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Hellboy
Hellboy, Vol. 12: The Storm and the Fury
Mike Mignola and Duncan Fegredo conclude their epic collaboration that began in 2007''s Darkness Calls - a saga that changes everything for Hellboy In The Storm and the Fury, Hellboy cuts a deal with the devious Baba Yaga that may secure the survival of mankind in this follow-up to 2009''s lauded Hellboy: The Wild Hunt. But when war ensues between the forces of good and evil, Hellboy must finally confront the Queen of Blood in a battle which will set the stage for a new chapter in Hellboy''s life
176 pages, Paperback
First published March 7, 2012
13 people are currently reading
1175 people want to read
About the author
Mike Mignola
1,863 books2,530 followersMike Mignola was born September 16, 1960 in Berkeley, California and grew up in nearby Oakland. His fascination with ghosts and monsters began at an early age (he doesn't remember why) and reading Dracula at age 13 introduced him to Victorian literature and folklore from which he has never recovered.
In 1982, hoping to find a way to draw monsters for a living, he moved to New York City and began working for Marvel Comics, first as a (very terrible) inker and then as an artist on comics like Rocket Raccoon, Alpha Flight and The Hulk. By the late 80s he had begun to develop his signature style (thin lines, clunky shapes and lots of black) and moved onto higher profile commercial projects like Cosmic Odyssey (1988) and Gotham by Gaslight (1989) for DC Comics, and the not-so-commercial Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser (1990) for Marvel. In 1992, he drew the comic book adaptation of the film Bram Stoker's Dracula for Topps Comics.
In 1993, Mike moved to Dark Horse comics and created Hellboy, a half-demon occult detective who may or may not be the Beast of the Apocalypse. While the first story line (Seed of Destruction, 1994) was co-written by John Byrne, Mike has continued writing the series himself. There are, at this moment, 13 Hellboy graphic novel collections (with more on the way), several spin-off titles (B.P.R.D., Lobster Johnson, Abe Sapien and Witchfinder), three anthologies of prose stories, several novels, two animated films and two live-action films staring Ron Perlman. Hellboy has earned numerous comic industry awards and is published in a great many countries.
Mike also created the award-winning comic book The Amazing Screw-on Head and has co-written two novels (Baltimore, or, the Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire and Joe Golem and the Drowning City) with best-selling author Christopher Golden.
Mike worked (very briefly) with Francis Ford Coppola on his film Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992), was a production designer on the Disney film Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) and was visual consultant to director Guillermo del Toro on Blade II (2002), Hellboy (2004) and Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008). He lives somewhere in Southern California with his wife, daughter, a lot of books and a cat.
In 1982, hoping to find a way to draw monsters for a living, he moved to New York City and began working for Marvel Comics, first as a (very terrible) inker and then as an artist on comics like Rocket Raccoon, Alpha Flight and The Hulk. By the late 80s he had begun to develop his signature style (thin lines, clunky shapes and lots of black) and moved onto higher profile commercial projects like Cosmic Odyssey (1988) and Gotham by Gaslight (1989) for DC Comics, and the not-so-commercial Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser (1990) for Marvel. In 1992, he drew the comic book adaptation of the film Bram Stoker's Dracula for Topps Comics.
In 1993, Mike moved to Dark Horse comics and created Hellboy, a half-demon occult detective who may or may not be the Beast of the Apocalypse. While the first story line (Seed of Destruction, 1994) was co-written by John Byrne, Mike has continued writing the series himself. There are, at this moment, 13 Hellboy graphic novel collections (with more on the way), several spin-off titles (B.P.R.D., Lobster Johnson, Abe Sapien and Witchfinder), three anthologies of prose stories, several novels, two animated films and two live-action films staring Ron Perlman. Hellboy has earned numerous comic industry awards and is published in a great many countries.
Mike also created the award-winning comic book The Amazing Screw-on Head and has co-written two novels (Baltimore, or, the Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire and Joe Golem and the Drowning City) with best-selling author Christopher Golden.
Mike worked (very briefly) with Francis Ford Coppola on his film Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992), was a production designer on the Disney film Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) and was visual consultant to director Guillermo del Toro on Blade II (2002), Hellboy (2004) and Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008). He lives somewhere in Southern California with his wife, daughter, a lot of books and a cat.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 214 reviews
February 10, 2019
This actually picks up directly after Hellboy, Vol. 9: The Wild Hunt. Volumes 10 and 11 were short story collections. It all culminates here. All of the elements laid out since Seed of Destruction lead to a final battle between Hellboy and the Dragon. It's epic, bloody, and enthralling. I love how interconnected the Mignolaverse is, with one thing leading to another. Going back and rereading the series, it was just as good as the first time.
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September 2, 2012
WOW.
Just... WOW.
Do you love Norse mythology? BAM! Hellboy's got you covered.
Do you love Celtic mythology? BAM! Hellboy's got you covered.
Do you love Russian & Slavic mythology? BAM! Hellboy's got you covered.
Do you love Arthurian legends? BAM! Hellboy's got you covered.
Do you love the works of H.P. Lovecraft? BAM! Hellboy's got you covered.
Do you love Jewish & Christian apocalyptics? BAM! Hellboy's got you covered.
All in one volume. All in one story. And that story changes EVERYTHING for Hellboy, changes EVERYTHING for us as readers. The next title by Mignola will be called "Hellboy in Hell" (and Mignola will be the writer AND artist once more!) which should give you some idea of what's next, but once more...WOW.
PS: We learn how Hellboy spent his time between stories after leaving the B.P.R.D, and the answer is DRUNK.
Just... WOW.
Do you love Norse mythology? BAM! Hellboy's got you covered.
Do you love Celtic mythology? BAM! Hellboy's got you covered.
Do you love Russian & Slavic mythology? BAM! Hellboy's got you covered.
Do you love Arthurian legends? BAM! Hellboy's got you covered.
Do you love the works of H.P. Lovecraft? BAM! Hellboy's got you covered.
Do you love Jewish & Christian apocalyptics? BAM! Hellboy's got you covered.
