If you are a comic book fan in Greece, then you were likely impressed by the range and richness of material on display at the recent Comicdom convention held May 16-18 in Athens. If you also happen to be a history buff, you were probably thrilled to come across the vibrant Byzantine Tales’ stand displaying glossy comic books that delve into stories of the Eastern Roman Empire.
Comicdom Con: A Celebration of Pop Art
The crowning of Emperor Romanos II, Augusta Theophano, and their son Basileios II Porphyrogenetos—a key historic event./ Byzantine Tales.
Comicdom conventions or comic cons, have evolved into cultural phenomena attracting thousands of pop art lovers across the globe. In Greece, the international comics festival Comicdom Con Athens follows similar events abroad in hosting international guests and exhibitions, live sketch events, workshops and cosplay competitions. Crucially, the event also offers the creative talent of the Greek comics scene a platform to present their work to the public.
The Rise of Byzantine Tales
In recent years, Byzantine Tales has gained a lot of traction at the festival, captivating comic fans with narratives that focus on historical figures and events from the Byzantine era. The founders, Chrysavgi Sakellaropoulou and Spyros Theocharis, spoke with “TO BHMA international” about their creative journey and experiences at comics conventions.
It was back in 2019 when their passion for art and history merged into a graphic novel. Inspired by epic sagas like the Lord of the Rings trilogy and Game of Thrones, they started developing a project which they really poured their hearts into, as they emphasized.
Credit: Byzantine Tales
Bringing Byzantium to Life
Their debut publication, Theophano: A Byzantine Tale, illustrated a real story with a female protagonist from 10th-century Byzantium. Its success led to the release of several more titles exploring Byzantine history as well as other historical periods.
The creators chose to draw on the Byzantine era as part of their own historic heritage, but also because Byzantium doesn’t require much fictional embellishment: “It’s rich and full of untold stories that most people aren’t familiar with.” As the artists note, they have primarily focused on historical storytelling, though they haven’t ruled out exploring fantasy, too. Recently, they began work on a series called Kataphraktos, which is about an undead knight in a Byzantine setting.
A depiction of the angel-carved slate from the 982 Axion Esti miracle, presented to Emperor Basileios II as proof of its divine origin./ Byzantine Tales.
Byzantium in Popular Culture
The Byzantine aesthetic is also gaining traction in other media. The Rings of Power features a palace inspired by the renowned Hagia Sophia built by the Byzantine emperor Justinian I, while the American fantasy drama House of the Dragon, the House of Thrones prequel, includes architecture based on Mystras castle, a fortress on a hill in the Peloponnese and the centre of Byzantine power in southern Greece through till 1460.
A Growing Presence
Byzantine Tales has been a regular feature at the Athens’ Comicdom Con festival which, as one of Greece’s most prominent comic festivals, provides a platform for both emerging and established artists to showcase their work to a wider audience.
The talented creators stressed how vital such events are for promoting their work. “Whenever possible, we attend other festivals, too, in Athens and Thessaloniki, and book fairs like the annual one at the Pedion tou Areos in central Athens.
Recently, they have also begun to participate in the new, more medieval-themed festivals that have emerged, tapping into an audience eager for historical content.
International Reach and Recognition
This exposure has led to increased interest and recognition not only among Greek fans, but also from readers abroad.
“Readers are drawn to our comics for different reasons: some already love Byzantine history and want to see how we interpret events and portray historical figures; others see our work as an engaging entry point into a lesser-known period. Then there are those who appreciate the combination of high-quality visuals and well-researched history that challenges stereotypes about Byzantium.”
With many of their comics now available in English, and translations into Italian and Spanish underway, Byzantine Tales is reaching a broader international audience.
Their work has been featured in exhibitions including a show at Istanbul’s Pera Museum dedicated to Byzantium in pop culture, while their work was also showcased in an online exhibition during the 2022 International Congress of Byzantine Studies in Venice.
“One of our proudest moments was presenting our graphic novel at the Edinburgh Byzantine Book Festival—it was the only non-academic work showcased there,” they stressed.
Credit: Byznatine Tales.
They also collaborated with the Archaeological Museum of Nikopolis to create both a comic and a board game about the city’s early Byzantine period.
Another milestone was their presence on a podcast hosted by the renowned Byzantinist Anthony Kaldellis of the University of Chicago, which introduced their work to a broader international audience.
Creative Challenges and Aspirations
Despite their success, the founders acknowledge the challenges inherent to independent comic creation. Time is a major constraint. “One reason a reader might appreciate the work that goes into making a comic is the sheer amount of time it takes to complete even a single page. There are many steps in the creative process before you reach the final product,” the creators point out.
Another obstacle they have to deal with is a lack of funding, with restricted budgets preventing them from effectively promoting their work abroad. Still, even as a small independent publisher, they do all they can to support other creators with similar themes with a view to growing and sustaining their creative community.
Looking Ahead: Projects with Global Potential
The long-term vision is clear: to keep publishing comics and books rooted in history, and to continue treating the entire endeavor as a passion project, just as it was when they first began. Animation remains a dream, but one that will have to wait for now, given the time, collaborations and financial investment it requires.
Most of their comics are already available in English, making them accessible to a wider international audience. Notably, their first-born ‘child’, Theophano: A Byzantine Tale, has been published in Italian and is soon to be translated into Spanish, signaling a growing interest in their work beyond the Greek-speaking world.
