Grendel: Devil Quest [Hardcover]

Matt Wagner (Author, Artist)

Book Description

Series: Grendel | Publication Date: June 3, 2008

Most often, the master painter's hand of Grendel-creator Matt Wagner graces only book covers, but here, with the uncensored account of Grendel-Prime's quest to contact the spirit of the original Grendel, Hunter Rose, Wagner brings his astonishing brushwork to an entire volume's worth of storytelling! In seven chapters, all written and lusciously painted by Wagner, the deadly cyborg Grendel-Prime pursues the past with singular purpose, even while the decadent and decaying world he has forsaken hunts him for reasons of its own. With each chapter a twisted relation to the children's rhyme, "Rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief, doctor, lawyer, Indian chief," this tightly crafted work is an essential piece of the Grendel canon, and a tie-in to Wagner's popular Batman/Grendel series.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: Dark Horse (June 3, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1593078889
• ISBN-13: 978-1593078881
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 6.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #215,026 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Fractured follow-up to War Child, August 21, 2006

By 

Justin Gaines (Northern Virginia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Grendel: Devil quest (Paperback)

Grendel: Devil Quest collects the painted Matt Wagner backup stories that appeared in a handful of Grendel Tales issues.

Devil Quest takes place a few decades after the events chronicled in Grendel: War Child, and while each chapter focuses on a different character, the story centers on the cyborg warrior Grendel Prime's quest to find the spirit of the original Grendel Hunter Rose.

Each individual chapter is well written, and the artwork is Matt Wagner at his best, but I couldn't help but be a little disappointed in this one. I understand that the stories are intentionally disconnected, but they never seem to come together in a satisfactory manner. The individual storylines seem to be hurriedly tossed together at the end, which proves anticlimactic.

This is an interesting enough story in its own right, but when viewed in comparison to the excellent War Child series, it proves to be a poor sequel. At best it serves as an interesting companion story to the second Grendel/Batman crossover.

NOTE: This one is for mature readers only. It features explicit language, nudity and explicit sexual situations, and plenty of violence. Much of this is essential to the story, but it does seem a bit gratuitous at times.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential Grendel, June 13, 2008

By 

Clayton Hollifield (Battle Ground, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Grendel: Devil Quest (Hardcover)

Matt Wagner is one of my favorite cartoonists. And this might be my absolute favorite work of his. Even if you're not familiar with any of the incarnations of Grendel, that shouldn't hamper anyone's enjoyment of this book. It's a series of connected short stories (fully-painted, even) about Grendel-Prime, who's a somewhat mysterious figure that several powerful people are trying to find. This is a muscular, unflinching, unforgiving, blunt book. There are no wasted panels for atmosphere or pacing's purpose, Wagner packs everything you need and more into the flow of the story. Even though this volume clocks in at only 64 pages, this book doesn't feel short or unsatisfying.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Matt Wagner at his best., January 23, 2008

By 

John J. Verbos "gunslinger_blaq" (West Allis, WI USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Grendel: Devil quest (Paperback)

I purchased this collection years ago at a convention. The story was originally published as a back-up story dispersed throughout a number of "Grendel Tales" comics, the vast majority of which I'd already purchased individually.

The story loosely follows "Grendel: Warchild", following the hunt for the Grendel Prime character set in motion by the Grendel-Khan, Jupiter Irving Assante, descendant of Jupiter Assante of "Warchild" fame.

Matt Wagner offers up not only his masterful storytelling, but his breathtaking painted art throughout. Amazingly diverse characters, an engaging story, and stunning visual detail. This book also introduces the Hitchcocks and the Sessions Twins, both groups of characters who will be, according to Matt Wagner, featured in their own respective spin-off series in the near future.

I strongly recommend this book, if even solely as an amazing piece of artwork. The only downside with this particular edition of the collection is that it is soon to be eclipsed by the beautifully reprinted hardcover edition which can also be purchased here on Amazon, though personally I plan to pick mine up at my local comics retailer.

As a whole, Matt Wagner & Grendel at its best. Quite clearly for adult readers, but intelligent, vicious, relentless and beautiful without exception or hesitation.