“Koshchei in Hell” takes a detour from epic storytelling into something smaller in this third issue, and yet it loses none of its impact. Mike Mignola and Ben Stenbeck continue to take this story beyond our expectations. Read on for our spoiler-filled review.
Written by Mike MignolaCover by Ben Stenbeck
Illustrated by Ben Stenbeck
Colored by Dave Stewart
Lettered by Clem RobinsKoshchei uncovers a plan to release a long-hiding evil that seeks power over Hell. An unlikely companion, possibly the last demon in Hell, could be either a friend or a foe.
Mark Tweedale: At the end of the last issue, both of us were left wondering where “Koshchei in Hell” could go next. Interestingly, the place it goes next is simply the next natural step—Pluto’s return has been prevented, so now Koshchei has to deal with those that gave him power in the first place.
There’s a long-standing trope, especially in fantasy and science-fiction, where when a major villain is defeated, their army is immediately defeated or incapacitated or eradicated somehow. It’s so prevalent, I didn’t even realize how invisibly it had wormed its way into my reading of “Koshchei in Hell” to the point that it obscured the obvious. And I get why the trope exists, because dealing with minions inherently has lower stakes; it’s a trope born out of convenience.
That said, I like that “Koshchei in Hell” explores this particular avenue. More importantly, I like how interesting and fun it is.
James Dowling: Absolutely. We get to see the new political ‘game’ of Hell has formed. Now that the usual courtroom squabbles of Satan and his demons are essentially over, we have these last factions of Pluto’s followers scheming in the background, which helps strengthen my hunch that Pluto isn’t done for just yet.
I also like how this showed a new facet to the ‘architecture’ of Hell. Obviously the witches would congregate somewhere more fitting the ancient Greek styling of their master, but it definitely gave the conflict a new vibe compared to what we’re used to. Even Koshchei and the last demon’s adventure on the beach at the beginning of the issue felt like a great expansion, one that sold the little anecdote of this family in service of witchcraft and the demon forever in service of them. It was a nice microcosm foil to the plot we would see later in the issue.
One last thing I really loved about the idea of Koshchei fighting minions, as you put it, was how it highlights just how indomitable he is. There’s almost no back and forth when Koshchei fights, he gets overwhelmed, he learns what he’s up against, and then he simply slaughters. It’s all muscle reflex for him, with no morality or confusion in the way. There’s always the point made of just how much he has lived, but this kind of conflict sells that more than most monologues would. Even his choice to take a simple ax over any magic weapon he could find speaks to this. He’s working his hardest to live an uncomplicated life, even if that means fighting and slaughtering with simple tools.
Mark: Yes, Koshchei has a real workman-like approach to slaughter. I found this issue felt much more like the “Koshchei the Deathless” miniseries than the last two issues, which felt much more like “Hellboy in Hell.” In part, I think it’s those aspects that you mentioned above, but I think it also evokes the folktale-esque quality of his first miniseries, especially everything with his demon companion. That little guy was great. Mignola and Stenbeck made it plain right away that this guy was treacherous, yet somehow he’s such an engaging character to watch. And it’s a fascinating aspect of Koshchei’s personality that he knowingly goes along with this guy out of curiosity.
As you say, Koshchei has lived a long time, and in some ways that works to his advantage, but here we see how he is his own worst enemy. I actually burst out laughing when the little demon called out to the witches where Koshchei was hiding. Koshchei’s face at that moment was pure gold.
Continued belowJames: You’re right that this absolutely feels like a more folkloric entry in the series. It presents us with a more clear “moral to the story” than the prior two issues (the moral essentially being fuck around with witchcraft and find out about the eternal hurt coming your way), and even the pacing and preoccupation makes this feel more like the classic fable that “Koshchei the Deathless” gave readers. To me the balance of contemplative characters with big designs and creature design made this feel like one of the closest “Hellboy” comic stories to the Guillermo del Toro movies to me. I absolutely adored the demon too, and it was his design that made me first feel that synergy. He feels ripped straight out of Hellboy: The Golden Army from his obvious conniving to his quippy betrayals.
This really does feel like a clear progression from the previous issue, because where that fed us a very epic and singular story, this is a continuation that feeds you a great balance of all its influences. Speaking of that continuation, how do you think your theories coming out of the last issue have held up here?