All in one volume. All in one story. And that story changes EVERYTHING for Hellboy, changes EVERYTHING for us as readers. The next title by Mignola will be called "Hellboy in Hell" (and Mignola will be the writer AND artist once more!) which should give you some idea of what's next, but once more...WOW.
PS: We learn how Hellboy spent his time between stories after leaving the B.P.R.D, and the answer is DRUNK.
October 15, 2017
This is it, the conclusion of Hellboy's tale (if you don't count Hellboy in Hell, which acts as a sort of extended epilogue). The story follows directly from Hellboy, Vol. 9: The Wild Hunt, because the two volumes in between are collections of short stories. But what can I say about The Storm and the Fury? I think it's perfect. It's an incredibly crafted book that does justice to the entire series. This may be the most emotional volume out of all twelve, as all the various plots finally fall into place and everything converges. It's hard not to spoil anything, so I'll just say that among comic books, Hellboy has one of the best endings that I've read.
It's funny to realise now that I really wasn't that into Hellboy when I was first reading the series. I was slowly getting into it from volume 6 onward, but after finishing the entire series for the first time, it sort of stayed with me. I kept thinking about it, kept coming back to its universe through other series (like BPRD — love it!), and now I'm hard-pressed to find a Hellboy universe comic that I don't like. Now I can confidently say that Hellboy is one of my favourite comics ever, and I would recommend it to anyone and everyone.
First read: October 31, 2015
Rating: ★★★★★
Second read: October 15, 2017
Rating: ★★★★★
It's funny to realise now that I really wasn't that into Hellboy when I was first reading the series. I was slowly getting into it from volume 6 onward, but after finishing the entire series for the first time, it sort of stayed with me. I kept thinking about it, kept coming back to its universe through other series (like BPRD — love it!), and now I'm hard-pressed to find a Hellboy universe comic that I don't like. Now I can confidently say that Hellboy is one of my favourite comics ever, and I would recommend it to anyone and everyone.
First read: October 31, 2015
Rating: ★★★★★
Second read: October 15, 2017
Rating: ★★★★★
March 16, 2012
And so we come to the end
Picking up from “Volume 9: The Wild Hunt” (Vols 10 and 11 were collections of Hellboy short stories), Hellboy faces his destiny as the potential destroyer or saviour of the world.
While this is a potentially exciting finale, the book feels oddly flat. Hellboy doesn’t have many lines and his wit and charm is mostly missing (until his final scene). I think part of the problem was that this didn’t feel like the end you would expect. I expected a summation, a kind of retrospective taking in his friends and family, the adventures he’s been on, a look back on the long, long journey he’s been on to get him to this, his final hour. Instead, there’s a brief introduction and then Hellboy’s plunged into endless fighting against monsters for the rest of the book.
And yet how else could it have ended? Nearly every book in the series has seen Hellboy punching out the monster at the end, why break the formula now? Well, sure, but it still felt rote and somewhat impersonal to see Hellboy fighting the monster at the end and then… what happens, happens.
But this is the comics world, it’s all origins and middle stories. While it purports to have endings in the form of deaths of famous and favourite characters, those characters always come back – always. While this book ends the main Hellboy series, I wouldn’t expect that this is the end of the character, not by a long shot.
So fans of the series get an ending but as with most endings, its unsatisfactory and doesn’t live up to readers’ expectations. But it’s an ending. And as said by one of the characters in the book about Rag Narok “it is the end. But it is also a new beginning”. Methinks the red guy ain’t down for the count.
Picking up from “Volume 9: The Wild Hunt” (Vols 10 and 11 were collections of Hellboy short stories), Hellboy faces his destiny as the potential destroyer or saviour of the world.
While this is a potentially exciting finale, the book feels oddly flat. Hellboy doesn’t have many lines and his wit and charm is mostly missing (until his final scene). I think part of the problem was that this didn’t feel like the end you would expect. I expected a summation, a kind of retrospective taking in his friends and family, the adventures he’s been on, a look back on the long, long journey he’s been on to get him to this, his final hour. Instead, there’s a brief introduction and then Hellboy’s plunged into endless fighting against monsters for the rest of the book.
And yet how else could it have ended? Nearly every book in the series has seen Hellboy punching out the monster at the end, why break the formula now? Well, sure, but it still felt rote and somewhat impersonal to see Hellboy fighting the monster at the end and then… what happens, happens.
But this is the comics world, it’s all origins and middle stories. While it purports to have endings in the form of deaths of famous and favourite characters, those characters always come back – always. While this book ends the main Hellboy series, I wouldn’t expect that this is the end of the character, not by a long shot.
So fans of the series get an ending but as with most endings, its unsatisfactory and doesn’t live up to readers’ expectations. But it’s an ending. And as said by one of the characters in the book about Rag Narok “it is the end. But it is also a new beginning”. Methinks the red guy ain’t down for the count.
April 6, 2015
It feels somewhat odd to finally arrive at something like an end to the grand saga of Hellboy--very like an end. Though there are certainly enough threads open for Mignola to start up again with a new story where this one left off, for the first time, the main plot arc which began in the first issues of the series, so many years ago, has a conclusion. I'm not sitting here, idly wondering what happens in the next volume.
Of course, that may have a lot to do with me, who does not mind a dark, somewhat ambiguous ending. If there were never another story which continued Hellboy's main plotline, I would be happy with this ending. Others might feel differently, wanting all of their questions answered, desiring some convenient, 'happily ever after' prologue--ever looking for book XIII of the Aeneid.
But while I like the plot itself, I was not always happy with the treatment. Ever since Strange Places, the series has become increasingly complicated, and as a result Mignola has expressed more and more of the story in narrative explication and redundant summaries. I don't need an author to reveal everything to me, in fact I prefer that they don't, especially if it reduces the amount of time characters spend explaining the history of the world to each other.
I want a story primarily shown through actions: decisions the characters make, hardships to be overcome, solutions which take into account both the nature of the character and the situation they find themselves in. Mignola is capable of telling stories this way, and there is a lot of action and movement in this collection, but the pace gets gummed up by occasional spoon-feeding of plot points.
