Britannia is an astonishing graphic novel written by one of the most famous comic masterminds Peter Milligan (the author of X- Men, Justice League, Hellblazer, Red Lanterns, X-Statix and many more) in collaboration with a jaw dropping artist Juan José Ryp (Clone, The Multiversity,…).

Britannia follows the story of a Roman war hero Antonius Axia, who has been trained by the Vestal Virgins to see beyond the obvious. As he travels to Britannia to investigate the unexplained occurences at the battle front he faces and old enemy and some new ones.

I truly, completely and utterly enjoyed this graphic novel! It had everything I like in a graphic novel: witty and multidimensional characters, a well branched out plot, a somewhat believable villain(s) and amazing art.
I really like the fact that at the end of every issue there was a text describing the historical figures or organizations, which were very informational and could provide a better insight in the interaction of the characters.
I find the main character was really amazing, which britannia_003_second-print_cover_nordsurprised me because I mostly think the main characters are annoying or simply boring and plain. Antonius was intelligent and courageous, he was troubled by his past and that was shown quite truthfully though his actions and they way he interacted with other characters.

In conclusion, I would recommend this graphic novel to anyone who enjoys historical and mystery graphic novels, but also to anyone else who is a the moment getting into them.

Although is more than a year since I read it I really liked it. In fact, it will be possible soon in Spain so I will buy it again. Great!

Gotta love a historical detective. Plus I adore a good Ancient Roman meets Celtic Britain story.
Great world building, great characters, excellent art work., scary monsters
I was actually devastated to discover that the new tv series Britannia is NOT based on this book. Boo!
Auto-read. Plus I'd love more "My gods are better than your gods" celtic/ Roman rivalry.

'Britannia, Vol. 2: We Who Are About to Die' by Peter Milligan with art by Juan Jose Ryp continues the journey of detectioner Antonius Axia in the weird and supernatural world of ancient Rome.

Antonius is back, and all he wants is to raise his son in peace, but there is no peace in Rome as some strange phenomenon is creating ta‌lking statues and men are being violently killed. In addition, there are a bunch of suppressed women and a new gladiator hero named Achillia that they cheer and follow. Antonius has enough on his plate, and then he finds that his son might be a target of whatever is plaguing Rome.

It's a visceral series, with gruesome and amazing art by Jean Jose Ryp. The story this time around feels a bit more procedural in nature and not as interesting as the first volume. That volume also featured some interesting historical essays that were missing this time around. I felt those helped make it a richer reading experience.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Valiant Entertainment and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

I missed out on reading the prior volume of this series, and cannot help but wonder if I had read that if I would have gotten more out of this title and enjoyed it more. I mean it does have the right blend of action and history to keep me reading but I didn't really feel for the characters. The art was very interesting such as seeing designs of ancient culture. It was an okay read and I would definitely read more of this series.

Also posted on my Review Blog Deanna Reads Books, will add to Amazon at pub date:

I have been on a Roman society kick lately, so when I saw this was available to read I jumped at the chance. However, this is just one of those books that I just don't have a lot of feelings about. It wasn't bad, it wasn't amazing, I just feel "meh" about it.

I will say that I do love the art in this graphic novel. I think that's an important thing to note when you are looking for a graphic novel. If the art doesn't wow me, it has to take a lot for the story to wow me. This one was done in vibrant colors that made it really engaging. It was definitely done in a more tradition comic book style, which I liked it.

So the story is really about Antonius Axia, he is the first detective for Rome. He doesn't really believe in the Roman gods, but instead believes in reason and following the clues. I found his character interesting in these aspects, but it also felt like I was missing a lot about his background. I was very confused, was there another book I was supposed to read first? His relationship with his son also seems like there is more we need to know, but we don't get it. I guess for me, I just needed a little bit more from this character. He just read like a robot to me. I couldn't really feel his emotions in this story.

Axia ends up also teeming up with a female Gladiator, who is a former slave trying to win her freedom. I do really like that this story shows that all sorts of people of color also lived in Rome during the ancient times, not just white people. Achilla's storyline touches on this, and it also explains why she is fighting SO hard for her freedom. She's the most interesting character in the book, and I honestly wanted more of her.

Like most comics, the story ends on a cliffhanger, and you need to read the next one to find out what is going to happen. Usually, I am okay with that, but with this book it just annoyed me! I think I just wasn't that invested into this story. I think if you are interesting in a dectective story set in Ancient Rome this is a story for you. It just didn't completely work for me.

Recommend if you're into Ancient Rome, Roman myths, and graphic novels with lots of blood and gore.

This graphic novel started out well, but the end was very confusing.

This was interesting - like taking the Sherlock Holmesesque and putting it in ancient Rome. I loved all the Roman history parts, especially the accompanying essays about Roman history. I'd love to see where this story goes., I mean will volume two be a whole different mystery, or will the story presumably return to Britain.

It did all seem to wrap up a little to quickly, and it could have used a few more issues to flesh things out, but this series definitely has potential. It certainly stands out from other comics in terms of its story and art.

Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

There are two major plotlines in this book. The first involves a slave woman who is sent to the gladiator pit after killing her owner. The second follows Antonius Axia, the protagonist from volume one, as he investigates the strange deaths of the children of the Roman elite.

