2021 “Primal Force” fanfic commission art by Brad Green

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Spinning out from “Lords of the Ultra-Realm” and continuing along similar lines as “Justice League Extreme #1”, I got so jazzed about playing with DC's obscure and unfamiliar sword & sorcery characters that I ask to expand to a diptych. Since I was more or less doing a comics adaptation of the Warlord toy line with the first one, this was a lot less formed of an idea. I hadn't realized when I made the ask that the artist wasn't even advertising commissions at the time, and I here I was asking for two without having a clear idea of exactly who I'd even want.

Thankfully, Brad Green put up with my nonsense (again) and delivered another dynamic piece (again again.) The main reason I wanted to do this was because I was so impressed with Beowulf's 1970s design, and I knew Anj would love to see the Dragon Slayer again. I was such a pain about art direction on the first commission that I tried to keep quiet this time, but I was pleased that Green recognized the same aesthetic appeal and fore-fronted the dude.

I kind of robbed Claw the Unconquered and skewed the premise, but I just really prefer John Chan's design over Valcan Scaramax's Conan repaint. I also was reliant on prexisting logos for the project, and Primal Force was a great fit. The Asian representation was a bonus, but more so, Green threw so much into Claw (especially his sick namesake extremity) that I'd argue this is the best drawing of the character ever. The original Starfire checked a lot of the same boxes, including stretching the gag, but I think including her just enriched it with the Moorcock vibe her co-creator David Michelinie strove for in connecting her to Star Hunters and Claw.

Stalker #1 was one of the first comics I ever owned, so this was my greatest sentimental favorite. Between the two pieces, I also got to revisit a bunch of characters I'd been tantalized with by the 1983 DC Sampler, so Arion helped to round out the lot. Aside from an insane artistic rookie season that included a young Bernie Wrightson, I never had much in for Nightmaster, but his premise and swordcraft sure fit this scene. The only real oddball is Anima, but her dual nature and dark fantasy ties kept drawing me to use her. She weirdly fits here, and with the Marvel Family, another player in my premise. She's even kind of a Johnny Thunder revamp, and you may have noticed that I have a spot for New Bloods.

I continue to admire Brad Greens ability to not only balance out bunches of diverse (and conversely somewhat repetitive) characters, but to find ways to give each their own spotlight while doing things that are visually interesting. Five of these people have swords, but they're all swinging in different directions, striking unique poses, telling you a bit about themselves as individuals. I like to change things up and work with different artists, but when Ive got the opportunity to get a piece from someone this good, it's hard to pass that up!

Brad Green & Company

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Review: Beowulf #4

Every time I think I am out they pull me back in.

I keep thinking my time reviewing DC's 70's sword and sorcery books here at Bloodlines has ended but then something spurs me to review another issue.

Recently over at CBR, writer Tony Bedard discussed his plans for the new Beowulf comic. Here is the link to that interview, well worth reading in its entirety: http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=39375 The earlier Beowulf series has been a guilty pleasure, a mix of insanity and violence. While I don't know if current standards will let Bedard capture that same zaniness, if it even approaches it then it will be worth it.

With a little more news about Beowulf out there for public consumption, I thought I would review Beowulf #4 which continues its tangential story-telling style. Writer Michael Uslan and artist Ricardo Villamonte continue to weave some of the actual story of Beowulf into a bizarre landscape of adventures. This issue is no exception.

One thing worth commenting on here is the cover stylings of the title. Each issue has had a predominantly solid background color but each has been an interesting choice. Issue one had a deep purple background with Beowulf fighting in the foreground, bring a royal feeling as well as that of a deep bruise. Issue one was a mix of electric red with blue contrasting Satan from the sky. Issue 3 had a brilliant scarlet behind a super-sized orange serpent. These bold colors really make the covers pop off the rack. This issue is a much more subdued blue but it works given this issue has a much more horrific and gloomy feel.

As I said, Uslan has Beowulf and his troops tromping all over the world, going from one extreme to the next, with no real continuity. So we leave last issue's tropical island setting (in which Beowulf killed the Black Viper) only to open up this issue in a barren desert. Where is their ship? How did they get here? Why are the here if the next piece of the puzzle is ambrosia from the Zumax fruit tree? You can't ask these question in Beowulf. You just have to roll with it!

