Hellboy, Vol. 5: Darkness Calls and The Wild Hunt

Hellboy: Library Edition

by Mike Mignola, Duncan Fegredo (Illustrator), Dave Stewart (Illustrator)

Hellboy has racked up multiple Eisner Awards, numerous spinoffs, a novel line, video games, cartoons, and two feature films. Hellboy Library Volume 5 collects two complete trade paperbacks: Darkness Calls and The Wild Hunt, the short story The Mole, as well as an extensive selection of previously unreleased sketches and designs.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Horror, Fantasy, Graphic Novels Comics, Fiction, Comic Book

432 pages, Library Binding

First published July 24, 2012

About the author

Mike 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.

Reviews

[Roman Zarichnyi · Rating 5 out of 5]

У п’ятій бібліотечці про Геллбоя зібрано дві сюжетні арки «Поклики темряви» й «Дике полювання». Та на відміну від попередніх збірок, тут художник Дункан Феґредо бере в руки олівець, щоби полегшити навантаження на Майка Міньйолу й дозволити йому зосередитися тільки на сценарії свого творіння.

Результатом, що Дункан Феґредо закрив повністю художню частину, є помітно швидший темп оповіді й більш насичені сторінки, ніж раніше. А деякі надзвичайно складні композиційні сцени наповнені прекрасними деталями, від яких важко відірвати око. Феґредо має стиль, який схожий на Міньйолу, але для мене не є похідним від фірмового мінімалізму Міньйоли та гри негативного простору, яка є основоположною в першого. Але мені подобається, що споглядаючи малюнок, він спричиняє відчуття лінії та темряви чорного кольору Міньйоли. І водночас має власну індивідуальність. Помітним є обсяг інформації на сторінці, який значно збільшився, але сцени зберігають дивну енергію більш абстрактного підходу Міньйоли. Говорячи про художню частину цього коміксу не можна пройти повз роботу Дейва Стюарта, витончений колір якого, допомагає ще більше формувати той післясмак від побаченого, який важко потім забути.

Перші томи показують Геллбоя, як агента проти надприродного й людину з жахливим пророцтвом, який його має виконати. Вони задають напрям, яким буде рухатися серія загалом. Пізніші томи розповідають невеликі історії, які зосереджуються на побудові світу та розвитку характеру головного героя. А ось із цими арками, ми вже розуміємо, що все починає закінчуватися й залишилося недовго.

Спираючись на російський, англійський та американський фольклор, сценаристу вдається створити багатий гобелен з істот і зла, який дивним чином працює разом. Історії, які здавалися допоміжними в минулому, повертаються знову, щоби розібратися із тим, що червоний диявол, нарешті, має зустрітися зі своєю долею й усіма необхідними прикметами та пророцтвами. Нові антагоністи й попередні вороги Геллбоя, деяких із яких, ми ще бачили в арці «Зерно руйнування», об’єднуються тут, щоби знищити відомий нам світ.

«Поклики темряви» сконцентрований якраз на тому, щоб об’єднати старі історії й героїв, як Гекату, Володимира Джуреску чи Бабу Ягу разом із новими героями, де в центрі стоїть Кощій Безсмертний. І ви розумієте. що це не просто псевдонім, бо душа захована всередині яйця, всередині качки, всередині кролика, всередині кози, тому не має значення, що станеться з його тілом. Додайте ще нові сюжети й жахливих провісників із ради відьом, багато дивних духів, армію воїнів-скелетів, заворушення на кладовищах Британії та долю Даґди, короля ельфів, і вийде дуже захоплююча й атмосферна подорож.

«Дике полювання» починається, як і закінчується, смертю. Насправді майже все в цій історії стосується смерті — піддатися їй, втекти від неї чи відвідати її. Старі велетні починають повставати зі своїх могил по всій англійській місцевості. Геллбой їде разом із Диким Полюванням, щоб побачити все на власні очі. Це перша ознака того, що події починають рухатися в жахливому напрямі, оскільки королева крові піднялася з могили, щоб стати на чолі всіх міфічних істот світу. І, на жаль, більшість цих створінь ненавидять червоного диявола. Ця історія виглядає дуже проникливою через свої акценти щодо смерті.