Mark: I’m actively trying not to have theories because I just want to enjoy the ride. That said, it sort of happens automatically at times anyway. Like after the demon in the bottle showed up, I was determined not to think about who it could be. . . and a day later I had a laundry list of candidates, so I threw up my hands and just went with it. It was pretty fun theorizing with other readers.
I know that leading up to this series, I was expecting big, world changing stuff, especially because the solicitations for issues #3 and #4 seemed determined to say as little as possible. But we kind of got all that out of the way by the end of #2. Maybe there’s something still coming in #4, but I like the shift away from what Koshchei has to do to save the world, to something smaller and more personal as we focus on Koshchei himself instead.
If you want to up the stakes from “this could end the world,” there’s usually only two ways you can go: “this could end the galaxy (or something else bigger than the world)” or go to a personal place. And nine times out of ten, I prefer the latter.
James: That image at the end is so perfect and really summarized those intensely personal stakes for me. Koschei can’t die, so they drop him in the ocean and we watch him shrink in scope, he has to become crippled and microscopic, lost to the world and to Hell, even if that means a part of him is still lingering around.
Mark: I have to say, the return of Igor Bromhead was a great moment for me. The last time we saw him was at the end of “Hellboy: Darkness Calls,” when he was mercy killed by Hellboy, and as he died, he had a vision of Hellboy in Hell riding a dragon. To find him in Hell as one of Pluto’s servants makes so much sense for the character, and his end here was very fitting.
I also couldn’t help but smile to myself to see that he had found his people, so to speak. All those witches that sought power for their own glory and in the process have twisted themselves into something other than human.
James: Yeah, he and Rasputin have just about the best capacity to pop up again despite the odds, worthy nominees for the Golden Cockroach award. I think a lot of this issue really works in how it challenges Koshchei to grapple with Hellboy’s legacy in a Hell that’s been irreparably changed by our demi-devil hero. It’s only natural that Igor would pop up in that dirty laundry pile
Mark: Before we go, I want to quickly touch on Bromhead’s vision of Hellboy riding a dragon in Hell, holding his father’s sword, and leading the Army of Hell. It’s a vision that has popped up time and time again, and yet it never happened in Hellboy’s life. You could perhaps chalk this up to something that Mignola maybe had a plan for, but that it didn’t work out, and so he abandoned it. . . except that I don’t think that’s the case at all, because even after Hellboy’s end with Hecate, Mignola continues to remind us about this vision. Here, with Igor Bromhead returning, we are distantly reminded of it, but in “Castle Full of Blackbirds” it gets a full page. Whether this vision is ultimately a symbolic or literal or something else entirely, Mignola keeps purposely reminding us about it, so it is still very much in play.
Continued belowJames: I’ve always seen it as this epitome of the Anung-Un-Rama half to him, that’s the kind of prophetic extreme that embodies the Hell-driven apocalypse we never saw, because it was superseded by the Ragnarok we saw. I do like it as this constant image that is always clear in the minds of us the readers, and for the characters, making it that much more clear to Hellboy that he has to change fully to avoid it.
With the final issue of “Koshchei in Hell” releasing next month, I’m really excited to see if we’re treated to one more reckoning with Hellboy’s loose ends, or if it will wholly dealing with Koshchei’s identity and using this descent as an homage to “Hellboy in Hell.” Either way it’s sure to be a hit. Holding up the insanely strong benchmark of this series, I’m giving this a 9/10.
Mark: Same. Given the way this issue ends, with Koshchei being swallowed by a creature in the Abyss, I can’t help but be conscious of how the same thing once happened to Sir Edward Grey and how it led to a huge transformation point as a character. Ultimately, “Koshchei in Hell” will be collected with “Sir Erdward Grey: Acheron,” which made a point of reminding readers of this moment. Since “Koschei in Hell” #3 is pointedly invoking this, I can’t help but have very high standards for the final issue. If Mignola and Stenbeck stick the landing, this could end up being among my all-time favorite Hellboy Universe stories.
Final Verdict: 9 – “Koshchei in Hell” #3 slants away from the Hell-shaping stakes of the prior two issues without losing any momentum, presenting a personal and folkloric look at service and mortality.
