Interviews: (external links open in new window)
10/2011 - YALSA interview for Teen Read Week
11/2010 - Radio interview with Bill Buschell on WNYE's Hellenic Public Radio
11/2010 - Graphic Novel Reporter on The Odyssey
10/2010 - Publisher's Weekly on The Odyssey
04/2010 - Video interview by Paul Falcone, with clips from a presentation at Wellesley Booksmith and clips of me doing aikido
01/2010 - School Library Journal Teen
11/2009 - Boston Globe West
07/2008 - The Harrisburg Patriot-News ran two bits of an interview here and here, but the full transcript is here.
06/2008 - Powell's Books Q & A
05/2008 - Ingram Advance interview for Merchant
11/2006 - Audio: Metrowest Library author panel
08/2004 - Boston Globe - or click here for hi-res scan with illustrations.
08/2003 - Sequential Tart


Reviews for Gifts From the Gods:
Publisher's Weekly (starred review) - link
Lunge-Larsen and Hinds explain what words like echo, grace, hypnotize, and janitor have in common, tracing the origins of common words and expressions to Greek and Roman myths. Readers may know that “arachnid” derives from the story of Arachne and that modern-day “sirens” have mythical antecedents, but this collection has plenty of surprises, too, such as the roots of “nemesis” (the goddess of justice) or “tantalize,” after doomed Tantalus. Lunge-Larsen provides additional context, including dictionary definitions, and quotes from children’s literature. Hinds incorporates graphic novel–style elements into his dynamic illustrations, including dialogue balloons and filmic perspectives. A treat for myth lovers and language lovers alike, this smart and well-executed compilation should provide readers with a deeper understanding of the ways in which language evolves and of the surprising symbolism behind certain words. Ages 9–12. (Oct.)

The New York Times Sunday Book Review - link
Gifts From the Gods, an inventive blend of glossary and anthology, provides a fine introduction to one of the Greeks’ enduring legacies: their impact on the English language. While American children are being introduced to foreign languages at increasingly young ages (Mandarin for toddlers being all the rage), they spend little time examining the etymological intricacies of their mother tongue, native or adopted. With stories that explain the Greek and Roman origins of certain words and expressions, the book gives children something different from the standard dumbed-down Edith Hamilton.
Beginning with “Achilles’ heel,” the book showcases 17 terms and accompanying stories of varying length to explain their origins in myth. The stories behind some words, like “arachnid” and “fate,” are relatively well known, but more obscure ones, like “panic” and “janitor” add to the child’s sense of discovery. (The latter is related to Janus, god of doorways, gates and bridges, for those left wondering.) This is the kind of rich but accessible reference work school librarians love. It’s also likely to stimulate fact-obsessed Percy Jackson fans as well as children who have been ordered to research their school papers offline.
The single off note is the quotation from various works of children’s literature that appears on the opening page of each entry. Most will be unknown to young readers and distract from what is already a high-concept, information-rich book. A table of contents is also curiously lacking. But this, along with the evocative graphic-novel-style illustrations by Gareth Hinds, makes the book feel more like play than work.

Booklist
Lunge-Larsen introduces readers to 17 words and phrases whose origins can be traced to classical mythology. Using appropriate character names (depending on the Greek or Latin origins of words), she provides definitions, short excerpts from a children’s text that includes the term, longer retellings of the relevant myths, and follow-up discussions that incorporate related expressions. A few terms (Achilles’heel, Pandora’s box) have clear connections to mythology, but most (echo, fate, fortune, janitor, panic, tantalize) are less obvious. Hinds’ computer-enhanced pencil-and-watercolor illustrations appear on every page, depicting key moments from the tales and adding subtle details to the text: Leonardo da Vinci is shown painting the Mona Lisa in the section “Genius,” while Homer recites the opening lines from the Odyssey in “Muse.” Appended with author and illustrator notes, a bibliography, and a chart of the immortals (including Greek and Roman names and spheres of influence), this makes a good resource for mythology units, history classes, or English or Latin teachers hoping to perk up vocabulary lessons. — Kay Weisman

