Hellboy: Seed of Destruction #1

Hellboy (Ongoing Order) #1

by Mike Mignola, John Byrne

From his apocalyptic origin in World War II England to the modern-day case of the sole survivor of a doomed Arctic expedition, Hellboy must battle vampire frog creatures and worse in his debut miniseries. Created by Mike Mignola, with a script by John Byrne and colors by Mark Chiarello. Hellboy is the World's Greatest Paranormal Investigator.

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

26 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2019

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

[♛ Garima ♛ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hellboy -- one of my favourite heroes growing up...Great to find this on kindle-prime series...

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay that was interesting.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hellboy is more than a comic--it's a masterpiece. Seriously, I have been in love with Hellboy for ages, but I've never had the time to read the comics in the proper order. I hope this is the correct place to start.

Mike Mignola will forever be the master of Hellboy to me (I mean, it's his work, so obviously), but John Byrne is pretty dang good as well. I've enjoyed his work for a long time.

Great first issue! On to the next one.

[Cybernex007 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again I am proved that my “to-read” list is warranted and I need to hurry up because that was fantastic! I am in love with Mignola’s art and use of shadows, but from the very first page I love the graceful introduction as it sprinkles in elements before completely shifting our world view. I love the way perspectives are played with, and overall I love Hellboy! The first issue takes us to England in 1944 as it recites the events from the journal of a US sergeant deployed to East Bromwich alongside a group from the British Paranormal Society following a lead about about a nazi spook squad trying to perform a summoning spell. The sergeant who wrote this entry doesn’t really believe in that kind of thing, but it has the top brass worried and the addition of the superhero known as Torch of Liberty is even more unsettling…but he is a nice enough guy. He has intel that the nazi’s call it project “Ragna Rock.” In the group of three paranormal investigators, the one that really seems to matter is Trevor Bruttenholm (pronounced “broom”). So far they have been in this church for 2 days without anything happening, but Cynthia (a medium) says it’s going to happen here and tonight without knowing what “it” really is. But suddenly Cynthia feels a disturbance…at a second location, as north of here on a tiny island off the south’s coast the nazi group has gathered at a rock formation where one man with a very Rasputin look is holding a power rod while chanting a summoning ritual. Cynthia can feel all of this, but the nazi’s have started to hit trouble as the focus is drifting from their location and they are starting to loose power until the very moment the power rod snaps and the church explodes! Nothing happens for the nazis and then believe they have failed, but the priest is sure that events have been set in motion which cannot be undone. And he would be right as at this very moment sitting in the church with the US military group…is a small devil. The third paranormal investigator wants to kill it, but it doesn’t look dangerous to torch and Cynthia thinks it looks like a boy…causing Bruttenholm to name it “Hellboy” without even realizing that moment would live on as the hellboy incident. The group took a pretty fantastic black and white photo with the devil child as we shift to the modern day house of Bruttenholm as he looks over the image and listens to his recording of the events of that night. They have spent years studying hellboy and they know little more than they did on the first day nearly 50 years ago.

But as the tape comes to an end and the doctor as he tries to remember something, but he feels as though he is too old…but to Hellboy, now grown and standing in front of him, he looks perfectly fine. 10 months ago Bruttenholm went on an expedition to the Arctic and hasn’t been seen since, Hellboy tells him he is happy to see him alive…but the perspective has shifted to our main character as he admits in his thoughts that he hates seeing the man whose been a father to him like this and wonders if it was better if he had died. But there is something Bruttenholm must tell Hellboy…except he can’t seem to remember. Hellboy is patient with the old man, even though seeing him like this sends a shiver up and down Hellboy’s spine, as the old man walks through the thoughts carefully and at his own pace. He recounts the expedition with the Cavendish boys as they traveled there across a multitude of vehicles before crossing the final ridge on foot. They were at the top of the world and they found the temple right where the Cavendish boys and nine generations of their family said it would be. The temple is older than the temple Bruttenholm showed Hellboy at Yang Kor. It has similar statues to the ones found on Kofu in the 30s, but much bigger. And right at the front there is a human form, frozen in detail as if it’s not a carving…but alive. There is a memory of Bruttenholm wiping the age away from the statue to seemingly reveal human flesh, but the memory cuts out and becomes a blur. All he can remember is screaming, getting back to the icebreaker, and somehow seeing the NYC skyline before swimming to shore, coming home, and calling Hellboy who Jennie comforting him.

