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Hellboy
Hellboy, Vol. 8: Darkness Calls
Hellboy has finally returned from his adventures at sea, but no sooner has he settled on land than a conclave of witches drags him from his respite and into the heart of Russian folklore, where he becomes the quarry of the powerful and bloodthirsty witch Baba Yaga. Bent on revenge for the eye she had lost to Hellboy, Baba Yaga has enlisted the aid of a deathless warrior who will stop at nothing to destroy Hellboy.
Since his creation in 1993, Mike Mignola's Hellboy has accumulated dozens of industry awards and become a favorite of fans and critics alike. Now, Mignola turns over drawing duties to Duncan Fegredo (Enigma, Ultimate Adventures) for a new chapter in the life of the World's Greatest Paranormal Investigator.
* Collects the entire six-issue miniseries, along with two new epilogues--one drawn by Mignola, and one by Fegredo--and an extensive sketchbook section from both artists!
Since his creation in 1993, Mike Mignola's Hellboy has accumulated dozens of industry awards and become a favorite of fans and critics alike. Now, Mignola turns over drawing duties to Duncan Fegredo (Enigma, Ultimate Adventures) for a new chapter in the life of the World's Greatest Paranormal Investigator.
* Collects the entire six-issue miniseries, along with two new epilogues--one drawn by Mignola, and one by Fegredo--and an extensive sketchbook section from both artists!
200 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
About the author
Mike Mignola
1,833 books2,572 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 232 reviews
June 15, 2016
Hellish good!
This TPB edition collects “Hellboy” #27-32 featuring the storyline “Darkness Calls”.
Creative Team:
Writer: Mike Mignola
Illustrator: Duncan Fegredo
COLLECTING DEBTS
How bad is it going to be?
We will not survive it.
Events happened in previous storylines such as Seed of Destruction, Wake the Devil, The Chained Coffin and Others and Box Full of Evil make a terrible crossroad here…
…and Hellboy is right in the center of all of it.
Great powers walking the Earth will collide choosing sides in the fate of Hellboy. Some looking for his doom, others stepping out for protecting him.
At this point, I’ll take all the friends I can get.
And have no doubt that this battle will collect its toll in both sides of the paranormal conflict.
Baba Yaga lost an eye due Hellboy, she’s back and you can be sure that she is pissed as hell (pun intented) and she won’t rest until getting that Hellboy would suffer the same and being as humiliated too.
WICKED CROWN
Who, then, has more right to be king?
The witches of the world lost their queen.
The position must be filled soon.
Obviously, Baba Yaga wants it.
However, the sources of Hellboy’s unholy breeding, makes him to look like as good candidate as any, if not more. A king for the witches? Some circles are considering the unusual scenario.
Obviously, Hellboy doesn’t want it.
That’s only more firewood for their messy clash.
However, an insidious third party is moving around to find a better suited queen. Better suited for the witches’ community, not for us.
This TPB edition collects “Hellboy” #27-32 featuring the storyline “Darkness Calls”.
Creative Team:
Writer: Mike Mignola
Illustrator: Duncan Fegredo
COLLECTING DEBTS
How bad is it going to be?
We will not survive it.
Events happened in previous storylines such as Seed of Destruction, Wake the Devil, The Chained Coffin and Others and Box Full of Evil make a terrible crossroad here…
…and Hellboy is right in the center of all of it.
Great powers walking the Earth will collide choosing sides in the fate of Hellboy. Some looking for his doom, others stepping out for protecting him.
At this point, I’ll take all the friends I can get.
And have no doubt that this battle will collect its toll in both sides of the paranormal conflict.
Baba Yaga lost an eye due Hellboy, she’s back and you can be sure that she is pissed as hell (pun intented) and she won’t rest until getting that Hellboy would suffer the same and being as humiliated too.
WICKED CROWN
Who, then, has more right to be king?
The witches of the world lost their queen.
The position must be filled soon.
Obviously, Baba Yaga wants it.
However, the sources of Hellboy’s unholy breeding, makes him to look like as good candidate as any, if not more. A king for the witches? Some circles are considering the unusual scenario.
Obviously, Hellboy doesn’t want it.
That’s only more firewood for their messy clash.
However, an insidious third party is moving around to find a better suited queen. Better suited for the witches’ community, not for us.
November 9, 2017
In the dreamland of Baba Yaga, the immortal Russian Forest, Hellboy faces a ton of cool foes right from real mythology and legend.
I can't say I completely recognize all the legend references here but that doesn't matter for the sake of sheer enjoyment. Indeed, the pacing on this one is pretty much nonstop action and twist with a really huge bite of Hellboy's old foes. We've got witches, Hood of the hanging fame, Hecate and an army of skeletons, the spirit of the forest, Baba Yaga... but honestly, I was most thrilled by Koshchei the Deathless.