Mignola also does that thing where we get quotes of things people said in previous issues repeated over a different scene. This can be interesting if the new scene lends the quotes some different, subversive meaning we didn't really understand before, but I can't think of a comic writer outside of Alan Moore whose been able to do that--hell, even some of the ones inside Alan struggle with it, though how much of that is the result of the painful, aeons-long process of being digested, it's hard to quantify.
With all the complex backstories, references to old events and characters, melded mythologies, and stylistic allusions, there is a lot going on in this terminal volume. Really, plenty going on--enough so that the sudden introduction of a romance felt tacked-on. Not all stories need romances, nor do they all benefit from having one grafted on. There are stories that are busy enough, already--thank you very much. As Scriptshadow points out in his analysis of Aliens, sometimes all you need is the hint of a romance, because putting in a whole subplot would just break up the pacing of an otherwise perfect story.
I understand that Mignola wanted to give HB an emotional connection, someone for whom his choices have extra-personal repercussions, but he's been a loner for so long--a fundamentally introspective character--that I don't feel we really needed it. His personal struggles have always been there, and central to the story, and to his growth as a character, so I didn't feel adding in a romantic sub-plot made those internal conflicts any more important or dramatic.
He might also have wanted to stick one in because some people feel that a story can't be over unless the protagonist finds love by the end of it. I don't think it's useful for us to limit ourselves in this way. There are many experiences out there, and many stories to be made of them. Not all characters need storybook love to 'complete' them.
Once again, I was glad to see Fegredo's work on this title again--he's cemented himself as one of my favorite artists working today and I'm going to start picking up books just because he draws them, which is pretty rare for me, who usually selects by author. Perhaps the strength of his work is part of the reason I've found Corben's work on the series so disappointing, despite his great reputation.
At the beginning of the series, I found the main plot arc much less interesting and less inventive than the collections of unrelated stories. As things have gone on, I've reversed my position--partly because the plot has gotten stronger, partly because the collections have grown weaker and less idiomatic. Perhaps in working on this big, complex conclusion, Mignola was focusing less on the odd one-off story.
In any case, I was glad to see the series come to some kind of end. It is undoubtedly one of the most intelligent, unusual, and interesting series in comics today--at times it is as good as Sandman ever was, and it is certainly better than most current titles, especially fantasy titles, like the awful Fables. But unfortunately, I feel Mignola lost the thread somewhere in the middle of the series and never quite reached the potential I saw glimpses of throughout.
If he had been able to take the sparse, mysterious storytelling of the short pieces and meld it to the grand concept of the central story, it would have made for a true masterwork. He showed some signs of doing just this in Darkness Calls, which has excellent pacing and great tone, but in which Hellboy, himself, is a rather bland caricature of himself. While Hellboy returned to form in this volume, we lost the succinct, fey storytelling to long runs of exposition and convolution.
But for all that it did not coalesce into the dream I had of it, it is certainly a delightful book, full of twists and interesting characters, and it was well-worth the read.
My Suggested Reading In Comics
Of course, that may have a lot to do with me, who does not mind a dark, somewhat ambiguous ending. If there were never another story which continued Hellboy's main plotline, I would be happy with this ending. Others might feel differently, wanting all of their questions answered, desiring some convenient, 'happily ever after' prologue--ever looking for book XIII of the Aeneid.
But while I like the plot itself, I was not always happy with the treatment. Ever since Strange Places, the series has become increasingly complicated, and as a result Mignola has expressed more and more of the story in narrative explication and redundant summaries. I don't need an author to reveal everything to me, in fact I prefer that they don't, especially if it reduces the amount of time characters spend explaining the history of the world to each other.
I want a story primarily shown through actions: decisions the characters make, hardships to be overcome, solutions which take into account both the nature of the character and the situation they find themselves in. Mignola is capable of telling stories this way, and there is a lot of action and movement in this collection, but the pace gets gummed up by occasional spoon-feeding of plot points.
Mignola also does that thing where we get quotes of things people said in previous issues repeated over a different scene. This can be interesting if the new scene lends the quotes some different, subversive meaning we didn't really understand before, but I can't think of a comic writer outside of Alan Moore whose been able to do that--hell, even some of the ones inside Alan struggle with it, though how much of that is the result of the painful, aeons-long process of being digested, it's hard to quantify.
With all the complex backstories, references to old events and characters, melded mythologies, and stylistic allusions, there is a lot going on in this terminal volume. Really, plenty going on--enough so that the sudden introduction of a romance felt tacked-on. Not all stories need romances, nor do they all benefit from having one grafted on. There are stories that are busy enough, already--thank you very much. As Scriptshadow points out in his analysis of Aliens, sometimes all you need is the hint of a romance, because putting in a whole subplot would just break up the pacing of an otherwise perfect story.
I understand that Mignola wanted to give HB an emotional connection, someone for whom his choices have extra-personal repercussions, but he's been a loner for so long--a fundamentally introspective character--that I don't feel we really needed it. His personal struggles have always been there, and central to the story, and to his growth as a character, so I didn't feel adding in a romantic sub-plot made those internal conflicts any more important or dramatic.
He might also have wanted to stick one in because some people feel that a story can't be over unless the protagonist finds love by the end of it. I don't think it's useful for us to limit ourselves in this way. There are many experiences out there, and many stories to be made of them. Not all characters need storybook love to 'complete' them.
Once again, I was glad to see Fegredo's work on this title again--he's cemented himself as one of my favorite artists working today and I'm going to start picking up books just because he draws them, which is pretty rare for me, who usually selects by author. Perhaps the strength of his work is part of the reason I've found Corben's work on the series so disappointing, despite his great reputation.
At the beginning of the series, I found the main plot arc much less interesting and less inventive than the collections of unrelated stories. As things have gone on, I've reversed my position--partly because the plot has gotten stronger, partly because the collections have grown weaker and less idiomatic. Perhaps in working on this big, complex conclusion, Mignola was focusing less on the odd one-off story.
In any case, I was glad to see the series come to some kind of end. It is undoubtedly one of the most intelligent, unusual, and interesting series in comics today--at times it is as good as Sandman ever was, and it is certainly better than most current titles, especially fantasy titles, like the awful Fables. But unfortunately, I feel Mignola lost the thread somewhere in the middle of the series and never quite reached the potential I saw glimpses of throughout.
