Broken Frontier

The longest and greatest surviving Anglo-Saxon poem, Beowulf is the epic tale of the legendary warrior and his darkly evil nemesis, the man-ogre Grendel. Beowulf has been adapted for the screen several times in the past, but this November, the ultimate version of the classic adventure will be released. Robert Zemeckis is directing the film with the same performance capture technology he utilized on The Polar Express. But whereas that film was a heartwarming story based on a famed children's book, Beowulf is a grisly tale of monstrous proportions. Not only must Beowulf engage in bloody battle with Grendel, but he must also contend with Grendel's equally horrific mother, and a fierce fire-breathing dragon.

This October, AAM/Markosia Enterprises will release Beowulf: The Graphic Novel. Written by Stephen L. Stern (best known as one of the creators of the cult favourite Zen Intergalactic Ninja) and illustrated by Christopher Steininger, the graphic novel is a cinematic retelling of the Beowulf story that remains faithful to the original material while adapting it for a modern audience.

"My interpretation is based on the landmark 1999 translation of the poem by Nobel Prize-winner Seamus Heaney," said Stern. "To me, this is the definitive version of the story. But as in any retelling of and old myth, the key is to be rewarded with the discovery that its meaning is still very much alive for the reader. This is what I've attempted to do." Stern's credits include creating the independent comic phenomenon Zen Intergalactic Ninja, adapting the War of the Worlds graphic novel and the comic-book version of the animated classic, Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol.

Stern worked on Beowulf: The Graphic Novel with astonishingly talented Canadian artist Christopher Steininger. "I have looked forward to working on something like this for a long time," Steininger says. "Fantasy adventures like Beowulf are very few and far between. It's incredibly fun work." Steininger's credits include the graphic novel The White Elephant and the upcoming Kill the Revisionist! from Ape Entertainment.

AAM/Markosia Enterprises is a U.K.-based publisher of comic-books, graphic novels and novels. Since its inception in 2005, the company has published a variety of licensed properties, including Starship Troopers, Shadowmancer, Heretic and The Lexian Chronicles, as well as many creator-owned titles.

Company president Harry Markos said, "We are extremely pleased to be able to publish this important graphic novel, and we feel that it will become a classic in its own right." Beowulf: The Graphic Novel is a 64-page black-and-white graphic novel. It will be published with two alternate covers, both by rising talent Christopher Steininger. A preview of the book will be shown at the Markosia Panel on the Saturday of the Bristol Comic Expo.