The only other time I read about Koshchei the Deathless was in a Cat Valente novel and now I'm pretty stoked to learn a lot more, and not just because of how he was portrayed here. What a tragic piece!
I can't say I completely recognize all the legend references here but that doesn't matter for the sake of sheer enjoyment. Indeed, the pacing on this one is pretty much nonstop action and twist with a really huge bite of Hellboy's old foes. We've got witches, Hood of the hanging fame, Hecate and an army of skeletons, the spirit of the forest, Baba Yaga... but honestly, I was most thrilled by Koshchei the Deathless.
The only other time I read about Koshchei the Deathless was in a Cat Valente novel and now I'm pretty stoked to learn a lot more, and not just because of how he was portrayed here. What a tragic piece!
February 10, 2019
This is one of my favorite volumes yet. Both the story with the witches of england and the confrontation with Baba Yaga is fantastic. I love how Mignola brings in Russian folklore and ties it all together into the book. Russian mythology is pretty batshit crazy in the first place. Baba Yaga has a house that runs around on chicken legs and she flies around in a giant mortar and pestle. It doesn't get much more insane than that.
Duncan Fegredo takes over on art for the last 3 books of Hellboy's main story. His art is probably technically better. It does pair well with Mignola's but his fight scenes don't have the same oomph and dynamics to them.
Duncan Fegredo takes over on art for the last 3 books of Hellboy's main story. His art is probably technically better. It does pair well with Mignola's but his fight scenes don't have the same oomph and dynamics to them.
January 26, 2015
This isn't quite 5 stars, but it's a 5 star HELLBOY book...if that makes any sense...
Again, Mignola puts aside the art for Duncan Fegredo, who manages to take Mignola's style and tweak it ever so much into something that captures the essence and feel of Hellboy nearly as well as Mignola himself.
This is also a change, in that the whole volume contains one continuous story, not a pile of smaller ones.
Hellboy has to deal with some pretty dangerous opponents returning from the Darkness: Hecate, Baba Yaga being the 2 biggies.
We see here that he's a pawn in a larger game, and we see his lineage and parentage might include the Devil and a Witch, but his biggest actual battle is waged against the best opponent yet:
Koshchei the Deathless...a valliant warrior once, who's soul belongs to Baba Yaga, who will never release him...she sics him on Hellboy, and promises death/eternal peace, but of course, he cannot trust her, nor can he afford not to fight and destroy Hellboy...this leads to a helluva throwdown between these 2 guys.
There's a lot going on here, and it's plenty enjoyable to see Hellboy run into real foes and someone who he can't just blow up or punch out.
He even gets thrown into a netherworld to fight, and is so fed up with it at one point: "STUPID GODDAMN SKELETON ARMY BASTARDS...!" Which is exactly what he has to face...a skeleton army of dead, only to be rescued by a gigantic Wolf, who represents the forest, and only enjoys the fact that Hellboy annoys Hecate...
It's quite the spot he's thrown into, and for the first time in memory, he might not make it out...
Again, Mignola puts aside the art for Duncan Fegredo, who manages to take Mignola's style and tweak it ever so much into something that captures the essence and feel of Hellboy nearly as well as Mignola himself.
This is also a change, in that the whole volume contains one continuous story, not a pile of smaller ones.
Hellboy has to deal with some pretty dangerous opponents returning from the Darkness: Hecate, Baba Yaga being the 2 biggies.
We see here that he's a pawn in a larger game, and we see his lineage and parentage might include the Devil and a Witch, but his biggest actual battle is waged against the best opponent yet:
Koshchei the Deathless...a valliant warrior once, who's soul belongs to Baba Yaga, who will never release him...she sics him on Hellboy, and promises death/eternal peace, but of course, he cannot trust her, nor can he afford not to fight and destroy Hellboy...this leads to a helluva throwdown between these 2 guys.
There's a lot going on here, and it's plenty enjoyable to see Hellboy run into real foes and someone who he can't just blow up or punch out.
He even gets thrown into a netherworld to fight, and is so fed up with it at one point: "STUPID GODDAMN SKELETON ARMY BASTARDS...!" Which is exactly what he has to face...a skeleton army of dead, only to be rescued by a gigantic Wolf, who represents the forest, and only enjoys the fact that Hellboy annoys Hecate...
It's quite the spot he's thrown into, and for the first time in memory, he might not make it out...
