
In the book, Beowulf is a bio-engineered mercenary. He arrives with his soldiers at the advanced war installation Herod, to kill the demon-creature, Grendel for King Hrothgar.
What I Didn’t Like
- The story only spans three issues, and the pacing feels rushed by the end.
- The first comic tries to insert some humor, but it feels very out of place in this title.
- The story only deals with the first two acts of The Poem.
- King Hrothgar is essentially a bad guy in this retelling.
- Some of the dialogue is clunky.
What I Liked
- The art work is amazing on this title. The art by itself is worth the price of admission!
- The bio-engineered world Hutchinson created works well with the Beowulf myth.
- The design for Grendel is awesome!
- There are some really cool science fiction elements infused with steam punk!
- The overall story is pretty good (despite the feeling that there should be more to the story).
I remember reading this a number of years ago and being rather unimpressed. Upon re-reading it, however, I found myself enjoying it a great deal. There are certainly a few clunky story-telling elements, and the ending seems like there was supposed to be a follow-up series (although some conflicts are resolved), but the art and imagination both shine bright.
This title probably isn’t for everyone, but fans of Beowulf, post-apocalyptic dystopian steam-punk futures, and comic art should check it out!
Rating: 4/5 (I Really Liked It)
Find the Trade Paperback here.
Find the Manga style book here.