Anyways, Beowulf and his troops find themselves being pursued by an army screaming that they will catch and kill 'Dracula the Impaler'. It is clearly a case of mistaken identity but the blood lust is hot in the pursuers and a battle ensues.

I have complimented Villamonte's art on Beowulf in past reviews and I have to continue now. The art is so breath-taking and the panel composition is so wonderful.

Here, we have a nameless corpse in the extreme foreground, so extreme we barely see any of him, just a sword buried into his body and a lifeless hand. Then in the background are the swarming armies. The combatants are barely humanoid, looking more like ants. And on the left it is simply a black smudge, almost a blood mist, obscuring even the inhuman hordes.

And leering over it gleefully is Satan and he says 'it is good'. This is why comic books are art.

And yet there is more. I love the top panel for its perspective. Beowulf is simply swinging a length of chain, mowing down his opponents. He is practically standing on the piles of the dead. But the point of view and the number of links makes the reader know this is chain probably used to anchor a boat. And again those black smudges, the limbs of the dead reaching up as if trying to keep a hold on life, the lines of black dots mirroring the chain's path all adds to the gore.

Luckily, cooler heads prevail and the battle comes to a halt. The army attacking Beowulf are Israelites! The lost tribe, the wandering Ashers, have taken it upon themselves to end the scourge of Dracula. And they thought Beowulf was Vlad the Impaler.

Vlad is part of the Wallachian hordes and he not only has a penchant for impaling his enemies but slaking his thirst on their blood.

Beowulf and Israelis fighting Dracula! This is the insanity that is Beowulf! This is the beauty of Beowulf!!

But wait ... isn't there a story involving Grendel?

As with last issue, Grendel (hinted to be the son of Satan in an earlier issue of this book) is furious that he hasn't had a chance to kill Beowulf because Satan has sent the Geat on a foolish quest. In fact, Grendel actually gives Satan an ultimatum. Either Beowulf shows up to fight Grendel soon or Grendel will descend into Hell and kill Satan. Satan decides to oblige telling Grendel to head to Hrothgar's mead hall and partake in some carnage.

Again, the over the top dialogue works here. 'Thrust yourself into a foaming rage!' But the panels and the colors are just fantastic. Again, the reds and pinks are striking.

Meanwhile, in the desert, the campfire that Beowulf and his men sit around blazes mystically, opening a portal that Beowulf, Wiglaf, and Hondscio sucked through, landing in the mead hall once more.

Villamonte does a great job of showing how Beowulf is cast from one monster's grasp to another. It almost gives the impression that Beowulf is a toy, batted back and forth for Satan's amusement. Beautiful.

The Geats know that Satan wouldn't have sent them back to rest. A battle will happen. So each Geat picks a place of entry to the mead hall to protect. Poor Hondscio chose poorly as Grendel comes through the door and casually picks up the warrior and savagely eats him alive. Fantastic! It also mirrors some of the actual Beowulf saga as quoted below.

The head was the head neither of beast or man, yet had something of the features of both, and the great jaw was filled with blunt fangs that ground the bones of the unhappy Hondscio to pulp. Shaggy matted hair hung over the low forehead, and the eyes in the face of Grendel were the color of milk.

Horror-struck upon his couch, Beowulf felt his limbs in thrall and could move neither leg nor arm to raise himself as Grendel devoured the body of the young Hondscio.

I like that Beowulf is swinging one of the columns holding up the mead hall ceiling like a club. Just how tough is this guy!

Who can understand the machinations of Satan though. Remember, he had sent Beowulf on a quest to gain the powers to defeat Grendel ... then he sends him into the clutches of Grendel ... only to pull him back again.

At least Grendel is satisfied.

And Beowulf is back in the Israeli camp.

I know this is a nutty comic to be praising so much. But I love that Uslan tries to corroborate his stories with the actual saga. He tells 'the Shaper', the Bard chronicling Beowulf's tale, to write that there was but one skirmish between the Geats and Grendel (already in this book there have been two ... with more to come) and that Hondscio was the first to die in that fight  thus aligning the comic and the literary work.

Before there is time to rest and grieve, Dracula arrives with his Wallachian cavalry. Another melee erupts, staining the desert sand red with blood.

