Welcome to Mignolaversity, Multiversity Comics’ dedicated column for all things Mike Mignola. It’s been a while. Sorry, I missed last month’s because I thought nothing was coming out in September, so this is really September and October’s solicitations rolled into one. As we’ve come to expect from Mike Mignola’s books, there are some fantastic covers ahead. Let’s dive in!
PANYA: THE MUMMY’S CURSE #3 (of 4)
Written by Mike Mignola and Chris Roberson
Illustrated by Christopher Mitten
Colored by Michelle Madsen
Lettered by Clem RobinsOn sale September 13, 2023
Full color, 32 pages
$3.99
MiniseriesPanya scours the world in search of the truth behind her visions of an ancient city, the secret of her mysterious powers, and the voice that whispers for her to seek the light. But to find answers, she may first have to venture into the darkness. . .
Mike Mignola and Chris Roberson are joined by artist Christopher Mitten and colorist Michelle Madsen for the third installment of Panya’s story.
Mark Tweedale: OK, this is actually last month’s solicitation, but I skipped last month, and I just really wanted to share this fantastic cover from Christopher Mitten.
PANYA: THE MUMMY’S CURSE #4 (of 4)
Written by Mike Mignola and Chris Roberson
Illustrated by Christopher Mitten
Colored by Michelle Madsen
Lettered by Clem RobinsOn sale October 25, 2023
Full color, 32 pages
$3.99
MiniseriesShrouded by shadow and touched by fire, Panya must come face-to-face with the dark in order to reveal the light. In this compelling conclusion to Panya: The Mummy’s Curse, will Panya finally be able to make sense of all that has gone before and all that has yet to come?
Mark: What a cover for this miniseries to bow out with! Dark Horse also revealed the collection cover this month, and it’s fantastic too. Still, I think this one’s my favorite.
GIANT ROBOT HELLBOY #1 (of 3)
with colors by Dave Stewart
Written by Mike Mignola
Illustrated by Duncan Fegredo
Colored by Dave Stewart
Lettered by Clem RobinsOn sale October 25, 2023
Full color, 32 pages
$3.99
MiniseriesHellboy is kidnapped and hooked up to a massive mecha-Hellboy for a mission on a mysterious, faraway island, but the island might just put up a fight of its own.
Inspired by Mignola’s viral-hit pencil drawings from Mike Mignola: The Quarantine Sketchbook, Giant Robot Hellboy gets his own story in this 3-part miniseries from Mignola and longtime Hellboy artist Duncan Fegredo!
Mark: Cards on the table, I’ve known this one was in the pipeline. Even still, getting the solicitations and finding out the DUNCAN FEGREDO would be drawing it, rocketed my anticipation for this story so much higher. You can read the full announcement from the Hollywood Reporter here and there are further hints about the story on Dark Horse Direct’s page for the Giant Robot Hellboy statue.
FOUR GATHERED ON CHRISTMAS EVE—HARDCOVER ORIGNAL GRAPHIC NOVEL—
Continued belowWritten by Eric Powell, Mike Mignola, Becky Cloonan, and James Harren
Illustrated by Eric Powell, Mike Mignola, and Becky Cloonan
Colored by Dave StewartOn sale December 12, 2023
Full color, 72 pages
$24.99
HardcoverFour of the top creators in comics gather to continue the Victorian tradition of ghost stories on Christmas Eve.
Four tales of the bizarre and terrifying to keep you company on the cold yule night. A unique approach to the ghost story format where the creators themselves become part of the story in this deluxe edition hard cover designed by the award-winning Phil Balsman.
Mark: This is something Eric Powell’s been cooking up and it’s debut of his Albatross Funnybooks imprint at Dark Horse. This group of creators working together would be exciting on its own, but working on Christmas ghost stories too? That’s even better!
If you’re not familiar with Phil Balsman’s work, he previously worked with Eric Powell on “Did You Hear What Eddie Gein Done?” and won a Ringo Award for Best Presentation in Design. It’s great to see they’re continuing to work together over at Dark Horse.
OK, on to collections! And there’s a lot. . .
B.P.R.D. – VOLUME 8—PAPERBACK OMNIBUS EDITION—
with colors by Dave Stewart
Written by Mike Mignola, John Arcudi, Cameron Stewart, and Chris Roberson
Illustrated by James Harren, Laurence Campbell, Joe Querio, Tyler Crook, Cameron Stewart, and Mike Norton
Colored by Dave Stewart
Lettered by Clem RobinsOn sale November 7, 2023
Full color, 416 pages
$29.99
Paperback, 7″ x 10″The B.P.R.D. continues to lead the defense against the apocalyptic Ogdru Hem from Japan to America, as the team splits up and Kate is possessed.
Howards and a team of agents find themselves attempting to liberate a small town that holds secrets from Howard’s Hyperborean past.
Elsewhere, B.P.R.D. field agent Ashley Strode attempts to purge a demon from a 100-year-old exorcist, setting her on a path to battling a demon who is kidnapping and eating children.
Mark: This omnibus collects some excellent stories, but favarite is the one-shot ‘Grind.’ It’s Tyler Crook’s last story on “B.P.R.D.” and it’s also his best. So many fans bring this issue up as one of the best, if not the best, of the entire “B.P.R.D.: Hell on Earth” cycle.
HELLBOY IN LOVE—HARDCOVER COLLECTION—
Written by Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden
Illustrated by Matt Smith
Colored by Chris O’Halloran
Lettered by Clem RobinsOn sale November 28, 2023
Full color, 136 pages
$29.99
Hardcover, 7″ x 10″Ghosts, ghouls. . . girlfriends?
