Hellboy In Hell #1

A demon returns home. After Nimue’s ghost rips out Hellboy’s heart from his chest (see Hellboy Vol. 12 : The Storm and The Fury), B.P.R.D.’s most famous agent plunges into the darkest pits of Hell. The bottomless abyss is swarming with giant bug like creatures and one particular individual seeking sweet revenge on a one eyed Hellboy for putting him in his current predicament.

The Team

Written, created & illustrated by Mike Mignola. Coloured by Dave Stewart. Published by Dark Horse Comics. #1 (of 4)

The Pros & Cons

Hellboy is back in a big way, but this time his adventure begins in hell. It’s also the return of creator Mike Mignola as writer & penciller, not since Hellboy Vol. 6 : Strange Places has Mignola contributed as both writer & illustrator, so this a real treat for fans. After recapping the ending of The Storm & The Fury, Hellboy falls to Hell and crash lands among monsters & bag guys who are out for his head (what else is new?). Even dead, one-eyed & heartless, his enemies still want a piece of him. The story really begins from here. A mysterious & friendly spirit helps Hellboy and guides him out of perdition for unknown purposes, all we know as the reader, is that somehow Hellboy’s role on earth is far from over.

Here’s the thing about Mike Mignola’s writing: He makes you work for the stories, often there are copious amounts of metaphors & the characters speak in quotes & passages which doesn’t always paint a clear picture of what exactly is going on. Having said that, I do love a challenge and I find that if you go back and reread some earlier Hellboy trades, you might find something you might have overlooked the first time. As an illustrator, I’m stating the obvious here, Mignola’s drawings are always a sight for sore eyes, with the assistance of colourist Dave Stewart, the images take you to a beautiful & gothic place which has made the Hellboy series what it is today. And you gotta love the big Jack Kirbyesque lettering. My only complaint is the rendition of the hammer wielding Eligos from Hellboy Vol. 9 : The Wild Hunt, he doesn’t look right. Personally I prefer Duncan Fegredo’s version. There’s also an interesting “A Christmas Carol” moment that may or may not play into the story’s direction. Christmas is only 20 days away after all. Lately, with the B.P.R.D. series, we were treated with variant Mignola covers as part of the “Year of the Monsters” theme, but this time there are 2 Mignola variants and I can’t decide which is cooler, so I’m forced to get both. Damn you Mignola!

The Outcome

Now I did enjoy this new issue, but I find that with the Hellboy series and also the B.R.R.D., they’re a better read as a whole, like a TPB or HC instead of individual issues. So either I purchase the comics individually and don’t read them until the mini series is done or I wait for the TPB. Which ever you decide, make sure you do not miss this series or you’ll go to hell as well, condemned to a tortured afterlife with nothing but Archie comics to read.