Matt Wagner has built an epic mythos around the characters in his series Grendel.  See where it all started.

I’ve been a fan of Wagner for a little while now, having read the superb Trinity just recently.  I had tried to get into Grendel many years ago, and although I tried valiantly, I couldn’t understand what was going on.  That’s because Wagner has been working on Grendel for over two decades now, building up huge story arcs and characters that span centuries and continents.

So, where can the casual reader check out some Grendel that’s intelligible?  Right here!

The Grendel Archives collects the first Grendel story from Primer #2 as well as the first three issues of the actual Grendel comic books.  These stories are fascinating and thoroughly enjoyable.  We get a real sense right away of Wagner’s unique approach to storytelling and superheroes: most intriguing is the fact that Grendel, the title character, is the villain, although a pretty benevolent one–picture Batman as a ganglord.  But having a “good” villain isn’t so revolutionary; what really makes it interesting is that there is also a superhero, the Native-American-turned-werewolf Argent, a character whose backstory is equally as creative as Grendel’s himself.

The artwork is fun; it begs comparison to Frank Miller in some sections.  It has a very nice sense of action and movement, but I would say that Wagner’s artwork has improved since this point, becoming more his own rather than working in the same style as a master.

Conclusion:

Worth Checking Out! And with the list price at only $15 for a hardback, it’s a steal.

Who would enjoy this: Someone interested in Grendel or Wagner who doesn’t know much/anything about the mythos.  Miller fans.  Fans of ambiguous morals and crime comics.

Who would hate this:  Someone who only reads color comics.  Someone who prefers Golden Age style comics.

• Buy: @ Amazon , @ TFAW.com