Grendel - Behold the Devil #1

Last issue saw Grendel chase down a thug, who he proceeded to kill - but not before allowing the man a glance at his face under the mask.  He then complained about a feeling of being watched.

The devil is back to this old tricks in this issue, which opens with 4 pages of blood splatter and captions detailing a battle between Grendel and 21 armed men.  The aftermath fills a double page spread and is a gory joy to behold (I like the guy stuffed in the umbrella stand).

We are then introduced to Lucas Ottoman (reporting tracking Grendel) and Elizabeth Sparks (a police officer also tracking Grendel); they meet at the scene of the carnage and exchange witty banter - next scene we see them post coitus talking about the murder scene.

Grendel is then seen on a roof top contemplating the vacuum left in his criminal underworld by the murders, when that felling of being watched comes back and the issue ends.

Not bad for a first issue - it's good to see Matt Wagner draw Grendel again.  It's kind of a standard first issue in that it introduces new character, gives background on established charters, and sets up a mystery to be solved.  The cover blew me away the first time I saw it and the murder scene is probably one of my favorite pieces of comic art.  All that blood and not a drop on him. 

Awesome issue - go buy it.

More blood tomorrow as the Devil's exploits continue.  Until then - happy reading.