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Hellboy Omnibus
Hellboy Omnibus, Volume 1: Seed of Destruction
The Hellboy saga begins--with over 300 pages drawn by Mignola! For the first time, Hellboy's complete story is presented in chronological order for the ultimate reading experience.
The story jumps from Hellboy's mysterious World War II origin to his 1994 confrontation with the man who summoned him to earth, and the earliest signs of the plague of frogs. Avoiding his supposed fate as the herald of the end of the world, Hellboy continues with the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense, fighting alongside Abe Sapien, Liz Sherman, and drafting Roger Homunculus into his own ill-fated service with the B.P.R.D.
The four volume Hellboy Omnibus series along with the two volumes of The Complete Short Stories collect all of Mignola's award-winning Hellboy stories in chronological order for a definitive reading experience.
This 368-page volume covers Hellboy's adventures from 1994 to 1997, reprinting Seed of Destruction, Wake the Devil , and "Wolves of St August," "The Chained Coffin," and "Almost Colossus," from The Chained Coffin and The Right Hand of Doom .
The story jumps from Hellboy's mysterious World War II origin to his 1994 confrontation with the man who summoned him to earth, and the earliest signs of the plague of frogs. Avoiding his supposed fate as the herald of the end of the world, Hellboy continues with the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense, fighting alongside Abe Sapien, Liz Sherman, and drafting Roger Homunculus into his own ill-fated service with the B.P.R.D.
The four volume Hellboy Omnibus series along with the two volumes of The Complete Short Stories collect all of Mignola's award-winning Hellboy stories in chronological order for a definitive reading experience.
This 368-page volume covers Hellboy's adventures from 1994 to 1997, reprinting Seed of Destruction, Wake the Devil , and "Wolves of St August," "The Chained Coffin," and "Almost Colossus," from The Chained Coffin and The Right Hand of Doom .
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 9, 2018
466 people are currently reading
1582 people want to read
About the author
Mike Mignola
1,865 books2,527 followersMike 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 444 reviews
March 27, 2022
This first omnibus of the cult classic reality of Hellboy captures his first stories in a print plus a short all with overarching theme of relating to his origin, the NAZI conspiracy that is part of that origin and introducing the B.P.R.D and a number of their agents and team. I have pretty much read a significant amount of the 'best comic serials to read' and had continuously swerved this one as it didn't look my cup of tea... which it turned out it wasn't. Basic horror in the style I dislike the most - gothic cum - HO Lovecraft-ian. It looks like it would have been dated even when it first went to print in the 1990s, and personally feel all characterisations sadly paper-thin and lacking, the stories were quite banal; it's the overall mystery and conspiracies that are its saving grace in my opinion. 4 out of 12.
2022 read
2022 read
May 29, 2018
So two things crossed my mind when I picked up this title. Glad I waited because Hellboy (So far) is complete. So I'll be able to read it all. Second though after finishing this title is why in the blue (or red) hell did I wait so long to read this!?!?
So if you don't know anything about Hellboy (how could you not?) He's basically a big devil looking ape-looking dude who joins others who are special to stop the evils of the world. Mostly this volume focuses alot on Nazi's and Ragna Rok. This is basically two complete story arcs and then a few side stories that fill in gaps or give short side stories of Hellboy and crew taking down evil. By the end you get familiarized of the world they are in, similar to ours, but a little bit more supernatural (Okay a lot more) and by the end all I kept thinking was "I WANT MORE".
Good: The art is fantastic once you get used to it. It really feels like NO other comic out there which is a breath of fresh air. Also, Hellboy is amazing. He's badass, he's funny, he has emotion, but he knows what he must do. I also loved the side crew, as they are all given moments. The fact people also die here, and while not major characters, big enough they come by as a surprise is nice. The story really does well to be mature yet not too brooding or dark. The two arcs feel complete and the side stories are a blast with some great humor but also a lot of lore inbetween.
Bad: Some of the dialog is long-winded at times. I also thought the villains weren't all that interesting either.