School Library Journal
Gr 3-7 – Mythology meets etymology in this handsome collection that introduces words derived from the gods, goddesses, and humans featured in Greek and Roman tales. From “Achilles’ Heel” to “Victory,” 17 terms are presented along with the stories of the characters that inspired their origins. Each section begins with a page containing a definition and a quote from a well-known children’s book that makes lively use of the featured word, all attractively bordered by a thematic frieze (round eyeballs for “Hypnotize” or emblems of the arts for “Muse”). Clearly and vividly written, the subsequent tales range in length from quick summations (a two-page entry for “Genius”) to more detailed recaps of myths (Arachne and Athena’s weave-off for “Arachnid”). Entries end with additional notes about the highlighted word and its uses and variations. Hinds’s pencil-and-watercolor illustrations have a classical feel, showing statuesque characters girded in golden armor or draped in graceful clothing, frightening beasts (the Furies, set against a crimson background, are particularly haunting with their dripping-with-blood eyes and batlike wings), and an array of human emotions. A thoughtful author’s note and a chart listing the Greek and Latin names for the characters are appended. The colorful artwork and brief chapters make this volume ideal for classroom sharing. Use this unique offering to launch a discussion about the elemental power of story and its influence on modern-day language. –Joy Fleishhacker

The Horn Book
From Achilles’ heel to victory, Lunge-Larsen explores how words have been derived from myths. Each several-page, alphabetically ordered entry begins with a definition of a modern English word plus a quote that incorporates it, from R. L. Stevenson and H. C. Andersen to James Marshall, Beverly Cleary, and Lemony Snicket (“The children were alone with their nemesis, a word which here means, ‘The worst enemy you could imagine’”). Next comes the relevant myth, along with graphic novel-style art, its pencil and watercolor renditions enlivening the straightforward text with eloquent gestures and expressions. Each section includes comments on related words (e.g., from the Graces—gratia in Latin—come gracious and grateful, while the names of the Fates have generated such diverse descendants as stamina and mortal). The classic tales and lively art make an effective lure to etymology’s more dramatic possibilities; how it all works is made clearer in an author’s note followed up with a chart of “correspondences” (Greek and Latin names plus their definitions) and an index to all the names and words (well over one hundred) that are referenced. A lengthy bibliography interfiles standard works for adults (Bulfinch) and young people (D’Aulaires). —Joanna Rudge Long

VOYA
The complexity of language, from what we say and what we mean when we say it, hearkens back to the stories of the past. Lunge-Larsen shows clearly how this happens as she outlines how the origin and meaning of thirteen different words are strongly based in Greek and Roman mythology. Beginning with the word, its definition, and a quote from a modern children’s book, she then very clearly describes the mythology behind the word. This book is very simple but packs a lot of punch, with to-the-point information that draws from history, mythology, and linguistics. Sure to attract language arts teachers who want students to master word origins, this work will also hold strong appeal for teens who will be attracted by the combination of clever text and exceptional illustrations. Hinds has honed his craft though the creation of many outstanding graphic novels, and this volume’s layout pays homage to that form with the use of speech bubbles and illustrations of various sizes. Because of this, the work reads more like a comic than an informational text, a feature that will draw teens in and keep them in so they will forget they are actually learning something.
A prime selection for both school and public libraries, this book will be suitable for classroom use as well as personal reading. From the familiar to the unusual, readers will be able to see these myths and the language they created in an interesting new light. —Rachel Wadham.

