Grist's first work was published in the 1980s by DC Thomson and Fleetway. His early work also includes St. Swithin's Day (written by Grant Morrison and published by Trident Comics), Grendel: Devil in Our Midst (written by Steven T. Seagle and published by Dark Horse Comics), and a Judge Dredd adventure, Kinky Boots authored by Robbie Morrison.

He later founded his own publishing company, Dancing Elephant Press, under which Kane and Jack Staff were first published, but both titles later moved to Image Comics. He also published Burglar Bill under the Dancing Elephant umbrella (though it had partly appeared in an earlier form published by Trident Comics).

Grist's art is notable for its spare - sometimes stiff - style and heavy use of shadow. His writing is marked by a penchant for sudden cuts between events occurring in different time periods, without the gradual transitions common to the comic book medium. Following the structure of Grist's stories can be a challenge, but he provides subtle visual clues to aid the alert reader.

Comics work includes:

• St. Swithin's Day (with Grant Morrison, Trident, 4-issue mini-series, 1989)
• Insiders (with Mark Millar, in Crisis #55-59, 1991)
• Judge Dredd: "Kinky Boots" (with Robbie Morrison, Judge Dredd Mega Special 1993)

• Kane (Dancing Elephant Press, 1993—present) collected as:
• 1. New Eden
• 2. Rabbit Hunt
• 3. Histories
• 4. Thirty Ninth
• 5. The Untouchable Rico Costas & Other Short Stories
• 6. Partners

• Jack Staff (Image Comics, 2000—present) collected as:
• 1. Everything Used to Be Black & White (352 pages, February 2004, ISBN 158240335X)
• 2. Soldiers (160 pages, November 2004, ISBN 1582403929)
• 3. Echoes Of Tomorrow (200 pages, January 2007, ISBN 1582407193)

• Rift War! (collected Rift War, 128 pages, June 2009, Titan Books, ISBN 1848562381):
• "Part One"/"Part Two" (with Simon Furman, in Torchwood Magazine #3-4, 2008)
• "Dark Times"/"Circles" (script and art, in Torchwood Magazine #7-8, 2008)