Nan-Zee continues to be a strong female character in this book. It is clear that she is an excellent warrior, superior to even some of Beowulf's men. They call on her to save them in battle often.

I think it is a sign of the addictive nature of this book that I have come to care for these characters.

The Wallachians are skilled combatants. The Israelite leader Bruzz-Simon is killed in battle. Even Beowulf appears to be beaten as Dracula moves in to impale the Geat warrior. But if there is one thing I have learned in Beowulf, plots can take radical turns.

Dracula is slain, impaled by his own man! It is Satan's will. He had Dracula killed by his soldier so that Satan could resurrect him as his heir, the first of the undead. Again, the ghostly Satan, colored in pinks and reds, creates the eeriness needed for such a scene.

And just like that the book ends. Is Dracula teleported away? What of the rest of the Wallachian army? Who knows? The one rule of Beowulf is that you must accept what has happened and keep moving forward.

While not as psychedelic as Beowulf #3 (which so far is my favorite issue of the title), this issue continued the trend of gory battles, hallucinogenic mystic sequences, and labyrinthine plot twists.  I mean fighting Dracula would be enough of a mind-wipe to satisfy me. But throw in a wandering Israeli tribe. And include a side mission back in Hrothgar's mead hall? The reader barely has a chance to catch a breath.

Add to that Villamonte's slick art and pretty progressive panel layouts with dazzling colors and you have a solid issue of insanity. Beowulf may not be for everybody ... but it is like cotton candy to me.

Overall grade: B+

Review: Beowulf #3

Hey all. It's Anj from Supergirl Comic Box Commentary. And man, I just can't seem to get away from reviewing DC's 70's fantasy books!

The DC Third Wave of new titles was recently announced including a new Sword of Sorcery book. Now the original DC Sword of Sorcery book came out in the early 70s and was a short-lived 5 issues retelling Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser tales. But this new Sword of Sorcery will be headlined by a new version of Amethyst, written by Jem Creator Christy Marx and drawn by Aaron Lopresti.

Now frequenters of this blog will know that I loved Lopresti's work on Wonder Woman, especially the Ends of the Earth storyline starring DC's 70's sword and sorcery characters. In fact, that arc led me to seek out those titles and subsequent reviews of Stalker, Beowulf, and Claw the Unconquered here at Bloodlines.

Imagine how strange it was to hear that there will be a back-up feature in Sword of Sorcery ... a new Beowulf strip written by Tony Bedard and drawn by Jesus Saiz (who was fantastic on the new BoP).

It seemed like a bit of karma that both Lopresti on a sword and sorcery book AND a new Beowulf were both around the corner. I didn't really plan to revisit these sword and sorcery books here but with that much coincidence happening I felt I needed to. So why not take another look into the fever dream of DC's Beowulf book.

Now in both #1 and #2, it is clear that this book was going to be a bit off the tracks, a wild tumultuous ride of zaniness, vivid imagery, and 'that just happened!' moments. And Beowulf #3, by creative team writer Michael Uslan and artist Ricardo Villamonte is no exception. Things are crazy here ... but in a good way, in a twisted way with unexpected moments.

And Villamonte's art so perfectly captures the testosterone fueled, LSD addled feel of the book. The colorist is unnamed but whoever they were, they added much to the book.

I also have to compliment the cover here. Much like Stalker #1's fuscia cover, this predominantly scarlet cover just grabs the eye. I even like that the serpent's orange scales are close to the scarlet as it makes it feel like the snake dominates the space. Add to that Beowulf being in the beast's jaws and the warrior woman Nan-Zee wielding a broad sword ... elements common to many 'barbarian books'... make this cover a winner.

Last issue, Beowulf confronted Satan himself to try to stop Grendel, a devil-spawn bringing havoc and death to Hrothgar's mead hall. Bored with Hell, Satan decided to give Beowulf a sporting chance against the demon sending the Geat on a quest for the black viper's venom and ambrosia of the Zumak plant. These ingredients would make Beowulf equal to Grendel in strength. Of course, Beowulf would need to survive the quests to get that far.