Overall this was great. I'd probably go with a 4.5 because it was so damn fun. Even the slower moments, mostly with the villains, couldn't stop me from finishing this 300+ page book in 2 days. Overall it's fantastic and can't wait to go deeper into the world of Hellboy!
So if you don't know anything about Hellboy (how could you not?) He's basically a big devil looking ape-looking dude who joins others who are special to stop the evils of the world. Mostly this volume focuses alot on Nazi's and Ragna Rok. This is basically two complete story arcs and then a few side stories that fill in gaps or give short side stories of Hellboy and crew taking down evil. By the end you get familiarized of the world they are in, similar to ours, but a little bit more supernatural (Okay a lot more) and by the end all I kept thinking was "I WANT MORE".
Good: The art is fantastic once you get used to it. It really feels like NO other comic out there which is a breath of fresh air. Also, Hellboy is amazing. He's badass, he's funny, he has emotion, but he knows what he must do. I also loved the side crew, as they are all given moments. The fact people also die here, and while not major characters, big enough they come by as a surprise is nice. The story really does well to be mature yet not too brooding or dark. The two arcs feel complete and the side stories are a blast with some great humor but also a lot of lore inbetween.
Bad: Some of the dialog is long-winded at times. I also thought the villains weren't all that interesting either.
Overall this was great. I'd probably go with a 4.5 because it was so damn fun. Even the slower moments, mostly with the villains, couldn't stop me from finishing this 300+ page book in 2 days. Overall it's fantastic and can't wait to go deeper into the world of Hellboy!
December 13, 2020
"If I have a real name, I've never known it. I'm called Hellboy." -- page 34
This introductory volume has a fair amount of good features - the main character (a hulking half-demon / half-human, working for one of those shadowy government branches known as the Bureau for Paranormal Research & Defense), the WWII-set origin story, and Mignola's illustrations - but yet it occasionally and curiously still fell flat for me. Maybe it was that the plots seemed sort of thin or underwhelming - there were some crazily interesting villains involved, like Rasputin the Mad Monk in cahoots with a surviving band of occult-obsessessed Nazis, but they would often just prattle on endlessly about their grand schemes, and at times it seemed like a smokescreen to cover for the actual lack of action or development. It certainly wasn't a horrible book (I'd still consider checking out a subsequent volume), and it seemed to get better in the latter half of it when Hellboy was teamed with colleague Dr. Kate Corrigan, an educated lady possessing a dry wit and much bravery.
This introductory volume has a fair amount of good features - the main character (a hulking half-demon / half-human, working for one of those shadowy government branches known as the Bureau for Paranormal Research & Defense), the WWII-set origin story, and Mignola's illustrations - but yet it occasionally and curiously still fell flat for me. Maybe it was that the plots seemed sort of thin or underwhelming - there were some crazily interesting villains involved, like Rasputin the Mad Monk in cahoots with a surviving band of occult-obsessessed Nazis, but they would often just prattle on endlessly about their grand schemes, and at times it seemed like a smokescreen to cover for the actual lack of action or development. It certainly wasn't a horrible book (I'd still consider checking out a subsequent volume), and it seemed to get better in the latter half of it when Hellboy was teamed with colleague Dr. Kate Corrigan, an educated lady possessing a dry wit and much bravery.
January 24, 2019
Hellboy is one of my all time favorite comics. This is the perfect time to introduce yourself to Hellboy if you've never picked it up before. His entire core story is collected in these 4 omnibuses. Newer collections tell untold stories from Hellboy's past. I find myself going back to read through these again and again. The omnibuses change the order from the original releases to the proper story order and move some of the short stories into their own omnibuses. This omnibus collects the first 2 and a half trades.
There's some great stuff here. Most of the major characters are introduced and the groundwork laid for things years to come in the future. You can see the storytelling evolve as the scripting shifts from John Byrne's verbose narration to Mignola as he becomes more comfortable voicing his own stories. Mignola's art can take time to get used to. I absolutely hated it when Mignola would draw superheroes. But his heavy use of shadows and negative space work fantastically in Hellboy's horror setting. Also included is a ton of sketches from the time when Mignola was toying with the idea of Hellboy complete with commentary by Mignola.