If he had been able to take the sparse, mysterious storytelling of the short pieces and meld it to the grand concept of the central story, it would have made for a true masterwork. He showed some signs of doing just this in Darkness Calls, which has excellent pacing and great tone, but in which Hellboy, himself, is a rather bland caricature of himself. While Hellboy returned to form in this volume, we lost the succinct, fey storytelling to long runs of exposition and convolution.
But for all that it did not coalesce into the dream I had of it, it is certainly a delightful book, full of twists and interesting characters, and it was well-worth the read.
My Suggested Reading In Comics
May 21, 2022
Duncan Fegredo's gorgeous artwork and Mike Mignola's consistent worldbuilding and writing make the final volume of Hellboy great.
We've reached the conclusion of the Hellboy saga, but not the end of the whole story.
We've reached the conclusion of the Hellboy saga, but not the end of the whole story.
October 11, 2015
I waited until the end of the series so this review will probably be a long one(something I don’t do often).First of all I want to thank Mike Mignola for creating Hellboy,perhaps one of the most badass anti heroes of the comic book history and putting him in a world that all the terrors from horror stories, campy B-movies and pulp fantasy exist.Hellboy is a paranormal investigator who never hesitates to fight only with his fists (ok he has the Right Hand Of Doom) and improvisation some of the most horrifying legendary creatures from mythology, folklore and fairy tales! As Mike Mignola has said himself “It’s not like I created Hellboy and said, 'Hey, now what does this guy do?' I knew the kinds of stories I wanted to do, but just needed a main guy”. Hellboy is constantly tormented by his past.Although he is a bit rough,grumpy and short-tempered he shows none of the malevolence thought to be intrinsic to demons, and has a strong sense of black humor.
Mike Mignola isn’t just a comic book writer.He is a story teller whose extraordinary perspective is refreshing for the comic book industry. From short stories like Makoma,the Crooked Man, the Chained Coffin, the Nature of the Beast to the big ones like Wake the Devil,Darkness Calls,The Wild Hunt he manages to show us the importance of free will. He is trying to tell us through Hellboy that destiny is not written for us, it's written by us. And that’s the moral of the Hellboy stories.
And what can a man say about his stunning illustrations! Mike Mignola’s drawings are simple but brilliant and stark. His simplified and abstract artwork adds a mysterious and suspenseful note to his stories.
Cant wait to read Hellboy in Hell!
January 16, 2024
Tohle hodnocení berte jako hodnocení všech 12ti dílu. Hellboye jsem si vždycky toužil přečíst a také od mých komiksových kamarádu převládají kladné ohlasy, které u mě o to víc prohloubily touhu k přečtení Hellboye. Ze začátku jsem se rozhodoval jestli číst klasicky v angličtině a nebo to ještě jednou risknout a číst nějaký komiks v češtině - rozhodl jsem se tedy pro češtinu. u nás Hellboye vydává Comics Centru a narovinu vám jako czech leading hardcover master race king řeknu, že kvalita a zpracování je TOP, prostě jestli něco sbírat a číst v češtině tak Hellboye a nebo cokoliv od CC.
Co se samotného Hellboye týká, tak je po příběhové stránce strašně moc dobré, až překvapivě mě bavily jednotlivé povídky/příběhy. Všechno hezky odsýpalo a každou knihu jsem jedním dechem přečetl. Jediné co se mi trošku nelíbilo nebo mě otravovalo, byly jiní kreslíři, ale to je malá šmouha na tomto úžasném díle.
Celkově dávám 4 z 5 a těším se na BPRD
Co se samotného Hellboye týká, tak je po příběhové stránce strašně moc dobré, až překvapivě mě bavily jednotlivé povídky/příběhy. Všechno hezky odsýpalo a každou knihu jsem jedním dechem přečetl. Jediné co se mi trošku nelíbilo nebo mě otravovalo, byly jiní kreslíři, ale to je malá šmouha na tomto úžasném díle.
Celkově dávám 4 z 5 a těším se na BPRD
October 17, 2018
Hellboy. All day. 'Ery day.
What Mike Mignola did with this character and this series is really remarkable and I'm constantly glad for the imprint he left on comics and Dark Horse specifically.
Read these.
What Mike Mignola did with this character and this series is really remarkable and I'm constantly glad for the imprint he left on comics and Dark Horse specifically.
Read these.
August 23, 2015
This was a fantastic end to the series--though not to the story of Hellboy, as the final panels suggest (I wish I could remember which volume they're a reference to; the numbers blur together). I said before I was withholding judgment on developments in The Wild Hunt until I saw how it played out, and I was not disappointed.
Some of the other non-spoilery things I liked: the recurrence of old enemies and friends and enemies who turn out to be not so much enemies. Baba Yaga finally getting what she wanted out of Hellboy. Nimue, and not Morgan le Fay, being the true villain: I think most Arthurian retellings want Morgan to be either a misunderstood hero or an unredeemed villain, and here she's more neutral (though not at all nice; she comes off seeming more like Mab, though Mab is actually more sympathetic than I'm used to seeing her). And Nimue is scary as hell. Gruagach also completes his development into a well-rounded character instead of someone who just wants to see Hellboy dead. And, of course, Alice.
I'm looking forward to Hellboy's next big adventure, whatever that turns out to be. (It's Hellboy in Hell, Vol. 1: The Descent, if you were wondering.)
Some of the other non-spoilery things I liked: the recurrence of old enemies and friends and enemies who turn out to be not so much enemies. Baba Yaga finally getting what she wanted out of Hellboy. Nimue, and not Morgan le Fay, being the true villain: I think most Arthurian retellings want Morgan to be either a misunderstood hero or an unredeemed villain, and here she's more neutral (though not at all nice; she comes off seeming more like Mab, though Mab is actually more sympathetic than I'm used to seeing her). And Nimue is scary as hell. Gruagach also completes his development into a well-rounded character instead of someone who just wants to see Hellboy dead. And, of course, Alice.
I'm looking forward to Hellboy's next big adventure, whatever that turns out to be. (It's Hellboy in Hell, Vol. 1: The Descent, if you were wondering.)
