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Hellboy: The Bones of Giants #1-4
Hellboy: The Bones of Giants
When a startling discovery is made in Sweden, the B.P.R.D. sends Hellboy and Abe Sapien to investigate. What ensues is a wild adventure full of Norse legends, mythical creatures, and a threat that could bring not just Earth but the Nine Realms of Norse mythology to their knees.
Based on the illustrated novel by Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden, this hardcover collection brings readers into Hellboy’s fight against the Frost Giants with stunning art by Matt Smith and colors by Chris O’Halloran.
Collects Hellboy: The Bones of Giants issues #1-#4.
Based on the illustrated novel by Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden, this hardcover collection brings readers into Hellboy’s fight against the Frost Giants with stunning art by Matt Smith and colors by Chris O’Halloran.
Collects Hellboy: The Bones of Giants issues #1-#4.
112 pages, Hardcover
First published July 27, 2022
7 people are currently reading
207 people want to read
About the author
Mike Mignola
1,865 books2,527 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.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
February 8, 2023
3.5
Apart from the movie(s) I do enjoy me some Hellboy and BPRD.
This is rather good.
Hellboy is in Sweden and he's got Mjolnir fused to his arm..
There's a talking squirrel-way more understandable than Squirrel Girls sidekick.
Evil Elves
And of course NO THOR ...he's Marvel property.
Apart from the movie(s) I do enjoy me some Hellboy and BPRD.
This is rather good.
Hellboy is in Sweden and he's got Mjolnir fused to his arm..
There's a talking squirrel-way more understandable than Squirrel Girls sidekick.
Evil Elves
And of course NO THOR ...he's Marvel property.
January 27, 2023
Pretty standard Hellboy adventure in which Hellboy and Abe Sapien battle Norse Gods and monsters. Hellboy grabs Mjolnir from the corpse of Thor (why he's dead is never really discussed), which naturally has consequences. Namely, he's partially possessed by Thor, can zap foes with lightning, and can't drop the hammer until he completes his quest (kill a reborn frost giant).
Matt Smith's art is very House of Mignola, so that's satisfying. I guess The Bones of Giants is based on an earlier Christopher Golden prose novel. The translation to comic is smooth, though there's somewhat of an excess of text. It's all just fine! If you like Hellboy, you'll like this! Though it won't blow your pants off.
Matt Smith's art is very House of Mignola, so that's satisfying. I guess The Bones of Giants is based on an earlier Christopher Golden prose novel. The translation to comic is smooth, though there's somewhat of an excess of text. It's all just fine! If you like Hellboy, you'll like this! Though it won't blow your pants off.
February 23, 2024
Зізнаюсь, що я вирішив влаштувати собі марафон Геллбоя суто через ось цей єдиний комікс. Я до останнього відкладав прочитання цього шедевра, бо лише з перших проглянутих сторінок зрозумів, що це буде бомба.
І дійсно, інакше й не могло бути, адже це адаптація однойменного роману (так, для тих, хто в танку, то по Геллбою є вже кілька повноцінних романів). Сюжет, відповідно тримаєтьсян а максимальній висоті, все ідуально продумано. З'являються персонажі з попередніх частин. І як вже зрозуміло із назви - дія відбувається на землі вікінгів - у Швеції.
Серед поля знаходять велетенський труп рудого вікінга з молотом в руці, котрий ніхто не може підняти, а довкола нього постійно б'є блискавка. Звертаються за консультацією до BPRD і вони присилають двох своїх найліпших агентів - Геллбоя і Ейба. Довго не роздумуючи Геллбой підіймає молот і той намертво приліпляється до його правої кам'яної руки - новий аватар Тора в дії. А з ким бився Тор? З льодовими гігантами. І вони тут є разом зі своїм королем.
Проте, для мене завжди найголовнішим було як воно намальовано. І тут комікс вартує найвищих похвал. Арт Метта Сміта це суцільна насолода для очей, вражаючі дизайни ельфів, гномів, гігантів та іншої нечисті. Персонажі, котрі впізнаються і западають в серце. Окремий вид мистецтва - скетчі та варіанти дизайну в додаткових матеріалах. Яка велика повага і скрупульозний підхід до світу! І окремий плюс за Ейба в светрі.