But then the room begins to fill with frogs. The old man freaks out as he jumps up and runs into the next room before crashing back with suckers all over his corpse. Hellboy has a lot of flaws but there is one which has gotten him into trouble the most over the years…he gets angry and he does stupid things…like charging into a pitch black room. He may be tougher than any human but he can’t see in the dark. Suddenly a large creature tackles him to the ground, sending his gun flying as he fends it off. He pushes the creature back with his normal looking hand but feels great pain as its tongue wraps around it. Hellboy punches it back with his much larger fist as he adjusts to the prettified state of his suckered arm. He’s had a lot of scientists study him over the years and then couldn’t find anything about his right hand, but he knows one thing…it doesn’t feel pain and this giant frog certainly does! As the monster reels back from being thrown into a nearby artifact, the feeling has crept back into hellboy’s left hand allowing him to grab the gun given to him by torch of Liberty. He is still in excruciating pain but he has also been hurt by experts and can stand it. The frog monster seems to recognize the gun and what it means and attempts to bolt for the nearest window in the bathroom…Hellboy doesn’t let him get outside before blasting a hole in it. But as it begins to fall down to the ground, it falls apart into a collection of bones and fluid.

Hellboy immediately places a call to the head office, the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD) to report Bruttenholm’s death to Doctor Manning and to get them to send some guys from the lab to investigate the creature which attacked. As the issue comes to an end we shift focus to a mysterious room as a shadowy figure stands behind an elderly woman. There plan is proceeding with Bruttenholm’s death being the first stage. The shadowy figure promises the woman, Emma, that he will be keeping his promise. And of course to add the cherry on top, she has a frog sitting in her tea. What the hell are we dealing with. It also doesn’t help that the issue includes a file from the BPRD on the nazi’s who performed the ritual during Ragna Rok, with only their leader being accounted for as dead in a sanatorium…they don’t know where any of the others are.

[mary johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable

This is the first Hellboy comic that I have read. It is like Batman; leaves you wanting more. I should not be surprised with John Byrne being attached to it. Just a wonderful read with art that makes the story it's own.

[Joseph Inzirillo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always liked Hellboy. It's nice to finally read the series. It makes you realize how well Ron Perlman did playing him.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm kind of shocked I never read this before. I ADORE the art style. Definitely interested in reading more.

[Adrian · Rating 5 out of 5]

BUREAU FOR PARANORMAL RESEARCH AND DEFENSE
File *267999 (9/16/48)
Re: Nasi "Project Ragna Rok" (The Fatal Destiny)
To the best determination of the assigned in-vestigative team, "Ragna Rok" was one of Hitler's many "Doomsday" projects initiated in the closing days of World War Two.

Principally there were known to be five individuals involved at key steps of the project, and so far as has been determined all five were present in the final moments. The project was apparently headed by General Klaus Werner von Krupt.

The culmination of several years' work by the individuals, the ritual performed on Tarmagant Island (see map. pg. 162) on 23 Dec. 1944 corresponds precisely with the manifestation of the creature now code-named "Hellboy" (see File *25891), the so-called "HELLBOY ΙΝCIDENT."

Professor Trevor Bruttenholm and his staff have examined both "Hellboy" and the sits on Tarmagant Island extensively, and although no physical evidence can be found to link the events it seems unlikely their temporal juxtaposition is merely a coincidence.

