I love Hellboy. I have a shelf of every Hellboy comic and book, including, I’m ashamed to say, action figures of him - even his Heroclix. I think all of the Hellboy stories are well written, comics or books, and have great illustrations, regardless of who wrote or drew them, be it Mike Mignola, Guy Davis, Christopher Golden, etc. I loved the first movie and the two animated films are great.
But after awhile, it’s starting to wear on me. The formula, that is. In the beginning of the Hellboy franchise, the story had a forward momentum wrapped around in uncovering Hellboy’s mysterious destiny. Things were happening to Hellboy, things that would permanently mark the character and progress the overall story. But it seems to me like a lot of these more recent stories are the same premise - take a myth, put Hellboy in it, and watch Hellboy beat the myth up. It’s a greatly appealing formula, and like I said, I like it, but what frustrates me is these fun formula stories are sidetracking the forward momentum of Hellboy’s ultimate story.
Granted, this story (set in 1958 Appalachian Mountains) was released due to the release of Hellboy 2, and the last Hellboy series Darkness Calls did further the main plot, but there aren’t enough comics essential to Hellboy’s story coming out on a regular basis. It frustrates me as a longtime fan that it appears as though the Hellboy stories are content to stay in the “plug n’ chug” mindset. B.P.R.D. has this forward momentum, but I, and many others, read that series because it ties into Hellboy.
While I just vented frustration about the franchise, don’t let that bad energy get to you. The Crooked Man miniseries is very well-written and engaging in this first issue, utilizing the mix of modernism and occult that makes Hellboy unique. It features more dialogue than most Hellboy comics, and introduces bizarre demons and a heroic sidekick. You’ve got witchcraft and the devil fighting Hellboy in a backwoods background. This would be an awesome story if only it mattered to Hellboy’s story!
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image courtesy Dark Horse
Matt Knicl: My name is Matt Knicl. I'm a U of I alumn and one of those unemployed English majors Garrison Keillor likes to make fun of. I've been reading comics since high school and one day I would like to write them. My goal is to expose readers to what is out there in the world of comics and using my English powers, show what is worth reading or not. I can be reached at buzz.comics@gmail.com.
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the217
Buzz Magazine
Matt Knicl
My name is Matt Knicl. I'm a U of I alumn and one of those unemployed English majors Garrison Keillor likes to make fun of. I've been reading comics since high school and one day I would like to write them. My goal is to expose readers to what is out there in the world of comics and using my English powers, show what is worth reading or not. I can be reached at buzz.comics@gmail.com.