Wiglaf

WIGLAF

Real Name: Wiglaf

Class: Human

Occupation: Warrior

Group Affiliation: None

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Daneland, Middle Ages

First Appearance: Beowulf #1 (May, 1975)

Powers: Wiglaf was a fierce warrior armed with a sword.

History: (Beowulf #1, 2) - Beowul of the Geats was a renowned slayer of barbarians, alongside his friends Hondisco and Wiglaf. After slaughtering a band of barbarians they met the mysterious Shaper, who warned that Satan was sending his evil to the mead hall of Castle Hrothgar. There was no love between the Geats and Spear-Danes, but Beowulf resolved to set sail for Hrothgar, because the king was friends with his father Ecgtheow, and the promised battle could win him fame that would secure his place in history. The Shaper appeared in Hrothgar, warning of doom, and saying he was the voice of Wyrd on Earth. Grendel, born to kill humans, broke into the hall and maimed and killed a number of warriors before lumbering back to his swamp. On their voyage Beowulf and his men were lured to a cove by Nan-Zee, who sang a siren's song. Demons emerged from the cove, but Beowulf welcomed the challenge and killed them. Nan-Zee, no longer hostile, told Beowulf she was a Scylfing warrior who was possessed by Satan, but the demons' deaths released her from bondage, and she asked for a ride home from Beowulf. Beowulf and his crew arrived in Hrothgar, but the treacherous Unferth, worried that Beowulf would show him up in front of his king, had his magician the Silent One create an illusion that led Beowulf astray, straight into a swamp and a confrontation with Swamp Men, agents of Satan. Beowulf and his companions slew the Swamp Men, but found themselves stuck in quicksand. Nan-Zee told them to stop fighting and sink, because she sensed the Underworld was under the swamp, through which they could return to Hrothgar. They were met by Medulus, the hound of Hell, Trol-Demons, and the demon Pough, with Beowulf slaying them all, and Nan-Zee shocked by Beowulf's bloodlust. They met Satan, who told them he unleashed Grendel because he was bored, and viewed Beowulf as merely a pawn, telling him he might stand a chance against Grendel if he drank the venom from the Black Viper and ate the fruit of the Zumak tree. Beowulf sliced off Satan's ear, and he was incredulous at the hero's bravado, sending him and his crew to the surface world but warning that they were doomed. Satan reached out to Grendel, having him cause another bloodbath at Hrothgar, but forbidding him from confronting the arriving Beowulf until Satan was done manipulating him. Beowulf was welcomed as a hero, but Unferth continually tied to undermine him. Beowulf told Hrothar about the quest he needed to go on before confronting Grendel, and Hrothgar assigned Unferth and the Silent One to accompany him. The Shaper, amused by the path of fate, also joined Beowulf's party.

(Beowulf #3) - Beowulf and his companions sailed to the Darklands to retrieve the venom of the Black Viper so he'd have the strength to combat Grendel. Satan sent a kraken after them, killing some of Beowulf's men, and he and Nan-Zee derided the warriors for not being manly enough to combat the beast. They destroyed the kraken, and Unferth and the Silent One were noticeably absent; Unferth's excuse being that he was standing back to guard the ship. Beowulf told Shaper he needed guidance to counteract Satan, and the Shaper summoned Wyrd, god of fate. Wyrd told Beowulf to continue on his quest, guaranteeing his victory. They docked at a skull-shaped mountain in the badlands, and again Unferth held back, summoning the demon Little Omen to attack the heroes. Little Omen sent them to Nightmareland until the Shaper, upset at the indignity visited upon a sorcerer of his might, dispelled him. The companions met a band of pygmies, and Beowulf told Nan-Zee violence was not always the way and he would try diplomacy. The pygmies were willing to talk until Beowulf revealed that they were going to slay the black viper, who the tribesman worshipped as a god. They clashed, and Beowulf ended the battle by holding the chieftain hostage, and the chieftain said he was an old fool to put the demonic Black Viper on a pedestal. Beowulf told his companions he'd fight alone and unarmed, and Nan-Zee was scared for his life, weeping on the chest of Hondscio. Beowulf slew the demon by jumping into its jaws and snapping them apart. He drank the venom, and prepared for the next leg of the quest.

(Beowulf #4) - Beowulf and his companions traveled to the deserts of the far east to find the Zumak fruit. They were attacked by the Ashers, the lost tribe of Israel, who mistook Beowulf for Dracula, who they were hunting. Wiglaf was almost cut down, but Unferth saved his life in a rare moment of heroism. The Ashers realized Beowulf was not there enemy, and told him about the Wallachian prince Dracula, who spread terror and death wherever he went, so Beowulf agreed to help them defeat the monster. Satan promised Grendel another confrontation with Beowulf, so as Beowulf and his men camped for the night Satan engulfed Beowulf, Hondscio and Wiglaf in the camp flame, teleporting them to Heorot hall. That night Grendel attacked, tearing apart Hondscio and eating him. Grendel was satisfied, so Satan teleported Beowulf and Wiglaf back to the desert. Beowulf told Shaper that when he set down his legend to tell of only one conflict between him and Grendel, in which he emerged victorious, and to give Hondscio credit for being the first comrade to give his life in the fight against Grendel. Dracula and his soldiers found the heroes and viciously attacked. Dracula was about to strike down Beowulf when he was stabbed in the back by one of his own men. Satan appeared, revealing that he'd possessed the Wallachian, because he had never seen a man as evil as Dracula, and wanted his soul for his own, transforming him into a vampire servant.

(Beowulf #5) - Beowulf and his companions reached the far east in search of the Zumak fruit, finding a stonehenge carved with image of a chariot of the gods. The henge's druids attacked, and even the Shaper's magic was useless against their extraterrestrial technology. Unferth fled for his life, but ran into a priestess, who promised to spare his life if he brought Beowulf and Nan-Zee to her. He complied with a sneak attack, and Beowulf and Nan-Zee were brought to a spaceship. Wiglaf was furious with Unferth, but before he could act they were both captured by barbarians.

(Beowulf #6) - Unferth berated his companions for being unable to escape from the Yondo. Wiglaf said he'd deal with him and his treachery later, but he had come up with a plan. He told the guards the Shaper could give them mystic power, and they agreed to free their prisoners if Shaper demonstrated his might. shaper said he would not for the same reason he hadn't used his magic to free them, he did not use his spells lightly. Through physical force his companions convinced him to perform one spell. Shaper turned the world upside-down, and his companions were freed to seek Beowulf. Shaper escaped his own bondage by teleporting away.

Comments: Adapted to comics by Michael Uslan & Ricardo Villamonte.

Wiglaf was the comic adaptation of a mythic Anglo-Saxon hero from the epic poem Beowulf.