Grendel: Devil by the Deed

From 1986 onward, Matt Wagner’s Grendel: Devil by the Deed—a single-issue graphic novel from Graphitti Designs—introduces the dark, multigenerational saga of the Grendel legacy, following the original Hunter Rose as he rises to power as a masked crime lord. Wagner single-handedly writes and illustrates this foundational tale, establishing the brooding, operatic tone and visual style that would define the entire Grendel mythos. It matters as the essential entry point into Wagner’s acclaimed creator-owned universe, compactly laying the groundwork for decades of stories to come.