Ці арки, якими б епічними вони не були, також містять одні з найкращих моментів гумору в історії про Геллбоя, що ще раз доводить, що Майк Міньйола може розповісти історію про долю та стародавнє зло, не будучи надто серйозним. Автор змушує Геллбоя відчувати себе все більше людиною, незважаючи на те, що він величезний напів демон. Усі акценти тут розставлені надзвичайно майстерно. І тепер точно можу сказати, що саме це бібліотечне видання посідає перше місце в моєму рейтингу із тих, що вже прочитав. Довго трималася перша бібліотечка на п’єдесталі, але команда із Майка Міньйоли, Дункана Феґредо та Дейва Стюарта — це постріл із трьох рушниць одночасно, які потрапили прямо в ціль.

[Maksym Karpovets · Rating 5 out of 5]

Для мене це поки найбільш потужний том, зважаючи на характер історії. Вперше Міньйола вирішив написати комплексну, довготривалу історію, розгортаючи лор ще більше на межі поєднання міфологій, казок, філософії, містики та фольклору. Цього разу маємо два міфічно-фольклорні дискурси: російський (казки про Бабу Ягу, Кощея) та англійський (міфи та легенди про Артура). Між цими площинами Міньйола ще встигає розвивати свою міфологію, додаючи акцентів щодо старих і нових персонажів. До того ж, він поєднує усі пазли, тому якщо ви читали попередні томи (що бажано, але не критично), то матимете подвійний бонус, оскільки побачите, наскільки це все чудесно й організовано працює.

Словом, майстерність автора тут досягає своїх найкращих проявів, зважаючи на складність поставленого завдання. Зокрема, наскільки я розумію, Міньйола задумав написати щось типу епічного фентезійного блокбастеру, намагаючись лишити свою фірмову атмосферу. Як правило, коли хтось береться за такий проект, то є великий ризик розмазати задум: губляться персонажі, світ десь провисає, а окремі історії просто не доводяться до кінця. Тут же навпаки - маємо справді епічне, багаторівнене й емоційне полотно, сповнене твістів і саспенсу. Наприклад, епізод із Домовим мене просто до мурашок налякав. Той момент, коли ти спокійно читаєш, рухаєшся панелями, а тут раптом на тебе дивляться з куточку чиїсь очі (спойлер). Дуже моторошно.

Зрозуміло, що увесь візуальний ефект ніколи б не вдався без Дункана Фарґедо, який, на мою скромну думку, навіть перевершив стиль Міньйоли. Так, Фарґедо зберіг мінімалізм, лаконічність та композиційну витонченість, але й додав деталізацію, текстуру й, що найважливіше, великі панельні розвороти. Для цих текстів це просто необхідно. Він прекрасно справляється як з батальними сценами (тут вони є, і доволі масштабні), так і з атмосферою. Дивуєшся, наскільки Мінйьола точно підібрав собі художника, який не тільки на одній хвилі, але ще й зумів вдосконалити всесвіт Хелбоя завдяки своєму баченню. Загалом, це справді класика, сповнена як глибокого вплітання міфів, легенд і казок (подібно до майстерності Ніла Ґеймана), так і неймовірної авторської фантазії, що досі породжує нові атмосферні історії.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally, an epic storyline for an epic character. Hellboy's universe matures like good wine, it gets better and better as the time passes. Truly a great comic and the anticipation for vol.6 is beyond words.

And for the life of me, I really couldn't see any difference in the art between Duncan and Mike. Fegredo is more than a decent copy-cat, he's a rightful successor to an all-too-personal comic art-wise, a feat in it's own right (too tough to manage when you have Mignola to please). See that R. Corben? That's how you draw Hellboy.

