I didn’t read “Comico Primer” issue #2, nor was I ever able to obtain the three episode black and white series but I felt that this was a cool first issue for the “Grendel” series and remembering how much I wanted to read issue #2. It’s that good of a story!
TITLE: Grendel Issue #1
YEAR: October 1986
COMPANY: COMICO The Comic Company
Created & Written by Matt Wagner
Pencilled: Arnold & Jacob Pander
Inked by Jay Geldhof
Lettered by Steve Haynie
Colored by Tom Vincent
Edited by Diana Schutz
Back in 1982, Matt Wagner’s black and white short story titled “Grendel” was featured in COMICO the Comic Company’s “Comico Primer #2”.
Eventually it would lead to Matt Wagner’s three-issue black and white title to be released but reportedly due to the financial issues of Comico, the series ended prematurely until it was continued as a short story in the pages of Wagner’s series “Mage”.
While those stories featured the character of Hunter Rose, the adopted daughter named Stacy (which I don’t want to spoil the story), gives birth in the future to a girl named Christine Spar.
Christine published a biography of Hunter Rose and his life as Grendel, which becomes a bestseller and she made Grendel a pop culture icon.
This would lead to a “Grendel” series in color by Comico and would kick off with Christine Spar now a success and many want to interview her.
Her best friend Ginny (Regina Anastasi) has two tickets for a Kabuki troupe at Radio City and after the event, they meet the main star, Tujiro. And Christine decides to go with her young son Anson.
While he shows his meeting with her by licking her fingers, he grabs a strand of hair of Anson and plucks it off.
While everyone sleeps, we see Tujiro licking the blonde hair of Anson that he plucked and Anson begins sleep walking and leaves the apartment.
Christine is in a panic because her son is not home and now with several days past, and Anson not back, she fears that Anson may no longer be alive.
We then see Christine taking matters in her own hands, breaking into the public library and stealing the mask of Grendel and the weapon.
Grendel is back!
When I first read this story, I have to admit that I was surprised of how interesting the story was. The artwork of the Pander brothers was also different from any comic book out there and I couldn’t help but want to read issue #2 because I wanted to see if Christine would rescue Anson.
But at the same time, I was curious because Grendel, in terms of the “Beowulf” poem is an antagonist and is an evil creature of darkness. While in the novel, the retelling features Grendel as an antihero.
So, I’m not sure where Grendel and Christine Spar have much to do with it, so far.
It’s important to note, I didn’t read “Comico Primer” issue #2, nor was I ever able to obtain the three episode black and white series but I felt that this was a cool first issue for the “Grendel” series and remembering how much I wanted to read issue #2. It’s that good of a story!