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Grendel #0
Grendel Archives
A successful novelist by day, Hunter Rose becomes the unstoppable assassin Grendel by night, the leader of a vast criminal empire opposed by the mysterious wolf Argent. Containing the black-and-white interiors and full-color covers of Primer #2 and Grendel #1-3 originally published by Comico, this handsome hardcover volume is an essential piece of comics history, presenting the earliest work of Matt Wagner, the legendary creator behind such acclaimed projects as Mage, Sandman Mystery Theatre and Batman: The Monster Men among many others.
104 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2007
143 people want to read
About the author
Matt Wagner
967 books231 followersMatt Wagner is an American comic book writer and artist. In addition to his creator-owned series' Mage and Grendel, he has also worked on comics featuring The Demon and Batman as well as such titles as Sandman Mystery Theatre and Trinity, a DC Comics limited series featuring Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
August 26, 2017
Grendel Archives is Matt Wagner's first published work, and it shows. The art is crude, and the writing not overly polished. However, it is still a good read, even if the story is unfinished.
This is not recommended for people looking for a general comic book read. However, it is highly recommended for fans of Wagner and/or Grendel. Seeing his first pass at his most famous creation is fascinating.
Wagner's advancement as a creator is nothing short of extraordinary. This first attempt at the Grendel story has some charm, but is not destined for greatness. However, his second attempt soon after was Devil By the Deed, which is a remarkable achievement.
As a pure comic reading experience, this would not be considered a must read. But as a historical document of the beginnings of one of comic's great creators, it is essential.
This is not recommended for people looking for a general comic book read. However, it is highly recommended for fans of Wagner and/or Grendel. Seeing his first pass at his most famous creation is fascinating.
Wagner's advancement as a creator is nothing short of extraordinary. This first attempt at the Grendel story has some charm, but is not destined for greatness. However, his second attempt soon after was Devil By the Deed, which is a remarkable achievement.
As a pure comic reading experience, this would not be considered a must read. But as a historical document of the beginnings of one of comic's great creators, it is essential.
January 8, 2017
Grendel is probably one of the greatest comic book sagas I've ever read. I'm such a fan, I even got my hands on this book to round out the collection further. Of course, some leniency is appropriate in regards to it, considering it was Matt Wagner's first attempt at Grendel, and if I'm correct, he canceled it himself and reworked it into the 'Devil by the Deed' back-ups for 'Mage: The Hero Discovered'; however, while even Wagner acknowledges its fault, it is still released and priced, therefore it is fallible. It had to be paid for, so I feel obligated to mention its flaws.
There are certainly very strong things about these stories; there is something very distinctive to Wagner's writing for Grendel specifically, and it's hard for me to pinpoint it, but it is definitely here. Though the art is cartoonish, the ways in which Wagner draws the angles at which we see the events and the positioning of the panels is unconventional enough to be recognizable as firmly within the purview of his later Grendel works. From an aesthetic perspective, it mostly lines up well with the later series. Also, as he demonstrates in the other Grendel and Mage works that he drew, he really has a great artistic grasp on physics. The way he draws characters doing things is very convincing, yet stylistic and very good to look at. On that hand, though, the art is very unrefined, and its cartoonish look does not at all work with the darker, brooding nature he intended. The fact that Wagner collaborated with so many people later was a stroke of genius, because all of these artists, including himself, brought this saga of the nature of violence to life in a way these stories cannot. The art's at least serviceable, but it doesn't work with the material.
The storytelling itself is also somewhat lacklustre, too, sadly. The 'Grendel' story from Comico Primer Issue 2 should be a good representation of Hunter Rose's arc: it has nice, stylized violence, his rivalry with Argent is shown, his double life is shown somewhat, etc. In that way, it's a perfectly good story in that it is a nutshell of Hunter Rose as a character. There are problems, though. Besides the artwork, it doesn't seem that Hunter Rose's character is as refined here. His language is not as formal and his actions don't reflect his later characterization. I forgive this because Wagner was just starting out with him. The dialogue is really stilted, and I mean so stilted one could be forgiven for thinking this was a comic book from 1972.