October 12, 2017
Darkness Calls is the first part of what basically is a three-part finale of Hellboy, and it is appropriately epic. This volume is heavy on Russian folklore, as it features Hellboy's fight against Baba Yaga and Koshchei the Deathless, and Vasilisa the Beautiful makes her first appearance in the Hellboy-verse. A friend of mine once told me the premise of this volume (long before I have read Hellboy myself), and I thought it was bonkers. What I didn't realise then is just how much fun such a story can be if it's executed well. Needless to say, Mike Mignola did exactly that in Darkness Calls. I never liked Russian fables when I was a kid, because I only knew them from bad soviet cartoons and adapted children's books that seemed dull even to a toddler. Mignola made me realise just how awesome and metal Russian folklore can be when it's in the hands of a talented writer.
This volume is also the first one drawn by Duncan Fegredo instead of Mike Mignola himself. I wasn't a huge fan of Mignola's style the first time I was reading Hellboy, but on my second read I've actually grown to love it, so now I'm not as happy with the change. Don't get me wrong, Fegredo's style is incredible — it's very similar to Mignola's, but much more detailed and technical. Still, I really miss Mignola drawing Hellboy, there is just that special kind of charm and atmosphere that is impossible to replicate. Fegredo's art may look more impressive and professional, but Mignola's has heart and soul.
First read: October 28, 2015
Rating: ★★★★★
Second read: October 12, 2017
Rating: ★★★★★
This volume is also the first one drawn by Duncan Fegredo instead of Mike Mignola himself. I wasn't a huge fan of Mignola's style the first time I was reading Hellboy, but on my second read I've actually grown to love it, so now I'm not as happy with the change. Don't get me wrong, Fegredo's style is incredible — it's very similar to Mignola's, but much more detailed and technical. Still, I really miss Mignola drawing Hellboy, there is just that special kind of charm and atmosphere that is impossible to replicate. Fegredo's art may look more impressive and professional, but Mignola's has heart and soul.
First read: October 28, 2015
Rating: ★★★★★
Second read: October 12, 2017
Rating: ★★★★★
November 9, 2017
3.5 stars. Hellboy’s starts out in England, but ends up somewhere else, thanks to him ticking off some witches. Baba Yaga finds him, and sends a variety of forces after him so she can have her revenge on Hellboy for taking one of her eyes. Hellboy encounters various Russian spirits and gods this time. The artwork is frequently stunning, with brilliant oranges and reds. I found some parts of the story confusing, but I liked the basic premise of a pissed off Baba Yaga throwing everything she can at Hellboy.
April 13, 2021
I'm in love with the art of Duncan Fegredo. I think he's one of the few people that can replace Mike Mignola. He simultaneously matches the tone of Mignola and introduces his own unique style - unlike, say Guy Davis's work on B.P.R.D. which has very little similarity to Mignola.
The story in this book is a little thin and it's a quick read. I won't go into any plot details but it includes a lot of Hellboy running around and meeting/battling interesting characters while trying to avoid a witch who wants to take his eyeball.
Darkness Calls is a good entry in the Hellboy series but nothing game-changing. Every fan will obviously want to read this and its just another reason for new readers to go through all the Hellboy volumes.
The story in this book is a little thin and it's a quick read. I won't go into any plot details but it includes a lot of Hellboy running around and meeting/battling interesting characters while trying to avoid a witch who wants to take his eyeball.
Darkness Calls is a good entry in the Hellboy series but nothing game-changing. Every fan will obviously want to read this and its just another reason for new readers to go through all the Hellboy volumes.
March 4, 2026
This is the beginning of the end for Hellboy (sort of? There’s like a million more stories set earlier in the character’s life still to come, but in terms of the big picture we’re closing in on the finale here). Hellboy makes the mistake of pissing off seemingly every single witch on the planet and to get back at him they ship him off to Mythological Russia where the Baba Yaga does her best to kill him. It’s awesome. I mean come on, of course it is.
Mike Mignola is still writing the book, but he steps back from art duties, handing the job off to Duncan Fegredo. Fegredo really impresses here, walking a very fine line with a style that’s clearly borrowing heavily from Mignola while also being distinctly his own. There’s a few moments here that I found especially impressive. Hellboy waking up in the dark surrounded by a mob of witches who are all staring ominously at him is an amazing image, the atmosphere and eeriness of it is perfect. Fegredo’s fight scenes are top notch too. This story ends with an extended brawl between Hellboy and Koshchei and it’s very satisfying to watch these two beat the shit out of each other.
Good stuff all around, this is like one half Hellboy meeting a bunch of weirdos, one half Hellboy punching one of those weirdos repeatedly and in between all that Mignola is laying the groundwork for the next couple storylines. No complaints here at all.
