graphic novels

I recently decided to review a couple of the graphic novels that I thought were the best I had read. This one popped into my head and was one of the handful that made the short list.

Mike Mignola's character, Hellboy, is a devil who works for the BPRD, an X-Files type organization dedicated to protecting the world from the paranormal. For his stories, Mignola draws deeply on mythology, the occult and folklore from around the world. Some characters are familiar, like the villain Rasputin or the mythological Baba Yaga. I had as much fun reading about the underlying myths as I did reading the actual stories.

If you have not read any Hellboy before, you may want to start with the first collection, Seed of Destruction. That being said, you really can't go wrong with this one. I think Mignola's real strength lies in his shorter stories, rather than the 4 or 5 issue ones. Here we have some of his best shorter work and I will say a bit about my two favorites. "The Iron Shoes" is a funny little story about a goblin that lives in a tower and attacks passers-by with his iron boots. Hellboy steps in to investigate. Not a long story and not much dialogue but I like its simplicity. "Almost Colossus" is another gem and tells the second part of the origin of one of Hellboy's partners at the BPRD. Great story from Norse Myths coupled with eye-popping art makes this one a winner. The remainder of the stories are equally good; these are just my personal preferences.

This collection of stories should not be missed by anyone who enjoys comics. Mignola's art is great to look at, somewhat stylized and uses heavy shadows and blacks. His dialogue is great too. Hellboy's dry, witty lines fit him like a glove. Overall a must read.

The art is wonderful. The coloring is stunning. The stories are highly entertaining. There is no reason for me to go on because the preceding reviews say it best - "Hellboy" is fabulous entertainment. If you have any interest in Graphic Novels or the comic medium then "Hellboy" needs to be on your bookshelf.

"Hellboy: The Chained Coffin and Others" is my favorite Hellboy compilation. As shown by HP Lovecraft and Edgar Allen Poe, the short story works well for horror. This book is a collection of Hellboy short stories.

Each story has roots in traditional fairy mythology combined with Lovecraftian overtones and just a splash of Nazi occultism. Magnolia has given his character Hellboy a very dry sense of humor, which works well in contrast to the talking corpses and various devils. The art is some of the finest seen in comics.

"The Corpse" and "The Iron Shoes" is a short fairy stories. Clever and fun with a nice nod to Celtic mythology.
"Christmas Underground" highlights Magnolia's wit.
"The Chained Coffin" is one of the best in the collection, showing the folly of loving the devil. It has some of the best dialog. "God? Was not I God in ancient Babylon?"
"The Baba Yaga" Always nice to see this ancient evil. Only available in this collection.
"Wolves of Saint August" is a werewolf tale, with a twist. Very good.
"Almost Colossus" adds a new member to the Hellboy cast.

I would say, if you are curious about Hellboy, this is the collection to start with. Every one a gem.