Mignola, Mike: Hellboy Library Edition Volume 1: Seed of Destruction and Wake the Devil
Hellboy Library Edition Volume 1: Seed of Destruction and Wake the Devil
Writer: Mike Mignola, Script by John Byrne
Illustrator: Mike Mignola
Genre: Comics/Graphic Novel
Issues: 9
Publisher: Dark Horse
I've seen both Hellboy movies. Saw the first one against my will, actually, but ended up really enjoying it. Greg's been trying to get me to READ Hellboy for a while now, especially since I enjoy the movies. He promised the books were much different: darker, more or less horror than humor, which the movies have a lot of.
So I didn't mind giving Volume 1 of the Library Collection a whirl. It collects two graphic novels (Seed of Destruction and Wake the Devil) into one hardcover. And Greg was right about the tone and atmosphere of the graphic novel. Yes, Hellboy's characteristic humor is there, but it's not as prominent as it is in the movies. And more interesting, these two books clearly inspired the plot line for the first movie, and from what I can tell, more books inspired it as well.
Because Hellboy, in these two books, doesn't know his purpose on Earth. He's told he's meant to bring about the end of the world, but he doesn't know how, whereas in the movie, all of that's tied up. So it'll be interesting to see how this story develops across the various graphic novels, as well as whether or not other movie elements apply. Same characters, but so far, quite a few different subplots.
And it's interesting to see Mignola's influences on the page. I never gave much thought to the pulp influence while watching the movies, but reading the graphic novels, the influence is more than obvious. This particular edition also discusses the impact Mignola's work has had on the industry, and all of that's good stuff, especially if you're a comic fan. In fact, my only complaint about this edition is that the black pages are far too quick to absorb oils from your hands, which makes reading and turning the pages a rather tricky business, especially in Seed of Destruction.
My Rating
Worth the Cash: it's probably a "Must Have," but let's face it, I'm too familiar with the material and I'm no real comic book fan nor expert, especially as far as art is concerned. But for the casual reader, especially those who enjoyed the Hellboy movies, have at it. It's fun stuff. I'm looking forward to Volume Two in this collection, which I think comes out in October.
Next Up:
Review: Warrior and Witch by Marie Brennan
Book: The Yiddish Policeman's Union by Michael Chabon
Graphic Novel: Mr. Punch : The Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedy by Neil Gaiman