May 7, 2012
One of the things I always forget about Hellboy is how simple a character he is. Even though he's persistently surrounded by intricate mythologies and fulfilling labyrinthine prophecies, he basically just wants to be left alone. Not to brood, necessarily, but just to do his own thing. And yet creatures and villains the world over keep ensnaring him in their plots to gain power or revenge or Ragnarok.
So here, in the most climactic battle Hellboy's had yet to face, what stands out are the small moments. Waiting in a pub in the middle of the woods. Conversations with friends. Conversations with enemies. Small moments like these are one of the reasons 'Hellboy' continues to be my favorite current comic.
I initially got into Hellboy for the Lovecraftian monsters and pulp inspirations, and the fantastic art, which continues to be one of the most perfect examples of style matching storytelling, drew me in. But I've stayed because of the time Mignola takes to let his characters have their small moments, even when surrounded by extra-dimensional beasties.
As an ending, this is satisfying, but like any good ending, it leaves you wanting more. So I'm glad it's not THE end.
So here, in the most climactic battle Hellboy's had yet to face, what stands out are the small moments. Waiting in a pub in the middle of the woods. Conversations with friends. Conversations with enemies. Small moments like these are one of the reasons 'Hellboy' continues to be my favorite current comic.
I initially got into Hellboy for the Lovecraftian monsters and pulp inspirations, and the fantastic art, which continues to be one of the most perfect examples of style matching storytelling, drew me in. But I've stayed because of the time Mignola takes to let his characters have their small moments, even when surrounded by extra-dimensional beasties.
As an ending, this is satisfying, but like any good ending, it leaves you wanting more. So I'm glad it's not THE end.
February 18, 2024
(Zero spoiler review) 4.75/5
I've been shouting from the technological rooftops about this series for the last few months since starting it. Wondering why it sat on my shelf for so long before I dared to crack it open. And so, after so much excellence and a just a little bit of goodness, we come to what is without a doubt, about as close to a flawless story as you could imagine. Seeing Mike Mignola not on art duty at the start is always a kick in the pants, although Duncan Fegredo has managed to improve if not perfect Mignola's style, giving fresh detail to his world and his characters, and assisting in birthing a comic book for the ages.
If there was a misplaced word, an unpleasantly drawn panel, I certainly can't recall it. Artists as good as Mignola shouldn't be as good at writing as he is, but I'm glad he is all the same. The violence, the horror, the heart, god help me, it's all here.
If there was even the slightest shred of doubt before (hardly) Hellboy can safely sit amongst the most hallowed of comic runs. An IP that had anyone the will to replicate this animation style and make movies out of, your only problem would be remembering how many millions and millions of dollars it made you. But then again, it's 2024, so lets just leave it alone for now, shall we.
bout as close to a masterpiece as a story can get. 4.75/5
OmniBen.
I've been shouting from the technological rooftops about this series for the last few months since starting it. Wondering why it sat on my shelf for so long before I dared to crack it open. And so, after so much excellence and a just a little bit of goodness, we come to what is without a doubt, about as close to a flawless story as you could imagine. Seeing Mike Mignola not on art duty at the start is always a kick in the pants, although Duncan Fegredo has managed to improve if not perfect Mignola's style, giving fresh detail to his world and his characters, and assisting in birthing a comic book for the ages.
If there was a misplaced word, an unpleasantly drawn panel, I certainly can't recall it. Artists as good as Mignola shouldn't be as good at writing as he is, but I'm glad he is all the same. The violence, the horror, the heart, god help me, it's all here.
If there was even the slightest shred of doubt before (hardly) Hellboy can safely sit amongst the most hallowed of comic runs. An IP that had anyone the will to replicate this animation style and make movies out of, your only problem would be remembering how many millions and millions of dollars it made you. But then again, it's 2024, so lets just leave it alone for now, shall we.
bout as close to a masterpiece as a story can get. 4.75/5
OmniBen.
February 2, 2022
Probably the greatest Hellboy story ever told. Which makes it one of the greatest graphic novels of all time.
November 2, 2015
This is the best HB story I've read *drops mic*
Much like 'BPRD: King of Fear' was the end to the massive 'Plague of Frogs' storyline, this is the end of the HB storyline. This storyline which has been built since the first page of 'Seed of Destruction' finally gets the payoff. Was it a good payoff? Was it worth the wait? Hell yes!
World: Fegredo is a wonderful artist, he has the ability to channel Mignola style shadows and framing into his art but at the same time draw beautiful characters with detailed expressions and emotions, this is an emotion conclusion to the story and his skills in this regards made this better than if even Mignola had illustrated it. Mignola needs to take a lot of the credit on how this world ends, he promised that he would not pull any punches and that all the stories that he's been telling would eventually tie together and man did it ever. The world is fully fleshed out, you don't feel cheated, all the rules here apply and the end result is truly a vision. I won't say more, just read the book.
Story: As I said above this story started in "Seed of Destruction' and started the Mignolaverse. All the stories from BPRD and Sledgehammer and Lobster Johnson and Abe Sapien all started because of those events. In this arc, we see the full scope and the ties of the entire world with the actions of Big Red. The story is emotionally, powerful, pulls no punches and haunting. This is Hellboy at peak Mignola. The scope is huge, the ramifications are big and you don't feel cheated like you do in other books where you finally see the safety net underneath the main characters. Here you get a story of consequences and a status quo blown to bits, this truly is a new world after this book and man was it a great story to read.
Characters: HB has had his developments throughout his comic book history but I've always said that Mignola is not really a in depth character guy, I often found that his BPRD series is much better in that regards because of Arcudi co-writing. Here I would like to say that Mignola brought it all, the character development and the payoff here is huge. Wonderfully intimate character moments are found throughout and in it a emotional resonance with the ending that I did not expect, not only for HB but all the other characters throughout this series. It's wonderful and I can't stop gushing lest I give away spoilers.
This arc is...I'm without words. My above review is kinda choppy and all over the place and not really in depth because I'm simply overwealmed. This truly is the best Hellboy story I've read to date...it brought tears to my eyes.
