Age of Bronze: ATS, Sacrifice & Betrayal

[anacoqui]

New Age of Bronze news on the front-page!

News from Eric Shanower and Age of Bronze
   

Age of Bronze #24
The newest issue of Age of Bronze, issue 24, went on sale in late December and it’s still available now in comic shops internationally. This issue focuses on Helen as the Trojans count down the time till the peace embassy from the Achaeans arrives in Troy. Troilus’s troubles continue from the previous issue. Cressida is drawn further into Troilus’s orbit. And Great Ajax and Menestheus of Athens fight over fighting.

A Note to Subscribers
I apologize to all Age of Bronze subscribers. Yes, I know—you’re all still waiting for issue #24. The good news is that your copy hasn’t been lost in the mail. That’s because of the bad news--subscription copies haven’t yet gone into the mail. Image Comics and the printer seem to have worked out whatever the problem has been, and I’ve been assured that I’ll receive the proper shipment of Age of Bronze #24 early next week (the week of January 15). Subscription copies will be mailed as soon as humanly possible after that shipment arrives.

For the same reason--snafu in shipping--Age of Bronze #24 isn't yet available for order through the Age of Bronze website.

T-shirts
Age of Bronze t-shirts have been unavailable for a few years. Now they’re back! Two designs are just waiting to be plastered across your front—Paris and Helen on blue—and Achilles and Patroklus on red. They’re in two styles as well—regular and women’s scoopneck. These shirts are available exclusively on the Age of Bronze website for $16 each, postpaid in the USA. Click here to see them and order.

International News
The Italian edition of Age of Bronze, L’eta del Bronzo, won the Gran Guinigi for Best “Seriale Fumetti” at Italy’s Lucca Comics Festival last November. The Gran Guinigisare the highest Italian comics award, and I’ve been told that it’s rare for non-Italian  comics to win. One other non-Italian won a Gran Guinigi in 2006— Osamu Tezuka, the father of Japanese comics, so I’m in brilliant company. Quite an honor.


I’d expected to attend Angouleme, France’s Festival of Bande Dessinee in 2007 as I’ve done the past couple of years to promote the French edition of Age of Bronze (L’Age de Bronze). But the French publisher Akileos has decided not to exhibit at Angouleme this year. Instead they’ve planned a signing tour of France for me in conjunction with Akileos’s spanking new French edition of Betrayal, the third Age of Bronze volume. Plans are yet to be solidified, so if you’ll be in France in late January and early February check for the updated schedule under “Upcoming Appearances” on the Age of Bronze website.

Betrayal
And before you non-French-readers start to pepper me with questions about the English language version of Betrayal, let me assure you that it will be out this summer in graphic novel format to match A Thousand Ships and Sacrifice. Betrayal, Part One, will contain the story from issues #20 through #26. Summer’s still a little ways off, but I just wanted to let you know because I mentioned the French version, which'll be published first.

Age of Bronze #25
Out in March from Image Comics! See you there!

 

Eric Shanower 

[anacoqui]

Age of Bronze 24/Betrayal 5

We are about to end the first half of this Betrayal arc.

Troilus under pressure reveals to Pandarus his love for Cressida. Pandarus, hoping to strengthen his position in Troy made shaky by Kalchas's defection, encourages Cressida to treat Troilus with favor. Cressida recoils at her uncle's insinuations, but agrees to let Pandarus convey her veil to Troilus as a token of friendship.

On Tenedos, army drills are interrupted when Great Ajax and Menestheus, King of Athens, argue. As the Achaean peace embassy to Priam gets ready to depart, Kalchas asks Odysseus to bring news of Cressida from Troy. Odysseus agrees, but with the vague stipulation of receiving Kalchas's aid at some unspecified future point.

In Troy Helen is preoccupied as Aithra helps her get ready for the Achaean embassy's arrival in Priam's hall. Paris and their sons stop in for a moment until Paris is called away to meet with the Trojan councilor Antimachus.

Philomela and Andromache each in her own way asks Helen to stop the coming war. Only Hektor believes the war can actually be prevented, and when he seeks out Helen to announce the arrival of the Achaean embassy, he tries to dispell her misgivings.

The Trojan elder Antenor and his sons escort the embassy first to the temple of the goddess where Odysseus observes the Palladium and Helikaon informs his mother Theano that Priam has agreed to let him marry Laodike. Then the embassy proceeds to Priam's hall.

