16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very pleased with this, January 10, 2001
This review is from: The Collected Beowulf (Paperback)
I missed the individual issues of this story at my local comic shop, but the collected edition is now available. This is a spectacular comic version of the folk hero epic Beowulf (certainly not the first - it was adapted by First Comics in the late 80s, I believe, but this one is much better). Gareth Hinds does a great job with the story and artwork. He has chosen to forgo chopping the poem into word ballons and dialogue, opting instead to present actual lines from the poem on the pages, mixed in with the art. It seems to lend this adaptation more weight. Now, let's talk about the incredible graphic style: the original series was presented in 3 issues, each one concentrating on one of Beowulf's adventures (Grendel, the Sea Hag, and the Dragon). Each part is done in a different art medium. "Grendel" is heavy pen & ink with color, "Sea Hag" is painted on wood, and "Dragon" looks like fine lines and light watercolor accents. Add some other interesting visual touches, such as constellation charts for the night sky and howls appearing as winding parchment, and you have a true feast for the eyes. Gareth Hinds is truly talented. Give this book a try.
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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
An Interesting Adaptation, November 11, 2002
This review is from: The Collected Beowulf (Paperback)
It's nice to see that Old English poetry has received so much attention as of late. Irish poet Seamus Heaney's recent verse translation revived interest in the poem, and about the same time an adaptation of Michael Crichton's "Eaters of the Dead" (the author's own version of the Beowulf story), called "The 13th Warrior," did well at the box office. Around the same time Gareth Hinds hit comic stores with his funnybook adaptation of the poem, now collected in this volume.
The story is timeless. Beowulf, a Dane, comes to Sweden to help the Geats fight Grendel, who has taken over the great mead-hall the Geats built to celebrate victory. After some feasting and storytelling, Beowulf tears Grendel's arm off, and the creature flees howling into the night. Then, Grendel's mother shows up and Beowulf has to take care of her, too. Cut to late in the warrior's life. Now, he must face a dragon when all but his loyal squire have left him.
In other words, the stuff legendary poems are made of.
Hinds' adaptation liberally borrows from what little Anglo-Saxon art remains (mostly sculpture). The characters are all drawn in that blocky style, almost as if they are made of stone. The exception is Grendel, who looks like some dripping fiend that crawled out of a swamp (which is basically how he is described). The art captures the chill and danger of a time long past, when Grendels still walked the earth and people were not safe, even in the largest mead-hall. The entire poem is not represented - the action sequences themselves are left to the comic form - and what is used, is used for narrative purposes.
Still, this Beowulf would make an excellent companion to a classroom study of the poem. It uses an older (1910) translation, so there are some antiquated words that don't appear in the Heaney version. There is enough to capture the meaning of the poem, even if it doesn't appear in its entirety. And Hinds' drawings (ink, woodcarvings, and pencils all) paint a compelling, if bleak, picture of life in Europe's dark age. This version makes a welcome addition to the study of Saxon poetry.
Final Grade: B+
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7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Forever Rememberd, June 6, 2002
This review is from: The Collected Beowulf (Paperback)
Beowulf is an amazing story of adventure & determination. As soon as the book starts you are sailing the seas to save a nation. Beowulf goes to a far off land and defends the people from the evil demon Grendel, who is killing and eating the people. Finding her son dead Grendels mother seeks revenge and kills once again. Beowulf is very angry with this and goes out to kill her. The story goes on as Beowulf kills the beast, gains fame and riches. In the end, his life is ended but his ledgend lives on. I would have to say that it is the best book I've ever read.
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