NY Journal of Books - link
From “Achilles’ heel” to “victory,” the author’s clean, simple format involves displaying the illustrator’s sharply designed frame for each term, introduced on its own page with the preferred pronunciation and definitions. Spicing up those dry details is a superbly chosen excerpt from children’s literature.
Accompanying the story of how the Furies, the three goddesses of vengeance, punish the murderers of two women, is Mr. Hinds’ full-page drawing of the goddesses, with their gruesome, gouged eyes; snakes clasped about their waists, and a whip in one’s hand. In the spot illustration on the following page, the goddesses have transformed into black bats swooping down to torture the evil men. The feature closes with Ms. Lunge-Larsen pointing out how words such as “infuriate,” “furious,” and “furor” come from the same root.
With this attractive, energetically illustrated volume, middle-school readers will gain a better understanding of how such commonly used words as “echo,” “grace,” and “muse” originated with the classical myths. Educators can use it as a classroom supplement for units on Greek and Roman mythology.


Reviews for The Odyssey:
The Odyssey has received four starred reviews, from Booklist, The Horn Book, Kirkus, and BCCB. But if you're a teacher, this customer review from BarnesandNoble.com may be the best possible recommendation:
"I am an English teacher and most of my students are low level learners. The Odyssey is part of my curriculum, but many of my students really struggle with the text. This book is a God send!!!It is extremely well written and stays spot on with the original text. The illustrations are fantastic and engaging. My students LOVED reading the Odyssey and did SO much better with their unit test (which I did not change at all from the one I use with the regular text). This book is a delight!"

Booklist (starred review)
"As the proliferation of recent Odyssey graphic novelizations approaches the record held by Shakespeare adaptations, it is perhaps appropriate that Hinds, the Bard’s premiere sequential adapter, should produce the most lavish retelling of Homer yet. Showing great artistic evolution since his rough-and-tumble Beowulf (2007), Hinds lets the epic story take its time, with a slow build and pages that aren’t afraid to alternate packed dialogue with titanic action. The sumptuous art, produced with grain, texture, and hue, evokes a time long past while detailing every line and drop of sweat on Odysseus’ face and conveying the sheer grandeur of seeing a god rise out of the ocean. Teens may be baffled by the hero’s commitment to the same pantheon of gods who heap trouble in his path, but they will not lose touch with the universal qualities of steadfastness that Odysseus still embodies. The mythic trials have seldom felt more grueling or genuine, and this makes a perfect pairing with Tim Mucci and Ben Caldwell’s adaptation for a slightly younger audience from the All-Action Classics series, affording a chance to see how an archetypal story can function so powerfully at both the realistic and the stylized ends of the artistic spectrum. A grand example of Hinds’ ability to combine historical adventure with human understanding. — Jesse Karp

Kirkus (starred review) - link
Hinds adds another magnificent adaptation to his oeuvre (King Lear, 2009, etc.) with this stunning graphic retelling of Homer’s epic. Following Odysseus’s journey to return home to his beloved wife, Penelope, readers are transported into a world that easily combines the realistic and the fantastic. Gods mingle with the mortals, and not heeding their warnings could lead to quick danger; being mere men, Odysseus and his crew often make hasty errors in judgment and must face challenging consequences. Lush watercolors move with fluid lines throughout this reimagining. The artist’s use of color is especially striking: His battle scenes are ample, bloodily scarlet affairs, and Polyphemus’s cave is a stifling orange; he depicts the underworld as a colorless, mirthless void, domestic spaces in warm tans, the all-encircling sea in a light Mediterranean blue and some of the far-away islands in almost tangibly growing greens. Don’t confuse this hefty, respectful adaptation with some of the other recent ones; this one holds nothing back and is proudly, grittily realistic rather than cheerfully cartoonish. Big, bold, beautiful.

The Horn Book (starred review)
A graphic-novel adapter of The Merchant of Venice (rev. 7/08) turns his hand to an adventure that still towers over its descendants-rather as Hinds's powerful jacket image of a vengeful Poseidon looms over the home-seeking voyager who was hounded around the Mediterranean by the sea god. Citing classic translations of The Odyssey as sources (from Chapman to Fagles, with a special nod to Fitzgerald) but using only a dozen or so actual quotes from their work, Hinds retells Homer's epic in pictures plus a judicious minimum of words, sticking to the original intricate, twenty-four-chapter order with its flashbacks, multiple narrators, bloody climax (the massacre of Penelope's suitors), and peaceful, god-decreed conclusion. Brief as the text of this graphic version is (many spreads are nearly wordless), it makes an accessible and effective complement to the dramatic pencil and watercolor art that explicates and interprets the story. A timeless long-ago past comes alive in these images of gods and heroes, monsters and enchantresses; of mayhem, lovemaking, and touching reunions-all arrayed in frames whose shape, number, and palette expertly pace and propel the story. As introduction, outline, illustration, and visual translation, a worthy companion to its great predecessors. - Joanna Rudge Long

