John Hannah News

"Spartacus," the Starz channel's costume-optional drama set in the waning years of the Roman Republic, returns for a second season on Friday night with the four B's of its appeal intact: beefcake, blood, breasts and the Bard.

Spartacus: Swords and Ashes is the first in a proposed series of original novels based on characters from the Starz channel's hit television series Spartacus: Blood and Sand .A The new millennium blood soaked visceral re-imaging of the Spartacus character from history has been a rousing critical and commercial success.A A Spartacus, a simple man ... (more)

Is it possible for a show to survive the recasting of the main character, especially when the original made such a big impression? That's the challenge behind the Starz's show Spartacus: Vengeance , which picked up right where season one left off with a resounding roar.

After helping launch Rittenhouse's line of premium packs, the blood and beauty returns in 2012 Rittenhouse Spartacus Trading Cards.

Much like the audiences of ancient Rome, viewers were left hungry by the bold and decadent spectacle of gladiators fighting for their lives in Spartacus: Blood and Sand .