Hellboy: The Crooked Man & The Return of Effie Kolb

Hellboy: The Crooked Man #1-3

by Mike Mignola, Richard Corben (Artist), Zach Howard (Artist)

Experience Hellboy’s classic Appalachian horror adventure that inspired the new movie!

Hellboy helps a young man who sold his soul to the terrifying Crooked Man in Mignola and Richard Corben’s original series and the inspiration for the new film. In the sequel by Mignola and Zach Howard, Hellboy confronts the folk legend again when someone—or something—has moved into the Crooked Man’s backwoods mansion with wicked intentions.

Collects Hellboy: The Crooked Man #1–#3, Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: The Return of Effie Kolb #1–#2.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Horror, Fantasy, Superheroes, Supernatural, Halloween

128 pages, Paperback

First published June 18, 2024

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

[Phillip Fuller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mike Mignola's Hellboy is an underrated character that I hope to read more of since he is a cool concept of a half demon trying to avoid becoming a tool of evil. There were two complete stories in this book about fighting evil within and externally. The first story was drawn by an old Warren magazines artist Rich Corben and the second artist was Zach Howard. I found Zach Howard's art more to my liking but the writing by Mike Mignola was well plotted. The throughline of both stories was resisting the lure of the dark side even when it seems appealing. The last story leads to the reader wanting more as you wonder if Sara May Blackburn will go on the course of becoming an agent of evil at that school in New York City.

[Taylor Silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first I wasn't thrilled with the interior art, since it wasn't by Mignola. Turns out I was wrong! In the first story, The Crooked Man, the unsettling character designs by Richard Corben match the tone and feel of the story.

Overall, this collection can be enjoyed by Hellboy veterans as well as newcomers!

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read these two stories in other collections but figured this was the easiest way to track it in GoodReads. It has been awhile since I'd read The Crooked Man but figured with the new movie this was a good time to give it a re-read. That story takes place in VA in 1958. Hellboy confronts the haunted Appalachia and the witches that live there including Effie Kolb.

In the sequel, nearly 10 years later, Hellboy returns to find Effie Kolb working to get revenge. The story primarily focuses on Sara May Blackburn a young girl who has precognitive abilities. This sequel is really a prequel to the relatively new story Castle Full of Blackbirds

Crooked Man was a 5
Return of Effie Kolb was a 3.5

[Ben A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hellboy: The Crooked Man & The Return of Effie Kolb collects the two stories together about Hellboy's Appalachian adventures and the basis for the next film adaptation. The first story is a stronger, but Richard Corben is a legend for a reason, and it was from the prime era of Hellboy. The second story is also good, but its strength lies in how it expands the Hellboy Universe and sets up the interesting series about Sara May Blackburn, Castle Full of Blackbirds.

Special Thanks to Dark Horse Comics and Edelweiss Plus for the digital ARC. This was given to me for an honest review.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

We're getting a new Hellboy movie this year with Effie Kolb as the villain. I'm hopeful it'll be good since Mignola wrote the script. The original story, The Crooked Man, with Richard Corbin on art is terrific. It's a very cool, hillbilly witch story. Effie's return though isn't as strong, mainly because Effie's barely in it.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Crooked Man & Return of Effie Kolb

The original story is a classic. Great art. Great writing. And now a great movie adaptation.

The sequel story also has great art and it’s a nice to see one or two returning characters (and items).

Highly recommend this quick read!

10/15/2024

[Sherrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read an Edelweiss digital advance readers copy. This book will be released June 15, 2024. This new edition collects Hellboy's Appalachian adventures (on which the new movie is based) in one volume. The book includes The Crooked Man 1-3 and Hellboy B.P.R.D. The Return of Ellie Kolb 1-2.

[Chanchamp23 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give it a 4.5! Incredible illustrations, the eeriness of the Crooked Man and the witches of the Appalachian mountains really jump out of the book between descriptions and illustrations. Great story, fun setting, and Hellboy is as fun as ever.

[Mykhailo Gasyuk · Rating 5 out of 5]

В американських хащах Геллбой б'ється з відьмами та з Горбанем. Атмосфера містична, хащі загадкові, відьми хитрі та підступні, Горбань втілює демона з перехрестя. Обов’язково до читання, якшо ви фанат. І якшо не фанат. І навіть якшо ви рудий чи руда.

[Kathryn Grace Loves Horror · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do love some Hellboy, and this was a classic pair of stories. Liked it even more than the last one I read. Bad witches make good villains. Also, I loved Sarah May Blackburn and look forward to reading her own story.

[Matt Gunther · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hellboy kills a demon using a Holy shovel... Need I say more?...

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Crooked Man is a classic; The Return of Effie Kolb less so.

[John Morrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic

The movie was a great adaptation, but the source material and its sequel are incredible, from story to artwork to open-ended ending.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hellboy is always so good.

[Mario Šaravanja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Odličan strip, preporuke

[Analese · Rating 4 out of 5]

First read of 2025! Loved the horror in this, now looking forward to seeing the film.

Haven’t been much of a Hellboy fan but the horror nerd in me really enjoyed the art and story.

[Sam Goyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The two tales in this collection deliver some fantastic horror. The way the Crooked Man and the witches are drawn is truly terrifying.

[Cameron Hewitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid 20-25 minute read. Well done dark themes and cool moments. Amazing art too

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my second ever Hellboy book. I know I'm not really reading these in any kind of sensible order but I get the impression that continuity isn't a huge thing in this universe outside of that one apocalyptic scenario that Hellboy keeps finding himself in. Regardless, I'm having a great time with these books, so onto the review.

This book takes place in 1958 and encompasses the saga of Tom Ferrell, a man from the mountains of Virginia who has just returned to his home town after two decades of wandering. As a teen he dabbled in witchcraft thanks to the urging of a beautiful girl that was his age, and ended up facing a terrible evil that caused him to abandon his home altogether in fear. He ended up overseas in WWII among other places and has now come back home in order to resolve his situation one way or the other. When he arrives, Hellboy is already there investigating a strange attack on a local woman, possibly perpetrated by a witch. The two form a bond quickly and go off into the mountains to look into Tom's situation. The second part of the book takes place ten years later. Another demon from Tom's past has come back to haunt him and Tom, who has aged tremendously since the previous events, needs Hellboy's help to deal with the matter.

While I really enjoy the disconnected, X-Files-esque style of most of the Hellboy books, having a longer, cohesive storyline is really great. I love the lore, I love the creepy monster design, I love the all of the hero characters in this book (especially the preacher) and, as usual, I love the art style and writing in general. Another great book for one of the best characters in comics.

[Hanna McGehee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crooked Man is a solid 5. The story in the sequel leaves a bit to be desired, but the art was a pleasant surprise. Overall, it’s a good story, but part two doesn’t quite live up to its predecessor or my expectations.