І дійсно, інакше й не могло бути, адже це адаптація однойменного роману (так, для тих, хто в танку, то по Геллбою є вже кілька повноцінних романів). Сюжет, відповідно тримаєтьсян а максимальній висоті, все ідуально продумано. З'являються персонажі з попередніх частин. І як вже зрозуміло із назви - дія відбувається на землі вікінгів - у Швеції.
Серед поля знаходять велетенський труп рудого вікінга з молотом в руці, котрий ніхто не може підняти, а довкола нього постійно б'є блискавка. Звертаються за консультацією до BPRD і вони присилають двох своїх найліпших агентів - Геллбоя і Ейба. Довго не роздумуючи Геллбой підіймає молот і той намертво приліпляється до його правої кам'яної руки - новий аватар Тора в дії. А з ким бився Тор? З льодовими гігантами. І вони тут є разом зі своїм королем.
Проте, для мене завжди найголовнішим було як воно намальовано. І тут комікс вартує найвищих похвал. Арт Метта Сміта це суцільна насолода для очей, вражаючі дизайни ельфів, гномів, гігантів та іншої нечисті. Персонажі, котрі впізнаються і западають в серце. Окремий вид мистецтва - скетчі та варіанти дизайну в додаткових матеріалах. Яка велика повага і скрупульозний підхід до світу! І окремий плюс за Ейба в светрі.
August 13, 2025
A great Hellboy story, it connects back to one of his earlier solo adventures but feels like a standalone. If you were new to Hellboy this would be a fine starting point to give you a taste of what his world is like (folklore, academia, some ass whooping).
I enjoy the scenery, very fitting for a Hellboy story and looks like a place that hasn’t changed much in hundreds of years- something American stories just can’t capture.
I enjoy the scenery, very fitting for a Hellboy story and looks like a place that hasn’t changed much in hundreds of years- something American stories just can’t capture.
July 21, 2022
A wonderful set of graphic novels full of some really weird stories. All the books are amazing. But, my personal favorite would be Hellboy Universe Essentials: Witchfinder. The stories are so creepy and full of horror. Also, the graphics are amazing with some very different characters. Although, we don't see hellboy's character as one of the main in all the books. But, still the books are enjoyable and best for horror lovers. The Witchfinder is superb.
I would like to give the book 5 stars. Thanks to Edelweiss and Dark Horse Books for providing me an opportunity to read and review the book.
Read more on https://bibliophileverse.blogspot.com...
I would like to give the book 5 stars. Thanks to Edelweiss and Dark Horse Books for providing me an opportunity to read and review the book.
Read more on https://bibliophileverse.blogspot.com...
February 19, 2022
A great classic style (because from a classic era novel) Hellboy story. Great art too.
November 2, 2022
(3,9 of 5 for yet another, this time Nordic mythology themed, Hellboy adventure)
I didn't read the book, so I can't tell how the 300 pages transformed to a bit over a hundred in the comic book, but I'm not super excited here. And I love paranormal, Hellboy and Nordic mythology. But Mike set the bar high. The quality of the stories, even the simplest ones, action-packed, was usually very high. You can feel the detail, the polishing, the touch of the master. It always had like one more layer, some deep, transcending, menacing, grim. Now, the art got much finer (but the original Mignola style is still excellent and works well for his stories) but the feeling of that quality, deep reading is gone. This was like - here is the starting point, bam bam bam few checkpoints, which actually doesn't much matter because the gravity of the finale is so strong that it obviously pulls Hellboy form the first page to the last and anything that happens is completely secondary, nonimportant. In one scene - where the Hellboy ask if he can destroy the pendant and just stop being part of it - it almost feels like the authors are aware of that and making this ironic joke.
Overall, it's still good comics. But the bar of quality is quite high, and it seems, especially past few years, more and more stories just can't even reach it.
I didn't read the book, so I can't tell how the 300 pages transformed to a bit over a hundred in the comic book, but I'm not super excited here. And I love paranormal, Hellboy and Nordic mythology. But Mike set the bar high. The quality of the stories, even the simplest ones, action-packed, was usually very high. You can feel the detail, the polishing, the touch of the master. It always had like one more layer, some deep, transcending, menacing, grim. Now, the art got much finer (but the original Mignola style is still excellent and works well for his stories) but the feeling of that quality, deep reading is gone. This was like - here is the starting point, bam bam bam few checkpoints, which actually doesn't much matter because the gravity of the finale is so strong that it obviously pulls Hellboy form the first page to the last and anything that happens is completely secondary, nonimportant. In one scene - where the Hellboy ask if he can destroy the pendant and just stop being part of it - it almost feels like the authors are aware of that and making this ironic joke.
