While Rome Burns, They Aim to Steal Its Heart

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

AUG. 8, 2025 (PORTLAND, OR) — The empire is on fire (literally), and amid the chaos, a band of outcasts dares to rob Rome blind.

CIRCUS MAXIMUS, a brutal, cinematic historical heist set during the fall of Nero’s reign, lands this November from Mad Cave Studios. Written by Mark Sable (Graveyard of Empires, Miskatonic), with art by Giorgio Pontrelli (Dylan Dog, Miskatonic), colors by Emilio Lecce, and letters by Dave Sharpe, Circus Maximus is a blood-and-smoke-soaked epic where vengeance is personal and freedom comes at a steep price—featuring Cover A by Paul Azaceta and Cover B by Francesco Francavilla.

Rome. 64 AD.  The most daring heist in history is being planned by an unlikely crew – a former slave, a Vestal Virgin, a charioteer and a disgraced architect – each with their own personal motives.  While Rome is distracted by the chariot racing and gladiatorial games of the Circus Maximus, the crew plans to rob the Imperial treasury under the Temple of Saturn.  But when Emperor Nero sets fire to the city, they’ll be lucky to escape his wrath with their lives, let alone the loot.

Series writer Mark Sable said:

“Many claim to think about the Roman Empire daily, but for the past few years, the Roman Empire has literally been my Roman Empire. Circus Maximus is a true passion project, blending crime and historical fiction in a story I pitched as ‘Gladiator meets Heat.’

The series centers on Rome’s forgotten and forsaken: the enslaved, the exiled, the silenced, who find each other in the shadows and dare to rewrite history. But as the city teeters on the brink of chaos and Nero fans the flames of his own empire, their fight for freedom turns into something far more explosive.

Circus Maximus also marks a reunion with artist Giorgio Pontrelli, with whom I collaborated on Miskatonic and its giant-sized sequel. Aside from being a brilliant artist, Giorgio is a Roman who has lived among the ruins of Ancient Rome his entire life. Paul Azaceta, the first artist I worked with when I started in comics 20 years ago, has also returned to provide the series with some truly epic covers.

While I know history buffs like me will appreciate their work, I hope all comics readers will appreciate this blood-soaked story of power, betrayal, and vengeance. Empires rise and fall, but crime is timeless.”

Should you wish to witness Ocean’s Eleven in gladiator armor, Circus Maximus is it! Perfect for fans of 300, Spartacus, HBO’s Rome, and readers of gritty heist thrillers like That Texas Blood and Killadelphia will feel right at home. It’s also perfect for history podcast junkies, sword & sandal cinema lovers, and anyone who roots for underdogs with an axe to grind.

Circus Maximus #1 hits comic shops and digital platforms on November 5, 2025, and FOC is October 13, 2025.