Saladin’s post on Fantastically Filmable Indie Comic Books from the 1980s, about overlooked indie comic series, was a wonderful post (and if you haven’t read it, go do so now), but he himself overlooked one of the seminal indie comic series of the late 80s, and my favorite comic series of all time: Grimjack.
Grimjack was the creation of writer John Ostrander and artist Tim Truman first appearing as a backup in First Comic’s Starslayer. It soon proved popular enough to spin off into its own series, lasting 81 issues, though First’s bankruptcy prevented any new material from being published until 2005.
But who was Grimjack? I think he says it best:
“Call me a mercenary. Call me an assassin. Call me a villain. I am all that and more. My name’s John Gaunt, but out on the streets of Cynosure, I am called Grimjack.”
When we first meet John Gaunt, he is an aging gun/sword for hire. He’s been a gladiator, soldier, a cop, a secret agent, and more. Now a free agent, he operates out of his bar, Munden’s, taking the jobs that come to him. He’s tough, cynical and experienced, and as hard-boiled as they come.
Only Grimjack is nothing without Cynosure, a city where all the dimensions eventually meet. In Cynosure magic may work on one block, while on the next, the laws of physics might be reversed. Dimensions come in and out of phase with Cynosure making it unpredictable. It’s inhabited by aliens, gods, mutants and magicians. This is the world that Grimjack lives in. His cases bring him up against vampires and robots, corrupt politicians and crime bosses.
This setup allowed for a wonderful range of stories. Ostrander was able to pull from a variety of sources mixing up fantasy elements with noir, science fiction with thriller, mystery with horror. This strange brew of elements was full of potential and it seems clear that this inspired Ostrander to put forth some of his best work.
Truman’s detailed backgrounds helped create the look of Cynosure in addition to visually defining the character – the white streak in his hair, the trademark scar, the earrings, the long coat, the bandana, the cigarette, the gun and sword. Truman even tweaked Grimjack’s look from issue to issue, giving him a new set of clothes, or a haircut, changing his gear, often in reponse to his cases. Truman was later replaced by a series of other artists, including Sam Grainger, Tom Mandrake, Jim McDermott, Steve Pugh, Tom Sutton and Flint Henry.
The character went through some changes—coming back in a clone body, for one run before finally dying and being reincarnated as an entirely different person, Jim Twilley. All the while Ostrander helped define the character, illuminating aspects from his earlier life and bringing in supporting characters like Blacjacmac the mercenary, Jericho Noleski the bike cop, and Roscoe, his old partner from the Transdimensional Police.
Writer Roger Zelazny was a big fan of the series, not only writing the introduction to the graphic novel, Demon Knight, but also including references to John Gaunt in his later Amber novels and short stories.
The earliest Grimjack stories are currently available in two omnibus volumes put out by IDW. Later issues are available in other collections as well as two recent miniseries—Killer Instinct and The Manx Cat—which fill in some of the background of John Gaunt with Truman back on art chores. [Grimjack at IDW]
I have been reading comics for over 30 years now and Grimjack remains my favorite comic series of all time. It’s sad that it’s so often overlooked, especially given its influence on other comics of the time (it pre-dated the “grim n’ gritty” wave that followed it). I hope that at least some of you will give it a go and check out the reprinted material and (hopefully) make it worthwhile to produce more.
Call me a writer. Call me a blogger. Call me a narrator. I am all that and more. My name’s Rajan Khanna. My website is www.rajankhanna.com.
I have some of the original Grimjack comics stored away. I do remember loving it when it came out. It was not as much a favorite as, say, American Flagg, but it almost certainly stands up better over time.
By some accounts it was in fact Tim Truman who coined the phrase “grim and gritty” in a Grimjack editorial meeting. If only those that followed could have understood as well as Truman and Ostrander that this motif cannot be an end unto itself if a story is to have real impact.
The original “Grimjack” comics also had the off-kilter and funny “Munden’s Bar” back-ups. Which being a bar in a city where all dimensions can meet could have guest stars like TMNT, Nexus or even an early prototype for the Foglio’s Hetrodyne Brothers…
Nice one, Rajan. Grendel was always my favorite 80’s indie, but Grimjack is right there in the mix with American Flagg and Nexus as one of the best. What a fertile and explosive time for comix. Great stuff.
I am not surprised that Zelazny fell for Grimjack; the setting of Cynosure always reminds me of Amber at the heart of its shadow dimensions, and the main character always links up in my mind with Zelazny’s Jack of Shadows (“Shadowjack”), another rogue in a science/fantasy universe.
Grimjack really has stood the test of time as one of the best and most original comics of the 80s or anytime.
However, I’ve given up on the reprint books and I’m trying to complete my collection of the original comics. IDW’s reprint series has been stalled since 2007 and has only reprinted up to issue 54. Those reprints are missing many of the covers and the Munden’s Bar back-up stories, so collecting the originals is the way to go. Unfortunately, they are hard to find. Fortunately, the coloring and paper quality in the originals still look fantastic and are much better than Marvel or DC comics from the same era.
-kaliman
Go to mycomicshop.com they have most in VF condition for 90 cents.
Stumbled across Grimjack in, of all places, uptight Birmingham, Alabama in 1986. He was on display in the window of a downtown comics etc store … long gone. Maybe the KKK or a local rabid church burned them out – wouldn’t surprise me either way. I bought every different copy they had, six or so. Twenty years later, in Southern California, I bought every issue I could find. Am missing maybe 10 – and working on that. Why no Hollywood producer/actor has optioned Grimjack baffles the total #$#@@@@@ outta me. It’s a movie screaming to be made …
Jack D. B. Grimshaw
Orange County, Southern California