[Václav · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even if I love the short "occult detective" (or rather occult-buster) Hellboy stories, I must admit that Hellboy was predestined to some big, epic arc. The time has come and while B.P.R.D. struggles with its problems, Hellboy, willingly or not, embarks upon the destiny he tries to avoid, one way or another. I love how he slowly realizes that he cannot avoid it, but he may change the result.
The fifth library edition is one straight story, perfectly "Hellboy-ish" with perfect Mignola feel (and writing) and Ferdego's great looking, perfectly fitting art (very similar to Mignola's). I loved Hellboy's travel, characters he met along, the fights he must endure (the one with Koschei was so much fun) and mysterious events he stumbled upon. The mix of legends and the gloomy look is exactly what I love about Hellboy. Mike came back, passed the visual part to Duncan and together they created one of the best parts of the Hellboyverse.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the stories in this, and I also enjoyed the switch in artists. The new artist's work is a bit more detailed rather than just imitating the blocky style Mike Mignola uses. I think I actually like Fegredo's style better. This book got back to the ongoing plot - and I'm still sticking with it, so it must be interesting enough to hold my attention.

[Fraser Simons · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last story is a 5 star read and the first, though not bad by any means, lacks cohesion even as it’s trying to tie together some of the more disparate threads from other volumes. There really does feel like a lack of through line and overall arc due to how the content was generated.

It shines as the last volume threads together the stories and presents a coherent and interesting arc that continues to the next volume. It may feel more traditional compared to the disjointed stories, where the reader just finds Hellboy in medias res and goes with it in a short story manner, but the change by this volume is a very welcome one—at least for me.

[Rumi Bossche · Rating 5 out of 5]

After the forth library edition, which was a collection of short stories which were great, its now one with the main story ! And what a story it is, he is on the run the entire time, the story really starts to click and you have a feeling they are working towards the end. Like the other ones its chockfull of myths and legends and i love it. Baba Yaga, and mostly Arthurian legend, all told in a fast paced story, with stakes, horror, but also fun and laughs. With some of the best artwork period. Stop reading and go for it. So good !

[Βασίλειος Ησαϊάδης · Rating 5 out of 5]

when you open an omnibus and you don't stop until its finished <3

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hellboy and its companion series such as BPRD, Witchfinder, Lobster Johnson, and Abe Sapien all take a slightly different approach to genre and storytelling, but almost all of them at one time or another have hinted at the epic. BPRD especially has had long arcs telling one main story over dozens of issues. Hellboy, before this point, has not only hinted at the epic, but often dressed itself up in some of the vestments of the epic without ever quite fully embracing the form. Indeed, the publishing history of the series is too sporadic, spanning decades but only accumulating a mere 26 issues before the publication of Darkness Calls, trading off between various mini-series and oneshots. The story that begins in Darkness Calls, however, is epic in both scope and content, taking place over four interlocking mini-series. This is truly unlike anything Mignola has attempted before.

Trading the Nazis and Lovecraftian evils of the earlier series for characters from English, Irish, and Russian folklore, and tying in past Hellboy stories that seemed destined to be one-offs, The Darkness Calls and The Wild Hunt begin the story of Hellboy facing his destiny, the ever-present flaming crown in the room that no one ever wanted to address. Here Mignola and new series artist Duncan Fegredo tackle Hellboy's fate head-on, weaving together the beginnings of a story that feels very much like it could be the final Hellboy story. You have a sense of where the story will end; in fact, you are reminded of the end point rather often by any number of characters who are trying to force Hellboy to choose his side in an upcoming war. Yet Mignola and Fegredo handle the storytelling with such deftness that nothing feels like a foregone conclusion and it's never boring. Fegredo, the first artist to take on artist duties for a full new series (as opposed to a two issue mini-series or oneshot) evokes the feeling of Mignola's linework and dark blacks without feeling like a mere imitation, and adds a bit of his own personality to the mix. He's a master of body language and acting, conveying subtleties that you might miss if you're not pouring over his art like it deserves to be poured over. Dave Stewart's colors are masterful as always, tying everything together and making the first Hellboy story to feature more open landscape than insides of dark churches feel fully realized. These books, as epic as they are, also contain some of the best moments of humor in Hellboy history, proving once again that Mignola can tell a tale about destiny and ancient evils without being overly serious. This makes Hellboy feel all the more human, despite, y'know, being an 8 foot tall half-demon with a funny little pony tail.

