Opinions on Wagner's Grendel

[sonicx1977]

Which story should i read first now? I want to start at the beginning and dont want to be confused because the Omnibus isnt complete.

[grphxkindaguy]

I've never read any Grendel comics except for the two crossovers w/Batman in the 90's. And I thought they were both great!

[FanboyStranger]

Which story should i read first now? I want to start at the beginning and dont want to be confused because the Omnibus isnt complete.

I'd put the order like this (writer & artist):

Silverback (not reprinted- MW & W Messner Loebs-- original art degraded to the point it can't be reprinted/scans?)
Grendel Archives (not in the omnibus, and not essential-- MW)
Black, White, and Red (in the omnibus-- MW & various)
Red, White, and Black (in the omnibus-- MW & various)
Behold the Devil (in the omnibus-- MW)
Batman/Grendel I (not in the omnibus-- MW)
Devil by the Deed (in the omnibus-- MW)
Devil Child (by Diana Schultz and Tim Sale-- will be in the second omnibus)
Devil's Legacy (will be in the second omnibus-- MW & the Pander Brothers)
The Devil Inside (will be in the second omnibus-- MW & Bernie Mirault)
Devil Tales (will be in second omnibus-- MW)
The Incubation Years (never reprinted due to missing art and poor scans, except for issue 23-- MW, Hannibal King, & Tim Sale)
God and the Devil (MW & JK Snyder III)
Devil's Reign (MW & Tim Sale)
War Child (MW & Pat McEown)
Grendel Cycle (MW & various-- recounts the history in the series, plus reprints MW's Grendel Alphabet poem)
Past Prime (illustrated novel by Greg Rucka & MW)
Grendel Tales: Homecoming (Pat McEown)

Various Grendel Tales series (best are Devils and Deaths by Darko Macan & Ed Biukovic, Devil in Our Midst by Steve Seagle & Paul Grist, and Four Devils, One Hell by James Robinson & Teddy Kristiansen)

Devil's Quest (MW)
Batman/Grendel II (MW)

[dupont2005]

It's one of my favourite series. I don't know if the omnibus will reprint the really early stuff (wasn't that art lost when Comico went under?). The early issues were pretty rough, but the rest of the series is excellent (IMHO). I can't think of any other series that has changed so much over the years, switching protagonists and themes all the time and switching between personal stories (for Brian Li Sung for instance) to a more documentary style to tell the story of Orion Assante.

A cheap hardcover just came out reprinting those. I bought it on Black Friday. It probably won't be in this book.

[dupont2005]

Which story should i read first now? I want to start at the beginning and dont want to be confused because the Omnibus isnt complete.

I think they were published pretty nonlinear so start with the first issue of whatever series you find.

[Dizzy D]

A cheap hardcover just came out reprinting those. I bought it on Black Friday. It probably won't be in this book.

Mmm... I can remember Wagner mentioning before that there were problems with getting the original art. Maybe he was talking about the Lost Years issues?

[sonicx1977]

Thanks for the information you all.

I probably start with the omnibus. If i like enough i will look out for the rest.

[adam_warlock_2099]

I have read Devil's Legacy and Black White & Red, and enjoyed them both. I think the consistancy of the Pander Brothers art in Devil's Legacy makes it more fluid than the shared art of BW&R. But the stories were both enjoyable. I think Hunter Rose is an enjoyable character that keeps my interest.

But I REALLY enjoyed the Batman/Grendel crossover minis. Especially the first one. Top notch reading, and a good sample of the work ... at least Hunter Rose. I think there were other Grendel's like GL, but not, sure I haven't read others. The second Batman/Grendel crossover was great too, but nothing compared to the first.

Edit: The first crossover is name Devil's Riddle for book one and Devil's Masque for book two, a Comic/DC production. The second crossover is Devil's Bones and Devil's Dance a DC/DHC venture.

[FanboyStranger]

But I REALLY enjoyed the Batman/Grendel crossover minis. Especially the first one. Top notch reading, and a good sample of the work ... at least Hunter Rose. I think there were other Grendel's like GL, but not, sure I haven't read others. The second Batman/Grendel crossover was great too, but nothing compared to the first.

I consider the first Batman/Grendel not only to be a great Grendel story, but one of the greatest Batman story as well. Hunter Rose/Grendel is the true opposite side to Batman/Bruce Wayne's coin, and it's so much fun to watch them interact.

The second B/G is good, but if it weren't for the time travel stealing Prime's mojo, Batman would have needed the whole Justice League to take him down.

[dupont2005]

Mmm... I can remember Wagner mentioning before that there were problems with getting the original art. Maybe he was talking about the Lost Years issues?

Long ago he said they would never be reprinted, but then they were. It's the HC mentioned on the previous page by Brian Gravity.

[benday-dot]

I'd put the order like this (writer & artist):

That's great information. Thanks!

[adam_warlock_2099]

I consider the first Batman/Grendel not only to be a great Grendel story, but one of the greatest Batman story as well. Hunter Rose/Grendel is the true opposite side to Batman/Bruce Wayne's coin, and it's so much fun to watch them interact.

The second B/G is good, but if it weren't for the time travel stealing Prime's mojo, Batman would have needed the whole Justice League to take him down.

The first Batman/Grendell was my first exposure to Grendel, and a still very early Batman purchase for me too. I started with Batman and Detective monthly but discovering one shots and minis is where my real Batman addiction began, and this was a purchase I made at a far off comic shop I traveled to soon after getting my driver's licence. The cover caught my eye, both in the art and Grendel. I liked the mask and the two edged sword/lance. The two characters looked like a perfect pair to be opposite each other. And upon reading the book I love Wagner's artistic Batman. Which is unusual for me because I like the extreme Batman, long ears, cap that could hide an elephant, and the arm spikes that look about two feet long. But Wagner's Batman is pulled in, not extreme, if anything more practical than most artist draw him in that era.

Anyway I agree with you, both Batman and Grendel were great in this story and showcases Wagner's greatness as both a writer and artist. Well worth the money just to read a good story despite whether you are familiar with the characters or not.

I don't remember you're reference in Prime, but I pulled them out my file cabinet and am going to give them both another read.