Published by Delcourt in 2008, Beowulf: Premier Combat, with a script by Michel Dufranne and art by Javier N.B. is arguably the most complete adaptation of the poem's first battle, and the only one in French. Dufranne has written a number of comic adaptations, ranging from bible stories to The Three Musketeers, and he and artist Javier N.B. make great use of the French comic album format. For those who are unfamiliar with this format, it is physically larger (9 1/2" x 12 1/2") than an average comic or comic magazine and generally in hardback. This allows the artist to both add more panels per page and to do so without losing details in the art and allows the writer to be more flexible with plotting as there is more room to use more text without feeling text-heavy.
There are a number of elements in the story that are unique. The first of these is the visual depiction of Beowulf and his warriors' sea voyage to the Daneland, which tends to be done in a panel or two in most adaptations, but here takes up a page and a half. Another is the depiction of Grendel and his method of killing: while clearly larger and more powerful than the men he kills, he is depicted as more of a vampire - at one point stabbing his victims in the throat with a bone he has recovered from a cooking fire and carrying his victims away after draining them of blood.
When it gets to the main battle between Beowulf and Grendel, the action spans 11 pages with a total of 96 panels, far more detailed than any other adaptation, and the artist uses a wide variety of panel sizes while switching from long shots to close-ups to enhance the perception of movement and violence. While the story ends with a "to be continued" (or, more specifically, a suivre) notation, there has been no part two published to date.
There are a number of elements in the story that are unique. The first of these is the visual depiction of Beowulf and his warriors' sea voyage to the Daneland, which tends to be done in a panel or two in most adaptations, but here takes up a page and a half. Another is the depiction of Grendel and his method of killing: while clearly larger and more powerful than the men he kills, he is depicted as more of a vampire - at one point stabbing his victims in the throat with a bone he has recovered from a cooking fire and carrying his victims away after draining them of blood.
When it gets to the main battle between Beowulf and Grendel, the action spans 11 pages with a total of 96 panels, far more detailed than any other adaptation, and the artist uses a wide variety of panel sizes while switching from long shots to close-ups to enhance the perception of movement and violence. While the story ends with a "to be continued" (or, more specifically, a suivre) notation, there has been no part two published to date.