[Matt Quann · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many comics today pride themselves on being great works of decompression. By that I mean, there are pages upon pages of exposition, talking heads interspersed with action scenes that, in theory, have more emotional and narrative punch. Mike Mignola's "Hellboy" spits in the face of that type of storytelling and is all style and all action at all times. The storytelling is smart, the action has outrageous style, and little time is spent on exposition, you just have to follow along and keep pace.
I have a Christmas tradition that began when I first went away to University: each year I got one of these big-honking "Hellboy Library Editions" which are just an absolute marvel to behold. The pages of Mignola's art are given tons of room to breathe and are made to be looked at for long periods of time. What's more, the oversized format fits in nicely with the eldritch nature of the stories within: you truly feel as if you are holding a tomb of spells. Here, for the first time in the main series, Duncan Fegredo handles art in a style that is similar to, but not derivative of, Mignola's signature minimalism and negative-space play. Quite simply, the packaging, art and paper stock make for an absolutely beautiful collector's item.
But what keeps "Hellboy" fans like me coming back is the entirely unique universe Mignola has crafted. Pulling from Russian, English and American folklore, he manages to make a rich tapestry of creatures and evils that somehow works together in a way that seems obvious. The two graphic novels contained within, "Darkness Calls" and "The Wild Hunt", are the two most story-driven chapters to date. While the first volumes establish Hellboy as an agent against the supernatural and a man with a horrendous prophecy to fulfill, the later volumes deal in small two-issue stories that focus on world-building and developing Hellboy's character. With these two volumes, that all comes to an end. Mignola says in some of the back-matter that Volume 6 is considered the halfway point of the series, and it is easy to see it coming. The stories that seemed ancillary in the past are coming home to roost in a big way, as Hellboy gears up to face his destiny with all the requisite portents and prophecies that are to be expected from the series. This is a superb series that really doesn't require my review. Comic fans already know that Hellboy is one of the tightest and most consistently written series to date. But for those of you who have never taken a trip down the well of comics, this would make an excellent point of introduction. I am eagerly awaiting next Christmas to continue on with Hellboy and his adventures.

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

This entire book is incredible, a monumental feat of interwoven mythologies, both classical and Hellboy-specific, building to a climax that yanks Hellboy forward toward his destiny in a way that is both satisfying, character-appropriate, and nerve-wracking. Having not read Vol. 6 in a long time, I don't even remember how it resolves, and that's very exciting for me. I love how much care and attention Mignola clearly paid to this character, and made sure everything he's putting him through is ultimately character building and important. And man, Duncan Fegredo's art is absolutely phenomenal. I hesitate to say it's "better" than Mignola's work on this book, but it's certainly at least equal to it stylistically. A really great pairing.

I think the only caveat I'd give this is, you need to remind yourself of a lot of Hellboy lore before you dive into this. If you haven't read any of the Baba Yaga stories, The Corpse, The Chained Coffin, or The Island lately (among many others that are referenced here), a lot of stuff here is gonna feel pretty weird. But having done a giant Hellboy universe re-read, everything felt very fresh and important to me. It's kind of the way to do this universe I think. Just a big fat read through of everything, daunting as that may be.

I continue to love Hellboy! You can't stop me!

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mike Mignola found an excellent artist to take on Hellboy in Duncan Fegredo, and we can be grateful he did. Early Hellboy involves many more short stories, which are excellent and flesh out the universe but feel like side-quests and we as readers need a little more meat in our diets. Darkness Calls and The Wild Hunt are collected herein and follow Hellboy as he draws near his undesired but unavoidable destiny. Mignola's ability to weave together the Christian Eden with Hyperborean mythos with the Greek goddess Hecate with various historical, occult figures with Egyptian legend and Arthurian legend and so on and so forth, makes for one of the most fascinatingly faceted worlds in fiction. Behind each panel of Hellboy it feels like there's more going on and that the world is greater in scope and story than we can possibly know, try as we might to soak it all in. And the artwork does its due diligence as well, creating a thoroughly imagined atmosphere both dark and chaotic with the tiniest rays of hope that occasional manage to break through. It is an absorbing experience to say the least.