Overall, it's still good comics. But the bar of quality is quite high, and it seems, especially past few years, more and more stories just can't even reach it.
November 6, 2022
Very fun to read a self-contained Golden Age Of Hellboy story with the gang all together. Also Matt Smith is one of the better Mignolaverse House Style guys. He does a great fake Mignola!! I love that later Mignolaverse stuff has felt more free to stray from his style, but it's fun to spend time with something that feels so much like the Hellboy I fell in love with, even if it's maybe inessential and throwbacky. A nice little one-off. Really enjoyed it, does what it's trying to do.
April 2, 2024
The story is pretty interesting and puts Hellboy in Thor’s shoes as he has to clean up some issues with frost giants and asgardians and the like. Fun and cool but nothing groundbreaking. The art is the highlight of this book; the designs are excellent and I especially love the distinct look that comes from the skillful use of color and shading.
October 4, 2025
Go on, then. Bring the thunder."
March 5, 2023
Bagus seperti kebanyakan cerita Hellboy lainnya, jarang kecewa baca cerita Hellboy
January 11, 2025
That’s Thor, no bones about it.
January 11, 2023
Mignola was running out of ideas, so he decided to adapt this old novel by him and Christopher Golden to comics.
I've never read the novel.
The art by Matt Smith does a good job of capturing Mike Mignola's style.
To me it was a bit forgettable and doesn't really gel well with the rest of the Hellboy mythos.
I've never read the novel.
The art by Matt Smith does a good job of capturing Mike Mignola's style.
To me it was a bit forgettable and doesn't really gel well with the rest of the Hellboy mythos.
November 30, 2025
Thor’s hammer fused to Hellboy’s hand like a stubborn curse, ice giants dragging themselves back into life, a squirrel that talks, Abe crafting an omelet fit for the sagas… and somehow the whole thing lands with the quiet thud of a story content to coast.
The art is fine, better than fine at moments, and I am not mourning Mignola’s absence here. What I miss is the shadow beneath the spectacle, the ache that should come with Nordic myths collapsing into dim afterthoughts. You have fading gods, dark elves with knives skulking in corners of a dying world, dwarves of Niðavellir whose forges now glow only in memory. These are the ingredients of a tragedy older than language. Yet there is no sorrow, no sense of the last embers cooling, no whisper that wonders how long the marvelous can survive once men have paved over wonder.
Mignola always knew how to give monsters the weight of real grief, to show them as creatures clutching at the last corners of existence. Their rage had reasons. Their cruelty had cost. In this tale you find none of that. Even the final battle feels mechanical, a mandatory crescendo without a soul behind it.
You read it, you shrug, you move on. Nothing lingers except one strange, shifting detail between the two halves that made me wonder if the story itself forgot what it wanted to be.
The art is fine, better than fine at moments, and I am not mourning Mignola’s absence here. What I miss is the shadow beneath the spectacle, the ache that should come with Nordic myths collapsing into dim afterthoughts. You have fading gods, dark elves with knives skulking in corners of a dying world, dwarves of Niðavellir whose forges now glow only in memory. These are the ingredients of a tragedy older than language. Yet there is no sorrow, no sense of the last embers cooling, no whisper that wonders how long the marvelous can survive once men have paved over wonder.
Mignola always knew how to give monsters the weight of real grief, to show them as creatures clutching at the last corners of existence. Their rage had reasons. Their cruelty had cost. In this tale you find none of that. Even the final battle feels mechanical, a mandatory crescendo without a soul behind it.
You read it, you shrug, you move on. Nothing lingers except one strange, shifting detail between the two halves that made me wonder if the story itself forgot what it wanted to be.
