Matt Wagner to Write, Draw The Shadow Vs. Grendel

Dark Horse Comics and Dynamite Entertainment got together this morning to make the first of their big New York Comic Con announcements: legendary Dark Horse creator Matt Wagner will write and draw The Shadow vs. Grendel, an inter-company crossover bringing together a pair of characters that Wagner has done acclaimed work with.The series will be released in three 48-page, prestige format issues in 2014.”Ever since the smash success of my two previous crossover events (with Batman), I’ve had many offers over the years to see Grendel cross blades with a varied host of other characters,” comments Grendel creator, Matt Wagner. “But none of those opportunities ever excited me as much as this possibility.  I’ve been a huge fan of The Shadow for many, many years and my love of the character finally saw fruition when I got the chance to literally re-define his origins by writing  The Shadow: Year One for Dynamite. To have the chance to both write and draw The Shadow facing my own creation is something of a dream come true! It’s also adds yet another instant classic to my long legacy of Grendel projects with Dark Horse Comics.””I’m looking forward to this project for many reasons, not the least of which is Matt Wagner’s return as both writer and artist of Grendel” said Dark Horse president and publisher, Mike Richardson. “The fact that I share Matt’s enthusiasm for one of the greatest fictional characters of all time, The Shadow, makes it all the more exciting. Dark Horse and Dynamite are proud to announce this great comic series from one of comics’ premier creators.””I’ve known and been a fan of Matt’s since Grendel first appeared in the early ’80’s, and one of the first prestige comics I bought was the Terminator by Matt with James Robinson.  Matt’s an incredible story teller and has written three series for Dynamite, including The Shadow: Year One” said Dynamite publisher, Nick Barucci. “When the idea for a Grendel/Shadow cross-over was suggested, and Matt stated that he would write it AND illustrate the series in a Prestige format, let’s just say that you can’t quantify the excitement in our offices.  This is such an incredible series, and the first of more projects that Dynamite and Dark Horse are announcing.”