Mike Mignola is still writing the book, but he steps back from art duties, handing the job off to Duncan Fegredo. Fegredo really impresses here, walking a very fine line with a style that’s clearly borrowing heavily from Mignola while also being distinctly his own. There’s a few moments here that I found especially impressive. Hellboy waking up in the dark surrounded by a mob of witches who are all staring ominously at him is an amazing image, the atmosphere and eeriness of it is perfect. Fegredo’s fight scenes are top notch too. This story ends with an extended brawl between Hellboy and Koshchei and it’s very satisfying to watch these two beat the shit out of each other.
Good stuff all around, this is like one half Hellboy meeting a bunch of weirdos, one half Hellboy punching one of those weirdos repeatedly and in between all that Mignola is laying the groundwork for the next couple storylines. No complaints here at all.
August 30, 2018
Holy jeez! Super epic world building awesomeness!
Man it's been a while we've had a large 6 issue Hellboy grand arc story, it's finally here and it's awesome. Let's just dive into this awesomeness:
World: Mignola Art, done. Duncan Fregrado art is nice, he's quite good at mimicking Mignola, I just wish Mignola would draw more again. Absolute tour de force in world building. Oh man so much happens here in the grand scheme of things that I can't even list all of it. I won't spoil anything for you but wow, yeah its insane how many things are called back, put into motion and tied together. I love how the HB world which has been separate from the rest of the Mignolaverse is finally tying back with the BPRD. Insane awesomeness.
Story: Grand is the word, epic is another. The Baba Yaga story and the World Tree has been in the back burner for a while, and man this return was well worth the wait. It's insane, the pacing great, the dialog superb. Wow the world building is amazing. I don't want to ruin anything once again so be prepared to get your mind to explode.
Characters: HB still does not have a large chunk of development for a while and here there is, it's passive where he's not the person changing, the world around him is and preparing for something greater, I can't wait to see where this will go. Baba Yaga is amazing as is the witches story, yeah. Epic. And I'm trying to be spoiler free without shitting my pants.
If you like monsters and giant fights and mythology, read this bloody book, it's amazing. It will make you shit yourself!
Onward to the next book!
Man it's been a while we've had a large 6 issue Hellboy grand arc story, it's finally here and it's awesome. Let's just dive into this awesomeness:
World: Mignola Art, done. Duncan Fregrado art is nice, he's quite good at mimicking Mignola, I just wish Mignola would draw more again. Absolute tour de force in world building. Oh man so much happens here in the grand scheme of things that I can't even list all of it. I won't spoil anything for you but wow, yeah its insane how many things are called back, put into motion and tied together. I love how the HB world which has been separate from the rest of the Mignolaverse is finally tying back with the BPRD. Insane awesomeness.
Story: Grand is the word, epic is another. The Baba Yaga story and the World Tree has been in the back burner for a while, and man this return was well worth the wait. It's insane, the pacing great, the dialog superb. Wow the world building is amazing. I don't want to ruin anything once again so be prepared to get your mind to explode.
Characters: HB still does not have a large chunk of development for a while and here there is, it's passive where he's not the person changing, the world around him is and preparing for something greater, I can't wait to see where this will go. Baba Yaga is amazing as is the witches story, yeah. Epic. And I'm trying to be spoiler free without shitting my pants.
If you like monsters and giant fights and mythology, read this bloody book, it's amazing. It will make you shit yourself!
Onward to the next book!
August 7, 2015
Re-read 8/6/15: Another excellent miniseries, this one focusing on Baba Yaga's vendetta against Hellboy because of her lost eye. The story takes place in a dreamland alternate Russia populated by Russian myth and folklore, and as Hellboy runs for his life, he's pursued by Koshchei the Deathless, probably my favorite "villain" of the Hellboy universe. (He's definitely not a good guy, but Baba Yaga is almost literally pulling his strings, and you can see that his sense of honor is tearing him apart.) This one ties back in briefly to the B.P.R.D., which I found useful for keeping track of the parallel chronologies. Duncan Fegredo takes over the illustrating duties here, and his work is simply beautiful: this is still recognizably Hellboy, but with a unique twist. This book is battling for first place with Conqueror Worm in my heart. At this point I've come to the end of what I've read before, and am looking forward to seeing what comes next.
Read, but not reviewed, 1/14/09.
Read, but not reviewed, 1/14/09.
July 9, 2012
It wasn't until halfway through the first chapter that I suddenly thought 'hey, I thought Mignola was giving up art duties to concentrate fully on writing'. Yet the choppy line quality, intimidating mood, and bulky chiaroscuro of Mignola's style were all in full effect, despite the fact that they were the work of artist Duncan Fegredo.