March 7, 2023
A middling adaptation of the book. Matt Smith's style is of the imitation Mignola school, and it's okay on the eyes, with some visual highlights, but nowhere near as consistently good. He does make use of visuals to convey some things like Abe's dislike of cold relative to Hellboy, but other things, like the mythic scale of the assault on Utgard, didn't make it through, though an attempt was made. When one of the giants asks Hellboy if what's happening is real, it's not at all clear why he's asking that, unlike the book.
The story itself is mostly the same, but moved back in the timeline to 1988, and a few small scenes were changed, such as Thor's corpse not awakening, and Klar shooting Mist, so when she kills him it's "self defence". The brief fight with Logi is removed. Hellboy's short conversation with a giant is switched from Hyndla to Hraesvelg, which lessens it to me, since there was an implication that Thor had some familial feeling for her.
April 17, 2023
I’d always meant to read the novel this was adapted from, but as with a lot of things, never quite found the time to do so. So when I learned that The Bones of Giants had been adapted from novel to comic, and only 4 issues at that, I was excited, but uncertain.
Well, turns out I had no reason to be uncertain, that was a great time! Hellboy fused with Mjolnir has to go on a Norse themed quest and slay some giants. There’s a bit of wild hunt in here and king vold (especially the latter due to some returning characters).
There’s so much to like here, the art by Matt Smith is great, as are the colors by Chris O’Halloran. The story is fun and works shockingly well in spite of turning a 300 page novel into ~100 pages of comics, and it’s just nice seeing Hellboy and Abe go on a mission together. There’s shockingly little of that in the grand scheme of the BPRD universe. I do think that if there was just a bit more to it that I’ve gathered from reading some other reviews, this would have the potential to be one of if not my favorite Hellboy side story.
Well, turns out I had no reason to be uncertain, that was a great time! Hellboy fused with Mjolnir has to go on a Norse themed quest and slay some giants. There’s a bit of wild hunt in here and king vold (especially the latter due to some returning characters).
There’s so much to like here, the art by Matt Smith is great, as are the colors by Chris O’Halloran. The story is fun and works shockingly well in spite of turning a 300 page novel into ~100 pages of comics, and it’s just nice seeing Hellboy and Abe go on a mission together. There’s shockingly little of that in the grand scheme of the BPRD universe. I do think that if there was just a bit more to it that I’ve gathered from reading some other reviews, this would have the potential to be one of if not my favorite Hellboy side story.
March 14, 2023
Hellboy Vs Norse Mythology.
The adaptation of a prose Hellboy novel, this is standard fare. Hellboy and Abe Sabien are dispatched to Sweden to investigate a large corpse that is continually being struck by lightning. There they discover a hammer, which when Hellboy picks it up, fuses to his hand. Now imbued with the power of Thor, along with his memories Hellboy and co. must take on the resurrected Frost Giants.
This isnt a bad story, but surprising from the title's creator, it seems to lack some of the mystery and macarbe from previous Hellboy/BPRD tales, and is the weaker for it. The team have little to do than to pretty much follow Hellboy around while he smashes zombie giants. There are some interesting supporting cast but they are thinly explored before being forgotten or eliminated. Matt Smith delivers some very Mignola-esque artwork, but its solid stuff, and its just a shame the narrative is so 'by-the-numbers'.
The adaptation of a prose Hellboy novel, this is standard fare. Hellboy and Abe Sabien are dispatched to Sweden to investigate a large corpse that is continually being struck by lightning. There they discover a hammer, which when Hellboy picks it up, fuses to his hand. Now imbued with the power of Thor, along with his memories Hellboy and co. must take on the resurrected Frost Giants.
This isnt a bad story, but surprising from the title's creator, it seems to lack some of the mystery and macarbe from previous Hellboy/BPRD tales, and is the weaker for it. The team have little to do than to pretty much follow Hellboy around while he smashes zombie giants. There are some interesting supporting cast but they are thinly explored before being forgotten or eliminated. Matt Smith delivers some very Mignola-esque artwork, but its solid stuff, and its just a shame the narrative is so 'by-the-numbers'.
March 25, 2022
What a satiating Hellboy read this was. It's been a while since I had re-delved into the Hellboy universe and this was such a great reminder why I need to re-read Hellboy, from start to end, almost every year, as a tradition of sorts. I really wish I had read Golden's prose before I read this but no complaints since I was equally lost in Matt Smith's gorgeous gorgeous art. Bringing old characters isn't anything new in the Hellboy Universe but to see the one that popped up here was a pleasant surprise and add to that so many characters that you've known reading Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology or playing God Of War, makes an appearance here which was just too good. After the four issues I was so content and yet at the same time, left wanting for more. Oh well...onto Hellboy Silver Lanterns Club.
