The latest addition to the myriad titles of the Hellboy Universe delves into the mystery surrounding the Black Flame.
Written by Mike Mignola and Chris RobersonCover by Laurence Campbell
Illustrated by Christopher Mitten
Colored by Dave Stewart
Lettered by Clem RobinsYoung girls are going missing from the cities of Siam, and the trail leads to the jungle hideout of a bloodthirsty cult wielding an ancient evil power—the Cult of the Black Flame.
Mark Tweedale: The Hellboy Universe is known for its big series, stories that span trade after trade after trade, but in the last few years we’ve seen the rise of series than span a single trade and that’s it: “Sledgehammer 44,” “Frankenstein Underground,” and now “Rise of the Black Flame” (and there are more planned for the future too). The ‘one and done’ nature of these stories makes for a different reading experience. On the surface, they seem almost a bit disconnected from the rest of the Hellboy Universe (especially since the main characters are so new to readers), but dig a little deeper and they often end up being some of the most connected stories—in the case of “Frankenstein Underground,” I found connections to every major series.
“Rise of the Black Flame” continues this tradition. This is the story of Sergeant Geoffrey McAllister and Constable A.N. Sandhu, two characters we’ve never met before, and yet through their eyes we’ll be exploring some of the biggest mysteries in the Hellboy Universe: the Black Goddess and the Black Flame.
Mike Romeo: I don’t know if it’s my own perception, but whenever new characters turn up in these types of stories I always feel like they’ve been there the whole time. Not necessarily that I’ve seen them before, more like I just haven’t met them. I’d guess that it’s because of the type of subtle story seeding that goes on, like when McAllister makes reference to witnessing Edward Grey in the field.
Back when “Frankenstein Underground” launched I had a suspicion that there’d be some winks and nudges when it came to the wider universe, but once it became obvious how tightly the series was to the grander narrative, it altered my entire perception of the title. In contrast, “Rise of the Black Flame” immediately conjures memories of stories past, which led me to suppose that this’d be a between-the-raindrops type of story. Familiar faces and places explored from another perspective, right?
So with that said, I was surprised by the new faces and locations in this first issue. Or, at least, I don’t recall Siam (Thailand) ever acting as a theater for the action of a series. Which leads me to something worth saying: you’re way more familiar with the minutia of this world, so please don’t hesitate to go deep when need be. I, and the reader, will surely appreciate it!
Mark: Well, Siam is a significant location because the first Black Flame, Raimund Diestel in the 1930s and 1940s, had a Siamese wife, Kamala. You remember her? She was the one that could bring the Black Flame back to life by singing… kind of like the way the frog monsters turned Landis Pope into the Black Flame by chanting.
I’m pretty certain we’ll be seeing a younger Kamala in this tale before it’s done. Also, I expect the connection between the Black Flame and the Black Goddess is finally going to be explored.
As for the main characters, Sandhu has kind of been referenced before. There’s a Dr. Sandhu working at the B.P.R.D. in the 1950s. Perhaps this adventure inspires a family interest in the occult. The rest of the cast, we’ll have to talk about at great length in the spoiler section.
Like “Frankenstein Underground,” this story seems packed with connections, and yet it remains very accessible. If you get the references, that’s great, if you don’t, it won’t affect your experience negatively at all.
What’s really fascinating is the way it referenced stories we haven’t read yet. This is something “Hellboy” used to do quite a bit, where a story would be casually mentioned, but the story hasn’t even been written yet. “Hellboy: Into the Silent Sea” is a good example of this. The story was originally referenced in “Hellboy: The Storm” in 2010 and yet it’s not coming out until April 2017. This story is setting up so much.
Continued belowMike: Alright, I know I’m eager to hop into spoiler territory, but let’s dig into the art a little before we do. I was astonished by how perfectly Christopher Mitten fit into this world, and to do it in his own voice. So often, when a new artist enters the fold, it seem that there’s an effort, not always a conscious one, to do it like Mignola, or to do it like Davis. I mean, it must only be natural, right? Those are the guys who put so much of this all together, so of course they’re going to cast some long shadows.
But then we’ve got Mitten coming in, seeing the opportunity to carve out something new, and really going for it. I was struck by how he’s able to balance gestural figures with really beautifully rendered backgrounds and environments. Some of his settings, particularly the pages taking place in Burma, were absolutely a pleasure to read. His attention to props and architecture forced me to linger for a long while on those pages.
And to get back to the gestural stuff I mentioned earlier, I’m in awe of Mitten’s confidence. The way he’s able to convey form and anatomy seemingly without labor leaves me envious. Now, if anyone’s ever heard or read my feelings on Mike Mignola’s art, you know that I will waste no time in getting to how he uses gesture a lot, too. So, at this point, if you’ve never seen Mitten’s work, it might sound like they’re similar in style. But that couldn’t be farther from the truth!
I think that the way Mignola uses gestures is all about the shape. What symbols can he make, and how can one shape’s proximity to another change its meaning, stuff like that. But Mitten, on the other hand, does all of his gesturing in the line. He creates these interesting, sometimes complicated contour lines that read like figures and anatomy. Take the following for example:
Here we see a hand holding a hat, this fingertips dipping into some of its recesses. But a closer examination reveals a type of trickery, as the lines made on paper seem almost too simple on their own to convey what should be an intricate bit of illustration. Every line break, every intersection helps Mitten build figures in a way that feels effortless. I’ve read the guy’s work before, but I can’t say that he’s ever looked better than this.
