Review - Three TP

Review by Paul Fiander
When it comes to Greek history I am something of a fan. In days gone by I could recite the list of myths and legends as well as the basics of history at will. Nowadays I feel like I could not possibly do this mostly due to the old adage the more you learn the less you know. As I learn more about the world the more I realise the black and white storytelling of heroes and villains has no real place in the world and if there is one civilisation that personifies this it’s the Spartans. 
For most the biggest exposure they have had to the legendary warrior society is the film 300 or comic by Frank Miller it is based on. The great thing Miller did was take a story from Greek history and give it a sense of heroism that an ancient bard would be proud of. The trouble is the facts are light and the society itself is painted as tough and unrelenting but not cruel. In Three we get see to another side of noble Sparta from a more reliable historical standpoint.

The addition of a Historical consultant in Professor Stephen Hodkinson speaks volumes for the way Kieron Gillen wants this story to be told. We are not thrown the wonder of the Spartans in a grand battle against an evil empire; instead we get a glimpse of the principles that govern the Peloponnesian state.  This whole idea is actually wonderfully illustrated by a quote from Kritias of Athens that you can find in the front of the trade it goes;
IN SPARTA, ARE TO BE FOUND THOSE WHO ARE MOST ENSLAVED AND THOSE WHO ARE THE MOST FREE.
The free were the Spartans themselves who were actually quite a progressive society for the time, the enslaved though were the Helots and there lot in life was a whole other kettle of fish. They were essentially a subjugated population who were ruled by Sparta and through their working of the land were able to support both populations. There is a great deal of dispute about the exact relationship the Spartans had with the Helots but Three does a good job in putting into context what we do know.

From the opening section of the book we get to see the worse side of the noble Greek warriors as they are about to partake in the Krypteia (there are two definitions of this event/team and the story does a good job of marrying them together). The explanation is wonderfully crafted with the drama of the situation played out over 5 pages and from there, any illusions you may have had about the brutal nature of life for the Helots will be totally transformed. The way the Spartans treat the Helots from day to day subjugation to the yearly declaration of war is nothing short of systematic abuse on a societal scale.
The art by Ryan Kelly in this section is especially strong as he builds tension with each panel, from the muscular tension in the crouching Spartans to the fear in the Helots eyes; you get a sense of involvement in the story from the outset. Throughout the rest of the story the art never drops off with some great fight sequences that are made even more gruesome thanks to the colour work by Jordie Bellaire. 

The story itself is strong the mix of action and exposition feels balanced and overall the whole narrative feels well paced. The tale is based around the story of Three Helots in their bid to escape from Sparta with their lives. However it’s the teaching device revolved around the escape that really set the narrative alive. From the escape we get to learn more about the way Sparta was run from the training of children to the dynamics of royalty.  The combination of historical accuracy mixed with a compelling story make Three one of the best short series of recent times. 

This is a story worth reading and the trade is an especially good way to dive in. It has the whole run included and you get a gallery containing all the covers at the end of the story. You also have two written pieces containing an interview with Gillen and Hodkinson in which they explain the basis of the series and quite a bit more. The best part for me however is the explanation of each page listed a s historical footnotes, unfortunately it’s not the whole trade but the ideas behind what we see show the depth of understanding the creators had when producing the work. These extras give extra substance to the trade and really make this the way to go to enjoy Three (in my eyes at least).

Issue Rating 4.5/5

The Comic is available in both print and digital from Image comics. Follow this link for more details.

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Images courtesy of Image Comics
Comic - Provided by Creator