As I mentioned earlier, the 2024 free-comic-book-day offering got me into a Hellboy mood. With Amazon offering me a free trial of Kindle Unlimited and with the Hellboy single issues being included, it felt rude not to start right at the beginning.

The Occult, Nazis, Demons, Lovecraftian horrors (I got real At the Mountains of Madness vibes), and good old Hellboy (who will forever be Ron Perlman in my eyes); what's not to love! 5 stars.

[Vikas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to prime reading I am able to read all these comics, though unlike the rest this is a single issue and not the 120+ pages collected volume. But it was still nice reading about the classic Hellboy origin. Might be able to read more with Prime Reading or not but that's a game for another time till then let's all just Keep on Reading.

I have always loved comics, and I hope always to love them. Even though I grew up reading local Indian comics like Raj Comics, Diamond Comics, or even Manoj Comics, now's the time to catch up on international and classic comics and Graphic novels. I am on my quest to read as many comics as I can. I love comics to bits, may the comics never leave my side. I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just Keep on Reading.

[Ben · Rating 2 out of 5]

Insomma, un po' inconsistente..

[reni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did not know hellboy had booty shorts

[P. Kirby · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this hearing Ron Perlman's and Doug Jones's voices as Hellboy and Abe, respectively.

The jury is still out as to whether or not the rebooted, cinematic version can hold a candle to the first films.

My introduction to Hellboy was via the two movie adaptations with The Golden Army being my favorite. In Hellboy: Seed of Destruction we see the inspiration for the first film, with the story moving through Hellboy's origin story, his relationship with Professor Broom, Liz and Abe, and climatic battle against a Cthulu-style, tentacle monster brought to life by a mad sorcerer.

The art is terrific, sharp, high contrast and bright even when depicting battles in grotty abysses. Hellboy's humor is present, but muted when compared to the films. The most glaring difference, for me anyway, was the weak chemistry between Hellboy and Abe and Liz. Had I not seen the films first, I would have loved this. But this is a case where the film adaptation improves on a comic's canon, deepening the character's relationships.

This volume also includes a short story which includes always welcome Nazi punching and a battle with a giant gorilla. Interestingly, Hellboy's snarky humor is a stronger presence in the short story.

If you are looking for a story with thematic meat on its bones, I'd suggested watching Hellboy and the Golden Army. But as a quick and entertaining intro to Hellboy, this volume is just the ticket.

[I DRM Free · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve always wanted to read Hellboy. Just have never had the money to invest in the comic series that I wasn’t sure I would like. But I watched the movies and absolutely loved them both and wish there was a third. Although I think I read they are rebooting it.

Anyway, back to the comic. I can’t say that I’m a big fan of the artwork, that is probably the main reason why I never bit the bullet and bought the comics. But it’s adequate and does its job. But the story line behind the series is where it is very interesting. This was just issue one so it really didn’t get too in depth but I have to say I am hooked. I will be reading the next few issues as well and will be reviewing them shortly.

I do have to say that the movie has rose tinted my glasses about the comic. The actual comic hasn’t really gotten into much detail about Hellboy or any of the characters yet. We really don’t know much of anything in this first issue as of yet. It basically just goes into Hellboy’s creation (briefly) and the Nazi’s who summoned him and then it ends.

It unfortunately does have DRM so I have to subtract a point for that.

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

For Seed of Destruction 1-4.

Getting started at the beginning now, despite some previous familiarity with Hellboy.

This arc does a good job of introducing you to the characters. It establishes both Hellboy's filial love for Bruttenholm and the loss in a few pages, then quickly picks up with his work as a paranormal investigator. You find that with Hellboy, Liz, and Abe there is a lot of history that can be mined, but enough given that it does not feel like there are missing holes. Most of the exposition goes to Hellboy's origins and the mythology later exploits will pull from. The last two pages of #4 set up a lot.

