There have been many historical fiction comics, but Dead Romans from Image Comics has been a stand-out in the genre. The story centers around Roman and German politics during the thirty-sixth year of Augustus' reign. With one issue left to release in the series, the tensions will come to a must-see conclusion very soon.
Dead Romans has the creative team of Fred Kennedy, Nick Marinkovich, and Allison O'Toole. The six-issue series began releasing in March 2023 and focuses on a Roman spy named Honoria who is in the employ of Varus - a Roman general based on the historical figure of the same name. The series centers around a real conflict while adding new fictionalized elements to its portrayal to create a compelling and violent drama that isn't focused on a singular traditional hero or gladiatorial protagonist.
Dead Romans Creates a New Voice for a Historic Moment
This comic is split between two perspectives: Honoria and Arminius. Honoria is Varus' spy for the Romans, while Arminius is a Germanic prince who was raised in Rome as a soldier. He rose through the ranks, but ultimately aims to betray the iconic army for Rome's part in killing his tribe. As a result, he is leading the Germanic forces against his former allies, using his knowledge of them to gain the upper hand. While Honoria and Arminius have been involved with one another, Honoria must make a choice between loyalty to Rome or continuing a relationship with her traitorous lover.
While there are numerous stories in comics and film that focus on or are inspired by ancient Rome and ancient Greece, such as 300 or Gladiator, Dead Romans takes a historic moment and turns it into an entertaining and accessible drama. The core events of the comic have been rooted in historical fact, battles, and figures, as these conflicts occurred and Arminius did betray Rome to lead the Germans. However, it adds in Honoria, a woman who shares a name with a historical figure unrelated to the historic conflict. This addition makes for a compelling new angle for the story, since she is also a foreigner who has been adopted into Roman civilization. Her work as a spy is intriguing, though her strategically begun relationship combined with Arminius' fixation on her has put her in a difficult position she didn't choose to be in.
The art of Image Comics' Dead Romans presents a grim picture of war, without losing a tragic and somewhat romanticized view of self-sacrifice and dedication to a cause. It brings honor and duty to the forefront by presenting two different slaves to the Roman Empire and giving them each a choice to burn everything or stand by the nation that forcefully adopted them. With just one issue left, Dead Romans could prove to be the next television-worthy historic drama due to its factually grounded events being partnered with a new layer, conflicting readers on which side they think they'd choose for themselves. Readers will discover the weight of love during wartime in the upcoming epic finale of Dead Romans, releasing from Image Comics on August 23.