Onward to the next book!
Much like 'BPRD: King of Fear' was the end to the massive 'Plague of Frogs' storyline, this is the end of the HB storyline. This storyline which has been built since the first page of 'Seed of Destruction' finally gets the payoff. Was it a good payoff? Was it worth the wait? Hell yes!
World: Fegredo is a wonderful artist, he has the ability to channel Mignola style shadows and framing into his art but at the same time draw beautiful characters with detailed expressions and emotions, this is an emotion conclusion to the story and his skills in this regards made this better than if even Mignola had illustrated it. Mignola needs to take a lot of the credit on how this world ends, he promised that he would not pull any punches and that all the stories that he's been telling would eventually tie together and man did it ever. The world is fully fleshed out, you don't feel cheated, all the rules here apply and the end result is truly a vision. I won't say more, just read the book.
Story: As I said above this story started in "Seed of Destruction' and started the Mignolaverse. All the stories from BPRD and Sledgehammer and Lobster Johnson and Abe Sapien all started because of those events. In this arc, we see the full scope and the ties of the entire world with the actions of Big Red. The story is emotionally, powerful, pulls no punches and haunting. This is Hellboy at peak Mignola. The scope is huge, the ramifications are big and you don't feel cheated like you do in other books where you finally see the safety net underneath the main characters. Here you get a story of consequences and a status quo blown to bits, this truly is a new world after this book and man was it a great story to read.
Characters: HB has had his developments throughout his comic book history but I've always said that Mignola is not really a in depth character guy, I often found that his BPRD series is much better in that regards because of Arcudi co-writing. Here I would like to say that Mignola brought it all, the character development and the payoff here is huge. Wonderfully intimate character moments are found throughout and in it a emotional resonance with the ending that I did not expect, not only for HB but all the other characters throughout this series. It's wonderful and I can't stop gushing lest I give away spoilers.
This arc is...I'm without words. My above review is kinda choppy and all over the place and not really in depth because I'm simply overwealmed. This truly is the best Hellboy story I've read to date...it brought tears to my eyes.
Onward to the next book!
February 6, 2021
Síce to skĺzava v obyčajnú "superhrdinskú" bitku, ale presne toto som od tohto booku očakával. Všetko je epické, hraje sa o osud celého sveta. Mignola uzatvára všetky dejové linky , ktoré v predchádzajúcich dielov vytvoril a všetko mu tu krásne do seba zapadá . Za mňa je to úžasné a monumentálne ukončenie Hellboya.
July 7, 2016
This was the best Volume out of the original 12. I only wish Hellboy had actually used the sword, but that's because I find them more interesting than guns x3
February 16, 2016
If you thought the Hellboy movies were good then you will love the comics. Much more story on the monsters and the history of hellboys origin. Great reads, Very recommended
April 21, 2024
I already knew this was awesome because I remember it from when I first read it (right when the trade was published). What an experience. What a series. Fegredo on fire. Everything is great... except one thing that has bothered me since always. What's up with the guy that becomes king? It feels like a random character, is there more to it?
Anyway, everything is awesome, I just love all the Mignolaverse so much. Right at the top with Sandman.
Anyway, everything is awesome, I just love all the Mignolaverse so much. Right at the top with Sandman.
April 25, 2012
ARC provided by NetGalley
I discovered Hellboy series late, but he quickly became one of my favorites. The demon that forged his own path to be more than a prophecy, more than what light or dark chose for him to be...to be his own man. My word of advice before you start this collection, if you’ve only read volumes 10 and 11, both of which were just collections of Hellboy short stories, go back and read the previous volumes. You’ll want them to catch up to speed on who some of the characters are in this volume. And it is with sadness that I find this is the last volume in the original series of Hellboy (although don’t fear there will be further tales down the road.) It’s a wild ride to and unforgettable end.
This is it. The end. The moment that Hellboy’s life has been building up to, to be a destroyer or savior of the world. Dead heroes are rising from their graves as the last battle is about to begin, and a lost king will rise to lead them. This has the potential to be the last fight for so many...Hellboy, the Elves, the Wild Kingdom and perhaps of humanity itself. Hellboy, like he so often has been, is in the thick of it and regardless of what the prophecies of light and dark say Hellboy will forge his own path till the very end.
Like so many I have mixed feelings about this final collection. And I think in part because Mignola, like he’s always done, takes us down a path that we didn’t expect....and that many of us didn’t want. We want to see good to triumph over evil and good to survive. And that Hellboy, who has fought so many demons and monsters over the years, to get back up and keep on fighting. And instead we see Hellboy, seemingly subdued throughout the story. He rarely makes wisecracks, he drinks tea instead of alcohol, and it seems he’s uneasy instead of being sure of himself. Because Mignola has chosen instead to mimic real life. Our lives. Our own feelings on the page and we’re caught off guard by it. And that is what makes Mignola such a great storyteller and this such a great collection.
There are also so many little aspects of the story that standout to me, the scenes with the dead rising from the grave, the mixing of mythology and that the strands woven since the beginning of the story weave together for one final time. And Hellboy. Even if he seems subdued his essence is there. He is his own person from the beginning to the end. As he has always done Hellboy has sought his own path, for better or for worse, he has no desire to be THE champion for light or dark, only what he can be and to follow his own code and own morals to the very end.
The artwork in this collection once again is engaging and has hidden depths. The team of Duncan Fegredo and Dave Stewart do such a fantastic job of working together to create and color characters and scenes that are pitch perfect for the work. Together they’ve given Hellboy that one last ride, giving our hero his just due in making him seem bigger than life yet all too human. Fegredo brings his own style to the artwork, much more realistic that Mignola’s style, especially with the movement of the characters, but when he needs too he’s able to echo Mignola’s style perfectly such as the design of Niume’s champion. My favorite aspect of the artwork though is the movement of the characters and the cars that they travel in. It feels like they’re going to go right off the page.
Even though the story at times feels uneasy, it’s the perfect ending. We get to see what happens and how Hellboy lived and concluded his life. We got to follow him, which is more than what we could or should have expected. And perhaps this is really just a pause in what is a great long tale. I don’t know about others, but I can’t wait to see where Mignola takes us with the “Hellboy in Hell” series that’s supposed to come out sometime this year.