The art in this volume is lush, gorgeous, and full of detail, yet completely true to the classic Hellboy style. Somehow, Fegredo took in Mignola's characteristic art, refined it, and recreated it with the hand of a master draughtsman. Yet I have always been impressed with Fegredo's sense of form and gesture, which he demonstrated so effectively in Milligan's great conceptual work, Enigma, though I did not know he was such a studied mimic.
I'm glad that Mignola decided to devote himself full-time to writing, having found an artist capable of keeping up the other end, because it has freed him up to write more in-depth, thoughtful stories without sacrificing his publishing schedule, and it also allows the dedicated artist to produce highly-detailed work.
I am usually less fond of the main plotline stories in the Hellboy series, since I find the briefer, unconnected story collections to be more experimental and rich, concentrating on tone and character instead of steady plot movement. Yet in this volume, Mignola has managed to advance the plot at the same time as he explores subtler aspects of his world.
His deep delving into Russian myth was interesting, since it is such a rich vein of unique stories and magics, and one rarely tapped by other authors. I'm glad that, like Gaiman, Mignola is not content to sit on his laurels, but keeps expanding his world and surprising us.
My only complaint is the characterization of Hellboy himself, who has always been flippant and sardonic, but since the Strange Places TPB, has increasingly become a dullard and spewer of quips. As Mignola explained in the introduction to that collection, he had just come off of working on the Del Toro film, which influenced his concept of the character and the world.
I find it extremely disappointing that the goofy, watered-down film version of Hellboy has ended up replacing the complex, conflicted character of the earlier comics. I'm glad that Mignola has moved on from the narrative exposition of Strange Places, but I hope the character will also soon escape the dulling effect of Del Toro's flashy, unsubtle film and return to what made the comic great.
The art in this volume is lush, gorgeous, and full of detail, yet completely true to the classic Hellboy style. Somehow, Fegredo took in Mignola's characteristic art, refined it, and recreated it with the hand of a master draughtsman. Yet I have always been impressed with Fegredo's sense of form and gesture, which he demonstrated so effectively in Milligan's great conceptual work, Enigma, though I did not know he was such a studied mimic.
I'm glad that Mignola decided to devote himself full-time to writing, having found an artist capable of keeping up the other end, because it has freed him up to write more in-depth, thoughtful stories without sacrificing his publishing schedule, and it also allows the dedicated artist to produce highly-detailed work.
I am usually less fond of the main plotline stories in the Hellboy series, since I find the briefer, unconnected story collections to be more experimental and rich, concentrating on tone and character instead of steady plot movement. Yet in this volume, Mignola has managed to advance the plot at the same time as he explores subtler aspects of his world.
His deep delving into Russian myth was interesting, since it is such a rich vein of unique stories and magics, and one rarely tapped by other authors. I'm glad that, like Gaiman, Mignola is not content to sit on his laurels, but keeps expanding his world and surprising us.
My only complaint is the characterization of Hellboy himself, who has always been flippant and sardonic, but since the Strange Places TPB, has increasingly become a dullard and spewer of quips. As Mignola explained in the introduction to that collection, he had just come off of working on the Del Toro film, which influenced his concept of the character and the world.
I find it extremely disappointing that the goofy, watered-down film version of Hellboy has ended up replacing the complex, conflicted character of the earlier comics. I'm glad that Mignola has moved on from the narrative exposition of Strange Places, but I hope the character will also soon escape the dulling effect of Del Toro's flashy, unsubtle film and return to what made the comic great.
August 16, 2015
Mike Mignola awoke some very serious artistic sensibilities in my very young mind at the time that "Gotham by Gaslight" came out. He was doing something so different, so deceptively simple, and so dark, that I could barely understand it. Fast forward to some of his DHP work with the early Hellboy stories (like Jenny Greenteeth) and I couldn't stay away. I mean, I was still addicted to the likes of Lee and Silvestri around that time, but artists like Mignola and Allred were having a huge influence on me and on my work. The lines could do so much when they were just barely even there. Deep shadows could speak volumes. I still to this day feel as if Miller gets more credit than he deserves for things Mignola does better. But, whatever. Mignola doesn't even touch the art chores in this volume. It's just someone who really wants to mimic his style. For whatever reason.
Anyway, this is a solid volume. I stopped reading a lot of the Hellboy stuff probably around what I'm guessing would be volume 6 or so. No reason, really, just fell off it. The bookstore I work at now got some of these later trades in and I figured I'd take a look at the colorized stuff he was pumping out now. I wasn't disappointed. And I was damn glad to find only a mention of Rasputin here, but not the witch himself. Instead, we are treated to the fairy tales and legends of Russia from a time before the madman even lived. If you know anything about Hellboy, you know he goes about his business much the same way the Goon does- with brute force and little brains. It's one of the things that makes him endearing. One of the reasons the character worked so well surrounded by the BPRD cast. In Darkness Calls, the witchiest of witches calls our boy to another realm, that of Baba Yaga. It doesn't disappoint. The endless parade of Russian misfit legends is more interesting and intriguing than anything Hellboy himself says or does in this volume, and I don't mind that a single bit.