Love blooms between Hellboy and archaeologist Anastasia Bransfield—when they aren’t busy chasing goblins through the UK, fighting shadow ghosts in Turkey, and investigating film sets haunted by unsettled spirits in India, that is!
Hellboy creator Mike Mignola is joined by cowriter Christopher Golden and artist Matt Smith, featuring the colors of Chris O’Halloran, for a story of occult adventure and unlikely romance.
This volume collects three stories of Hellboy and Anastasia’s misadventures, plus bonus material!
Collects Hellboy in Love #1–#5 and bonus material.
Mark: God, I love Matt Smith’s covers. This one feels like a classic 1990s Hellboy cover to me, but the addition of Cupid gives it just the right twist.
BALTIMORE – VOLUME 2—PAPERBACK OMNIBUS EDITION—
with colors by Dave Stewart
Continued belowWritten by Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden
Illustrated by Peter Bergting and Ben Stenbeck
Colored by Dave Stewart and Michelle Madsen
Lettered by Clem RobinsOn sale December 19, 2023
Full color, 576 pages
$29.99
Paperback, 7″ x 10″Lord Baltimore’s quest for vengeance against the Red King escalates in the second half of the Baltimore saga, which includes a new bonus story with art by Ben Stenbeck!
Finally armed with the identity of the being responsible for the vampire plague, Baltimore and his band of allies take on the evil around them with a new fervor. Enemies old and new, desperate battles, and strange horror await the reader as they follow Baltimore toward his ultimate destiny.
From writers Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden, with art by Ben Stenbeck (Hellboy, Koshchei the Deathless) and Peter Bergting (Joe Golem: Occult Detective, The Untamed) comes the culmination of the Baltimore series, collected in paperback omnibus format!
Collects Baltimore: The Witch of Harju #1–#3; Baltimore: The Wolf and the Apostle #1–#2; Baltimore: The Cult of the Red King #1–#5; Baltimore: Empty Graves #1–#5; Baltimore: The Red Kingdom #1–#5 and bonus short Monstrous.
Mark: This was previously released in hardcover, now available in paperback.
HELLBOY AND THE B.P.R.D.: 1957—PAPERBACK COLLECTION—
with colors by Dave Stewart
Written by Mike Mignola and Chris Roberson
Illustrated by Laurence Campbell, Stephen Green, Shawn Martinbrough, Alison Sampson, Mike Norton, and Ben Stenbeck
Colored by Dave Stewart and Lee Loughridge
Lettered by Clem RobinsOn sale December 19, 2023
Full color, 152 pages
$19.99
Paperback, 7″ x 10″Hellboy crisscrosses the globe on missions to track down demonic books, solve the sightings of mysterious creatures, and deal with restless spirits in this gripping collection of one-shots.
These stories will let readers get to know some of the human members of the B.P.R.D. and the unique talents they bring to the organization. Even Hellboy needs backup from time to time!
All five issues of Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: 1957 are collected in this paperback with writing by Mike Mignola and Chris Roberson, featuring art by Mignolaverse veteran Laurence Campbell (B.P.R.D.: The Devil You Know), Stephen Green (Lobster Johnson: Garden of Bones), Shawn Martinbrough (Thief of Thieves), Alison Sampson (Jessica Jones), and Mike Norton (Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: 1956), plus the short “Happy New Year, Ava Galluci” by Mignola and Ben Stenbeck, featuring colors by Dave Stewart and Lee Loughridge, and a bonus sketchbook section.
Collects Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: 1957 one-shots: Family Ties, Forgotten Lives, Falling Sky, Fearful Symmetry, and From Below, and the short “Happy New Year, Ava Galluci” from the Hellboy Winter Special (2018).
Mark: We previously solicited this for January this year, but delays bumped it back. I couldn’t help but notice that this new solicitation has bumped up the page count a bit, so I’m guessing the sketchbook section grew a little bit in the interim, which is always nice.
THE COMPLETE NORSE MYTHOLOGY—DELUXE HARDCOVER—
Written by Neil Gaiman and P. Craig Russell
Illustrated by P. Craig Russell, Mike Mignola, Jerry Ordway, David Rubín, Piotr Kowalski, Jill Thompson, Mark Buckingham, Gabriel Hernández Walta, Sandy Jarrell, Colleen Doran, Galen Showman, and Matt Horak
Colored by Dave Stewart, Lovern Kindzierski, David Rubín, Jill Thompson, Colleen Doran, and Galen Showman
Lettered by Galen ShowmanOn sale December 12, 2023
Full color, 456 pages
$124.99
HardcoverThe complete Norse Mythology comic book series, adapted by comics legend P. Craig Russell from the New York Times bestselling novel by Neil Gaiman, in a deluxe, oversized collection with a slipcase and ribbon.
The Hugo, Bram Stoker, Locus, World Fantasy, and Nebula award-winning author Neil Gaiman and Eisner award–winning comics legend P. Craig Russell breathe new life into the ancient Norse stories by taking readers through the creation of the Nine Worlds to the epic origin and adventures of Thor, Odin, and Loki all the way to the end of life—Ragnarök.
Having previously written about deities in American Gods and The Sandman, Gaiman teams with Russell to finally bring readers to follow the northern gods in their own setting in this comic book adaptation of the hit novel!
Collects Norse Mythology Volumes 1–3.
Mark: Mike Mignola and Dave Stewart only did a short story for this series, but I figure “Hellboy” readers would enjoy this book regardless. I don’t know the dimensions of this yet, but I assume it’ll be the same size as “The Complete American Gods” deluxe hardcover Dark Horse released in 2021.
