Grendel Prime has returned to Earth, but things are not as he left them. The pockets of humanity that remain and the “Necro Lords” that rule them have turned against Grendel. Grendel Prime will need to hide his identity as he explores his suddenly hostile home planet. Grendel: Devil’s Crucible Defiance #1 kicks off a new story arc that’s surprisingly new reader friendly.
I know nothing about Grendel. It’s not a comic I’ve ever read and it’s a character I have little experience with. I’ve heard good things and it’s one I’ve been intrigued to check out, so Grendel: Devil’s Crucible Defiance #1 felt like a chance to see what it’s all about.
Even with that lack of knowledge, Grendel: Devil’s Crucible Defiance #1 is an easy comic to dive into. It lays out the basics you need to know and keeps the story rather basic and not all that complicated. Grendel Prime is back on Earth and there’s no bosses in town who hunt Grendels and kill them. It’s not more complicated than that.
Matt Wagner who handles the story and art keeps the comic laser focused making it easy to enjoy and read. Grendel Prime is unfamiliar with this world and how its changed, so Wagner uses that to catch up readers as to what’s going on and what they can expect. We get a feudal type world where technology has slid backwards. It’s an interesting take and feels slightly different than the post apocalyptic world we see so often. The story itself has a lone samurai/western vibe to it as Grendel gets in trouble with local authorities and find allies. It’s a narrative we’ve seen many times but it’s done well enough.
The art by Wagner with color by Brennan Wagner and lettering by Rob Leigh is good. There’s an interesting style to it all with it embracing the various ideas and genres it mashes together. There’s that samurai feel along with the broken down technology vibe. The art is good and doesn’t go heavy on too much detail which might distract, instead it keeps things focused on the visuals that matter and help tell the story of the world, not necessarily of Grendel.
Grendel: Devil’s Crucible Defiance #1 isn’t a comic that necessarily has me excited to see what’s next but it’s an entertaining read and I can understand what people can see in the character and world. New readers can dive in without any need of knowing the history and continuity which is impressive. Overall, an enjoyable read but not one that’ll stick out after.
Story: Matt Wagner Art: Matt Wagner
Color: Brennan Wagner Letterer: Rob Leigh
Story: 7.0 Art: 7.5 Overall: 7.0 Recommendation: Read
Dark Horse provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: TFAW – Zeus Comics – Kindle
