I've always been curious about the Grendel comics so I went looking for this ish'. It was a neat story despite the fact that the character was created out of a patchy publishing beginning including an anthology feature (Comico Primer #2), a cancelled 3-issue run in 1983, and a series of backup stories for another Matt Wagner title called Mage (#7-14). I didn't care for the art; sadly, it dates the comic. The cover art is appealing though. There are some awkward jumps in plot progression and a few far-fetched interactions between Christina Spar and others. Perhaps her rash and careless behavior is explained as an effect of spending so much time pouring over material for her biography of Hunter Rose.

Matt Wagner gets his Grendel series off to flying start in the first full issue of the comic. The Pander Brothers art is sharp, the colors are excellent, but the story...that is the key. The story wastes no time in plunging Christine Spar into the role that Hunter Rose left behind.