While I am thrilled this issue came out in December ( and I got in January), it could have been a great February-Valentine's theme issue. Nearly everyone has love related problems. We start back with Troilus who has deteriorated quickly due to his re-igniting passion for Cressida. Not only is Love troubles central to this issue, but feelings of claustrophobia. The first panel of the stories is off the royal apartments ringed by a protecting wall. Troilus is closed off in his room, where his privacy is soon invade by Pandarus. The whole conversation is claustrophobic, with Pandarus closing in more and more on to the source of Troilus anguish, while Troilus keeps trying to curl into a ball, constantly turning to face the wall he feels he is up against. I have never been too sympathetic to  Troilus, regarding him as immature and cocky, but he is out of his league in dealing with Pandarus, who can talk circles around both Troilus and Cressida.  I haven't read Shakespeare's Troilus and Cressida, but I am betting that her gift of the veil won't seem so harmless later.

After a brief interlude with the Achaeans with Ajax stewing and lusting for battle and Odysseus exposing to Kalchas excatcly how much he notices and knows, we are back again to the Trojans and their claustrophobic love troubles. The first panel of this sequence is close-up of Helen's eye as she distractedly spoils her face with a makeup stick. Her room is soon filled with people first Aithra is visible in the background, and soon after Paris, followed by their children and nannies invade the room. They have been barely ushered out before Olpides interupts Paris's nuzzling of Helen with summons. Helen and Aithra have barely restarted redoing Helen's hair and make-up when more guests, Andromache and Philomela arrive.

I really loved this scene. I have to admit too not really registering who was escorting Philomela till I was well into the scene, and having to go back to the beginning of the scene after reading Andromache's bold confrontation of Helen. Helen has always considered herself completely blameless in her situation. If men love  her too much, it is because of a curse, if she is inflamed with passion for Paris, it is because the goddess made her so, yet Andromache tries to tear that all away, forcing her to realize that all along she had choices, including scarring herself to mar her beauty but at every stage she has chosen not too because she loves being adored and sought after.  Andromache (whose name wikipedia tells me means "Battle of a man" really impressed me with what a wonderful queen she would have made to Hektor had he taken the throne. She balances his idealism and propriety with boldness and wisdom. They would likely have been very happy, but instead they are caught in the trap of war that is to come.

This issue ends with three pages crammed full with people. Soldiers and onlookers as the Achaean's Peace embassy enters the walls of Troy. We notice Odysseus carefully observing everything, and chatting with the priestess, gathering intelligence at every turn, turning his head to watch the bull being sacrificed as the other members of his party stare ahead as they enter the palace of Priam.

I really love how when I first read the issue, I absorbed the feelings of tension, pressure and oppression even if I didn't fully absorbed how Mr. Shanower had carefully crafted the scenes to carry across that feeling. On re-reading when I am not just trying to absorb the dense word-balloons, I can see how he communicated the claustrophobic feeling with the art.



 

[Baron Bizarre]

Nothing bright to add, I'm afraid, I just wanted to say that when I saw the title "Age of Bronze, 24", I had the image of Jack Bauer dressed in ancient Greek armor.

[Jeff of Earth J]

I didn’t start reading Age of Bronze at the very beginning. After months of reading positive reviews, however, I finally started buying Age of Bronze with issue #10 (“Sacrifice�), at the same time I bought “A Thousand Ships� in trade paperback. But even then, I didn’t begin reading it. I skimmed enough to know it was an epic work of both quality and scope, but at the time, I wasn’t in the mood for something so… scholarly. I welcomed this discussion thread, however, as it finally afforded me the excuse to actually read the series I’d been buying, and I looked forward to the day we’d be “caught up� on the backissues and could continue discussing the series in “real time�.

That day came and went, and yet my participation in this thread tapered off. As I think I’ve said before, that’s no reflection of the series itself… or maybe it is, because as “meaty� as each individual chapter is, as soon as I’ve read it, I find myself craving more. This series not only reads better in larger quantities, it also improves with multiple readings. Ana admits sometimes losing track of minor characters, but that’s the beauty of so epic a story: one will always come away with new insights on subsequent readings. I’ve already read the early and most recent chapters twice, and I look forward to reading the series, in part and in whole, many times throughout my life.

