The Hellboy films were a great source of inspiration to me (I'm a writer). I've thoroughly enjoyed both the films and the animated adventures, and I love the way the cast brought the characters to life. Yet despite this, I'd never read the Hellboy comics, even though I was well-aware of their existence. This was my first experience with the series, and I was very happy with it.
The art isn't quite was I was expecting. If you've seen the movies, you'll know Hellboy seems rather human-like, whereas the comics make him out like something more of an ape. At the same time, Abe Sapien, who was slender and athletic in the movie, is a bit bulkier here; only Liz seems to have the most resemblance to her movie counterpart. Not that these changes bothered me, but they were kind of different to what I was already accustomed to. The BPRD's tech also seems to be a bit more sci-fi-ish, with the team sporting jetpacks and the like.
As for the style, it's very unlike other comics I've read (note: I don't usually read comics unless they're limited series), such as Marvel's Civil War and The Ultimates; these use bright colors and flesh out what sometimes seems as excessive detail (see Ultimates 2's Giant Man newspaper clipping), Hellboy seems to focus on dark colors without an emphasis on detail. It feels somewhat minimalistic, but it's not a detraction; where the aforementioned comics seem to favor art over story, this one takes both into account, creating a better comic book experience than much of the others I've exposed myself to.
Story-wise, the movies take cues from the series, which I enjoyed noticing (Ünmensch and Mr Wink); there's enough differences in both to classify them as separate entities, but enough similarities to label them as part of the same franchise (unlike other adaptations, which bastardize their source material).
Enough with the movie comparisons though, let's get to the story. The first story, Wake the Devil, was much more enjoyable than I was expecting. After getting used to the characters' differences in appearance, I discovered that most of the personalities that made me enjoy the movies (save for Abe Sapien. I should stop now) were still there, especially Hellboy's humor (except him saying 'oh crap.' Okay, now I'll stop). The story was presented in a fast-paced way, but it still gave us enough of a breather to absorb the information at our own pace. I didn't feel at any point lost in the story. Wake the Devil was not as solid (personal taste, really) but it was also enjoyable; the humor in both stories was pretty dark, especially Hellboy's. The funny thing is, I read pretty much everything he said in Ron Perlman's voice; by the time I was done, I wasn't really sure if Hellboy had been made for Perlman, or the other way around.
The second one wasn't as enjoyable though, but it was mostly personal taste reasons. First, I felt like it wasn't as tightly written as the other one. Things seemed to be happening at random, and there were some parts I felt were just filler. The ending itself pushed my suspension of disbelief in more ways than one, and I was skeptical if there was really any effort put into the execution. Even so, it was still beyond what I usually expect in comic books, and I closed the book thinking 'money well-spent.'
What I really enjoyed most though were the concept art sketches after both stories were finished. There's an entire section devoted to black and white pre-hellboy sketches, including characters that made it into the comics, characters that were modified for the comics, etc; this was perhaps my favorite part, as it explains both the origin of the sketches, their intended purpose, and whether they eventually evolved into a character or were scrapped altogether. I usually love concept art more than the final art itself, so this part was delicious eye-candy for me.
To conclude, this collected edition is a great buy, both for Hellboy movie and comic book fans. The storytelling and writing is top notch (even if it gets a bit farfetched at times) the art work is beautiful, and the special features at the end are like icing on a cake. I would definitely keep on reading the series.
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Reviews with images
The true hero of 2020!!!
I am a sucker for anything with superior packaging and presentation and with that said Hellboy Library Edition Volume One from Dark Horse can teach a thing or two to Marvel and DC. I truly wish more titles were presented in this quality hardcover format painstakingly made with attention to detail and true love for the subject matter. Yes, I know that there are some out there but most will run you over a hundred bucks. For thirty dollars not only did I purchase a quality hardcover tome I can display with pride but Mike Mignola’s art and the story hooked me right in and provided me with a couple of afternoons happily exploring the Hellboy Universe. The Gothic and Victorian themes paired with Mignola’s art made this truly an exceptional start to my Hellboy collection. If you are a perfectionist I would advise you to handle the clothbound cover carefully as unfortunately it is easily marked. I dusted off my grimy prints after I took the photos and it was just as good as new. Purchased volumes 2 & 5 but left them in plastic until I have the time to read them. I also made a bust of our hero out of celluclay and sculpey to guard my collection if that doesn't scare you I don't know what will.
Top reviews from other countries
Miguel Angel Rule Alvarado
De lo mejor que hay en hardcovers
Reviewed in Mexico on March 3, 2020
Lawrence Teixeira
A melhor edição de uma HQ que eu já vi
Reviewed in Brazil on August 28, 2017
Lawrence Teixeira
Reviewed in Brazil on August 28, 2017
A capa dura é recorta com pano. Sim, isso mesmo: pano! As folhas são bem grossas, com qualidade impecável.
Mas todo esse luxo se torna pequeno diante da arte e da história dessa hq, feitos com maestria pelo Mignola.
Se você pensa em uma HQ para guardar por toda vida, essa HQ é essa: você a guardará como quem guarda um tesouro!
Images in this review
Melkau
Une présentation luxueuse pour découvrir l'univers de Hellboy et les personnages qui le peuplent
Reviewed in France on January 29, 2018