August 29, 2023
"The Bones of Giants" offers an engaging bit of classic Hellboy storytelling. A corpse is found out in the Swedish countryside, and before you know it, Hellboy finds himself holding Mjolnir and sharing his body with long-deceased Thor.
Dark magic is afoot, it turns out, and Hellboy and the B.P.R.D. have to puzzle out who exactly is unleashing swartelves to poke at our heroes and trying to resurrect frost giants. Written by Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden, with stunning art by Matt Smith, the story does a good job blending Hellboy's "what-the-hell?" attitude with the bleakness of Ragnarok. Frost giants gobble up villagers, and occult scientists fall victim to their weird obsessions.
In the end, Hellboy just starts bashing things, as he normally does, but the tone, art and setting make for an enjoyable creepy tale.
Dark magic is afoot, it turns out, and Hellboy and the B.P.R.D. have to puzzle out who exactly is unleashing swartelves to poke at our heroes and trying to resurrect frost giants. Written by Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden, with stunning art by Matt Smith, the story does a good job blending Hellboy's "what-the-hell?" attitude with the bleakness of Ragnarok. Frost giants gobble up villagers, and occult scientists fall victim to their weird obsessions.
In the end, Hellboy just starts bashing things, as he normally does, but the tone, art and setting make for an enjoyable creepy tale.
August 4, 2025
Hellboy Reading Guide #50
Stories
The Bones of Giants (4 issues, 1st pub Nov 2021-Feb 2022)
Timeline: Sweden, 1988
Team: Hellboy, Abe Sapien
Antagonist(s): Thrym, frost giants
Summary: On a frozen stretch of river in Sweden lies an unusually large corpse. Next to it is an ancient hammer that keeps being repeatedly struck by lightning. When Abe and Hellboy arrive to investigate, Hellboy picks up the hammer . . . and finds that he can't put it back down again, and now he's having strange and disturbing visions. Creatures and characters from Norse mythology, both the good and the bad, start popping up all over, and whatever is going on, somehow Hellboy is at the center of it.
Review:
It was funny to read this as I'm nearing the end of Jason Aaron's epic run writing Marvel's Thor. I've *really* loved everything Aaron has done with the character and the storylines, but now here come Mignola and Golden with a Thor story that leaves it in the dust. It almost doesn't seem like a fair comparison . . . and I'd love to see a crossover where Hellboy wields Mjolnir alongside various Thors, Jane Foster, Beta Ray Bill, etc.
But anyway, all that aside, *this* story is simply perfection. I appreciated the way it called back to Hellboy's encounter with King Vold and Professor Aickman, and all the ways they found to just absolutely pack this story to the gills with bits of Norse mythology. I don't think it would ever have occurred to me to put Hellboy in Thor's shoes, but as soon as you see it at makes so much sense. My only complaint is how short this feels (I was expecting a 5th chapter). I'll look forward to reading the novel version at some point! In the meantime, absolutely do not miss this!
Stories
The Bones of Giants (4 issues, 1st pub Nov 2021-Feb 2022)
Timeline: Sweden, 1988
Team: Hellboy, Abe Sapien
Antagonist(s): Thrym, frost giants
Summary: On a frozen stretch of river in Sweden lies an unusually large corpse. Next to it is an ancient hammer that keeps being repeatedly struck by lightning. When Abe and Hellboy arrive to investigate, Hellboy picks up the hammer . . . and finds that he can't put it back down again, and now he's having strange and disturbing visions. Creatures and characters from Norse mythology, both the good and the bad, start popping up all over, and whatever is going on, somehow Hellboy is at the center of it.
Review:
It was funny to read this as I'm nearing the end of Jason Aaron's epic run writing Marvel's Thor. I've *really* loved everything Aaron has done with the character and the storylines, but now here come Mignola and Golden with a Thor story that leaves it in the dust. It almost doesn't seem like a fair comparison . . . and I'd love to see a crossover where Hellboy wields Mjolnir alongside various Thors, Jane Foster, Beta Ray Bill, etc.