The 3-issue first run of Grendel suffers from similar issues. Both Hunter Rose and Argent aren't as strong as they were in later stories. It seems Wagner wasn't confident in the characters, or the story, and it shows in the issues themselves. Showing Hunter Rose and Argent's origins was, in my opinion, a bad idea. The aloofness to them in later stories kept it interesting, and with all the time spent on origin stories, very little time was spent actually clarifying the present situation, and what exactly Hunter Rose does as Grendel. Whereas further stories are very clear on Hunter's role as Grendel, all we know in these issues is that he's pretty good at being a criminal. Too many ideas shoved in way too early. You could credit Wagner for refusing to spin the wheels with the story, but it's too fast, and not enough development occurs in between the larger events. This means that the stories are very unsubtle; since everything is very clear and with no further dynamics or development, the story unfolds rather quickly and without difficulty, and one can put the book down without thinking much of it. What made the later stories so effective was the ambiguity with the characters. Whole stories were dedicated solely to their minds and their development, and it made the whole grand picture so much more compelling and thought-provoking.
Granted, these stories aren't bad. Again, there is a distinction with the writing that still shines through here, and it's honestly a fast and enjoyable read; however, the writing and the art are unrefined and are shadows behind what the later Grendel mythos would become. Most of the issues I raised I can forgive because Wagner knew these were problems and fixed them, and they're very early stories that should not be held on a high pedestal. I still felt I should raise them. I do not feel the collection was a waste of time or money, and I still enjoyed reading it, but in light of the rest of what Grendel has to offer, it's certainly one of the weaker entries (not the weakest, though).
There are certainly very strong things about these stories; there is something very distinctive to Wagner's writing for Grendel specifically, and it's hard for me to pinpoint it, but it is definitely here. Though the art is cartoonish, the ways in which Wagner draws the angles at which we see the events and the positioning of the panels is unconventional enough to be recognizable as firmly within the purview of his later Grendel works. From an aesthetic perspective, it mostly lines up well with the later series. Also, as he demonstrates in the other Grendel and Mage works that he drew, he really has a great artistic grasp on physics. The way he draws characters doing things is very convincing, yet stylistic and very good to look at. On that hand, though, the art is very unrefined, and its cartoonish look does not at all work with the darker, brooding nature he intended. The fact that Wagner collaborated with so many people later was a stroke of genius, because all of these artists, including himself, brought this saga of the nature of violence to life in a way these stories cannot. The art's at least serviceable, but it doesn't work with the material.
The storytelling itself is also somewhat lacklustre, too, sadly. The 'Grendel' story from Comico Primer Issue 2 should be a good representation of Hunter Rose's arc: it has nice, stylized violence, his rivalry with Argent is shown, his double life is shown somewhat, etc. In that way, it's a perfectly good story in that it is a nutshell of Hunter Rose as a character. There are problems, though. Besides the artwork, it doesn't seem that Hunter Rose's character is as refined here. His language is not as formal and his actions don't reflect his later characterization. I forgive this because Wagner was just starting out with him. The dialogue is really stilted, and I mean so stilted one could be forgiven for thinking this was a comic book from 1972.
The 3-issue first run of Grendel suffers from similar issues. Both Hunter Rose and Argent aren't as strong as they were in later stories. It seems Wagner wasn't confident in the characters, or the story, and it shows in the issues themselves. Showing Hunter Rose and Argent's origins was, in my opinion, a bad idea. The aloofness to them in later stories kept it interesting, and with all the time spent on origin stories, very little time was spent actually clarifying the present situation, and what exactly Hunter Rose does as Grendel. Whereas further stories are very clear on Hunter's role as Grendel, all we know in these issues is that he's pretty good at being a criminal. Too many ideas shoved in way too early. You could credit Wagner for refusing to spin the wheels with the story, but it's too fast, and not enough development occurs in between the larger events. This means that the stories are very unsubtle; since everything is very clear and with no further dynamics or development, the story unfolds rather quickly and without difficulty, and one can put the book down without thinking much of it. What made the later stories so effective was the ambiguity with the characters. Whole stories were dedicated solely to their minds and their development, and it made the whole grand picture so much more compelling and thought-provoking.
