Crossover Covers: Grendel vs. the Shadow

The masked assassin and crime lord Grendel finds himself thrown back in time to the 1930s, where he takes over New York’s organized crime, drawing the attention of the Shadow. Grendel’s collection of treasures belonging to famous individuals throughout history includes Sweeney Todd’s shaving razor. This crossover brings Wagner’s character Grendel (aka Hunter Rose) into the CU. However, the Grendel stories set after Rose’s death take place in a future timeline that is very different from the established future of the CU, and therefore must represent an alternate universe. Sweeney Todd is from the penny dreadful story “The String of Pearls,” the basis for the musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. A theater marquee advertises the movie The Mummy, which was released on December 22, 1932. Since none of the characters in the comic dress like it is autumn or winter, the story probably takes place in the spring of 1933.

Upcoming Crossovers: Grendel vs. the Shadow

Next month, Dynamite Entertainment is publishing the first issue of a miniseries by Matt Wagner where Wagner's character Grendel meets the Shadow. Note that the preview also has a Sweeney Todd reference. Assuming that this story fits into Crossover Universe continuity, I'm also going to need to read the two crossovers between Grendel and Batman from the 1990s. For CU purposes, the Batman in those stories would have to be Bruce Wayne Jr., the son of the original Dark Knight.