And the journey to the Black Viper doesn't start out well with the ship being attacked by a giant squid like monster. Beowulf and his men ... as well as Scyfling warrior woman Van-Zee, lash out at the tentacle hoping to send to beast to it's final destination.One thing I like here is that Van-Zee is shown to be a fierce warrior, even better than most of Beowulf's troops. And while she is only in a leopard skin bikini, it is similar to the mostly bare, loin cloth wearing Geats.

I have said before that Villamonte's art is one of the draws to the book as he is able to cope with the wild places Uslan's script sends him.

Finally the monster's head is coaxed out of the water. And Beowulf's giant (and I mean giant) mace beings a quick end to it. In fact, in its death throes, the beast basically explodes with mystic energy.

Beowulf is unflinching against this thing, chiding his men for showing some fear of this thing before bludgeoning it to death. Fantastic.

Plus, I have to give kudos to the colorist again. The electric pink and purple backgrounds here give this a completely surreal feeling, adding to the scene more than a blue sky filled with cirrus clouds would have. Wonderful.

For the most part, I have actually enjoyed to bizarre nature of this book. Especially when Beowulf seems to take everything in stride. I mean last issue he cut off Satan's ear and hours later was chilling out drinking mead like nothing big happened.

So this dialogue while unintentionally funny just felt out of place in the book. I mean Beowulf just said that Unferth had a stupid face. That's schoolyard taunting and not befitting the warrior we have come to know here.

As for Unferth, last issue it seemed like he might have turned the corner with having respect for Beowulf, here he is back to his old tricks ... not helping in battle and plotting against the hero. I especially like 'the Silent One', Unferth's cloaked creepy friend. I wonder if we ever find out what that thing is.

The attack on the ship makes Beowulf wonder if Satan even plans on letting him live to start the quest let alone finish it. To get some otherworldy advice, The Shaper, Beowulf's magical bard companion, summons Wyrd to the ship. As Wyrd is basically Fate, everyone seems a bit more at ease when he says they will survive at least to the viper's island.

As I have said before, Villamonte's art is lush when it needs to be. I thought this was a great splash page.

But I also have commented on the insanity of this title as well.

The ship is able to land on the island where the viper nests. Upset that Beowulf continues to best him, Unferth uses his magic to summon 'Little Omen', a tiny sort of Peter Pan like demon.

Judge him not by his size! Little Omen has great powers and immediately brings them to Nightmareland. Most of the 'magic' spells in this book are simply words spelled backwards. So I wonder if this is a riff on Little Nemo (omen is Nemo backwards) taking them to Nightmareland rather than Dreamland.

And it is a nightmarish place lacking boundaries or solidity - just vivid colors and freakish visions.

This again shows how Villamonte and the colorist are able to bring a sense of high art to the book. This surrealism is as powerful as the more photorealistic parts of the book. Again, just a lovely page of comic art here.

The threat of Little Omen is shortlived though. The Shaper is not only able to shake off the effects of this place but also to banish Omen back to where he came from.

Meanwhile, things aren't great back in Hrothgar's land. Grendel has some serious violent tendencies. He isn't happy that his battle with Beowulf has been delayed by Satan's games. He demands that Satan produce the Geat immediately or he will rebel.

When Satan says Beowulf will return by the next full moon, Grendel issues an ultimatum. If Beowulf doesn't show, Grendel will descend into Hell and kill Satan! That just happened!

As if dealing with Little Omen was bizarre enough for this issue, the people of the island ... pygmy head hunters ... swarm Beowulf and his group trying to kill them. The pygmy king worships the Black Viper and doesn't want harm to come to it. He even sends out the pygmy version of Goliath (who looks about Beowulf's size) to fight the hero.

A giant squid, Little Omen, and pygmy head hunters all in one issue! Standard Beowulf fare!

At first Beowulf threatens the king with beheading as a way to stall the fight. But then he tells the king he has no intention of killing anyone without cause.Amazed at Beowulf's ethics, the king immediately changes his mind about the viper. He tells Beowulf where he can find it.

Because it is his quest, Beowulf denies anyone to come with him. He will face the viper alone.

I have to say that I like the Van-Zee character. Throughout the book she is shown to be a fiercely independent and deadly warrior woman. But it is also clear she has feelings for Beowulf as well. In a time when comics could veer to stereotypical damsels in distress or she-devils with swords, Van-Zee is actually fairly well rounded.