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review) - link
"The depth of the dialog, the outstanding individuation of the characters, and the patient and lovingly developed flow between frames--often in wordless stretches--make the work accessible. Hinds' delicate pencil lines and softly blended watercolors coax an amazing variety of moods and settings from the sandy beiges and sea blues dictated by the Mediterranean milieu."

Publisher's Weekly - link (bottom of page)
"One of the oldest and most often retold literary classics is faithfully recreated in watercolors and pastels. Hinds, who has previously adapted Beowulf and several Shakespeare plays in comics format, uses different translations as a basis for his adaptation, trimming the text but keeping all the events of Odysseus' journey home from the Trojan War. The adaptation is most impressive in its ability to convey the despair, anguish, and joy of the characters in a sudden, striking way that text alone can't, pulling these familiar figures out from a thousands–year-old story and presenting the reader with human faces. Hinds's watercolor landscapes of the Greek coast, islands, and mountains are another strong point. But seeing the characters as they exchange archaic dialogue emphasizes its stilted and unnatural quality. And in some sections, particularly in early exposition, the text is so plentiful it crowds out the art. Still, Hinds has created a work that both honors the epic's long tradition and helps readers see these characters in a new light."

The Wall Street Journal - link
Gareth Hinds's The Odyssey does genuine justice to Homer's epic poem. With spare language taken principally from the translations by Robert Fitzgerald and Robert Fagles, and with intricate pencil and watercolor illustrations, Mr. Hinds re-creates Odysseus' turbulent voyage across "the wine-dark sea" from the ruins of Troy to the island of Ithaca and his long-suffering wife, Penelope. It is a violent and thrilling Bronze Age journey. Supported by the goddess Athena and sabotaged by the god Poseidon, Odysseus makes his way homeward past such obstacles as the man-eating sirens and the twin terrors of sea-sucking Scylla and six-headed Charybdis.

This version of "The Odyssey" is an excellent adjunct for teenagers and adults who have already read the original. (In fact, reading graphic novels after the original is a good general policy.) One caveat: Odysseus was catnip to the ladies, and though Mr. Hinds depicts the hero's romantic encounters with restraint, the meaning of certain panels is hard to miss and may be disconcerting for younger readers. Also, there is no avoiding the gore. The "age of gods and monsters" was, after all, soaked in it.
- Meghan Cax Gurdon

School Library Journal - link (partway down the page)
Taking a world-famous epic poem and adapting it into a graphic-novel format for modern readers is certainly an enormous endeavor. But since Hinds already performed the same feat quite admirably with Beowulf (Candlewick, 2007) he has proven himself more than capable of the task. To sum up the classic story: Odysseus tries to get home after the Trojan War, but many obstacles are thrown in his way, and many people, creatures, and gods try to stop him. His men are loyal on the one hand, yet bad at following critical orders on the other, which results in even more delays. Meanwhile, his faithful wife Penelope waits for him while fending off scores of impatient suitors. Luckily for Odysseus, he does have a few supporters, including the goddess Athena. Hinds’s beautiful watercolors skillfully capture the rosy-fingered dawn, the wine-dark sea, the land of the dead, and many other settings and characters that will inspire readers. This adaptation goes far above and beyond the “highlights” coverage that other versions such as Tim Mucci’s The Odyssey (Sterling, 2010) provide. Hinds’s work will be a welcome addition for fans of Homer’s original work and for newcomers to this classic story. –Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library