[Cale · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, this book is massive; several pounds at least. It collects Darkness Calls and The Wild Hunt, and enlarges the art to larger pages, which makes them look even more gorgeous than they originally did. The stories here are where the various storylines for Hellboy start tying together. It references a lot of the older books as it explores the ramifications for Hellboy. There's a lot of brooding here, as Hellboy battles his own foretold destiny, and finds another destiny alloted to him.
There are some great moments here; Hellboy facing down the giants, entering the castle of LeFay, and the resurrection of the Queen of Blood. It's never looked better; Fegredo's artwork almost feels like an improvement on Mignola's style. Everything works really well.

[Xroldx · Rating 5 out of 5]

Without a doubt the best Hellboy stories I've read so far. I like the longer stories way better and Duncans' artwork is a treat for the eyes.

Upon rereading I love this one even more. This collection inspired me to get a large Gargoyle in the Mignola style tattooed on my back.

[Krzysztof Grabowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Opus Magnum Pana Mignoli, który tym razem większość roboty z rysunkami pozostawił imć Fegredo i wygląda to tak jakby całość i tak dalej sobie robił mistrz. Tak, mistrz. Bo kto chce, albo i nie. Hellboy to już cześć popkultury i zostanie tam naprawdę długo, nawet mimo średniej w wykonaniu adaptacji, która na każdym kroku wydaje się ciągle puszczę oko do widza. Chyba nie o to chodziło.

To wszystko co było do tej pory, nawet błahe z początku, poprowadzone nićmi ciemnych sił wraz z przeznaczeniem doprowadzają czerwonego herosa do tego momentu. Będzie musiał zmierzyć się że swoim dziedzictwem, z tą całą spuścizną, która po części nawet nie był świadom. Stare rasy umierają, ale jest szansa, gdy tylko prawowity król wróci na tron. Tyle, że ten król nie jest tym zainteresowany. I na scenę wkracza ona. Nimue. Królowa krwi, która pragnie tylko jednego. Skąpać cały świat we krwi. Tylko Hellboy, w towarzystwie Alice może się jej przeciwstawić. Ale zanim do tego dojdzie, Czerwony musi pogodzić się i przyjąć to co należy do niego. Dzięki czemu obudzi "swoją" armię i ruszy na podbój świata, tworząc Raj na Ziemi, tylko że dla potępionych... Tak przynajmniej twierdzi Morgana... A jest jeszcze Wieprz, który żywi urazę do Hellboy'a za to co ten mu zgotował kiedyś.

Ale to druga opowieść, gdyż poprzedza ją kolejne spotkanie z samą Babą Jagą, która jednak nie ryzykuje kolejnego starcia z Księciem Piekieł i wysyła za nim swoich popleczników, w tym Kościeja. Mignola postanowił zrobić coś więcej niż tylko zbiór małych opowiadań, w których Hellboy robi za detektywa, ale tak bardziej używa pięści niż rozumu. Sam autor mówił, że lepiej czuje się w krótszym metrażu, ale to co najlepsze stworzył mieści się w tym tomie.

Klimat, okultyzm, stare wierzenia, dziwne stwory i ta oprawa. Żałuję dwóch rzeczy. Że dobrałem się do tej serii tak późno i faktu, iż cześć z tego smakowitego tortu już za mną. Zazdroszczę tym, którzy się z całością zetkną po raz pierwszy. Miałem tak przy dwóch aspektach w życiu: grze Wiedźmin 3 i ostatnim związku, z kimś kogo pokochałem. Ale coś się kończy, coś się zaczyna.

Nie mogło być inaczej. Hellboy to ambrozja. W czasach średniowiecza byłaby to księga zakazana, więc cieszmy się że dane jest nam tak świetne rzeczy mieć dostępne w zasięgu ręki. Jeszcze nie masz? Biegnij do sklepu... Daj się zaczarować. Wejdź sobą w ten świat, który już na zawsze zostanie z Tobą. I tylko zaskoczenie, że ten piąty tom niby obszerniejszy to tak szybko się kończy...