Granted, these stories aren't bad. Again, there is a distinction with the writing that still shines through here, and it's honestly a fast and enjoyable read; however, the writing and the art are unrefined and are shadows behind what the later Grendel mythos would become. Most of the issues I raised I can forgive because Wagner knew these were problems and fixed them, and they're very early stories that should not be held on a high pedestal. I still felt I should raise them. I do not feel the collection was a waste of time or money, and I still enjoyed reading it, but in light of the rest of what Grendel has to offer, it's certainly one of the weaker entries (not the weakest, though).
March 26, 2018
Wagner's earliest, and unfinished, Grendel story. It ends on a cliffhanger, and the only way to find out what happened is to read Devil by the Deed, which re-imagined the entire Grendel saga from day one.
So this is just for completists and Grendel fiends, which I am, and it's fun for what it is. Some of the dialogue is clunky, and Wagner's art isn't nearly as refined at capturing iconic moments as it is today, but the characters are still compelling and the drama convincing. It's not Wagner's best work, but it's not bad either.
So this is just for completists and Grendel fiends, which I am, and it's fun for what it is. Some of the dialogue is clunky, and Wagner's art isn't nearly as refined at capturing iconic moments as it is today, but the characters are still compelling and the drama convincing. It's not Wagner's best work, but it's not bad either.
April 2, 2025
Comico Primer #2 (3.5/5) - a very solid first appearance of Grendel and Argent! Fast paced writing aside, a very simple yet effective story given Grendels dignified supervillainy and Argents brutish heroics in conflict!
GRENDEL #1 (4.5/5) - Aside from the PDF, yet another simple yet effective story of Hunters origin. He’s unapologetically evil with huge ambition which perfectly aligns with his character to this day. The dynamic conversation between him and Argent has a good chemistry of tranquility and a bit of tension.
GRENDEL #2 (3.5/5) - Loved Argents telling of his origin! Tragic and compelling tale of outer/inner turmoil that conflicts your own morality. The conversation between him and Hunter continue which then transitions into their first confrontation. This is where the Devil by the Deed story line kicks in and honestly, once again just a bit of fast and not so steady pacing, I do think it built enough of a good stage for #3
GRENDEL #3 (4/5) - I believe this is where Matt Wagner has mentioned about a “story not yet finished), the first original confrontation between Argent and Grendel ensues along with the safety of Stacey! Very good imo!
Overall: I really enjoyed this! Contrary to what most think about the art, I think the manga esque style is a testament to Matt’s early style and while not as objectively great compared to his current, I am a bit of a sucker for this style. As for the stories, it shows that “bad” is really “the start of something great” while I do agree the stories themselves aren’t AS great as that of Devil by the Deed, Behold the Devil etc. I enjoyed them! It’s inspiring and as much as it may seem like Bias, this is just yet another reason why I love Grendel not just as a character but the vision of the creator who made him. Matt story telling improved ten fold from this and I’m happy I was able to read his first go at this character and story. I would recommend for any new/current Grendel fans!
GRENDEL #1 (4.5/5) - Aside from the PDF, yet another simple yet effective story of Hunters origin. He’s unapologetically evil with huge ambition which perfectly aligns with his character to this day. The dynamic conversation between him and Argent has a good chemistry of tranquility and a bit of tension.
GRENDEL #2 (3.5/5) - Loved Argents telling of his origin! Tragic and compelling tale of outer/inner turmoil that conflicts your own morality. The conversation between him and Hunter continue which then transitions into their first confrontation. This is where the Devil by the Deed story line kicks in and honestly, once again just a bit of fast and not so steady pacing, I do think it built enough of a good stage for #3
GRENDEL #3 (4/5) - I believe this is where Matt Wagner has mentioned about a “story not yet finished), the first original confrontation between Argent and Grendel ensues along with the safety of Stacey! Very good imo!
Overall: I really enjoyed this! Contrary to what most think about the art, I think the manga esque style is a testament to Matt’s early style and while not as objectively great compared to his current, I am a bit of a sucker for this style. As for the stories, it shows that “bad” is really “the start of something great” while I do agree the stories themselves aren’t AS great as that of Devil by the Deed, Behold the Devil etc. I enjoyed them! It’s inspiring and as much as it may seem like Bias, this is just yet another reason why I love Grendel not just as a character but the vision of the creator who made him. Matt story telling improved ten fold from this and I’m happy I was able to read his first go at this character and story. I would recommend for any new/current Grendel fans!
