Grendel Vs. The Shadow #3

Written by:  Matt Wagner

Art by:  Matt Wagner

Publisher:  Dark Horse Comics

Matt Wagner finishes the battle between his signature creation Grendel and the character he currently writes, The Shadow in this very handsome epilogue.  As much as I enjoyed seeing Grendel (aka Hunter Rose) alive again in a new adventure, I still can’t help but feel the narrative short comings overshadowed (haha) true enjoyment I might have had over this series.

Hunter Rose exists in a self-contained time line that runs from his childhood until his death in his early 20s.  This series is one that should not exist, and only does so for the sake of fan service.  There is nothing wrong with fan service but fans of Grendel know that the battle has to end in a certain way to reset things back to normal.  Despite the predictability, the art work is great and Wagner seems to be having a lot of infectious fun.  This is the issue where the battles between the two characters really hit the high point and there are a lot of cool set pieces and an interesting double-cross near the end.

I’d be more inclined to recommend the Grendel Omnibus Vol. 1 to those unfamiliar with the character, and to comic fans in general, because it’s an amazing story that feels more like literature than a typical comic book, the latter of which is what we have with this comic.  My biggest gripe as a huge fan of this character is that this series cheapens the mythology of the character.   Also the dialogue is 90’s comics bad, with one-liners and quips being exchanged that a character as literate and elitist would kill someone else for even thinking of uttering.

But it is good to see Hunter again, so I chewed the fish and spit out the bones.  I wish Matt established an alternate continuity for it so as not to damage his character or make the end game cheapened by the fan’s foresight for it’s conclusion, but there are some interesting choices Wagner makes regarding these characters and their ideals that make for a fun read.  It entertained me, I have to admit.