I discovered Hellboy series late, but he quickly became one of my favorites. The demon that forged his own path to be more than a prophecy, more than what light or dark chose for him to be...to be his own man. My word of advice before you start this collection, if you’ve only read volumes 10 and 11, both of which were just collections of Hellboy short stories, go back and read the previous volumes. You’ll want them to catch up to speed on who some of the characters are in this volume. And it is with sadness that I find this is the last volume in the original series of Hellboy (although don’t fear there will be further tales down the road.) It’s a wild ride to and unforgettable end.
This is it. The end. The moment that Hellboy’s life has been building up to, to be a destroyer or savior of the world. Dead heroes are rising from their graves as the last battle is about to begin, and a lost king will rise to lead them. This has the potential to be the last fight for so many...Hellboy, the Elves, the Wild Kingdom and perhaps of humanity itself. Hellboy, like he so often has been, is in the thick of it and regardless of what the prophecies of light and dark say Hellboy will forge his own path till the very end.
Like so many I have mixed feelings about this final collection. And I think in part because Mignola, like he’s always done, takes us down a path that we didn’t expect....and that many of us didn’t want. We want to see good to triumph over evil and good to survive. And that Hellboy, who has fought so many demons and monsters over the years, to get back up and keep on fighting. And instead we see Hellboy, seemingly subdued throughout the story. He rarely makes wisecracks, he drinks tea instead of alcohol, and it seems he’s uneasy instead of being sure of himself. Because Mignola has chosen instead to mimic real life. Our lives. Our own feelings on the page and we’re caught off guard by it. And that is what makes Mignola such a great storyteller and this such a great collection.
There are also so many little aspects of the story that standout to me, the scenes with the dead rising from the grave, the mixing of mythology and that the strands woven since the beginning of the story weave together for one final time. And Hellboy. Even if he seems subdued his essence is there. He is his own person from the beginning to the end. As he has always done Hellboy has sought his own path, for better or for worse, he has no desire to be THE champion for light or dark, only what he can be and to follow his own code and own morals to the very end.
The artwork in this collection once again is engaging and has hidden depths. The team of Duncan Fegredo and Dave Stewart do such a fantastic job of working together to create and color characters and scenes that are pitch perfect for the work. Together they’ve given Hellboy that one last ride, giving our hero his just due in making him seem bigger than life yet all too human. Fegredo brings his own style to the artwork, much more realistic that Mignola’s style, especially with the movement of the characters, but when he needs too he’s able to echo Mignola’s style perfectly such as the design of Niume’s champion. My favorite aspect of the artwork though is the movement of the characters and the cars that they travel in. It feels like they’re going to go right off the page.
Even though the story at times feels uneasy, it’s the perfect ending. We get to see what happens and how Hellboy lived and concluded his life. We got to follow him, which is more than what we could or should have expected. And perhaps this is really just a pause in what is a great long tale. I don’t know about others, but I can’t wait to see where Mignola takes us with the “Hellboy in Hell” series that’s supposed to come out sometime this year.
April 9, 2012
This is the much ballyhooed conclusion to Hellboy's story. When published as single issues the news made the net that Mike Mignola had killed his creation. Now, as a digression, Mignola has said there are plenty of stories that he can tell of what Hellboy did before the end of his time on Earth. Hellboy's "career" spanned about 50 years, so if Mignola wants there are plenty of tales to be told.
This volume pulls from just about everything Mignola has done throughout the series. The central folktales are British, but there are touches of Norse and Christian end of the world story telling. We receive an interesting take on both, in my view, King Arthur's return, and the Midgard Serpent.
When it is all over, well don't expect a happy ending. Yes, Hellboy dies fighting the good fight. Is the world saved, no? Will the final fate of the world and man be for the better? We don't know. Yet, all of this uncertainty helps to make this tale work.
Maybe someday I'll try to do all 12 volumes in one sitting, and see if the story flow works from beginning to end. I think it just might.
This volume pulls from just about everything Mignola has done throughout the series. The central folktales are British, but there are touches of Norse and Christian end of the world story telling. We receive an interesting take on both, in my view, King Arthur's return, and the Midgard Serpent.
When it is all over, well don't expect a happy ending. Yes, Hellboy dies fighting the good fight. Is the world saved, no? Will the final fate of the world and man be for the better? We don't know. Yet, all of this uncertainty helps to make this tale work.
Maybe someday I'll try to do all 12 volumes in one sitting, and see if the story flow works from beginning to end. I think it just might.
July 18, 2012
The End. Hmm. I think that I would recommend reading all of these collected trades in one go. This one just came out a few months ago, and as I look over the my 'read' comics shelf, I see that the last time I read a storyline TPB (as opposed to the last two, which were side story collections) was in May 2010. No wonder I'm super fuzzy on who all these characters were (who the frak was Alice?) and how it all fit together!
The series, in retrospect, made me think of Fringe's season 4 a little bit (in that they would air two episodes and then go on a 4-week hiatus, rendering it artificially jerky and poorly paced). It also reminded me of Supernatural, in that I spent the second half of the mythology-soaked series half wishing we could just go back to the simple demon hunting days. I wanted more of a nod back to the BPRD than we got in this final chapter.
Maybe now that the series is over, we'll get a nice Super Final Edition. I'd like to revisit it from the beginning.
The series, in retrospect, made me think of Fringe's season 4 a little bit (in that they would air two episodes and then go on a 4-week hiatus, rendering it artificially jerky and poorly paced). It also reminded me of Supernatural, in that I spent the second half of the mythology-soaked series half wishing we could just go back to the simple demon hunting days. I wanted more of a nod back to the BPRD than we got in this final chapter.
Maybe now that the series is over, we'll get a nice Super Final Edition. I'd like to revisit it from the beginning.
May 11, 2019
Everytime I open up a hellboy comic, I wonder how such a thing can exist. The art style is so different and the storytelling off pace with most of what you encounter otherwise. But exactly that is its beauty. I always feel like I would discover more and more with every reread or just by thinking about it.
