Kid Beowulf and the Song of Roland
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Alexis E. Fajardo
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ISBN: 978-0-9801419-2-4
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Publication: April 2010
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272 pp / b&w / 7 x 9 in. / Trade Paper
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Price: $17.95
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Preview | About | Reviews | Podcasts | Author Bio
About
The adventure of a childhood gone heroic continues!
The Song of Roland launches twelve-year-old twin brothers Beowulf and Grendel into their second adventure, bringing readers along in their journey into literary history—this time, introducing the French tales of Charlemagne and his 12 peers. Wholly original, the Kid Beowulf series stays true to its inspired characters and histories while weaving new imaginings of “what if…” and capturing the imagination of kids and teachers alike. www.kidbeowulf.com
Reviews for Kid Beowulf and the Song of Roland
GeekDad.com
The books revel in the placenames and proper names of epic poetry. There’s lots of discussion of Heathobards, Geats, and Danes, and of the Saracens and Franks. At the same time, the books largely avoid the excesses of Thor-speak. There are a fair number of outbursts such as “By Woden,” or “Odin’s eye” for local color–in other words, exactly the sort of thing that a kid might enjoy picking up. The books do not, however, make a fetish of authenticity. Kid Beowulf and the Song of Roland has a joke about union rep, for example, and the plot depends on the construction of an amusement park. The books are positioned clearly as a gateway drug to the classics, and do a good job of it. [More...]
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Four Colors
Fajardo is a great talent and this series is the perfect showcase of his skills. Both Kid Beowulf and the Song of Roland and Kid Beowulf and the Blood-Bound Oath are fun and easy reads, readily accessible and just pretty to look at. They are aimed at younger readers, but anyone who is a fan of “Conan the Barbarian” or Dave Sims’ “Cerebus” can definitely get hooked on these books. The kind of fun Kid Beowulf offers is something that is rarely seen in comics today. It’s a series that is enjoyable every page of the way. [More...]
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Reviews forKid Beowulf
School Library Journal (via Diamond Bookshelf)
In the standard Beowulf story, the character appears as a full-fledged hero, with little concept of how he actually became one. Fajardo tells the backstory, using a blend of humor and soap-opera plot twists. [More...]
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Good Comics for Kids
While many readers struggle with the poem in their high school literature classes, there is nothing difficult about following the story of Kid Beowulf and the Blood-Bound Oath, which is filled with magic, intrigue, betrayal, and all the other good stuff that makes for a good story. [More...]
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The Graphic Classroom
Fajardo gives us a kid friendly book. The art reminds me of the original BONE series: black and white line art with little shading. It makes the book clean for young students. Fajardo also inserts a lot of humor in the illustrations.. [More...]
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Comics in the Classroom
Kid Beowulf – An Interview With Writer/Illustrator Alexis E. Fajardo
I just finished reading Kid Beowulf and the Blood-Bound Oath, a graphic novel re-imagining of the thousand year old epic poem. I felt ill-prepared to review Alexis E. Fajardo’s illustrated version since my only exposure to this classic is the recent Angelina Jolie version so I decided to interview him instead so he can tell me all about it. [More...]
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Podcasts
Tall Tale Features
- Episode 56 – Jonathan Lemon Goes APE!
- Episode 44 – Comic Con Graphic Novels for Kids Panel
- Episode 40 – Comic Con 2009
Comics Coast to Coast
Fanboy Planet
Author Bio
Alexis E. Fajardo is a student of the classics — whether Daffy Duck or Damocles — and has created a unique blend of the two in Kid Beowulf. Alexis has taught cartooning throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and currently resides in Santa Rosa, where, when not penning Kid Beowulf, he “works for Peanuts” at the Charles M. Schulz Studio.