But anyway, all that aside, *this* story is simply perfection. I appreciated the way it called back to Hellboy's encounter with King Vold and Professor Aickman, and all the ways they found to just absolutely pack this story to the gills with bits of Norse mythology. I don't think it would ever have occurred to me to put Hellboy in Thor's shoes, but as soon as you see it at makes so much sense. My only complaint is how short this feels (I was expecting a 5th chapter). I'll look forward to reading the novel version at some point! In the meantime, absolutely do not miss this!
July 19, 2022
Mignola continues to create amazing Hellboy stories a few decades later.
You would think that after so many years and so MANY stories
That the joyous spark of creation would be gone for Mignola
Or least the stories would stop being any damn good.
But no, the Hellboy Universe ( having spawned several other series) is still going strong.
In Norway Hellboy encounters a mysterious corpse carrying an ancient Norse battle Hammer.
Which he picks up.....and of course he can't put it down and is periodically possessed by the ghost of Thor.
I'm not gonna lie there was a shit tonne of foreshadowing going on.
Hellboy/Thor have to fight a mystical conspiracy to bring back giants or some such nonsense.
It's Hellboy you're here for the fun fantasy violence.
And this delivers.
You would think that after so many years and so MANY stories
That the joyous spark of creation would be gone for Mignola
Or least the stories would stop being any damn good.
But no, the Hellboy Universe ( having spawned several other series) is still going strong.
In Norway Hellboy encounters a mysterious corpse carrying an ancient Norse battle Hammer.
Which he picks up.....and of course he can't put it down and is periodically possessed by the ghost of Thor.
I'm not gonna lie there was a shit tonne of foreshadowing going on.
Hellboy/Thor have to fight a mystical conspiracy to bring back giants or some such nonsense.
It's Hellboy you're here for the fun fantasy violence.
And this delivers.
December 1, 2022
Na tuhle knihu jsem se hrozně těšil, už od doby, kdy byla v Americe oznámena. Jednak jde o severskou mytologii, a navíc jsem už delší dobu žádného Hellboye nečetl. U Mignoly jsem se nebál, že by tu mytologii nějak zprasil. On i Golden k těmto záležitostem umí přistupovat citlivě a jsem rád, že mě nezklamali ani tentokrát. Neměli potřebu adaptovat nějaký známý příběh, Hellboy se nemusel vydat do času bájí, ale prostě jenom navázali na odkaz legend v současnosti. To se povedlo. Kosti obrů mají zdánlivě všechno. Mají dobrý příběh, dobrou kresbu, nechybí jim humor, ale jedno přece jenom postrádají - atmosféru. Ono příjemné mrazení ze skrytých lovecraftovských hrůz, které mám s Hellboyem spojené. Navíc mám pocit, že scénář místy lehce drhne.
January 9, 2023
Hellboy, Abe Sapien, and a few other agents travel to Sweden where a remarkable discovery has been made--a dead man of large proportions with an unliftable hammer nearby. Hellboy can lift it with his Right Hand of Doom. Two problems ensue--he can't let go of the hammer and he occasionally gets possessed by the spirit of the thunder god Thor. As they investigate what is going on, a lot of classic Norse mythology is drawn in, leading to battle with dwarves and frost giants as the B.P.R.D. agents head farther north and further into the mystery.
This graphic novel is an adaptation of Christopher Golden's text novel The Bones of Giants (which I have not read). The visual style matches Mignola's very well and the story reads like a classic Hellboy adventure. It's a fun read.
Recommended.
This graphic novel is an adaptation of Christopher Golden's text novel The Bones of Giants (which I have not read). The visual style matches Mignola's very well and the story reads like a classic Hellboy adventure. It's a fun read.
Recommended.
April 21, 2024
One of Hellboy’s lesser adventures. Still plays out like a classic early Hellboy story (ancient gods awaken and Hellboy has to beat them up), but the dialogue and pacing feel off. This is way too long for the predictable twists and turns it takes. Doesn’t really feel like it grows or changes all that much. Golden relies far more heavily on spoken exposition than Mignola usually does, and it really drags down the energy. Hellboy in particular doesn’t quite sound like himself, even when he isn’t possessed by the soul of Thor, and it makes the whole thing just feel a little too side quest-y.
