Hellboy volume 3: The Chained Coffin and Others (tpb)

This volume consists of seven short stories originally published in Dark Horse Presents and other promotional publications. These shorts were originally published in black and white but for the first time have been colored exclusively for this collection. As with the previous volumes Mike Mignola handles all the artwork and writing.

Mignola showcases the range of his writing skills with this volume. The stories vary from laugh out loud funny to downright scary. A nice feature for this collection is the little introduction before each story. Mignola explains exactly which folktale inspired the story and how he adapted it into Hellboy’s world.  Each short story is highly entertaining but my personal favorite is Wolves of Saint August. It’s the story of a town plagued by a werewolf and Hellboy is sent to investigate.

The art as with previous volumes is once again stunning. Mignola’s stylized drawings could tell the story without words. I found myself flipping through the pages after I finished reading it just to further admire his artistic talents.

Another great collection with a very gothic-horror feel to it. If you’re a fan of folktales and mythology this is one not to be missed. Mignola delivers his always fantastic art along with some cleverly crafted tales. This volume is brought to us by Dark Horse Comics.