February 26, 2021
As a child of the 80’s, I first became aware of Grendel in the Comico Graphic Novel and the ongoing book. I knew there was the black and white Grendel books that Wagner did before he started Mage, but I had never seen them. Not until a decade or so back when Dark Horse printed them in this hardcover.
They are not bad, but as Wagner mentions in his introduction, it is incomplete. It’s fills in a couple of plot points from Devil By the Deed, and that was fun to see.
It’s interesting to see Matt Wagner before his art becomes fully formed. You can still see a lot of his layout and design that he would become more well know for down the road in this book.
A fun read for a Grendel fan, I doubt others would get much from it though.
They are not bad, but as Wagner mentions in his introduction, it is incomplete. It’s fills in a couple of plot points from Devil By the Deed, and that was fun to see.
It’s interesting to see Matt Wagner before his art becomes fully formed. You can still see a lot of his layout and design that he would become more well know for down the road in this book.
A fun read for a Grendel fan, I doubt others would get much from it though.
January 27, 2024
I've been reading Grendel saga since the Comico days, but I had never read the original stories. It is interesting to see the origins because they would be expanded on, when Wagner rebooted the series that everyone knows and loves now. Most surprising was Argent's origin in issue #2 which later became a mini during the Comico Grendel run. I don't think that has been collected in any of the Omnibuses or reprints. Long-time Grendel fans will love this. Matt Wagner's art is still on point in black & white. If new to Grendel, you may not want to start with this since it does present some potential spoilers but it's not a deal breaker if you do. A story has to start somewhere. Highly recommended,
July 10, 2019
Rough, unfinished, perhaps of mostly historical interest, this early work still showcases the strong visual storytelling, innovative layouts, and ambitious creativity that make Matt Wagner a comics creator's comics creator.
August 31, 2017
More of a curiosity than a complete story, this is the abandoned story that eventually turned into DEVIL BY THE DEED. It's interesting as an artifact, especially for hard-core GRENDEL fans, but I don't think casual fans would find much of interest.
November 28, 2012
OK. I'll say that this book is really only for fans of Matt Wagner, and it's really only for fans who have already read Devil by the Deed and some of his other Hunter Rose stuff. That said...
I had always heard that these early Grendel stories were embarrassingly bad. If you look at the time they came from (1982-1983), and look at what else was being done around that time, you'll see that this is actually some groundbreaking stuff. A story from the villain's point of view? A character that is both likable and arrogant, both compassionate and cold-blooded? This is good stuff.
My only quibble with this book is that it would have been nice to see some of Wagner's notes and concept art, if he even still has any of that. At one short piece from Comico Primer and three issues, it feels a little short.
So, if you haven't read DbtD, go read it, then maybe the Grendel Omnibus vol. 1. Then, definitely come back and read Grendel Archives.
Vivat Grendel!
I had always heard that these early Grendel stories were embarrassingly bad. If you look at the time they came from (1982-1983), and look at what else was being done around that time, you'll see that this is actually some groundbreaking stuff. A story from the villain's point of view? A character that is both likable and arrogant, both compassionate and cold-blooded? This is good stuff.
My only quibble with this book is that it would have been nice to see some of Wagner's notes and concept art, if he even still has any of that. At one short piece from Comico Primer and three issues, it feels a little short.
So, if you haven't read DbtD, go read it, then maybe the Grendel Omnibus vol. 1. Then, definitely come back and read Grendel Archives.
Vivat Grendel!
February 26, 2013
Being a big Grendel fan, I absolutely had to get this book, if only to sate my curiosity and to have a "complete" library.
I didn't get these stories when they were originally published, so I'm glad they were re-edited in this new hardcover edition.
OK, so yikes, this was definately not the Grendel I've grown accustomed to in the last few years. The art is amateurish, and the story, well the story's just as amateurish.
I'm glad I got this, but I'm just as glad that I "discovered" Grendel in his later years. Had I got these originally, I don't know if I would have given the character any other chance.