I also love this panel as Beowulf enters the Black Viper's pit. Just wonderful work by Villamonte giving detail to such things as pillars and booty as well as showing that this pile the viper rests on is a bed of bones.

Of course, to add to the difficulty level, Beowulf went in unarmed. The best way to kill the viper? Crawl into its maw and break its jaws from the inside out!

With a satisfying crack, the snake is killed and Beowulf drinks deeply of its venom. Luckily, Satan held his side of the bargain. The venom doesn't kill Beowulf. He is halfway home to his quest.

I don't know what I can say about this book anymore. It is such a wild ride, a mix of sheer psychedelia and wild barbarian fun. The art work is stellar. And even the characterization, while not nuanced, is consistent and solid.

Do I take Beowulf at all seriously. No I don't. But from a sheer entertainment value it is superb. It is the guiltiest of treats. I think I simply need to hunt down the remaining issues.

Unfortunately, that means that the new Beowulf has a high water mark it will be judged against.

Overall grade: A

Review: Claw The Unconquered #1

Hello again. It's Anj from Supergirl Comic Box Commentary. And once more, I am going to thumb through the long boxes and dust off some 70s DC Sword and Sorcery comics to review here at Bloodlines.  My interest in these comics took root in my youth when I would see visually interesting ads for these books in the 'safer' Superboy and Legion of Super-Heroes books from that time. But they didn't really bloom until Gail Simone's wonderful Ends of the Earth arc in Wonder Woman. Here Diana teamed up with all those heroes who I dreamed of reading.

And from the WW Earth arc here on Bloodlines, I reviewed Stalker #1 and #2. And I reviewed the wildly interesting and semi-bizarre Beowulf #1 amd #2. That left Claw the Unconquered as the only character from Simone's story that I hadn't covered ... until now.

I stumbled across Claw the Unconquered #1 recently and figured I should complete the set.

In Ends of the Earth, Diana is coerced by Stalker to save his soul by killing the demon warrior god D'Grth. To do so, she needs to team up with all these 70s characters ... Stalker, but also Beowulf and Claw. But Stalker is pulling the strings and isn't exactly trustworthy. During this adventure, Diana becomes as cold and bloodthirsty as Stalker and then as cursed as Claw.

In the end, the warriors come together as a team and defeat D'Grth.

But now, having read Claw, this panel where Claw warns Diana not to betray him, resonates louder. Claw doesn't trust her. Now I know why.

Claw the Unconquered #1 was released in the spring of 1975, one of a few sword and sorcery books out at that time, including Marvel's Conan books. The book was written by  David Michelinie, who also wrote the early Starfire books and got acclaim later on with Iron Man. Art is lavishly rendered by Ernie Chan. Chan's stuff seems tailor made for a barbarian book.

Having reviewed these DC offerings, I have to say I like this cover the most. For one, the bold use of electric pink really pops, grabbing the eye and really accentuating the darker purple monstrous shadow that Claw is standing in. While I think the red title gets lost amid the more garish surroundings, the logo itself is solid with the trademark red gauntlet anchoring 'the unconquered. Add to that the 'barbarian with big sword towering over (preparing to mount?) the near naked comely lass' motif which seems standard issue on these sorts of books and this cover is a winner.

The book starts off with Claw, whose name is Valcan, strolling through Ichar the throne city of Pytharia. He is barely covered in some fur which makes the crimson gauntlet he is wearing stand out. It seems out of place and clues us in that its use is more than protection of a sword hand.

As a newcomer, he seems a mark for a pickpocket who almost gets away with Claw's gold. Instead, the thief gets tossed through the wall of a local tavern, providing Claw an unorthodox entrance into the establishment. Within 2 pages we have learned a lot. He is hiding something with that gauntlet. He is incredibly strong.

Michelinie wastes no time in showing us what is under that glove. A serving girl carelessly pours wine on the glove and when she takes it to clean she uncovers Valcan's secret and why he is aptly named Claw. His hand his a webbed demonic hand. No wonder he keeps it hidden.

The woman might have initially been flirting with Valcan, lavishing him with compliments of his good looks and battle prowess. But the sight of that hand sends her reeling a bit and shows where her true loyalty lies.

