Shadow of the Golden Crane

The World of Hellboy: Standalone Books

by Mike Mignola, Chris Roberson, Michael Avon Oeming (Illustrator)

Agent Susan Xiang can solve a dangerous, monster-fueled mystery, but only if she can confront her own family’s secrets from the past.

A mysterious B.P.R.D. case in the 1960s forces Agent Sue Xiang to dive into the history of the secretive Golden Crane Society, and into the questions in her own family past as well.

Hellboy creator Mike Mignola is joined by writer Chris Roberson (Hellboy and the B.P.R.D., Panya: The Mummy’s Curse) and artist Michael Avon Oeming (Abe Sapien, Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: 1956) in this paranormal puzzle that unfolds across time.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics

112 pages, Hardcover

First published November 11, 2025

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

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the better Hellboy pastiches that have come out recently, but seriously, and I say this as HUGE Hellboy fan: Mike Mignola is eroding the legacy of HIS Hellboy by letting people like Chris Roberson, who is the drizzling shits, keep playing in his sandbox. Time to just retire the character(s) already, and only return to them when Mignola himself has a story that is worth telling.

On the art side, Michael Avon Oeming, who I could always take or leave, is in leave mode here, with characters that are one step shy of being super-deformed.

[Andres Pasten · Rating 2 out of 5]

Podria haber sido mucho mejor

[Comic Book Yeti · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun tangential exploration into a corner of the Hellboy Universe as yet undeveloped, veteran Hellboy artist Michael Avon Oeming returns to artistic duties alongside writer Chris Roberson for a tale that hits me somewhere between Big Trouble In Little China and Friday the 13th the series as the team searches for cursed Chinese artifacts from the past that are transforming people and animals into rampaging mythological creatures. Is it going to be one of the most memorable comics of the year, no, but it’s exactly the kind of diversionary reading that makes Hellboy concepts so much fun while scratching at a nostalgia itch.

[John Shaw · Rating 2 out of 5]

Normally anything from Mignola
whose Hellboy related titles
are one of the strongest
anchor points of the Dark Horse
publishing line.

This is so far afield
from the actual Hellboy
comics that is barely
related, but what's worse is
that the story is flat and boring.
-ugh-

[Rizzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent little spinoff of the BPRD 1950s books. It was pretty standard, not much to say. Always good to see Oeming's art, though I don't think this was his best work.

[Canavan · Rating 3 out of 5]

✭✭✭

[Cale · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a nice trip into the Hellboy Universe, but unfortunately Susan's history and abilities are pretty run of the mill. It's fine, but nothing special.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

By the numbers artifact collection. Fun, but not special.