The epic tale of the great warrior-prince Beowulf has thrilled readers through the ages — and has been reinvented for a new generation with Gareth Hinds’s masterful and darkly beautiful illustrations. Grendel’s black blood runs thick as Beowulf defeats the monster and his hideous mother, while somber hues overcast the hero’s final, fatal battle against a raging dragon. Speeches filled with courage and sadness, lightning-paced contests of muscle and will, and funeral boats burning on the fjords are all rendered in glorious and gruesome detail. Told for more than a thousand years, Beowulf’s heroic saga finds a true home in this graphic novel.
Author's Note:
The exact date of the composition of Beowulf is not known. It is an epic poem that was passed down orally for many generations before it was recorded. The first existing manuscript dates to around 1000 AD. The death of Hygelac, Beowulf's lord, is recorded in 523 AD in the Frankish annals. The most probably date of Beowulf's composition, then, is thought to be around 700 to 850 AD. And yet it still resonates today, and indeed has much in common with our modern superhero stories.
For this edition, the author and editors have prepared a new text, based on the translation by A. J. Church published by Seeley & Co. in 1904. This is a colloquial translation (retelling), and we have attempted to strike a balance between easy readability and the poetic drama found in our favorite verse translations (particularly that of Francis Gummere, which appeared in the original, self-published edition of this book).
Medium:
The three sections of Beowulf are done in different materials. Part 1 is drawn with ink using a dip pen and brush, then colored digitally.
Part 2 is drawn and painted on wood panels using technical pen, watercolor, acrylic, and color pencil.
Part 3 is drawn like part 1, but colored using Dr. Martin’s dye and white charcoal.
Did you find this review helpful?