[Shai-Hulud · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hellboy is a gift that keeps on giving. In the 5th volume of the Library Editions all the little story seeds which were planted in the previous volumes sprout and mark the beginning of a truly epic and focused narrative.

Hellboy still walks the earth after he quit the B.P.R.D and continues his journey but his past and destiny is catching up with him. Unlike the previous volumes which had more or less a monster of the week kinda formula this volume goes all in with one storyline we follow through the book which will conclude in Hellboy in Hell I assume. I think this arc approach really suits Hellboy and Mike Mignola's strength as a storyteller really shine through. The really amazing thing about it is that previous adventures are not forgotten and play a huge role in the story.

What makes Hellboy such a fascinating series is the unique blend of folk tales, pop culture and the occult which blend together so seemlessly that you would never suspect the mythology is a amalgam of different origins.

Another strength of the series lies in our main character Hellboy. It's just such a joy to see him struggle against his fate. He just wants to live his life the way he likes which make him such a relatable character. His fun personality and humour just further add to it.

For comics/graphic novels the art is also a very important factor and I am glad that Duncan Fegredo returns as the illustrator for Hellboy Volume 5. Mike's art will always be my favourite for the series but Duncan Fegredo's art comes really close. I love the minimal colour and stark shadows which give the series it's unique flair and Duncan really manages to capture Mike's style while also adding his unique twist on it.

In short, Hellboy is one of the finest pieces the comic book/graphic novel medium has to offer. It's unique style of storytelling, beautiful artwork and a little bit of zany humour make it a one of the all-time greats. There are few comic book series I adore as much as this. Like Neil Gaiman's Sandman or the works of Alan Moore it transcends it's genre which make it a compelling work of fiction everbody should give a chance. Even if you don't like comic books that much.

[Mitchell Friedman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darkness Calls:
Definitely having a change of artist is an improvement. And as much as I'm not a huge fan of Russian fantasy, I am more of a fan of that than Lovecraftian horror. So this book wasn't bad. And the hint of BPRD without Hellboy makes me think that perhaps I'd like that at least a little bit better. And I think the chapters of the story are shorter and move faster. All in all, definitely okay.

The Wild Hunt:
And just like that, Hellboy is an Arthurian. Definitely prefer this artist. And also pages and pages of not fighting and not monologuing, though there is still too much of both of these. I don't appreciate the introduce a character and kill them. But perhaps that's better than introduce a character and discover that they are already dead. This wasn't bad. Though I kind of feel like I've been beaten down.

Sketches:
Appreciate them being there, but I didn't get that much from these.

3.5 of 5.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's nice to read one continuous story-arch, as opposed to the usual shorter stories. This volume ties together a lot of characters and plot threads from previous volumes, and I think it makes for an easier-to-follow book. There's a lot of action, and the art is (in my opinion), even better than when Mignola was drawing it. It seems more detailed and the style is consistent with prior volumes. It's awesome to see the horror takes on folk-tales like the Baba Yaga, Wild Hunt, Yggdrasil, Arthurian legends, and much more.

I found myself reading it too quickly and skipping over a lot of the great art. I will have to re-focus on a reread in the future, but I can't wait to see how this arc concludes in the next volume.

[Ada · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐3.5 rounded up because of the art.

I'm torn. On the one hand we get a lot more plot in this volume. On the other hand something about the way women were portrayed utterly annoyed me. Only Baba Yaga seemed to be fleshed out. The rest of them were just there because 'reasons'. Even the villain seems a bit too much of a mustache twirling person. Which is okay but the whole time we got these sketchy characters with motivations that seemed good to them. But now it's just 'I want to murder.' I don't know. I can't even pinpoint what my problem exactly is beyond "Men seem to be treated different in the story than women." Because everyone gets fucked over!

I'm still enjoying the story. And the art. But this volume I enjoyed a bit less.

