Baltimore : The Inquisitor (one shot)

After the devastating and extremely bloody events of Baltimore : The Curse Bells, writer and friend of Lord Baltimore, Monsieur Hodge is locked in a jail cell. Waiting to be released, he is visited by a holy man, but it’s hardly a social visit. Judge and inquisitor Andre Duvic is relentlessly persuing Lord Baltimore and means to extract information from Hodge and possibly save his soul by any means necessary. You just need the right tool for the right job.
 

The Team

Written by Mike Mignola (The Amazing Screw-On Head & Other Curious Objects, Witchfinder Vol. 2 : Lost & Gone Forever) & Christopher Golden (Baltimore Vol. 1 : The Plague Ships HC, Joe Golem & The Drowning City). Illustrated by Ben Stenbeck (Witchfinder : In The Service of Angels, Baltimore Vol. 2 : The Curse Bells HC) & coloured by Dave Stewart. Published by Dark Horse Comics.
 

The Pros & Cons

Another dark Baltimore adventure, but this time the story focuses on Baltimore’s ally, as the hunter becomes the hunted when Judge Duvic stalks him like one on the monsters Baltimore seeks. Haigus can wait. What follows is a conversation between Duvic and Hodge, as Duvic tells his origin story while preparing his torture tools. This is an interesting departure from the previous Baltimore stories, his obsessive pursuit of Haigus takes a backseat, as other character’s development bears fruit. Part of me feels sorry for Duvic’s past, but like a lot of characters blinded by religion, especially the inquisition, that pity quickly disappears.
 

The Outcome

Low on action, but high on plot, this story sets the stage for some exciting future issues. It’s not the best issue of Baltimore, not by a long shot, but it’s good enough.