One of the most visually unique adaptations is Beowulf: the Legend,from VLE Comics. Also published in 2006, it features a writing team: Stephen L. Antczak and James C. Bassett. The use of a writing team is fairly unique, but more unique is the style or art used by artist Andy Lee. This version is in comic-sized graphic novel format and is listed as a “Special Convention Edition,” but this seems to be the only edition that was produced. The back cover describes that this adaptation is meant to detail the relationship between Beowulf and Freawaru while using creative license to also fill in gaps in the story and advertises an upcoming sequel called Beowulf – Usurper, a sequel that was never published. There are likely many reasons for this, and only one of these reasons is the comic’s contents.
The creative license used in the plot is fairly large, likely a result of taking characters who had limited description in the poem and expanding their roles, with the overall result making a soap opera of the story and the characters’ relationships. The reader knows that liberties will be taken from the start as Beowulf is allowed to leave to fight Grendel mainly because he has not done anything to prove himself in battle yet, rather than being chosen as an established warrior. Along with the construct of a Beowulf/Freawaru/Ingeld romantic and political triangle, Wealtheow and Ingeld conspire to see Beowulf defeated or at least to have his status minimized – she because of her fear that her sons will be overlooked and he because of his diminished status and the fact that he is being cuckolded.
In other regards, the adaptation is fairly close to the original, with some variations to the fight scenes that are likely the result of the demands of the graphic format. In regards to the graphics used, to say that the art is unique is an understatement, and this is both good and bad. On the positive side, its abstract nature is ideal for showing motion and establishing a dark mood, which is helpful during fight scenes. Unfortunately, it also has a tendency to make the specific action difficult to follow and seems inappropriate in the portions of the story that are text heavy. While creative, the impressionistic art may have been more than comic audiences could deal with, which may account for why VLE never got the sequel published. For all of the positives, such as the effort to incorporate elements of the story hinted at in the digressions, it simply did not find an audience.
The creative license used in the plot is fairly large, likely a result of taking characters who had limited description in the poem and expanding their roles, with the overall result making a soap opera of the story and the characters’ relationships. The reader knows that liberties will be taken from the start as Beowulf is allowed to leave to fight Grendel mainly because he has not done anything to prove himself in battle yet, rather than being chosen as an established warrior. Along with the construct of a Beowulf/Freawaru/Ingeld romantic and political triangle, Wealtheow and Ingeld conspire to see Beowulf defeated or at least to have his status minimized – she because of her fear that her sons will be overlooked and he because of his diminished status and the fact that he is being cuckolded.
In other regards, the adaptation is fairly close to the original, with some variations to the fight scenes that are likely the result of the demands of the graphic format. In regards to the graphics used, to say that the art is unique is an understatement, and this is both good and bad. On the positive side, its abstract nature is ideal for showing motion and establishing a dark mood, which is helpful during fight scenes. Unfortunately, it also has a tendency to make the specific action difficult to follow and seems inappropriate in the portions of the story that are text heavy. While creative, the impressionistic art may have been more than comic audiences could deal with, which may account for why VLE never got the sequel published. For all of the positives, such as the effort to incorporate elements of the story hinted at in the digressions, it simply did not find an audience.