Written by Mike Mignola
Illustrated by Scott HamptonHellboy is trapped in a dark basement littered with bones and small coffins, and the only way out is through the floating creature of death!
For the first time, Mike Mignola teams up with artist Scott Hampton (Batman, The Sandman Presents: Lucifier) for this gothic tale.
* Classic vampire horror!
* The exciting conclusion!
Anytime you get Hellboy, it’s a gift. It’s Mike Mignola doing what he does best, and this mini concludes here.
Find out what I thought after the jump.
Mike Mignola’s Hellboy and BPRD series’ are two of my absolute favorites out there, and this mini-series was a really good example of why. While BPRD has an ongoing story thread that progresses onwards and upwards with each mini-series, Hellboy has a tendency to meander and bulk up the character’s backstory amidst the ongoing thread of story that takes place in every other mini-series.
While this type of storytelling would be frustrating to your average reader who jumps in from superhero books, for a long time reader of Hellboy, it makes the whole experience all the better. Hellboy is a fantastic character, and reading his adventures throughout time from Mignola gives us a little more insight into the world Mignola is developing as well as giving him a chance to leap into different realms of the occult and folklore that interests him.
This one finds Hellboy squaring off against a nursery rhyme spouting vampire searching for vengeance. This main tale is at times filled with traditionally entertaining Hellboy fisticuffs, but when the story gets to its crescendo, we’re given a touching finale that is genuinely surprising.
There is also a secondary plot line featuring two agents of BPRD and Hellboy’s bait from the previous issue in the oddly awesome Ted. This storyline plays off all of the happenings in Hellboy’s one but brings a real level of funny to the book while also playing up the mystique behind BPRD’s feelings towards Hellboy. I’ve gotten a feeling recently that Hellboy will be making his way back to his former world sooner rather than later, the idea of redeveloping his relationship with BPRD throughout history is a clever one by Mignola.
Artist Scott Hampton is a real addition to the Mignolaverse, and his second issue is even stronger than the first. Whatever the intent of Mignola’s script is, Hampton can take that emotion and amplify its power. One thing I greatly enjoy about his art is the way his painterly style gives each scene an ethereal sheen. It’s beautiful work, and very impressive on all levels.
We’ve grown to expect nothing less than greatness from Mignola and his most famed character. Throw in gorgeous art from another one of the exceptional talents Mignola brings to the book, and we’ve got an all-in-all damn fine issue on our hands.
Final Verdict: 8.8 – Buy