In preparation for reading issue #25, I re-read the first four chapters of “Betrayal� before moving on to the fifth. I don’t know anything of Shanower’s politics, but I can’t help but see similarities in Age of Bronze to the current war in Iraq. I doubt the perceived similarities are intentional (which is, in a way, even more impressive), but rather the truth lies closer to the mark in the same speech of Priam’s cited by ana in which he says, “We humans can’t escape fate, no matter how far we may flee.� My favorite line of the old Star Trek episode “Space Seed� is when, concerning the progress of man, Khan remarks, “Oh, there has been technological advancement, but how little man himself has changed.�

In an earlier post, I defended the association of Age of Bronze with Frank Miller’s 300 by noting that, until there are enough to fill a box of their own, I file my issues with Frank Cho’s Liberty Meadows and Mark Schultz’s Xenozoic Tales. It occurs to me I might file them with any war comics… if there were any of similar quality (EC’s Valor, maybe).

I recently cited Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s All-Star Superman as my favorite comic book currently being published. I must admit, at the the time, Age of Bronze didn’t even enter into my consideration. That is because I’m constantly trying to reconcile my love of comics with my love of superheroes. Is comics a serious medium that hasn’t yet reached it’s full potential? Or is it a medium of cheap, disposable kiddie fare? There are those on both sides of the issue that refuse to acknowledge or recognize the other, but I embrace them both.

Titles such as All-Star Superman I read purely for entertainment, but Age of Bronze not only merely entertains, it educates.

[xxdesire666xx]

Isn't the newest Issue suppose to be coming out soon? I have not really been keeping up, I just thought since it all I need is three more issues to make up the volume I can wait till June 6th, seeing how that was it's due date--or so I was told.

Then it came out to be June 27th--then changed within two days. I confirmed that by researching it up myself. But I guess I will just get the volume now. It might be better also in case I lose an issue, and the volumes always seem to be much better then an issue  . Anyways, I hope all is well with everyone, including Mr Shanower.

Take care

[anacoqui]

I haven't yet gotten fully caught up. Moving cross country does that, but I ran across this story that might be of interest to Age of Bronze fans:

From the New York Times.

That Classical Sculpture once had a paint job :



Interactive graphic about the re-created in color Paris.

I thought the short article would be thought provoking in light of our enjoyment of a Black and White series in a world of colorful comics.

[xxdesire666xx]

One by one the Achaean's present their cases before all the high-born Trojans. First Palamedes speaks, even before being given permission.

Menelaus makes an emotional plea for his wife, son, and belongings. Helen is reluctantly brought before Menelaus while he and Paris debate. When Paris's sons are paraded in, Menelaus recognizes his own son, Pleisthenes, among them. But Pleisthenes shrinks away from Menelaus into Paris's arms.

Helen tells Menelaus that the goddess of love has led her to Troy. She leaves Priam's hall with her children.

Odysseus makes a forceful speech of blame and warns of the Achaeans' wrath. Hektor chooses this moment to offer a compromise. Odysseus recognizes Hektor's worth, but advises the Trojan prince to give in to events that have proceeded too far for peaceful resolution.

Laodike takes special note of Akamas's looks while he asks Priam to have his grandmother Aithra released along with Phisadie, the aunt of Polypoetes.

Priam answers that he'll consider all their requests and promises them safe haven in Antenor's house while he considers his answer.

Ok, I know it hasn't been awhile since anyone on this particular forum has posted anything. However I hope to change that. I just recently bought the volume and re-read through all the other previous issues. A lot showed up that I did not look for the first time. But now that I read the newest issue--this one specifically--a lot showed up.

There was a lot going on. I found that Laodike's face looked very similar to that of a rabbit when she was talking about how good-looking Akamas was. This could represent her overly sexual behavior, and the unique transformation in her facial features seems to be bordering on the grotesque, which could also represent the tragic outcome her later foolish acts with cause. Helen seemed to dramatically turn her head away saying, 'Aithra...I can't look.' when Aithra, her servant, commented on how her grandson has turned into a 'fine young man' and that he looked just like 'his father, Theseus.' Aithra tends to always focus on her more glamorous past as being a Queen of Athens and mother to a relatively famous hero. It almost seems as if she doesn't want anyone to forget what station she use to uphold in the past and, in a way, demand respect from it--that she is higher in her rank than all the other women.