As for the colorized art here... it works. It's serviceable. There isn't anything terrible, except maybe some of the more unfortunate choices of deep grays that obscure some of the inks. Otherwise, the bright, straightforward reds and oranges, the muted browns and the stark contrasts of the whites work wonders against masterful lines.
Grade: B+
Anyway, this is a solid volume. I stopped reading a lot of the Hellboy stuff probably around what I'm guessing would be volume 6 or so. No reason, really, just fell off it. The bookstore I work at now got some of these later trades in and I figured I'd take a look at the colorized stuff he was pumping out now. I wasn't disappointed. And I was damn glad to find only a mention of Rasputin here, but not the witch himself. Instead, we are treated to the fairy tales and legends of Russia from a time before the madman even lived. If you know anything about Hellboy, you know he goes about his business much the same way the Goon does- with brute force and little brains. It's one of the things that makes him endearing. One of the reasons the character worked so well surrounded by the BPRD cast. In Darkness Calls, the witchiest of witches calls our boy to another realm, that of Baba Yaga. It doesn't disappoint. The endless parade of Russian misfit legends is more interesting and intriguing than anything Hellboy himself says or does in this volume, and I don't mind that a single bit.
As for the colorized art here... it works. It's serviceable. There isn't anything terrible, except maybe some of the more unfortunate choices of deep grays that obscure some of the inks. Otherwise, the bright, straightforward reds and oranges, the muted browns and the stark contrasts of the whites work wonders against masterful lines.
Grade: B+
August 17, 2018
This is pretty standard Hellboy greatness. Please feel free to read what's going to happen if you haven't read the first 7 volumes... or you know, just pick it up and enjoy how great Mike Mignola is. At most things.
July 16, 2020
Повернення до Міньйолаверсу після довгої паузи - це як перепочити від запойного перегляду "Самурая Джека", раптом дочекатися його фінального сезону та зрозуміти, що у ньому не "монстри тижня", а великий, глобальний, бадьорий та цікавий сюжет майже класичного за формою героїчного фентезі!
Восьмий волюм "Геллбоя" цілісний, глибокий, брутальний у екшені та прекрасний в увазі до деталей, додаючи які сам Міньйола очевидно кайфує від власної роботи. Далі гряде цілий вам Раґна Рок, персонажі мруть, та й роблять це епічно. Натяків на відповіді на усі запитання, що накопичилися за попередні томи, стає все більше і все від того менше вони схожі на, власне, "натяки".
Це саме те, що і було потрібно, аби заохотити мене нарешті дочитати ото все, що у серії про БПРО було надто нерівним, рваним, а у попередніх двох томах про самого Червоного із флешбековими новелками не сильно покращилось і відлякало на кілька місяців, збило ритм читання.
Нині ж - поїхали далі!
Восьмий волюм "Геллбоя" цілісний, глибокий, брутальний у екшені та прекрасний в увазі до деталей, додаючи які сам Міньйола очевидно кайфує від власної роботи. Далі гряде цілий вам Раґна Рок, персонажі мруть, та й роблять це епічно. Натяків на відповіді на усі запитання, що накопичилися за попередні томи, стає все більше і все від того менше вони схожі на, власне, "натяки".
Це саме те, що і було потрібно, аби заохотити мене нарешті дочитати ото все, що у серії про БПРО було надто нерівним, рваним, а у попередніх двох томах про самого Червоного із флешбековими новелками не сильно покращилось і відлякало на кілька місяців, збило ритм читання.
Нині ж - поїхали далі!
June 20, 2025
I am rereading the series (and the adjacent universe tie ins) based on a reading list I found here on Goodreads. I really love this series and wanted to visit it again.
Wonderful art as always- the style is so different that having a new artist doing Mignola still really works. The heavy shadows and colors are just so enjoyable to the eye.
Hellboy fights with the Baba Yaga, meets up with old friends and enemies and is once again told that no matter what he does he will one day bring about the destruction of the earth as the king of hell (he doesn’t like that). Some of my favorite moments - the Russian girl dying and becoming a doll, the soul hidden in a duck in a rabbit in a goat in a…., “don’t get me started on that guy” to Rasputin. A great story although requires previous stories to really enjoy, don’t jump in here.
