The first issue of “Hellboy: The Silver Lantern Club” instilled in its readers a certain expectation for where the story would go and here in issue #4, that expectation is hilariously realized. Spoilers ahead, folks.
Written by Mike Mignola and Chris RobersonCover by Christopher Mitten
& Mike Mignola
with Dave Stewart
Illustrated by Christopher Mitten and Ben Stenbeck
Colored by Michelle Madsen
Lettered by Clem RobinsSimon Bruttenholm relates a strange tale to Hellboy and the Professor, this time spinning a tale of dangerous creatures stalking the streets of London. The Silver Lantern Club teams up with an old vodka-loving, werewolf-hunting friend of Edward Grey’s to capture the ferocious beasts. But the chase is especially difficult when you’re not in your full faculties!
Mike Mignola and Chris Roberson expand the Hellboy universe with a new tale of deceit and danger. They’re joined by veteran artists Christopher Mitten and Ben Stenbeck, with colors by Michelle Madsen.
In case you didn’t already guess from the cover or the solicitation blurb, yes, this issue does indeed feature Yad Tovich, the werewolf hunter from “Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: Long Night at Goloski Station.” In that story he mentioned he was an old friend of Sir Edward’s and that the two would go drinking together, and here we see the two together.
Yad shows a very different side of himself in this story as he, Simon, and Sir Edward embark on a hunt for werewolves that’s more pub crawl than hunt. While ‘Long Night at Goloski Station’ hinted at Yad’s origins and what curse drove him, ‘The Silver Lantern Club’ #4 shows the reckless side of a man that’s over two hundred years old and cannot die. But we also get to see a different side of Sir Edward. It’s easy to see how an efficient hunter like Yad would’ve made such a strong impression on Sir Edward.
However, the reckless side of Yad that emerges here is not great for Sir Edward. He’s normally such an uptight fellow, and while he could stand to loosen up at times, the caution and focus that comes from being so uptight generally serves him well. Around Yad, however, he lets himself go completely. Sir Edward is always wrapped up in thoughts of consequences, and being around Yad that’s completely lifted off his shoulders—and Sir Edward handles it even more poorly than he holds his liquor.
And then, of course, there’s young Simon, who we get to see at two different times in his life. With Sir Edward and Yad, he’s shocked at their recklessness and trying to keep them to task, whereas with Hellboy and Trevor he’s all competitive bluster.
That’s the bones of the thing, but really it’s about the ride. The writing was on the wall back in issue #1. Sooner or later, ‘The Silver Lantern Club’ was always going to become a pub crawl tale. I would’ve been downright shocked if it hadn’t. I’ve mentioned before how I like Christopher Mitten’s storytelling through body language, but here he has to push that much further, often to cartoonish levels, without completely stepping outside the tone of a “Hellboy” story. It’s a fine line to walk and he does it well, especially in the last few pages of the book.
I also appreciated the way this story tells us a little more about werewolves in the Hellboy Universe, pointing out that there are different kinds and in turn different ways for dealing with each kind. It’s a small thing, but it’s the sort of detail that makes the world seem bigger and more unknowable, which is something I enjoy about these books.
In case you missed it, earlier this month a new series was announced, “The British Paranormal Society,” with the first miniseries, ‘Time Out of Mind’ kicking off in April. The miniseries is set to feature Simon Bruttenholm and Honora Grant as its leads. These two have showed up a few times in “Witchfinder,” but as background characters, and with more prominence in “Hellboy: The Silver Lantern Club.” While I don’t think “The British Paranormal Society” is going to pick up on plot threads from those stories, they do a lot to explore the characters, especially ‘The Silver Lantern Club.’ Really, all we’re doing from issue to issue is spending time with the characters, free from the usual burden of heavier subject matter. Considering that it looks like “The British Paranormal Society” series will be around for a few years to come, ‘The Silver Lantern Club,’ even though it feels light, is not without purpose. It shows a glimpse at the potential range of this upcoming series.
Continued belowOn a final note, I have to call out Mike Mignola and Christopher Mitten’s covers. Now that the fifth cover has been revealed, we can see Hellboy’s progression across all of them—what a perfect way to set the tone!
Final Verdict: 8 – This truly is the Silver Lantern Club at its most chaotic.