Reviews for The Merchant of Venice:
Kirkus (starred review)
"Of late, there have been many unsuccessful attempts to adapt Shakespeare into the graphic-novel format; Hinds's beautiful new offering now sets the standard that all others will strive to meet. Presenting readers with deftly drawn characters (based on live models) and easily read dialogue that modulates over the course of the work from adapted prose to the original Shakespeare, he re-works the classic Shakespeare play of deception, greed and revenge. Though located in a modern setting, readers will easily follow the premise and find themselves lost in the intricately lovely Venetian backdrop. While this adaptation may leave purists sniffing at the omission of entire scenes and characters, Hinds carefully explains to his readers in a note why and how he made those choices. A deceptively simple graphic novel on the surface, this volume begs for multiple readings on a closer level, at the same time acting as a wonderful introduction to the original. Easily on a par with his stellar adaptation of Beowulf (2007), it's a captivating, smartly executed work."

Publishers Weekly - link
Fans of the play will find this an intriguing adaptation. Hinds sets his version in modern dress and dramatically edits the text to the basics while keeping the Shakespearean flavor of the dialogue (increasingly as the book goes on). The coloring in shades of slate blue and pale gray gives it an antique patina that's counterbalanced by the way Hinds leaves construction lines visible. That makes it feel like reading someone's unpolished sketchbook, as though the characters were observed, not created. It's always a benefit to see Shakespeare acted out, to make the universal situations clear to the modern viewer, and that benefit extends to the graphic medium, especially when the characters have a sense of motion, as here. Some aspects of the original are still discomforting; Hinds is faithful to the play in its treatment of the bloodthirsty, money-hungry Shylock, and some readers may be put off by the inclusion of lines such as “you may be pleased to collect whatever usurious interest pleases your Jew heart.” An author's note encourages further research on that matter and clarifies some of Hinds's creative decisions.


Reviews for King Lear:
Booklist (starred review) - link
"Having kicked off the recent outpouring of graphic-format Beowulf adaptations, Hinds now contributes to the similarly enthusiastic flood of graphic-format Shakespeare adaptations with an excellent rendition of one of the bard’s great tragedies. Using splash pages that open up the settings, washes of otherworldly colors, grotesquely expressive faces right out of William Blake, and figural work much improved from his previous effort, Hinds occasionally attains a visual poetry that marked the painful betrayals, the epic scope of the battles, and Lear’s seething madness. Even abridged (with helpful endnotes about many of the excised passages), the story and language here can seem intimidatingly dense, but the artwork keeps the exposition moving, and comic-book sound effects (“thwok!”) and expletives (“unh . . .”) paradoxically add a gritty realism. The most effective parts of the book are the dramatic ones, and most memorable are the grisly eye-plucking scene, a supernaturally eerie storm scene, and two cracking good sword duels. For powerful drama with quality art, this adaptation is the one to choose." — Jesse Karp


Reviews for Beowulf:
The New York Times Book Review - link
"...graphic novelist Gareth Hinds has reimagined “Beowulf” as a kind of superhero tale... great stretches of this “Beowulf” take place with no words at all, except the occasional “SMASH,” “SSWACK” and “SKUTCHLP.” Hinds stages great fight scenes, choreographing them like a kung-fu master and then drawing them from a variety of vantage points, with close-ups, wide angles and aerial views. In its way, the result is as visceral as the Old English, which was consciously onomatopoeic, and by changing his palette for each of the poem’s three sections he evokes its darkening rhythm."

Publishers Weekly - link
"The king of heroic epics gets a lavish visual interpretation in Hinds's full-color mixed-media gem.... Hinds's angular perspectives and unusual color palettes (dark, ruddy colors, deep burgundy blood, and not a ray of sunshine in sight) lend the book an almost overwhelming sense of menace...an ideal introduction to a story without which the entire fantasy genre would look very different."