Wonderful art as always- the style is so different that having a new artist doing Mignola still really works. The heavy shadows and colors are just so enjoyable to the eye.
Hellboy fights with the Baba Yaga, meets up with old friends and enemies and is once again told that no matter what he does he will one day bring about the destruction of the earth as the king of hell (he doesn’t like that). Some of my favorite moments - the Russian girl dying and becoming a doll, the soul hidden in a duck in a rabbit in a goat in a…., “don’t get me started on that guy” to Rasputin. A great story although requires previous stories to really enjoy, don’t jump in here.
May 15, 2021
GR gremlins ate my original entry.
January 4, 2021
Úžasné predstavenie ruského folklóru. Mignola každou knihou dokazuje aký je úžasný autor.
November 20, 2021
The great beginning of the greatest Hellboy epic. Presented by the great art of Duncan Fegredo.
October 11, 2013
I've come to love Hellboy, and how Mignola uses folklore as a starting point for his stories. I've also become a fan of Mignola's art on Hellboy, and his skillful use of black spaces. But this is not Mignola's art. This is Duncan Fegredo, and I was surprised by how much it works. Fegredo does a good job of making his art here stylistically consistent with Mignola's. And yet, he isn't just copying his style. His art has more detail, to name the most obvious difference. It has to be a difficult tightrope act, to draw something similar enough to Mignola's Hellboy to be consistent with his work (and satisfying to fans!) while still making it your own. Fegredo nails it, and he deserves a ton of credit for pulling it off.
That leaves the story entirely in Mignola's hand. This may be a good thing, in the long run, because what he delivers is one of the longest and most complex Hellboy stories to date. It brings the conflict between Hellboy and Baba Yaga to its conclusion, while setting up a new conflict. I'm very interested to see where the storyline with the witches is heading. It all builds very naturally from what came before, without the reader having to flip back to previous collections to understand what's going on. It's possible that a new reader could start out here, but I wouldn't suggest it.
However, parts of the story did drag a bit. Koschei the Deathless just keeps showing up, and I could have used a bit less of him. Overall, though, one of the best single volumes of Hellboy so far.
That leaves the story entirely in Mignola's hand. This may be a good thing, in the long run, because what he delivers is one of the longest and most complex Hellboy stories to date. It brings the conflict between Hellboy and Baba Yaga to its conclusion, while setting up a new conflict. I'm very interested to see where the storyline with the witches is heading. It all builds very naturally from what came before, without the reader having to flip back to previous collections to understand what's going on. It's possible that a new reader could start out here, but I wouldn't suggest it.
However, parts of the story did drag a bit. Koschei the Deathless just keeps showing up, and I could have used a bit less of him. Overall, though, one of the best single volumes of Hellboy so far.
January 26, 2024
(Zero spoiler review) 4.5/5
Oh my. Another Mignola Hellboy story. Another chance for me to fawn over what has rapidly become one of my favourite comic's series. I mean, I could quite literally gush more than an... anyway. I've praised Hellboy so much, that I've even grown tired of pointing out how much I've praised Hellboy. I'd start to say such excellence is getting old, but let's be honest. In 2024, comics needs all the excellence it can get. Even if its reading stories from twenty years ago.
The longest Hellboy story I've read to date, and an absolute banger, to boot. The second half of action may not quite live up to the opening half of intrigue and world building, but I'm quibbling pretty hard right now. Essentially essential reading. 4.5/5
OmniBen.
Oh my. Another Mignola Hellboy story. Another chance for me to fawn over what has rapidly become one of my favourite comic's series. I mean, I could quite literally gush more than an... anyway. I've praised Hellboy so much, that I've even grown tired of pointing out how much I've praised Hellboy. I'd start to say such excellence is getting old, but let's be honest. In 2024, comics needs all the excellence it can get. Even if its reading stories from twenty years ago.
The longest Hellboy story I've read to date, and an absolute banger, to boot. The second half of action may not quite live up to the opening half of intrigue and world building, but I'm quibbling pretty hard right now. Essentially essential reading. 4.5/5
OmniBen.
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
September 5, 2021
Hellboy faces off against Baba Yaga once more, while also fighting his own predestined fate. Although the volume doesn't reach the height of sheet epicness, it is still a great and enjoyable one.
June 22, 2020
История, которая частично легла в основу нового фильма о Хеллбое, но она перекроена так, что прям больно теперь (а ведь фильм мне понравился). Нас лишили сражения с Кощеем Бессмертным, встречи с Василисой Премудрой и многих других радостей комикса - Хеллбой оказался в русском фольклоре, пытаясь уйти от Бабы-Яги, желающей его убить. Ну, или хотя бы вернуть глаз.