This novel is the same. I loved how it progressed and went into a fight that was both cheesy but so fitting.
This novel is the same. I loved how it progressed and went into a fight that was both cheesy but so fitting.
November 11, 2013
Now that's a finale. Tie up all the loose ends, bring everything together, and make it spectacular. It does suit the rest of the series, for the most part. There's also a strangely subdued feel running through much of the book. Maybe it's because Hellboy himself seems subdued, even resigned. The last few years haven't been kind to him, after all.
May 30, 2019
Hellboy is sober and the world is ending. It all led to this...
After a few filler volumes, the epic tale comes to a close with a "BOOM!" This is a worthy conclusion for one of the great comics heroes, melancholic and triumphant (but for how long?) in equal measure. A must for fans.
After a few filler volumes, the epic tale comes to a close with a "BOOM!" This is a worthy conclusion for one of the great comics heroes, melancholic and triumphant (but for how long?) in equal measure. A must for fans.
June 19, 2022
Excellent ending to the series proper, but I am definitely glad I didn't have to wait to see what happened after this.
Also: Contains Fegredo's greatest contribution to Hellboy art.
Also: Contains Fegredo's greatest contribution to Hellboy art.
November 11, 2018
4.5 stars. Such an amazing ending, I couldn’t put this one down.
July 10, 2020
Чи цього можна було очікувати? Та, бо цей хлоп постійно тягнеться до того, аби наробити собі максимального клопоту.
Чи на це варто було чекати аж таку кількість випусків? Може, що трохи ні, бо я перед цим томом усвідомив, що пропустив два волюма коротких історій, що їх тепер відклав до прочитання наступними.
Сюжет складається, і от тепер вирок однозначний: читати Міньцолавьорс у порядку виходу синглів значно ліпше, аніж читати його у хронології ТПБшок, бо ТПБ містять ЗАбагато сюжетів, які сильно збивають темп. Якби я не читав усі додаткові спешли тощо, і читав через один сингли про Червоного та БПРО, картинка була б значно ціліснішою та ще більш епічною через пряме усвідомлення паралельного перебігу подій. З іншого боку, якби я їх читав просто одночасно із випуском, то сказився б по місяцю чекати на продовження. Коротше, так як нині це все вже опубліковано, і всім доступні списки, впускати таку можливість дуже тупо (тим, хто думав було починати, але ще не брався).
Міньйола стає грубішим (на краще) у малюнку та менш карикатурим у сюжетах. Система міфу, нарешті, цілком вибудована і до біса цікава.
Далі - дізнаватися, що по Той бік.
Чи на це варто було чекати аж таку кількість випусків? Може, що трохи ні, бо я перед цим томом усвідомив, що пропустив два волюма коротких історій, що їх тепер відклав до прочитання наступними.
Сюжет складається, і от тепер вирок однозначний: читати Міньцолавьорс у порядку виходу синглів значно ліпше, аніж читати його у хронології ТПБшок, бо ТПБ містять ЗАбагато сюжетів, які сильно збивають темп. Якби я не читав усі додаткові спешли тощо, і читав через один сингли про Червоного та БПРО, картинка була б значно ціліснішою та ще більш епічною через пряме усвідомлення паралельного перебігу подій. З іншого боку, якби я їх читав просто одночасно із випуском, то сказився б по місяцю чекати на продовження. Коротше, так як нині це все вже опубліковано, і всім доступні списки, впускати таку можливість дуже тупо (тим, хто думав було починати, але ще не брався).
Міньйола стає грубішим (на краще) у малюнку та менш карикатурим у сюжетах. Система міфу, нарешті, цілком вибудована і до біса цікава.
Далі - дізнаватися, що по Той бік.
August 19, 2017
I think every volume of this entire series was remarkable. Nothing really stood out to me more than the Wild Hunt which I'd probably give a 4.5 but I loved every volume.
I gave almost every volume 3 stars because I guess my appreciation for this series grew over time. I'm usually a love it or hate it kinda guy but this is the first series that I can honestly say grew on me. Reading Mignola's little foreword for each issue was intriguing, learning about the different mythologies and folk tales he researched. Hellboys random adventures were always fun. The stories have episodic elements but also have this overarching Lovecraftian thread winding its way in and out of the story which kind of put me off in the first two volumes but like I said, it grew on me. Hellboy is a fantastic character, so entirely the master of his own fate. I don't think I've seen or read any other character like him.
The art, much the like the character, is wonderfully unique when Mignola is the one drawing. When its not Mignola, its still amazing.
Recommended if you like Mignola style art, stoic characters, mythology, magic, folk tales, horror, and Lovecraftian style stories.
I gave almost every volume 3 stars because I guess my appreciation for this series grew over time. I'm usually a love it or hate it kinda guy but this is the first series that I can honestly say grew on me. Reading Mignola's little foreword for each issue was intriguing, learning about the different mythologies and folk tales he researched. Hellboys random adventures were always fun. The stories have episodic elements but also have this overarching Lovecraftian thread winding its way in and out of the story which kind of put me off in the first two volumes but like I said, it grew on me. Hellboy is a fantastic character, so entirely the master of his own fate. I don't think I've seen or read any other character like him.
The art, much the like the character, is wonderfully unique when Mignola is the one drawing. When its not Mignola, its still amazing.
Recommended if you like Mignola style art, stoic characters, mythology, magic, folk tales, horror, and Lovecraftian style stories.
July 3, 2025
An epic ending that wraps up some of the Hellboy story but like all comics it ain’t over! Hellboy plucks out his own eye to give to the Baba Yaga, he fights a dragon of the apocalypse and helps revive the TRUE king of England. I love this story but just didn’t love this trade, Hellboy is so fun but this one didn’t feel as magnificent as many of the others even though it’s the big finale. You have to read it but it’s not the prime Hellboy
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August 29, 2017Hellboy has expanded my reading horizons. Pulpy superhero face punching and complicated folklore mashups are both things that sounded incredibly unappealing to me, and I initially put Hellboy down after reading the first two volumes. Yet, something kept pulling me back and the more time and effort I invested in the series the more I enjoyed it. It is now one of my favourite things.
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