The Story So Far
The Mithra Mysteries are a specialized terrorist team, led by the Lion of Jupiter, who wreak havoc in an alternate history Rome, one that is technologically advanced with cyberpunk tech. The last mission of the Mysteries had Jupiter allowing himself to get captured and connected to the Emperor’s Navigator to have his memories prodded by the Veritas Decider. However, Jupiter is acting as a trojan horse, implanted with special memories that trap the Decider, allowing his team to initiate their assault and steal information from the Navigator.
Issue #2 Plot
Information in hand, the Mysteries’ next mission given to them by their Pater is to infiltrate the imperial palace and assassinate Emperor Tiberius. The mission goes horribly wrong as the Mysteries walk right into an ambush due to their ranks having been compromised by an informant. Concurrently, detective Rufus begins to investigate the Mysteries’ attack on the Navigator and Veritas Decider but is stymied by Germanicus and his Praetorian Guard. Rufus’ partner, Eugenio, seeks out a contact in Praetorian Intelligence who perhaps can provide some data on the Mysteries and the Guard.
Commentary
Rome Eternal issue two commits to the same bit that 2021’s The Suicide Squad did by killing the heroes right as their mission starts. In a true Game of Thrones fashion, no one is safe in Rome Eternal in that nearly all the named characters from the first issue, along with newly introduced characters in issue two, are horrifically dispatched. On one hand this raises the stakes of Rome Eternal considerably while at the same time underscoring the cunning and brutality of [techno] Rome. On the other hand, readers do not get a chance to see the members of the Mysteries in much action. In issue one they are all introduced along with their corresponding power/specialty, so there is the expectation to see them in their element, doing their thing, building up more characterization to give their eventual demise more weight. So, it is bittersweet to see the Mysteries members annihilated, quite easily at that.
As with issue one, Rome Eternal embraces non-linear storytelling. While issue one used memories in tandem with unfolding events, issue two is told in flashback while also switching perspectives between the Lion and the Mysteries and Rufus and his investigation. Ultra violence and non-linear storytelling, it is as if 90s Tarantino decided to make an alt-history neo-peplum.
The art and writing quality from issue one carries over to issue two and everything is top notch. The art is especially stand out, both detailed and colourful. Dark blues dominate this issue, with the nighttime assault and covert meetings in alleyways. The newly introduced Detective Rufus and Germanicus have detailed attire that are anachronistic, they feel both ancient, yet new. It is these details that keep grounding the sword and sandal setting in a different, hi-tech context. Rome Eternal is fully committed to the bit.
With nearly all the heroes killed and the issue ending on a major cliffhanger, it is nail biting to see what will happen next. The introduction of Rufus indicates Rome Eternal may start diving into the toga and sandal genre with more intrigue and the addition of political maneuvering from Germanicus. It is nice to see all these 60s peplum tropes being explored in a way different fashion in Rome Eternal.
For more information on Rome Eternal and its team, check out the following links: