Grendel: Black, White, and Red [Paperback]

Matt Wagner (Author)

Book Description

Series: Grendel (Graphic Novels) | Publication Date: October 10, 2000

Acclaimed Grendel creator Matt Wagner crafts a series of tales that spotlights those the Devil has influenced and intimidated, a grim grimoire of punishment and revenge illustrated in stark black, white, and blood-red that brings together a virtual who`s who of talented artists, including John Paul Leon (Earth X), Tim Sale (Batman: The Long Halloween), Duncan Fegredo (Jay & Silent Bob), D`Israeli (Lazarus Churchyard), Ho Che Anderson (Young Hoods in Love), C. Scott Morse (Soulwind), Bernie Mireault (Dr. Robot), Paul Chadwick (Concrete), Tim Bradstreet (Maximum Black), David Mack (Kabuki), Guy Davis (Sandman Mystery Theatre), the Pander Brothers (Secret Broadcast), Stan Shaw (Sunglasses After Dark), Jay Geldhof (The Lost), Teddy Kristiansen (House of Secrets), Jason Pearson (Body Bags), Woodrow Phoenix (Sugar Buzz), Troy Nixey (Trout), and Chris Sprouse (Supreme). This trade edition also collects the very first black-white-and-red Grendel story, the long out-of-print Devil`s Vagary, written by Wagner and illustrated by Dean (Mister X) Motter. When dealing with the Devil, the least he`ll take is your soul! The first edition of this trade paperback will feature a full-color painted cover by Matt Wagner, with a matte and spot gloss finish, and interior cover flaps.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The Devil may care about your soul, but Grendel doesn't. In the slick, grim, and powerful collection Grendel: Black, White, & Red, the possessed superhuman develops from prodigy to criminal mastermind through a loosely linked series of short stories using the skills of two dozen illustrators. Though the styles vary widely from scratchy to realistic, the theme of using only black and red ink unites them visually and gives rise to abundant creepiness. The brutality of the protagonist is unrelenting. Though the reader may gain some insight into the nature of violence and obsession, even seasoned veterans of media mayhem will find new twists herein. The rare moments of near-humanity become all the more poignant in the sea of red. Defenders of comic book artistry needn't look farther than Matt Wagner's Grendel. --Rob Lightner

Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: Dark Horse; 1st edition (October 10, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1569714932
• ISBN-13: 978-1569714935
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 6.7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #575,785 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars My Second Grendel Book, March 23, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Grendel: Black, White, and Red (Paperback)

This was the second of Wagner's works on Grendel that I picked up, the first being Devil By the Deed. Out of the two I'd have to say I preferred "Devil By the Deed". While "Devil By the Deed" is a completely self-contained story, "Black, White, and Red" is a series of short stories that build on and add greater depth to many of the characters in the former.

While I don't really think you'd need to read "Devil By the Deed" first, I think it would really give you the big-picture of the relationship between the characters and the context in which each of the short stories take place in. You should be able to find "Devil by the Deed" for around ..., so it couldn't hurt to pick it up at least in addition to "Black, White, and Red".

The first story in the TPB is "Devil's Advocate". I liked it so much I was really excited about the rest of the stories. Only later did I find out that it had in fact won an Eisner Award in 1999 for Best Short Story. While the rest of the stories are good, they pale in comparison to "Devil's Advocate". If nothing else you should pick up "Black, White, and Red" #1 just so you can read the first story in the TPB. Depending on how much you like the other material, you can pick up the entire series.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Grendel - The Devil's Inner Side, October 12, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Grendel: Black, White, and Red (Paperback)

This book fills in a great many rough gaps left in "Devil By The Deed". Through the many and varied talents displayed in these stories, we are made aware of how he thinks and feels about the world around him. The different authors' takes on where the character came from, how he goes about his business and how he relates to the people in his life paint a vivid picture of how a gifted young boy could become a fiend.

Mr. Wagner first wrote 'Grendel' as an attempt to explore evil through what began as a simple device of reversing the visages of the original Beowulf and Grendel. The dashing villain and the monstrous 'hero' combined to create a world that descended into the chaos described in the later issues of the comic series. "Black, White & Red" illustrates how inevitable that decline must have been.

Overall, this book is an excellent value on a number of levels. A first-time reader will not need to track down "Devil By The Deed" to understand what is going on. The varied writing and art styles emphasize the richness of the world and characters that Mr. Wagner unleashed. And, of course, the reader comes away with a sense of how precious true 'goodness' can be in a world when evil is in such ready and varied supply.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great cast of illustrators, so so quality of stories THREE AND HALF *, May 9, 2006

By 

M. Vasiljevic "Marko V." (Belgrade, Serbia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Grendel: Black, White, and Red (Paperback)

This is a story about prodigy who uses his mind for progressing crime ladder and becoming the main boss in city. It has elements of superheroism, and reminds me of anti-Batman type of person.

Maybe you should read Devil by Deed first and then Black, White and Red. Red White and Black is like a sequel to this (it should be collection of short stories illustrated by well known faces in business), but THIS book + 4 Devils One Hell+Macan's Devils and Deaths are much better than other Grendel/Grendel Tales titles. Of course , if you can get Eppy Thatcher Grendel comic books they are also good.

The Best Batman AND best Grendel story for me is Batman/Grendel two issue mini series/crossover, where devil/Grendel Hunter Rose comes to Gotham city. It is written and illustrated by MAtt Wagner. It is best story I have mentioned in this review.