She immediately informs her master, Tarmag, about Valcan's demonic hand. There is a bounty on anyone with a deformed clawed hand and Tarmag intends to collect.

Tarmag gathers some brutes and attacks Claw in a dark alley. But Claw is very proficient in combat and kills the thugs. Tarmag barely escapes with his life.

And if the bounty can't be claimed directly, Tarmag hope that information about Claw's existence can get him some coin. He heads straight to King Occulas, he of the yellow eye, and tells him that Valcan is in town and has the dread demonic hand. For that info, Tarmag is rewarded with a knife to the back.

It turns out that back when he was Prince Occulua, the king heard from his Wizard advisor Miftung that he will rule but that his time as King will come to an end by someone with a 'webbed hand like a dragon's claw.' Thus the bounty on someone fitting Valcan's description.

We flashback to Occulas' rise to power. First, he kills Kregar, a farmer loyal to King Occulus the first but also possessing a clawed hand. Prince Occulas wants to eliminate the prophecy before he even takes the throne.

Unfortunately, Valcan (then just a baby with a clawed hand) goes unnoticed by the assassins. He is rescued by a mostly unseen by definitely ghostly figure. So a nice little mystery is started. Who is this guy? And what does he want with Valcan? What did he do with him?

With Kregar killed, Prince Occulas poisons his father and ascends to the throne. But his hears of the clawed hand consume him.

I absolutely absolutely love that last panel. There would be many ways that Occulas' fears could be shown but this picture, the clawed hand engulfing Occulas, surrounding him, practically devouring him just wonderfully shows how suffocating this fear is. Just fantastic ... and why comics are such a great medium.

Back in the present, the serving girl who betrayed Claw earlier seems to help him avoid both the authorities (who want to question him about the murder of Tarmag's men) by taking him through the city.

She seem to be more trustworthy here, stating she wishes to thank Claw for freeing her from servitude under Tarmag.

Also interesting is that Claw has no recollection of his life other than the last few days. He only has a nagging sense that he is to play an important part in this world. Where was Claw all this time? Who trained him with the sword? Gave him the gauntlet? Sent him to Ichar? I wonder if any of the mysteries here are answered in subsequent issues.

But the woman turns out to be traitorous to Claw again. She leads him to the Temple of Kann, where Occulas' right hand man Zedon has used a mystic gem to bring forth the old god Kann, a sort of Cthulu-lite tentacled demon.

Despite her treachery, Claw actually saves the woman from being eaten by Kann and then kills the god with a well placed spear. It is a nice page of small interlaced panel which bring a feeling of action to the battle.

In another way of showing just how foul Occulas is, we discover that he sent his man Zedon on a suicide mission. Raising Kann cost him his life.

The woman has now failed her master and Occulas. She has no where to go and so begs Claw to let her travel with him. She even offers her 'charms' ... a way to make a long journey more comfortable. Ahhh ... feminine wiles. Despite having betrayed him twice, Claw can't resist such an offer.

No surprise here. After a short reprieve of ... ahem ... comfort, she betrays him again. At a desert oasis, she tries to slip a dagger between his ribs.

Unbelievable.

And then Claw acts like a barbarian. She has betrayed him three times. Rather than kill her himself, he leaves her to the jackals of the desert and a presumed grisly death of being hunted and eaten. Brutal ... fitting. She has tried to get him killed three times in a couple of days. No wonder he doesn't trust Diana.

In the end, this is sort of your standard barbarian fare. Some common plot themes - unscrupulous dictator, man with no history destined to bring things right - are here. But the idea of the clawed hand adds an interesting layer, especially given that we get so little of what it means here in this first issue. We know much more about the villains in this book from this premiere issue than we do about our hero. He has a claw. He is a tremendous warrior. But we have no back story because he doesn't know it himself. Instead we know much more about who Occulas is here.

Ernie Chan brings a sort of more realistic style to the book despite the seedy locales and older gods present. Certainly this isn't the imaginative layouts we saw Ditko bring us in Stalker.