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A strong return to form for Mike Mignola and the fifth Library Edition of Hellboy. After a week vol 4 that jumped around away from the main Hellboy narrative, vol 5 takes us back on Hellboy's journey. A story that is much more grounded in fantasy and at times can be a little hard to follow succeeds in bringing the focus back on Hellboy and his place in the world. Some thought provoking questions on destiny and escaping from your past really strengthen this volume and set the stage for the next chapter in the Hellboy saga.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Endings a tricky things, and this sets up the dominoes for an "end" for Hellboy.

Duncan Fegredo does an excellent job on the art on this book, and I actually prefer his style to Mignola (hell worthy blasphemy, I know!)

The Wild Hunt really being to develop Hellboy's role in the apocalypse, and that he does have a bit of a choice in one vision he'd like to fulfill. As such, it adds a little more weight him wrestling with his destiny(s).

[Robert Risher · Rating 5 out of 5]

He's screwed.

They've told him over and over, but it's finally starting to hit home. No matter how much good he does in the world, Hellboy can't escape his fate.

The world is going to end one way or another, and he's going to play a big part by trying to save it. It's only a matter of time.

So do any of his actions even matter, if it's all going to end anyway?

I guess that's why you keep reading. I can't wait for the next volume.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection has two large stories that continue the same narrative. It's a change from the more episodic tales in the earlier volumes, but it is interesting to see something with more epic sprawl.

If it were not for the forward, I probably would not have noticed that a different artist drew this volume. The general style is true to the earlier ones, but there are certain unique features to the art in this.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hellboy is fun and I find that its base in myth and legend, especially Arthurian, which I really like, is a great setting for some interesting action. Let's not kid ourselves here though, Hellboy is, beyond struggling with expectations and trying to fit in, rather lacking in themes. It doesn't mean that it's bad, I still think it's good, mindless fun. I just would have liked it more if the story had more going for it.

[Moustafa Abdelhamid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hellboy story continues in these two amazing stories, the concept art and the story progression was soo good I had a hard time letting go and not finishing it in one sitting. Without spoilers Hellboy artists delivers again great folklore stories mixed together with our main antagonist the devil's son Hellboy himself taking the lead and drawing the story further to its much anticipated conclusion.

This is the kind of graphic novels that pulls you deeper the more you read and eventually become a big fan whether its a two page short story or an eight chapters long immersive story.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating Hellboy at this point feels like a pointless endeavor, especially as it becomes clear the time of fun, goofy things is just about over and we're into a much darker final act. So, I'll just say Duncan Fegredo's art is amazing here and puts most other collaborators on the Hellboy mythos to shame.

[Arun · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now it gets interesting. I always loved the longer stories and this is a behemoth. So many legends and lores get touched upon in this book and Mignola breathes fresh air into each of them. Duncan's art especially his use of blacks is amazing. Can't wait to get into book 6 and see where this is going. Mignola-verse is definitely a great one. BOOM!

[Komuniststar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sve male Hellboyeve priče spojene u jednu veliku uz nove crtačke ruke funkcionira izvrsno. Detaljniji crtež od Mignolinog, al istog stila, taman obogacuje pricu koliko je ona opsirnija od Mignolinih samostalnih epizoda. Taman kad zatvorim korice oveobimne knjizurine posezem za sljedecom da saznam kako zavrsava taj ep o Hellboyu. Jer to je sad ep dostojan stat uz bok Bagginsima i Boneovima.

[Przemysław Skoczyński · Rating 5 out of 5]

Już traciłem do tego serce, już mi się cała fabuła rozłaziła, a cykl męczył i nagle taki cios. Znów jest spójnie, znów jest logicznie, a pełne szczegółów i fantastycznie zaprojektowane plansze Duncana Fegredo to najlepsze, co mogło się tej serii przytrafić. No i oczywiście propsy za pociągniecie tematu Baby-Jagi

[Evan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great to see a long form story tying practically every story in the first four volumes together. Quite the page turner, even if as usual one doesn't necessarily know what's going on, who certain characters are, or why certain decisions are made. However, it was worth the wait through some of the earlier stories to get to this one.