The like Achilla, the slave turned gladiator, a lot. She is a strong character and acts as an inspiration for the other women in the book. Antonius Axia is an interesting take on the detective archetype and is labeled as a "detectioner". He is more passionate in this book as events strike a lot closer to home than the previous volume, both literally and figuratively. Taken as a whole, I like the story. There is a bit of a mystery that seems to work out pretty well. The person behind all of this is pretty interesting too.

The supporting characters that reappear from the previous volume weren't as interesting this time around. The Vestal Virgins show up, but play a much smaller role. Their main tasks are to introduce the problem for Antonius and act as a scapegoat for Nero, who was wholly uninteresting in this volume.

I feel a bit mixed on the art. Some of the character faces seemed oddly proportioned to me, but otherwise seemed fine. There wasn't much that stood out to me in terms of the art. The coloring is well done though. This series is a bit different from the other books that Valiant puts out and can serve as a good place for new readers to come onboard.

Historical detective novel set in ancient Roman times. This seems to be the result of good investigative work. There has been a lot of reading and researching done into ancient Rome and its culture. It’s all very well reflected and designed for adult audiences that will no doubt love it for what it is; an entertaining story with strong historical roots and fantasy decorations.

If you are a fan of history, magic, mythology and stunning colors, then Britannia is the right choice for you.

Another strong collection from Peter Milligan. In Britannia Volume 2: We Who Are About to Die, we once again follow Antonius Axia, continues to be both Nero and Rubria's detective. Each on trying to play him off the other.

While trying to solve why scions to the great families are being slaughter, Axia is lead to Achillia. Instead if dying in the arena, she thrives and is polarizing Rome by galvanizing wives and daughters. This is all well and good, until Axia's son is targeted. Can he solve the puzzle in time to save both his son and Achillia?

Looked like this title was getting on its feet, but as the publishers hadn't bothered to letter the last chapter, who can be sure?

An intriguing storyline loaded with gritty and artistic imagery that matches the tone of the story. A supernatural twist on the romans in a similar nature to Ben aaronovtich!

Was not able to read this as it disappeared before I was able to download the title.

Antonius Axia is deep in trouble again. After recovering from his foray into Britannia, Nero and the Vestal Virgins have him investigating strange murders that are happening in Rome.The course of his investigation led him to a slave girl turned gladiator named Achillia who was close to achieving her freedom. Common enemies entangled her in Axia's investigation which ended to the detriment of certain senators. You just have to wonder where Axia will be sent next.

Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity to read this volume!

I found this an enjoyable and entertaining read. Okay, it has some issues here and there but ultimately it was decent light entertainment. I say light entertainment because there's just not enough room to make this deep nuanced read. It's an easy action romp with a little soap opera plot linking it all together. And sometimes that's ideal reading. Given my other reading right now I was grateful for something just like this.

Artwork? I liked the thuggish looking bad guys, I liked the gory Romanesque combat. Maybe not the subtlest work ever, but it was good. Lots of rich details and good atmosphere.

Plot? Lightweight, but it kept things moving. My biggest gripe is I never fully warmed to the title detectioner - it's an anachronistic attempt to take a modern word and make it fit and I wasn't a fan. But when your gripe is a word... Maybe there's not that much to complain about.

I think this could be a book of expectations. If you come here wanting something deeper you'll be disappointed. If you're open to a gentle and relaxing read, it hits the spot.

Britannia: We Who Are About to Die follows Rome’s first detective as he attempts to unravel a mystery involving gods, gladiators, and gender politics. Where the first Britannia story succeeded as an adventure mystery with a touch of the weird unknown, this volume is grounded more in the interplay of characters in Rome. From Emperor Nero to the cult of Vestal Virgins, the overarching struggle for power and survival signals the real story is that of Rome and its characters as the mystery plot drives action. While the story pays homage to Sherlock Holmes, the potential touch of magic is ever present and the supernatural never feels far behind. Ancient Rome provides a vibrant setting and while the book is violent, the detective does engage in deductive reasoning which makes the hero more interesting that he would be otherwise. The colors and the pencils are very well done and I found myself lingering over a number of panels. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and the writing team has a great set of characters for future stories. It would be nice to see if the book integrates into the greater Valiant line, I can envision a few characters who could cameo, but even without inclusion into the Valiant universe, I see myself returning to Britannia again in the future.

This review provided in exchange for an advanced copy provided by NetGalley.

After losing his mind, Antonius Axia had his mind rebuilt by the Vestal Virgins who gifted him with fantastic deductive abilities. So when the sons of Rome's elite are found gruesomely murdered and the Vestal Virgins are suspected of the crimes, their Chief Vestal Rubria calls upon Detectioner Antonius to solve the mystery before Emperor Nero has the Vestal Virgins killed. At the same time, a captivating female gladiator named Achilla is close to winning her freedom by dominating in the coliseum and she knows something about what people now believe is a curse on Rome.

Despite feeling rushed, this wasn't a bad read. I liked the mystery, the setting is impressive, and the characters are fun but I don't feel all those things don't get enough time to develop and become more memorable. Nero has issues with Rubira, Achillia has history with some rich guy, Antonius is estranged from his son then suddenly not anymore... All of this flies by so fast, it's difficult to get invested. The art is amazing to look at but I think this should have been longer. 3 out of 5.