Still, this seems like a cookbook warrior book. It lacks the absolute zaniness and fever dream feel of Beowulf. It lacks the hook of the spurned soulless warrior and the dynamic Ditko art of Stalker. It doesn't have the hodgepodge sword and sci-fi feel nor the original character styles of Starfire (or Ironwolf - another book from this time period). Of all these books, I think Claw is the one that grabbed me the least. And that despite the great cover and the 'engulfing clawed hand' panel which simply stands out.

Overall grade: B

Review: Beowulf #2

Hi again, Anj from Supergirl Comic Box Commentary  here, once more taking over DC Bloodlines to review some of DC's 1970s fantasy comics. I hope you have it in you to bear with one more look. I have already reviewed Stalker #1 and #2 as well as Beowulf #1 here. It was pure serendipity that put Beowulf #2 in my hands just 2 weeks ago, a find in the bargain box at my local comic book store.

As I said when reviewing the first issue, had I read this issue as a very young boy, it would have been imprinted on my brain. Crazy battles, beautiful women, and a noble savage hero? What more could an impressionable young boy ask for? The truth is this sense of nostalgia, knowing how a young Anj would have devoured this book, makes me look at it with a more gentle critique.  And this issue is so crazy I sort of chuckled my way through it. It is definitely 'over the top' and sometimes that works, like it did here.

But moreover, this comic is such a nonstop roller coaster ride of the most wild fantasy concepts. Writer Michael Uslan isn't rewriting Beowulf here; he is absolutely going crazy here taking the hero to bizarre and unexpected places. It is just crazy enough to make me want to find the other issues of this run (6 in total). And Ricardo Villamonte stretches his legs a bit here as the landscape varies. Yes, he has a more classic photorealistic illustration style. But he also gets the chance to get a little wild as Uslan's scripts drift far away from the original Beowulf text.

Remember that last issue ended with Beowulf on his way to Castle Hrothgar when his foil Unferth used black magic to send Beowulf and his men to a swamp loaded with satanic crocodile men.

Sinking in the muck, Nan-Zee the comely Scyfling warrior that Beowulf freed from Satan's control last issue, advises the warriors to not fight the sand, instead allowing it to engulf them. It seems a little quick for Beowulf to be listening to her like this, but he must sense she knows what she is doing. And just like that Beowulf and his men sink into the mire.

In the meantime, we find that Grendel is suffering some angst as he tries to figure out just who he is. Of course in the Beowulf, Grendel is simply a cannibalistic monster, a spawn of Cain. To have him trying to come to grips with who he is was an interesting way to go. It seems daily Grendel asks his mother why he is who he is. Daily? Can I say 'poor Grendel'? Maybe he wants to be something more than killer.

But before he can even come to grips with these thoughts, before he can say he wants to be something else, Satan himself invades Grendel's mind, telling him to again go to Castle Hrothgar and kill the Danes.

I don't want to say this makes Grendel a sympathetic character, but it certainly gives him some strange depth.

For those thinking that Beowulf was simply going to drown in the swamp, you haven't read many comics. Much like the 'siren nest' in Beowulf #1, the swamp was actually a doorway directly into hell. Nan-Zee recognized this from her years as a 'slave maiden of Satan'. Now why you would want to actually go to Hell rather than try to get out of the swamp is a different question. I know I would rather get back on terra firma and fight croc-men than battle my way out of the underworld.

So the straight path to Castle Hrothgar has taken a detour.

And here is one of the more memorable moments in the book for me, one I am sure I would have loved as a kid.

Facing Medulus, a three-headed Hell hound, Beowulf loses all sense of nobility and some might say humanity. He becomes a pure instrument of savagery, filled with a 'burning rage of vengeance'. He bludgeons and gores the hound to death with his horned helmet, the skull of a minotaur, until its 'off-white ivory is painted bright red with satanic blood'.

I mean, look at that third panel, Beowulf chanting 'death' as he grips the helmet. Yes, if an old Anj is pleased a very young Anj would be very pleased. That is twisted, awesome, and somehow cleared by the Comic Code Authority.

In the aftermath of that battle, with Beowulf talking about how they cannot rest a moment, how they must be as vicious as their demonic opponents, Nan-Zee decides to get amorous. Yes, she will teach him how 'softness' now and then is a good thing. Looks like there is a place for some pleasure and passion in this den of evil.

Nice little art tricks here, their bodies in complete silhouette. And all that sort of action is off-screen, much like in Conan books.

