Broken Frontier

The legendary hero of British literature returns in the modern world as a new breed of champions begins to appear.

A dying veteran of World War I thinks back on the mysterious man who saved his squad eighty-eight years ago. This man has been seen several times more over the years yet never seems to age. Unknown to the soldier, his savior is none other than the immortal warrior Beowulf, who has wandered the Earth for thousands of years. As super-powered beings begin to appear in the world, Beowulf decides to lend his expertise in such matters as a police liaison known simply as Wulf. Are these new beings the sign of something he has anticipated for centuries?

As I was an English major in college, I have fond memories of reading the epic poem Beowulf, one of the classics of Old English literature. I was thus rather intrigued to learn that Speakeasy Comics was planning to turn Beowulf into a comic book hero, in a vein similar to Marvel’s Thor or Hercules. While the Beowulf comic is a far cry from the original poem, it nonetheless has an interesting take on the ancient hero.

The opening sequence of Brian Augustyn’s script does a nice job conveying the mythic nature of the character and the sense that the soldiers are witnessing something not of this age. I like the idea of Beowulf as an urban legend, an ageless warrior appearing here and there to right wrongs with his uncanny strength. After this setup, the story segues into a would-be superhero’s ill-fated first night of crimefighting. The use of Beowulf as the expert brought in to deal with this supernatural phenomenon has elements of a fantasy/police drama hybrid. Though similar to Powers in that regard, there are also vague and intriguing hints to something larger going on behind the scenes—events and people influencing the coming change in the world that Beowulf has foreseen. Overall, I liked this issue but I have two concerns. I would have preferred a scene depicting Beowulf’s archaic origins in order to provide context and explain who this guy is. Without it, the first issue may be a little confusing for those unfamiliar with the character, though I can understand the series not wanting to show all its cards right away. Also, judging from references in this week’s The Grimoire #2, we have the beginnings of a Speakeasy Universe at work. Some may like this idea, while others may not be so eager to see yet another shared universe on the racks.

The artwork by Dub is rendered in the appealingly stylized manner that seems to be becoming a standard of Speakeasy Comics (on a side note, has anyone else noticed a rise in one-name artists lately? Speakeasy alone has Dub, Djief, and Kness). He gives the lead character a nice blend of imposing stature and world-weary sadness that matches Augustyn’s story well. What really makes the art stand out however is the work of colorist Pierre Andre Dery. Every image seems to have a soft glow about it and a lovely watercolor-esque effect that further catches the mythic tone.

As a first issue, Beowulf #1 has to tackle the age-old debate of whether to reveal too much or just enough in establishing the premise of the series. It seems to opt for only a little info and some elements are slightly puzzling at this stage. However, I would definitely come back next month to see where this story is going. It’s not every day that a legend returns.

-Eric Lindberg