Batman/grendel

[Erick5]

Constructed by Matt Wagner. A staple for what a versus book should look like. Interesting page layouts, good perspective to all the characters. Not to mentioned , I've never seen Batman snuff someone out with his cape before , envelope them similar to that of an actual bat-man (vampire).
Like to hear your thoughts on this book. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

[MajorHoy]

I bought the two-prestige-issue series of Devil's Riddle / Devil's Masque back when they originally came out in the early-to-mid 1990s and liked that, but never bought the 1996 issues of Devil's Bones / Devil's Dance.







By the way, Wagner's series with Grendel and The Shadow was also good.

[j9ac9k]

Wagner never fails to make Grendel look like a complete badass. It was just as interesting seeing Bruce Wayne and Hunter Rose interact as it was to see the Bat and Grendel fight. Wagner knows that these are also two of the smartest and cagiest people people on the planet, so that was a great part of the series.

The second mini was also good, especially seeing Wagner shift artistic gears to fit the more action-oriented nature of the Cyborg Grendel, but it wasn't as interesting simply because Hunter/Bruce are a much more complex and interesting match-up.

[masahikotahara]

I have the four prestige format books, but never read them. Only recently I came across the trade paperback that collects both limited series (Devil's Riddle/Devil's Masque, 1993) and Devil's Bones/Devil's Dance, 1996), so I'm planning to finally read them.

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[batnbreakfast]

So far I liked everything from Matt Wagner I came across. Batman, Shadow, Trinity and I'm curious about the current Mage at Image. His storytelling feels classic and I dig his art.

[MajorHoy]

So far I liked everything from Matt Wagner I came across. Batman, Shadow, Trinity and I'm curious about the current Mage at Image. His storytelling feels classic and I dig his art.

Mage is a very old character of his . . .



published by Comico starting in 1984.

[batnbreakfast]

Yes but I'll probably understand enough of the current run without knowing the older material. Thanks for the nice cover pic, though.

[TomSlick]

So far I liked everything from Matt Wagner I came across. Batman, Shadow, Trinity and I'm curious about the current Mage at Image. His storytelling feels classic and I dig his art.

I love Wagner but as I get older and re-read Mage, I realize that the first volume was very amateurish in its writing, which is expected. It was one of the first things he did. In fact, for years, he held of releasing those initial B/W first Grendel appearances because of the writing (I believe he was 17 when he wrote those back in the early 80s). That said, Mage volume 2 - even years later - is awful. I'm currently reading volume 3 and it's a lot better than 2.

Batman/Grendel was incredible, especially the first volume. I think the second one is enhanced if you read Grendel War Child and the prelude short stories in the Grendel Tales that lead into it. By no means do you have to, but it will give the reader a greater appreciation for the second volume.

[dancj]

In fact, for years, he held of releasing those initial B/W first Grendel appearances because of the writing

He denied that (in the introduction to that collection IIRC). I think he said it just took him that long to get hold of the originals (or good enough copies) to be able to do a decent reproduction.

[dancj]

That said, Mage volume 2 - even years later - is awful. I'm currently reading volume 3 and it's a lot better than 2.

It's good to know that. I wouldn't say awful, but I didn't love Mage the way others do (and the way I do love Grendel from Devil Inside onward).

[TomSlick]

He denied that (in the introduction to that collection IIRC). I think he said it just took him that long to get hold of the originals (or good enough copies) to be able to do a decent reproduction.

Ha ha yeah I know. He’s re-writing a little history. If you can get your hands on the original series and subsequent Grendel Tales stuff, his editor talks about it often in the letter pages. It was always asked because at the time those issues were $100 each.