Later ...

The team meets yet another 'slave maiden of Satan', this time a giant fire woman, naked but for some well placed licks of flames.

The men's responses are hilarious. Beowulf sounds jealous of his harem (knowing Nan-Zee was once there). Meanwhile one man wants a blond. Umm ... she's 40ft tall and made of fire and wants to kill you! Maybe you shouldn't be cat-calling!

Regardless of the tomfoolery, she is tough to beat, being red hot and all. Only Nan-Zee knows the answer; the demon's power lies in her hair. After a quick coif by Nan-Zee, the demon needs to retreat. And that retreat leads the team deeper into Hell.

Again, I would have been giddy about this as a kid.

After beheading a dragon, the group walks into Hell's throne room and have a conversation with Satan himself. They are talking to Satan!

Okay, that is pretty sick. I like the throne. It is either resting on the backs of slaves, a pile of skulls, or both.

Satan then goes on to talk of how he is bored in Hell and needs amusements to pass the time. And when he heard the happy noises from Castle Hrothgar, he sent Grendel there to end the party. He doesn't come right out and say he is Grendel's father but he does say (and I quote) that he "... er, knew his (Grendel's) mother once."

And in another loony moment, Beowulf gets sick of being called a 'toy' for Satan's amusement and actually assaults the Devil, cutting off Satan's ear.

Beowulf cut off Satan's ear!!! THAT JUST HAPPENED!!!!

That is crazy. And wonderful. And inspired.

That angers Satan. But rather than kill Beowulf and his men, the Devil lets the warriors go, transporting them to Hrothgar's land. But he gives them a quest, a Satanic game for them to play. Beowulf must drink the ambrosia of the zumak fruit  and then drink the venom of the black viper. Only then can he defeat Grendel. If Beowulf does not complete these quests, Grendel will continue to kill with impunity.

Nice swirling chaotic feel to this splash page.

Back at Castle Hrothgar, Grendel goes on his second rampage. I wish I could explain it but these were my favorite panels of the book. Grendel just effortlessly tosses this Dane out the high tower window. This is another example of a part of this book that I would have dwelt on in my childhood. That is just horrific.

Grendel does ask Hrothgar if this man is his 'favorite'. I suppose it could be the comic equivalent of Aeschere the trusted advisor of Hrothgar killed in the Beowulf poem. But Aeschere is killed by Grendel's mother in that work.

Beowulf arrives at the castle, transported there by Satan. Grendel contemplates attacking but he is held in check by Satan who wants the Geat to go on this quest for venom and ambrosia. The quest could bring Satan more amusement than a battle right then would.

At some point, Uslan must have realized that he wanted to insert some parts of the actual poem's story. We see a brief retelling of Beowulf and Unferth's confrontation over his swimming contest with Breca as the characters lounge in the Mead Hall. It actually mirrors the poem nicely and briefly, even Beowulf's rebuke of Unferth's unsavory battle survival skills.

In some ways this is also inane. What could Beowulf be thinking? "Hmmm, just a couple of hours ago Grendel tossed some guys out of windows while I was cutting Satan's ears off. I know ... let's chill out and get drunk!" I think I would want all my faculties available and be on guard at all times.

The decision gets made to head out on Satan's quest. Grendel must be defeated. And Hrothgar makes Unferth join Beowulf's team. In the poem, Unferth ends up respecting Beowulf, giving the Geat his family sword Hrunting. So maybe Uslan wants to show how the two end up becoming comrades in arms.

Okay, as I said before, this comic was a complete guilty pleasure which made me feel like I was 9 years old again, reading comics until the covers came off. It is filled with all the things that make fantasy books great. But add to that the nuttiness like squaring off against Satan and I knew this was a winner. I was so giddy reading it, I have to give it a high grade. It's like saying I enjoyed the movie '300' ... it isn't an Oscar winner, but it was a flat-out awesome time.

And I'm not the only blogger here at DC Bloodlines that liked the book. Here is Luke's review of the whole series, which sounds like it gets ever crazier. From  El Jacone's Comic Book Bunker:http://ljaconesbunker.blogspot.com/2008/07/discount-bin-finds-beowulf-dragon.html

Overall grade: A (if you are in the right mood)