Why?  Why?  Why! 
Why did we have to waste so much time on those first four issues when
there was such a great story to be told here at the end?  The final issue of Sparta is what this entire series should have
been, compelling, action-packed, and spinning off of what turns out to be a
very cool premise!

This story could’ve easily been told in three issues, maybe
four, but certainly not the six we got. 
Issue 1 was good as an introduction to this world, Issue 2 did a little
better at setting up the mystery and solidifying the characters, but I could’ve
completely ignored Issue 3 and 4 and just skipped to 5 and 6.  I’m all for setting up characters, especially
when you’re introducing a unique world like this, but there is such a thing as
too much set up.  I feel like I’ve sat
through an hour and a half worth of a lackluster movie only for the last 30
minutes to be totally awesome!

In these last two issues this series has gone from being a
David Lynch film to being Red Dawn. 
There has been great action and the showcase of magic has increased
substantially in this issue.  The magic
in this world was something that was never fully explained but up until this
issue was also not used much either.  It
is something that I wish would’ve been explored more. 

I will say that the secret behind the town is pretty cool
and makes the revelation of who the Maestro is from last issue make a lot more
sense.  There is a lot more allusion to
the famous Battle of Thermopylae.  I kind
of felt like Lapham was forcing it into the story because at this point it’s
obvious he was alluding to it already. 
He could’ve left out any mention of it and I think people still would’ve
gotten it.

So, what are my overall thoughts on this series?  I’d say it was just ok.  All the awesome stuff at the end is not
enough to justify getting through those early issues.  Even if you read this in trade you’d realize
that the story drags in the middle.  But
the plus side to having the entire story in your hands is that you can flip to
the end and see all the great stuff that happens.  Lapham does leave it open for a sequel
though.  I’d hope now that the town’s
portion of this story seems to be done that Lapham will take the strengths of
these last few issues and do something really good with it in a future series.