School Library Journal - link
"This epic tale is exceptionally well suited to the episodic telling necessary for a successful graphic novel, as the warrior-hero fights Grendel, Grendel's mother, and, ultimately, the dragon that claims his life, and (in true comic-book fashion) each challenge is significantly more difficult and violent than the one before. Although greatly abridged and edited, the text maintains a consistent rhythm and overall feel appropriate for the poetic nature of the story. Hinds's version will make this epic story available to a whole new group of readers." ©2007 Reed Business Information

Kirkus Reviews
"Pairing art from an earlier, self-published edition to a newly adapted text, Hinds retells the old tale as a series of dark, bloody, chaotic clashes. Here Grendel is a glaring, black monster with huge teeth, corded muscles and a tendency to smash or bite off adversaries' heads; the dragon is all sinuous viciousness; and Beowulf, mighty of thew, towers over his fellow Geats. The narrative, boxed off from the illustrations rather than incorporated into them, runs to lines like, "Bid my brave warriors O Wiglaf, to build a lofty cairn for me upon the sea-cliffs . . . " and tends to disappear when the fighting starts. Because the panels are jumbled together on the page, the action is sometimes hard to follow, but this makes a strongly atmospheric alternative to the semi-abstract Beowulf, the Legend, by Stephen L. Antczak and James C. Bassett, illus by Andy Lee (2006), or the more conventionally formatted version of Michael Morpurgo, with pictures by Michael Foreman (2006). (Graphic fiction. 12-15)"

VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates)
"In 1999, Hinds self-published a three-issue mini-series of comics based on the classic epic poem Beowulf. He then self-published a collection of the three issues under the title The Collected Beowulf (thecomic.com, 2000). Even if a library is lucky enough to own the self-published original, purchasing this new edition is worth the cost. Both the self-published and new editions feature Hinds's fabulously detailed, action-filled artwork. The illustrations for each section of the story are created differently. The first section features Photoshopped pen-and-ink drawings, the second paint on wood, and the third black wash over black ink. This gives each section a distinct feel. The difference between the two editions lies in the text. For his self-published edition, Hinds based his text on the 1910 verse translation by Francis Gummere and included a glossary of unfamiliar terms. For the new edition, Hinds creates a new text based on the 1904 prose translation by A. J. Church. Both include all three sections of Beowulf's story as he fights Grendel, Grendel's mother, and finally the dragon that kills him. This blood-drenched, battle-packed story of one of the first superheroes is sure to interest a new generation. It is being released just in time to be useful as a page-turning introduction to the classic epic poem before the Neil Gaiman movie adaptation is released in fall 2008."

KLIATT
"There is a scene in Gareth Hinds's Beowulf when our hero dives into a lake to battle a monster. As the warriors at the lake's edge watch, horrified, the waters turn blood-red. Beowulf bursts to the surface, severed sword held high, the monster's decapitated head clenched between his teeth by the hair of its scalp. It's an intense image in a graphic novel rife with haunting imagery. To recap: Beowulf is an epic poem in three parts. The first part is about a troll-creature named Grendel, who kills and eats all who dare dwell within a certain hall. One day a hero named Beowulf swears that he will kill Grendel without arms or armor; he keeps his oath by using his great strength to rip Grendel's arm off. In the second part, Beowulf enters the lair of Grendel's mother (located at the bottom of a lake) and kills her. The third part takes place years later, when Beowulf is a king. A dragon terrorizes his people, forcing the aged warrior (the entire third book is colored in gray) to don his battle gear one last time. Beowulf kills the dragon, at the cost of his life. I have read a number of graphic adaptations of classic literature, but I've never seen one as visually impressive as Hinds's Beowulf. This graphic novel collects the three issues self-published by the author. The language of the poem—which is quite complex—has been contemporized, and the art is gorgeous: Hinds has an extensive knowledge of human anatomy and color, which he puts to good use. The fight scenes are well choreographed; it is obvious that the author has martial arts training. Beowulf contains some bloody fight sequences and may be too intense for younger readers; highly recommended for all collections."