Снова напомню, что я тут пристрастна - все, что делается с участием Хеллбоя, для меня прекрасно!
Снова напомню, что я тут пристрастна - все, что делается с участием Хеллбоя, для меня прекрасно!
October 1, 2011
I didn't like this quite as much as the collection of shorter stories that was the last trade. The story was somewhat unclear and muddled at times, and there is a lot of action that isn't supported super well by the art.
This book is not drawn at all by Mignola (Duncan Fegredo takes over in the art department) and though it is very well done and emulates the Hellboy style expertly, Fegredo doesn't handle high action as well as Mignola and it sort of hurts the book. The fight scenes end up being chaotic and confusing, rather than having the sort of impact that Mignola usually manages.
The story seems sort of hacked together as well. There is a lot of setup for Hellboy's next big challenge, but it is pretty obviously setup, with Hellboy rambling from one plot point to the next without much tying them together.
This is a pretty good comic, but definitely not the best Hellboy has to offer.
This book is not drawn at all by Mignola (Duncan Fegredo takes over in the art department) and though it is very well done and emulates the Hellboy style expertly, Fegredo doesn't handle high action as well as Mignola and it sort of hurts the book. The fight scenes end up being chaotic and confusing, rather than having the sort of impact that Mignola usually manages.
The story seems sort of hacked together as well. There is a lot of setup for Hellboy's next big challenge, but it is pretty obviously setup, with Hellboy rambling from one plot point to the next without much tying them together.
This is a pretty good comic, but definitely not the best Hellboy has to offer.
December 24, 2020
I really loved so many parts of this and I'm super hyped about what Duncan Fegredo does with this(also wow his last name sounds like a pasta variation). But as a whole, this is so narratively dissonant, like there are two halves to this story, the England one, which legit confused the fuck out of me the first time I read it and the Baba Yaga which is one of the coolest comics I have ever read, BLEEDING snarky hero taking on humongous monsters facing certain death is totally my thing. I also loved the twists of the England tale(especially the first one). Man, I wish this was two separate stories, cause on their own they're excellent, especially baba yaga but they just don't mix together. The B plot of resurrecting the new queen of the witches felt bland and I just wanted to get back to the main story. This had so much potential but ultimately didn't land for me.
ps someone explain this witchfinder shit to me.
ps someone explain this witchfinder shit to me.
July 5, 2016
4 1/2 stars
July 7, 2016
Actual rating: 4.5
I will say that the art in this volume was a bit confusing, but also really cool to look at. I like the new characters also.
I will say that the art in this volume was a bit confusing, but also really cool to look at. I like the new characters also.
Read
March 25, 2021There's a few other artists that I thought of who could have replaced Mignola as artist, such as the remarkable Lee Bermejo, who Mike considered following him up before that fell through, the aforementioned Gary Gianni, and a few others. But I must say that Duncan Fegredo silenced my doubts. His art is gorgeous, evocative, and full with detail, but still retains the classic Hellboy style. It is easily the best part of this arc.
The story is also well done, a classic Hellboy story in the sense of Hellboy getting into some supernatural hijinks. But it takes a much more fantastical route, and turns the Hellboy story into a supernatural fantasy. It is paced well, and there are plenty of memorable lines and one of my favorite Hellboy wisecracks. A recommend from me.
June 16, 2025
After a hiatus, I’m back to reading my way through Hellboy. In this one, Helboy duels with a foe from a previous book, the witch of Russian folklore, the Baba Yaga (and her minions from various other mythologies).
There’s nothing really “stand out” about this volume, but it’s just more of what I’ve come to expect in this series: tons of folklore, bright colors, BAM! POW! action, and dry, sarcastic humor.
There’s nothing really “stand out” about this volume, but it’s just more of what I’ve come to expect in this series: tons of folklore, bright colors, BAM! POW! action, and dry, sarcastic humor.
August 28, 2022
Mignola still throwing everything at Hellboy to see what sticks. In this collection he seems slightly freed up by not having to do the art as well.
It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye. When that someone is an evil witch from Russian mythology things can get a little dicey. We get plenty of Baba Yaga hellbent on revenge and the usual Hellboy insouciance.
There is also the usual subplot about resurrected Nazis housing the souls of even madder witches. This was a fun romp after a couple of volumes that seemed weighed down by their own lore.
It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye. When that someone is an evil witch from Russian mythology things can get a little dicey. We get plenty of Baba Yaga hellbent on revenge and the usual Hellboy insouciance.
There is also the usual subplot about resurrected Nazis housing the souls of even madder witches. This was a fun romp after a couple of volumes that seemed weighed down by their own lore.
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