During the embassy, Paris sneaks a very interesting look that is thrown back by Priam. Interesting in the fact that they both appear to be hiding something that the reader does not know about. I found it very interesting. We also find out that after the embassy is over and done with, Paris has been bribing Antimachus, councilor of Priam, to speak out against Helen's return. However, Antenor knows this and speaks publicly about it. There seems to be a tension between the two--Antenor is very wise and does what he thinks is best, while Antimachus is a sort of 'kick-them-while-they're-down' type of guy. He very much so has the same mannerism as that of an Infantry trainer. He doesn't like to lose of come out wrong.

However I felt extremely sympathetic towards poor Menelaus, who only wanted to recover his wife and child. His beginning speech seemed to hold onto some sort of Ancient Greek play--I am saying this because I read Ancient Greek plays and the way Shanower made Menelaus choose his words was undoubtedly meant for that purpose. The three panels focusing on Helen's face as she turned around to face her former husband, only to see Menelaus slightly crying--turning Helen's face into guilt--was ultimately heart-wrenching.

I really liked the panels only focusing on Helen's, Menelaus's, and Paris's face. Menelaus's words seem to say something different than what his face tells us. Helen's face looks remarkably similar to that of some silent film actress--and Paris's face seems to be the only one that is actually matching with what he is saying.

What I also found interesting is that Helen is in the middle. This could represent the way she feels about them both. But notice how her face is mostly turned to Menelaus's side--when he talks about family and such---not positive things but things she once loved or cared for---but notice how her face turns away suddenly in pain towards Paris when she finds out that her mother committed suicide. This foreshadows the delicate balance of her relationship with Paris--and that it will only cause her pain--in the present and in the future.

During the course of the debate between the three their facial expressions change--Menelaus's starts off sad, than blanks out as the same as Helen's, the turns to a somewhat eager/irritated expression, than sad again---his true feelings be portrayed as hurt, longing and desperation. Helen's first is shock and surprise, but than it turns into hurt and guilt. Paris's just turns more cockier and cockier.

I believe Shanower wants the reader to know that although Helen left her husband and child, she does no word of a doubt, still love and care for them.

When Helen leaves the scene with her children--when her and Menelaus's child shrinks in Paris's arms was just...horrible --she tends to somewhat have her head lowered and in shadow. But when Menelaus cries out her name more louder this time, she seems as if she stopped and hesitated. Although you do not see her face, it seems she is struggling against her feelings for Menelaus.

I also like Odysseus calm reserve--but underneath it is so much rage and hate. During his screaming speech, Priam's face remains calm and it is hard to tell what he feels or is thinking. It is only after the embassy leaves that he shows any emotion what so ever. His body language is that of an annoyed man, tired of the arguing between his council members. And the shadowing of Paris and Antimachus's faces' shows that they are plotting something---something very negative.

[Jeff of Earth J]

I just recently bought the volume and re-read through all the other previous issues. A lot showed up that I did not look for the first time.

I know what you mean. I've read the first 12 issues twice, and I picked up on a lot of details the second time through which I had missed the first. Sometime in the future I will definitely reread the entire series to date, but it's not on my reading schedule at the current time.

But now that I read the newest issue--this one specifically--a lot showed up.

Which issue is that? Did I miss one that shipped recently? 

[xxdesire666xx]

Oh, no you didn't. Just issue twenty-five--seeing how we left off on talking about issue twenty-four ha ha ha!

I am glad someone responded though =]

[Jeff of Earth J]

Age of Bronze #28 (Betrayal, part 9) shipped yesterday, and Eric Shanower laments on the letters page that “the Age of Bronze discussion board at the captain Comics website has been pretty silent lately,” so I’m bumping this thread up to the top to make it easier for newcomers to find. Speaking for myself, Eric (if you’re reading this), I like to absorb AoB in large doses but I assure you I’m definitely in for the long haul! If Ana or Desire (or perhaps someone new drawn here by your plug) wants to discuss issue #28, I’m in. Otherwise, I’ll be back for the discussion of the “Betrayal” arc of the story in its entirety upon completion.

Meanwhile, If keep writin’em (and drawin’em), I’ll keep readin’em!