But that was a long and lofty rant. What’d you think of the art in this issue?
Mark: You articulated that so much better than I could have. I agree on all points. I do wish to further point out his acting and staging though. When you break this issue down, the major action beats are in flashbacks. The leads spend most of their time in conversation. And yet that was the stuff I found the most compelling. Mitten is really good at showing power dynamics in a conversation and how they shift. His eyelines are excellent and he uses that to powerful effect when a character shifts their gaze from one subject to another. He knows when to change the panel composition for effect and when to keep a series of panels static to draw attention to body language.
And there are lots of little cues I like. McAllister and Sandhu are drinking from identical mugs at point, and the yet the way they handle those mugs suggest different attitudes. Mitten likes props and knows how to use them. I can’t overstate how important this stuff is when introducing new characters. It makes them feel so immediate. They leap of the page. There’s no mistaking who they are and what it would feel like to be in their presence.
Mike: All excellent points. I hadn’t even noticed the thing with the mugs, and it added a new dimension to things. I love that sort of stuff; it’s not a monumental realization that two people hold their mugs in different ways, but it helps make the relationship, conversation and everything around it feel just a little more realized. Even if you don’t pick up on it consciously, it’s body language so we’re conditioned to understand it without thought, right?
Continued belowAnd speaking of eyelines, I particularly enjoy the one above the panel with the mugs. Jewell is looking off in the distance like she’s looking for her thoughts in the room somewhere, while her partner LaFleur is fixed back in the conversation. It gives me the impression of one being a little lofty in thought while the other is attentive and perceptive. This is the sort of character moment that, if spoken aloud on panel, would feel heavy handed. But Mitten is able to speak small volumes in a single passing moment, letting the reader learn about who these people are, instead of simply being told.
So, brass tacks time. Let’s get to spoilers!
I’ll play LaFleur for this part, and let you get things rolling.
Mark: For a while now I’ve been seeing these sad posts online about the Hellboy Universe ending: “Hellboy in Hell” is over, “Abe Sapien” is over, “B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth” is ending in November, and even “Lobster Johnson” is showing early signs of coming to its end.
But the Hellboy Universe itself is definitely not ending any time soon. “Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.” is going strong and “Abe Sapien” ends only to reconnect with “B.P.R.D.” in the next big story cycle for the series. Yes, many series are ending, but they make way for new ones—and this issue hints at what they could be. There are so many story threads here that could be entire series. It boggles the mind.
In our review for “Witchfinder: City of the Dead” #1, we already spoke about Chris Roberson clearly has a passion for Sir Edward Grey, and this issue further cements this passion. Not only does it tease more “Witchfinder” stories, but it also hints as other series that may perhaps be waiting in the wings. A “Silver Lantern Club” series would be incredible—I can see it functioning as both a wholly new series and as a continuation of “Witchfinder” after his career as an agent for Queen Victoria comes to an end.
It also appears to be teasing an “Adventures of Sarah Jewell” series to the point that this issue almost feels like a backdoor pilot. You can’t tell me we’re not going to see more of her and Marie-Thérèse LaFleur, and let me tell you, I would LOVE to read that book. So much. Drawn by Christopher Mitten. Someone please tell me that is happening.
My overwhelming reaction to all of this is, ‘Yes, sign me up for more!’
Mike: That’s a nice way to describe Jewell’s appearance in the issue. The moment she appeared on panel she stole the show, making me feel like everything to that point was just a wind up to this introduction. She’s incredibly self-assured, but doesn’t come off as cocky. I think this is because she’s written with a sort of whimsy that keeps her language from becoming braggadocious.
It was also nice to see Robinson’s obvious affection for Edward Grey reflected in Jewell’s recounting of their adventures together. It was almost as if he were saying aloud some of the things that could happen in a Sarah Jewell solo series. Which, like you, I’d expect to see happen. Preferably sometime soon.
To shift topics a bit, at this point we’re supposed to think that the missing Burmese girl is Kamala, right? And that’s who we saw at the end of the opening montage?
Mark: Possibly. Though I think there may a chance we’ll go through this story without meeting Kamala at all. Mignola’s been pretty good at avoiding the connecting-things-just-because sickness of George Lucas. In past books he’s only hit connections hard when it serves the story to do so. Given I know so little about the Black Flame’s origins and 1920s Burma and Siam, I’ve no idea where this story is going.
But I hope she’s Kamala. Honestly, I’m enjoying being in the dark with this story. I didn’t know what would be in store or what to expect with this issue, and I got a real kick out of discovering it.
Anything more you want to add before we throw a grade on this one?
Mike: No, I think I’m ready! This issue was solid, with some really exceptional character work and plenty of astounding art. This is the the kind of start I always hope for in a comic, and the team behind it really delivered. Let’s call it an 8.
Mark: 8 sounds good to me.
Final verdict: 8. An excellent start to an intriguing new series.
