By [ad_1]
Unlike superheroes like Daredevil or even anti-hero vigilantes like the Punisher, Grendel is an outright villain with no illusion of heroics.
Matt Wagner’s Grendel franchise is the next comic book property to be adapted by Netflix, and it’s both in the streaming service’s wheelhouse while also being something quite different. Done correctly, the show will hit many of the same highs as the much-beloved Netflix Daredevil and other Netflix Marvel shows. One big difference stems from the main masked figure in the series, however.
Unlike superheroes like Daredevil or even anti-hero vigilantes like the Punisher, Grendel is an outright villain with no illusion of engaging in heroics. A true look at what someone like Batman would look like if they were a villain, Grendel offers the chance to see what a supervillain TV series will entail. Here’s a look at the comic book history of Hunter Rose’s alter ego and how he could change the game on Netflix.
Who is Grendel?
Though his name might reference him, Matt Wagner’s Grendel has nothing to do with the monstrous beast who fought Beowulf. He debuted as part of a Comico Primer series of anthology stories before receiving his own book in the early ’80s, reflecting the growing potential for underground and independent comic books.
A masked figure who casually slew all who came in his way, Grendel’s comic books were known to be highly experimental in how they told stories, particularly through art. The villain would finally have his origin laid out in a backup story in the pages of Mage, another Matt Wagner title. He was established as having once been a man named Eddie who found success in all things. This led to discontent and boredom until Eddie fell in love with a fencing trainer named Jocasta.
Following the older woman’s death, Eddie casts off his old life and takes on two new guises: that of Hunter Rose, a blueblood whose fortune was funded through being a novelist, and Grendel, a skilled killer for hire who would come to take control of all of New York’s organized crime.
Supporting cast members included Stacy, a girl that Hunter adopts after killing her father as Grendel, and Argent, a werewolf who attempts to use his accursed abilities to hunt down the villain. The results of their clash affect generations beyond Hunter Rose, leading to the legacy of Grendel becoming a pop culture phenomenon. From there, several other Grendels appear in Wagner’s stories, seemingly inspired by the stories of Rose’s original adventures.
How Grendel Could Revolutionize Netflix Comics Shows
As mentioned, Grendel is a straight-up villain who kills and rents out his abilities simply because he can, having become bored with everything else. His relationship with his adopted daughter do help to somewhat humanize him, he’s by no means a good guy or even one doing things that help other people. This is a far contrast to straight-laced heroes who appeared on Netflix-produced TV shows like Iron Fist and Daredevil, who vehemently fight for the common good. Luke Cage and Jessica Jones do the same, though they’re a bit more gritty and grimy compared to the other Defenders. Even the Punisher, who engages in particularly violent forms of vigilantism, is doing his crime-fighting because he feels that it’s right.
Grendel doesn’t care about any of that, simply doing what he does because he can. Still, his mask and the spooky, supernatural elements in his stories still place him in the realm of superheroes, which will make him be compared and contrasted to the previous properties. Grendel’s being a supervillain who acts in a completely self-serving way has the potential to be a breath of fresh air to the superhero genre, which is otherwise full of bright and cheery heroes.
About The Author
[ad_2]