The artwork is interesting. I almost want to call it fauvism, but pulling from a much more infernal pallette. The depictions play with my sense of orientation, so that I often can't tell what is happening, until I search for the Right Hand of Doom, and then I realize that Hellboy is upside down, or falling at an angle, and the picture begins to cohere.

Since Hellboy is always going to be at odds with his destiny, there is a certain logic to that.

[Deborah Lynch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Colour me both surprised and addicted. I have been randomly selecting a graphic novel every now and then since a Book Riot challenge a few years back. They interested me and amused me during the read but never really gripped me until this volume. I've slowly been becoming more appreciative of the art form and that may be part of it, learning to accept that the character development isn't what I expect from it and can't be as in depth as a novel. Hellboy grabbed me right from the first few pages and I loved this volume, characters, storyline and drawings. Odd, because if you'd asked me I would have said this series wouldn't have appealed. I only selected it because a/ I was recovering from dental surgery and couldn't face anything too wordy and b/ because it was included in my Amazon Prime reading options. Now I have to read the rest.

[Toi Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since I’ve only read issue 1, I’ll probably have to come back and update this review at a later time.

I liked this story. I was already familiar with it, but I enjoyed the subtle differences from the movie and cartoons I've seen. My only complaint is how dark the pages are, but that's how the print editions look too. The story at the end threw me off, so the end seemed to come abruptly. Can't wait to try more.

[Amberly Biddix · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short but good story

I'm a huge fan of the Hellboy movies so I've been wanting to read the comics. I would have prefered an omnibus but this volume was for check out on amazon prime and I couldn't pass it up. The lack of star rating is more of a personal preference to graphic novels versus single comics. The story was interesting although short.

[Johnnie Chau · Rating 4 out of 5]

I watched the Movie before reading this Comic

I watched the movie first and did not really like it, therefore, I hesitated reading the comics. I actually enjoyed the comics, a good balance of action and suspense in this first issue.

[Zack · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Wonderful Blend of Mystery and the Paranormal

I've always loved Mike's artstyle and Byrne's storytelling in their own respects, but the two together are quite masterful. A very gripping story. One I might continue.

[Rebecca Timberlake · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay....

I've never tried to read anything Bellboy, but I was lukewarm about the old movie, and it gave me a slight prejudice against the character. This sets up an interesting world, but I'm still not sure if I like the premise.

[Kyle Cisco · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic read and a good place to start researching the process and structure so I can try and write my own.

A fantastic read and a good place to start researching the process and structure so I can try and write my own.

[Devin Ursini · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Classic origin of hellboy.

The Classic origin of hellboy as it was meant to be enjoyed all fact and just enough grit for the reader to think for themselves. I highly recommend the series if like me you sadly saw the movie first.

[André Luiz Müller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Muito bom

Primeira vez lendo uma HQ do Hellboy, muito bom. Após ouvir um podcast do NerdCast sobre o Hellboy e também o trabalho do Mike Mignola fui "obrigado"a buscar a HQ para ler.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Start!

The first issue of probably the greatest Hellboy story is a great introduction for anyone to Big Red, it's dark gritty storyline sets the tone for the start of another of our favourite Cambion's adventures. Plus a mention of the BPRD and Frogs! A must read.

[michael manix · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great series

Classic story telling which comics should be about a tale of choice over Destiny even i n the face of great adversity

[Casey Corbin · Rating 5 out of 5]

liking it so far

i am a fan of hell boy series but have not been able to read this one yet. liking it so far. just enough to make me want more

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hellboy is hella awesome

This is the first time reading a Hellboy comic, really enjoyed it! You get the quick origin story and some action too. Nice!

[Robert Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

Only of by Ron Perlman

I didn't know of Hellboy except by the two movies made. I found the comic to be great and fast read.

[Wheeliam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hellboy is amazing

Very fun to read, great that it takes place in such a horrible time in history and provides us a much needed hero

[Rich Shoemaker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hellboy comic

Always kind of an interesting story with this character. I enjoyed the movies and decided to check out one of the comics, not bad