The book is definitely an artifact of the 80s. The Pander Brothers artwork was really different for the time. Their style reminds me of Patrick Nagel and the clothes are pretty new wave with the big suits. One 80s thing that cracked me up was the reference to Phil Donahue.

The later God and the Devil storyline I remember being the best one.

So I see Grendel as an interesting mistake, a “second novel” journeyman work that shows some of the tropes Wagner would develop more effectively in his later work. YMMV.

Did you read the rest of Grendel? The really good stuff kicks in somewhere around issue 20 IIRC, so don't write it of on the strength of this storyline.

(And whatever became of the Pander Brothers, anyway?)

They did a vertigo mini a few years ago.

Why not?

1) Christine is never really developed as a character. Her motivation for picking up the mask is at once depressing and hackneyed; beyond that, we never really get much feel for this woman.

In fact, I'd say Christine falls between two stools: she's just developed enough that the stuff that happens to her is depressing, but not enough that we really end up interested or caring.

2) This is really a horror story rather than an action comic. Which is fine, except that it looks like an action comic. You think the Pander Brothers art fits the story; I disagree. I found the kinetic, "cartoony" art distracting, and not consistent with the basically unpleasant and nihlistic storyline: child is killed, mother becomes violent and kills various people, then is killed herself.

3) The conflict with Argent didn't make much sense.

It's interesting to put this book next to Mage, Volume One. Mage was a wild romp, with each issue easily read in a few minutes but rewarding repeated examination. I think young Wagner very deliberately stepped away from the crazy pace of Mage to do a slower, more psychological, more deliberate story... but I don't think he quite had the chops to pull it off.

Like Christine, Kevin Matchstick didn't have much personality. (He's afraid of heights, and... um, that's it.) But with Kevin, that worked, since the whole point was that he was an Everyman, unexpectedly called to heroism. For Grendel to work as a tragedy, we'd have to care about Christine. And we don't. Which makes it not tragedy, but at best Grand Guignol, and at worst... well, a mess.

So I see Grendel as an interesting mistake, a "second novel" journeyman work that shows some of the tropes Wagner would develop more effectively in his later work. YMMV.

(And whatever became of the Pander Brothers, anyway?)

Doug M.

Also the Pander Brothers' art is really ugly!

The reason I don't include "Devil by the Deed" is because, despite the stunning art by Wagner, it's really a summary of the Archives. It's good reading, and if you're interested in Grendel at all, probably essential, but it still doesn't rise to the level of the ongoing. Wagner got a lot better in the brief time between Mage and this series.

Be sure to check out GRENDEL: BEHOLD THE DEVIL coming out this month from Dark Horse.

I've got all the issues and have been thinking of re-reading the whole series for some time.I've not read it for years!

After reading this, and with the new mini-series due later this month, I think I'll have to start very soon.

If anybody hasn't read Grendel, I would certainly recommend it.

Great job on the article.