But, it’s beautifully drawn, and I’m always happy to read a story where Hellboy and Abe get to team up. Just wish it was edited a little more thoroughly.
But, it’s beautifully drawn, and I’m always happy to read a story where Hellboy and Abe get to team up. Just wish it was edited a little more thoroughly.
June 26, 2025
Hellboy: The Bones of Giants has all the right ingredients—Norse mythology, thunder gods, cryptic runes, and Hellboy swinging around Mjölnir like he was born to—but it doesn’t quite spark the way it should. The artwork is strong, the action moves well, and the dialogue feels true to the character. But having read the novelisation first, this version feels like a condensed echo.
The graphic novel hits the big beats, but skips over the quieter tension and depth that made the prose version more satisfying. There’s less build-up, less weird atmosphere creeping in around the edges. What’s left is fun and visually striking, but thinner by comparison.
Three stars. A solid adaptation with style, but the novel still carries the weight of the hammer better.
The graphic novel hits the big beats, but skips over the quieter tension and depth that made the prose version more satisfying. There’s less build-up, less weird atmosphere creeping in around the edges. What’s left is fun and visually striking, but thinner by comparison.
Three stars. A solid adaptation with style, but the novel still carries the weight of the hammer better.
March 31, 2023
Hellboy does Norse mythology. I liked this — uses an old villain in an interesting way and Hellboy having Thor’s hammer fused to his hand (and having visions) is probably the easiest plot devices one of these has ever had. Story feels a bit short-changed because it’s a very slim snapshot of Norse mythology, as if Hellboy ends a centuries-old Giant War in a weekend, lol. This is also technically an adaptation of a Hellboy novel — which I hope they keep doing because I, a huge Hellboy fan, have basically zero interest in reading a Hellboy novel, sorry.
February 7, 2025
*huffs pages*
yeah dawg dass sum solid ass hellboyin'
A comic adaptation of a prose novel, "Bones of Giants" sees Mjolnir itself merge to Hellboy's already overburdened right hand and take on Thrym the Giant King.
Just yer classic blue collar Hellboy getting the job done, ancient beings fighting against the passing of their age, and some human assholes standing in the way.
Matt Smith (not that one) is on Mignola-impersonating duties, and he does a wonderful job. Inessential perhaps? Would that all "inessential" books were as good as this!
yeah dawg dass sum solid ass hellboyin'
A comic adaptation of a prose novel, "Bones of Giants" sees Mjolnir itself merge to Hellboy's already overburdened right hand and take on Thrym the Giant King.
Just yer classic blue collar Hellboy getting the job done, ancient beings fighting against the passing of their age, and some human assholes standing in the way.
Matt Smith (not that one) is on Mignola-impersonating duties, and he does a wonderful job. Inessential perhaps? Would that all "inessential" books were as good as this!
December 19, 2022
This was fun, though not the most memorable Hellboy story. I felt it was really lacking in the horror department, but that tends to be the case with any Hellboy story not drawn by Mignola himself. It's still enjoyable though, and it's nice to finally have this story canonized where it previously only existed in a side novel. I was surprised to find that it's somewhat of a sequel to the "King Vold" story from the "Right Hand of Doom" collection.
April 8, 2023
This adventure reads like an old-school Hellboy adventure. It's 1988 and Thor's dead body is found in Sweden. With the body is Mjollnir. Along the way Hellboy and Abe run into Professor Aickman (from the adventure involving King Vold) and a host of Norse creatures. Lots of fighting ensues.
It's a solid tale but not one that will stand out among the classic stories. It could have used another 2 chapters to flush out the story and the character Thrym.
Overall a 3.5
It's a solid tale but not one that will stand out among the classic stories. It could have used another 2 chapters to flush out the story and the character Thrym.
Overall a 3.5
December 30, 2023
This was pretty good! It’s an adaptation of Christopher Golden and Mike Mignola’s illustrated novel of the same name (which I haven’t read yet because it’s not so easy to find for some reason), it features all kinds of awesome Norse mythology stuff, and the return of the terrible Professor Aickman from “King Vold”. Matt Smith’s art looks so much like Mignola’s that I actually thought it was Mignola drawing for some of it, so that was nice.
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