's too sexually charged for my tastes.
It's in Dutch as well. I agree about the sexuality, for me it was the enormous amount of blood on the pages. I stopped collecting them.
Quote:- Priscus et Silvanus, which are in Latin and for and about two children; they're set in Augusta Raurica (Augst) in 250-321 AD.
Sounds interesting! Are they any good?
Quote:- Carthage: a French series by Grégory Lassablière e.a. which I haven't read yet.
Me neither.
Quote:- A comic about Hypatia, which I seem to have misplaced...
Was it good? Sounds interesting.
Quote:- Comics by J. Martin, who also does the Alix series, about historical personalities; I'm aware of Nero (only a part of his reign), Cleopatra and Alexander.
Series or individual books? Never seen them around here.
I can add a few:

Apostata by Ken Broeders (Dutch only), a great new series about the career of the emperor Julianus II: http://www.goddeau.com/content/view/6895
La dernière prophétie by Gilles Chaillet (French and Dutch), also about pagans during the Late Roman Empire; http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Derni%C3...h%C3%A9tie
Auguria (Dutch) by Peter Nuyten from 2010 about the rebellion of Julius Civilis: http://www.silvesterstrips.nl/strips/auguria/auguria/
Malorix en de Romeinen (Dutch) by Bert Bus (2007) about two frisians travelling to Rome in the 1st c.: http://www.stripinfo.be/strip.php?strip=34660
Opstand der Bataven, one volume (Dutch) about the rebellion of Julius Civilis from 1982: http://www.catawiki.nl/catalogus/strips/...er-bataven
Robert Vermaat
MODERATOR
FECTIO Late Romans
THE CAUSE OF WAR MUST BE JUST
(Maurikios-Strategikon, book VIII.2: Maxim 12)
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#10
I have all the Alix books, started collecting them when I was a kid. Great stuff, even though they went downhill a bit as Jacques Martin got older and became less and less involved. I don't know if the series will be continued now that he passed away. I also have some of Jacques Martin's historical comics, the ones on Alex the Great and Nero. I don't know how much he really was involved with those, I think it's more a "Jacques Martin presents..." kind of thing. Art and text seem to be by different people.
I also have all the Murenas (7 by now, I think), and they're wonderful. Great artwork, historically pretty accurate. They do have a lot of sexual content, so if you don't like that, these might not be for you, just as the Eagles of Rome series might not or Vae Victis.
I've read the Vae Victis series and have a lot of the books, albeit not all, and while I don't like the artwork as much, they are pretty entertaining.
France/Belgium is such a treasure trove of comics for adult readers. Whenever I'm there, I go shopping, and there is usually always something new with an ancient or Roman background available.
Aka
Christoph
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#11
Although not a comic book per se, the illustrations in the YA picture book, The Roman Army, are very reminiscent of those found in many issues of Heavy Metal magazine.

The Roman Army by Dyan Blacklock illustrations by David Kennett
c2004 ISBN: 0-8027-8896-3

http://www.educationoasis.com/ch_book_re...n_army.htm

:wink:

Narukami
David Reinke
Burbank CA
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#12
In Spain there is a very famous comic, The Jabato. Were originally published between 1958 and 1966. In 2008 and 2010 have been published news stories. These are the adventures of a Spanish peasant become a gladiator and after leading a rebellion, travels the world defending just causes.
Alex is another Spanish comic published between 1973 and 1974. I know 18 albums. It is child-like, much like Asterix but the protagonists are Roman and the bad guys are barbarians. The action takes place in the early third century.
I enjoyed reading these comics as a kid. And like me a whole generation. They are classic in Spain.


[attachment=1723]ELJABATOGIGANTE40A.jpg[/attachment]


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Iñaki Zalabardo

animula, vagula, blandula

Ascarii Seniores - Propugnatores Barcinonenses
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Propugnato...6860023878
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