Baltimore: Wolf And Apostle #1

A wolf in Baltimore's night

Writer: Mike Mignola, Christopher Golden
Artist: Ben Stenbeck

Mignola, Stenbeck and Golden send Baltimore on a journey deep into a wolf's lair in the newest Baltimore comic, The Wolf and The Apostle.

The writing is solid, creepy and period-correct. Things I've always loved about Mignola and Baltimore even more so. There's a certain level of mystery entailed as you wonder exactly how this inquisitor telling his tale escaped the titular wolf at all. You also get a great sense of Baltimore's character and his sense of stern and valiant but scary justice when he says "I only kill monsters. Are you a monster?" in response to the ailing man's question about if Baltimore is there to kill him. There's tension, darkness and good horror elements all tied in. Ultimately, it doesn't feel like a story that NEEDS to be told, but it's still one I enjoy reading. 

Stenbeck is one of those artists that really understands Mignola's worlds, too. It's so minimal and telling, dark and fluid. Sure, it lacks the complexity of more intricate scenes you might see in BPRD or Lobster Johnson but, it's an enthralling and darkly fantastical world all on its own.

I'm not entirely convinced that a two issue story is the right fit for Baltimore or any Mignola comic because you miss out on the complexity and layers that I love so much in these and other works but, this one is certainly deep and rich enough to try.