The attraction between the two characters is instead mutual and grows from a place of understanding and genuine effort. Where Smythe truly brings the story into modernity, however, lies not in her artistic choices but in her literary ones.Ĭontrary to the original myth, Persephone is not whisked away by a lustful Hades without her consent but rather she is the victim of a cruel prank that results in her unconsciously and unwittingly hitching a ride with Hades to his home in the Underworld. In the world of the gods, clothing styles tend to be mostly modern garb (Hades is partial to three-piece business suits and Persephone to couture-styled ensembles) while in the human world deities are dressed in garments that draw on ancient Greek styles (chitons, peploi, varying tunics, etc.). Even the ways in which Smythe fashions her characters pays heed to the juxtaposed timelines she has crafted. The gods call each other on cellphones, take yoga classes, and buy overpriced coffee, while the human world is still lit by torches. Smythe has depicted Olympus and the Underworld as bustling metropoleis that look down and above to a human world that reflects the time of the myth’s origin. While Smythe’s version of the story acknowledges the ancient origins of Persephone’s tale, with cleverly entrenched easter eggs for the Greek myth enthusiast scattered throughout her illustrations, the world of Lore Olympus fully brings these gods and goddesses into a modern context. Rachel Smythe’s insanely popular webcomic now turned graphic novel (and future Netflix animated series), Lore Olympus, is a recent iteration of this trend – one that combines both the art of storytelling and digital illustration.īrought to life with blinding color and a whimsical, unique style, Smythe’s creation has revitalized once again the tale of Hades and Persephone, the King and Queen of the Greek underworld. Such a claim is attested by the fact that we still read these tales today, but perhaps even more persuasive of an argument for their longevity are the ways in which almost every era has repurposed these tales for contemporaneous audiences. The myths of the ancient Greeks have captivated the human imagination for millennia, spanning the globe and crossing linguistic divides since their inception. Spoiler Warning for Season 1 of Lore Olympus
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