University of Iowa - link
"Larger-than-life deeds, terrifying monsters and epic battles lend themselves perfectly to the graphic novel format as Gareth Hinds adapts the tale of the great hero BEOWULF (Candlewick Press, 2007) for a new generation.... This version of Beowulf will engage reluctant readers as well as allow students who struggle with verse translations an opportunity to understand the tale in a new way. The artwork is glorious and powerful, yet not overly graphic in ways that would make it inappropriate for readers as young as 5th or 6th grade. Hinds' BEOWULF would be a terrific companion to the classic translations often studied in high school British Literature courses."

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"This graphic-novel presentation of the traditional three-part tale of Beowulf gives young readers the Geatish warrior as the hypermuscular, hard-hitting proto-comic-book superhero he's always been. Grim, rugged faces stare out of action-packed spreads peppered with realistic black blood spatters and onomatopoeic fight grunts as the monsters chomp on various warrior appendages and our hero kicks, rips, and thwangs his various enemies into grisly submission and death. Hinds manages his palette to good effect, sticking mainly to sepia and burnt umber in the mead hall and teals for under the sea, so that the occasional punctuations of flame and the stark blackness of the monsters really stand forth, and the dusky purples of the final chapter lead readers visually into Beowulf's shadowlands. The text, though colloquial, remains a challenging read, as it retains the archaic rhythms and bardic vocabulary of the heroic epic; the adapter clearly provides history and some character-developing storytelling to establish the encounters, but leaves the fight scenes unencumbered with any text at all, allowing readers to immerse themselves in the flesh-ripping violence. The final chapter may be a little confusing for those not familiar with the story, but attentive observers will be able to follow the main plot through the pictures and will ponder over the thematics of including a distant cityscape, complete with suspiciously familiar twin towers, as a backdrop to Hrothgar's warning that Beowulf use his God-given gifts -- fame, fortune, the power to command an empire -- wisely and without arrogance, and remain ever mindful that death awaits us all. With treatments like this available, honors English may never be the same. KC"

Globe and Mail
"According to the author's note that prefaces this rendering of the epic poem, the exact date of the composition of Beowulf is not known. But the most probable date "is thought to be around 700 to 850 AD. And yet, it still resonates today, and indeed has much in common with our modern superhero stories."
And resonate it does, in this graphic version, a potent blend of a minimal amount of text based on the 1904 translation by A. J. Church, and dramatic artwork that, frame by frame, tells this age-old tale in a new and visually thrilling way. "This," Hinds writes, "is a colloquial translation, and we have attempted to strike a balance between easy readability and the poetic drama in our favourite verse translation."
The textual matter is admirable, no doubt of that, but for readers who have cut their teeth on Spiderman comics, it is the painted frames that unfold - often in a jagged, discordant fashion - to tell this age-old tale of the mortal wounding of Grendel, that beguile and astound. Superhuman strength, moral and physical courage, slaughter and gore are painted large across these pages."

BlogCritics - link
"Interestingly, the book traces Beowulf's life in just two events, in both cases dealing with monsters that are troubling his friends or his people. In the first half, he is full of vigor, confidence and agility and is able to easily take on monsters at will. In the second half, though regal, he is old and doubts if he will return alive from the dragon's lair. Hinds...is able to make us aware of the fickle nature of life using the story of the rise and fall of even a great, mythical warrior. He evokes wonder and pity for the same character by judicious use of imagery that will stay with us long after we have put down the book."

CommonSense Media family book reviews - link
"Beowulf is a grim and gruesome story, and artist Gareth Hinds has produced a graphic novel to match.... A visceral yet accessible treatment...."

Indy Magazine
"Hinds has done a phenomenal job of expressing the sinister aura of the text, and refining what is essentially one of the greatest sagas of the Dark Ages into a very exciting, very atmospheric comic... fusing offbeat visual effects into the story flow: astronomical charts stand in for the night sky, the agonized cries from hand-to-hand combat appear as floating scrolls in the sky, and decapitations at Grendel’s hand are depicted as running ink smears."

Scott McCloud (author of Understanding Comics)
"...a nice distillation of the energy of modern american comics without any of the annoying artifacts."