DC's Norseplay of Beowulf.

 

DC's Beowulf: Dragon Slayer was a short-lived series that only ran six issues from 1975 CE. In a rather strange expansion where Grendel answered to the Devil, Beowulf dives through a mere into Hell, Vlad the Impaler shows up, there's an ancient alien encounter, and a tussle with the Minotaur, it seems the Geatish hero's legend grew far taller in this telling.

I only had access to issues 2, 3, 5, & 6, and my impression was that although DC was putting out fantasy adventure titles like Warlord (which we liked), Arion, and Stalker, they still couldn't replicate the success of Marvel's Conan. Beowulf specifically reads jarringly, and shifts gears between incohesive elements, and one gets the impression that it never knows what it wants to be exactly, nor did it get the chance to decide to become anything, much less finish. Still, if you had to pick a high point issue, #5 with Beowulf actually uttering Von Däniken's title phrase "chariots of the gods" and running into the Annunaki is some seriously unanticipated plotting.

[all 'bout those deeds, Beowulf.]

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Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires' Norse Gods and Giants at age seven. Since then he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the Map of Midgard project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay. If you have employment/opportunities in investigative mythology, field research, or product development to offer, do contact him.