As many have said, if you're a Grendel completist, as I guess I am, this is a nice book to have, if only for the nostalgia effect. Otherwise do yourself a favor and read some of Wagner's more recent works.
I didn't get these stories when they were originally published, so I'm glad they were re-edited in this new hardcover edition.
OK, so yikes, this was definately not the Grendel I've grown accustomed to in the last few years. The art is amateurish, and the story, well the story's just as amateurish.
I'm glad I got this, but I'm just as glad that I "discovered" Grendel in his later years. Had I got these originally, I don't know if I would have given the character any other chance.
As many have said, if you're a Grendel completist, as I guess I am, this is a nice book to have, if only for the nostalgia effect. Otherwise do yourself a favor and read some of Wagner's more recent works.
December 23, 2017
Wagner es esta obra primigenia, nos da una muestra de todo lo que vendria en su carrera, y visto en restrospectiva como la sombra de este Villano Carismatico, va a moldear todo un futuro, a su imagen y semejanza, el Grendel PrimeAKA Hunter Rose, su enemistad con Wolf Argent.
desde la primera escena los dos personajes sentados en el techo de un edificio antes de luchar a muerte, hablando como dos viejos amigos, con mucho en comun, proyectando la historia a 4 años antes , a la niñez y origen del Juego del grendel, a 300 años en el pasado cuando la maldicion afecto a Argent. el extraño triangulo de Cariño que existe con Stacy palumbo y lo significante que seria este personaje en el desenlace de la historia de Grendel - Devil in Deed.
realmente una de las obras mas representativas del comic indy americano de la decada del 80.
desde la primera escena los dos personajes sentados en el techo de un edificio antes de luchar a muerte, hablando como dos viejos amigos, con mucho en comun, proyectando la historia a 4 años antes , a la niñez y origen del Juego del grendel, a 300 años en el pasado cuando la maldicion afecto a Argent. el extraño triangulo de Cariño que existe con Stacy palumbo y lo significante que seria este personaje en el desenlace de la historia de Grendel - Devil in Deed.
realmente una de las obras mas representativas del comic indy americano de la decada del 80.
July 8, 2007
This reprint of the original Grendel comics from 1983 are probably only of interest to fans of the series or of its creator, Matt Wagner. Though some of the inventive page layouts and his facility for action are already in evidence, there is only a kernel of the pulpy writing that would eventually make Wagner a master of the comic book form. Here he is still struggling to understand his influences. Still, from the smallest spark, the greatest fire...
August 2, 2009
Mildly interesting to see Wagner's early work (I'll admit his rough first attempts are better than a lot of the dreck that was clogging up comic shops in the eighties). I originally gave this two stars, because... well, it's amateurish and not that interesting. Then I re-read his introduction. The third star in my rating is for the last two lines:
"Never falter and never look back.
Except to regard how far you've come."
"Never falter and never look back.
Except to regard how far you've come."
December 14, 2008
liked the art for the most part and there were parts of the story that were interesting, but the dialog and the way most of the story was presented was pretty stilted. i'll stick with wagner's later work.
May 14, 2010
I'm not the right audience for this one. I like my stories more complex and my art a bit less cartoony. Still, Grendel fans will want this in their collection for the origin stories.
Read my full review at FeoAmante.com: http://www.feoamante.com/Comics/Revie...
Read my full review at FeoAmante.com: http://www.feoamante.com/Comics/Revie...
May 3, 2025
A quick read of a collection of early Matt Wagner comics. I've got the original comics in a box somewhere. Beautifully packaged by Dark Horse, the work hold up after 25 years. Matt disagrees, in the introduction he is a harsh critic of his early work.
August 15, 2007
Fun read, but good mainly for historical value. Matt Wagner's talents were still pretty raw when writing and drawing these stories, but it's enjoyable to see the Grendel saga in the womb.
July 14, 2011
Rough first steps. Its incompleteness means this is for fans and completists only.
August 21, 2011
Interesting fast read
December 11, 2013
Totally awesome.
March 12, 2013
I really consider Mage Wagner's greatest work ... but I think Grendel is a testament to creator owned indie work.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews