Customer Reviews

Hellboy Book And Figure Boxed Set

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Mike Mignola and John Bryne's story and art are absolutely cinematic. This is far from the childhood experience of simple DC superhero comics. This draws you into a rich, believable, fully fleshed out world drawn in frames which use every camera angle possible from the widest of wide angles to the eye-to-bloodshot-eye closeup. The stories are darkly, subtly, masterfully colored. It dignifies the medium.

Anton Brzezinski

Author of VIRTUAL PLEASURES

Near the end of World War II, the evil Rasputin summoned a creature from another world -- a little red demon baby.

And so starts Mike Mignola's distinctly offbeat "Hellboy Volume 1: Seed of Destruction," an eerie action/fantasy with a bright-red demon as its anti-hero. Mignola happily crams this rather brief tale with Lovecraftian horrors, a crumbling cursed mansion and a truly malevolent villain who wants to destroy the world. And the "book and figure" boxed set is a primo example of what collectors want.

Decades after Hellboy was summoned into this world, his adoptive father Professor Bruttenholm recounts what little he can remember of a doomed expedition to the north pole, along with the three Cavendish brothers. Then a grotesque frog creature attacks Bruttenholm, killing him instantly -- moments before Hellboy returns the favor.

Soon after, Hellboy and his companions Abe Sapien (fish-man) and Liz Sherman (pyrokinetic) arrive at cursed Cavendish Manor, unaware that the mansion's owner is in league with Rasputin. Then ghastly frog-creatures kidnap Liz and attack Hellboy, as Rasputin reveals his presence to the demon/man that he considers his servant.

And if Hellboy will not serve him, then Rasputin intends to use Liz's power to unleash a horrifying evil on the world....

"Seed of Destruction" is basically the springboard for the Hellboy graphic novel series (particularly as it reveals Hellboy's background and supposed destiny), and it's also the briefest -- virtually all the action takes place in the course of an hour or two. It's only real flaw is that Rasputin's drawn-out monologues tend to slow the plot down -- there's a LOT of exposition.

But for all that, it's a pretty wild ride. Mignola's rough, shadowy art matches the overall tone of the story, starting as a straightforward horror/suspense story before rapidly escalating into an all-out war on the lakeside. And there are some poignant moments as well, such as Hellboy's tragic final meeting with his adoptive father, or Abe's glimpse of the frogmen cradling the mother they killed.

And Mignola is pretty clearly a huge H.P. Lovecraft fan -- the story takes place in a cursed lakeside house, with a tentacled monster and mutated frog-beasts that were once human. And the Ogru Jahad only add to that impression -- they're ancient, terrible creatures that apparently want to obliterate everything. For whatever reason.

Hellboy is the pivot of the whole adventure. And despite his scarlet skin, horns and cloven hooves, he's anything but devilish -- he's sarcastic, wry, hot-tempered and determined to keep the world from Rasputin's clutches. But he also has a gentler side that we see when he's dealing with the elderly Bruttenholm, as well as his teammates Abe and Liz.

This particular edition is pretty clearly aimed at collectors -- the graphic novel is beautifully bound in hardcover, and it comes with a Hellboy action figure. I'm not usually into action figures, but I have to say I like this one.

Full of action and grotesque creatures, "Hellboy, Vol. 1: Seed of Destruction" is a solid introduction to a decidedly unusual series. And here's hoping that the other Hellboy graphic novels get similar treatment -- hard cover and action figure.

A really nice combo with the hardcover (new cover) of book one with a small yet detailed figure...

I hope that Dark Horse continues this with the rest of the Hellboy series as it is something that the avid collector can appreciate....