There's some great stuff here. Most of the major characters are introduced and the groundwork laid for things years to come in the future. You can see the storytelling evolve as the scripting shifts from John Byrne's verbose narration to Mignola as he becomes more comfortable voicing his own stories. Mignola's art can take time to get used to. I absolutely hated it when Mignola would draw superheroes. But his heavy use of shadows and negative space work fantastically in Hellboy's horror setting. Also included is a ton of sketches from the time when Mignola was toying with the idea of Hellboy complete with commentary by Mignola.
July 20, 2019
Hellboy (HB) is the successful investigator for the USA’s Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense. (Headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut if you ever want to stop by.) If you have never met this fellow, you have some treats and surprises ahead of you.
This is the first omnibus of Hellboy comics collected by Darkhorse. Hellboy (not his real name, but no one, including him, knows his real name) is billed as the “world’s greatest paranormal investigator.” And, maybe this is what attracted Guillermo del Toro to make a movie of his origin and adventures.
One of the attractions of HB is his looks (see cover). But as he says, “I may not be as scary as I look, but I’m every bit as tough.” In fact, Mike Mignola’s Hellboy, may embody most of humanity’s virtues. But most of our species judge a book by its cover, and that lends itself to many of the narratives.
Much of the plot of Volume 1 can be characterized as Mignola meets Lovecraft. Is that decaying mansion with its ancient occupants merely the last stop for a dynasty or is there something else at work? Ready or not, HB is thrust into a plot that brings together something of his origins and something more ancient and terrifying.
I liked the narrative, I liked the characterization, the covers and other ink work by Dave Stewart and Mark Chiarello. It shows off excellently on my Kindle Fire which allows viewing by either a “normal” comic book page or by each single panel.
Each of the initial titles included in this Omnibus takes the story further into both Hellboy’s origins and those of his “creator” – a sort of religious prophet who claims to have channeled some ancient gods to send HB to Earth in order to catalyze the process that will destroy humankind. How much does HB have to know in order to foil these evil creatures? How much does he want to know about his origins? How can his friends and colleagues support his efforts?
About three-quarters of this Omnibus is devoted to answering those questions. The rest is more directed to why you would want to purchase Omnibus Vol. 2. I was satisfied with three-quarters of the loaf………..and I will wait a while before deciding to move forward.
November 7, 2020
I liked it more than I thought I would, don't listen to people that say this one starts slow, I didn't think so at all. Actually it was nice for a change to have a story that doesn't try to be the most action packed epic within the first issue just to win the kids over (I am really tired of that). It has a nice calm pace to it with an interesting plot that unravels in unexpected ways.
Where the story shines the most are the characters. They are well written with a ton of detail, you just can't avoid falling in love with them and their little qirks. The art is special, its different and simple but it works so well that I understand why so many folks love it.
If you like paranormal mystery stories with a lot of action than this is a great read. Although it is at times creepy I wouldn't put it into horror, sure those tales are grim but scary is something else.
I give it 4.5 stars out of 5
Where the story shines the most are the characters. They are well written with a ton of detail, you just can't avoid falling in love with them and their little qirks. The art is special, its different and simple but it works so well that I understand why so many folks love it.
If you like paranormal mystery stories with a lot of action than this is a great read. Although it is at times creepy I wouldn't put it into horror, sure those tales are grim but scary is something else.
I give it 4.5 stars out of 5
May 26, 2018
There is something so seductive about he work of Mike Mignola and Hellboy himself (I cannot be the only one with board games and a reboot of the film franchise around the corner). And finally my wishes have been answered - the collected stories are finally coming out in Omnibus editions.
I have long since been follow Hellboys antics and adventures however making sense of the various stories - their interwoven references and the suspicion that a far longer story is being slowly played out all meant either being incredibly patient or spending a fortune,
Now I no longer need to worry about either. Like the amazing Plague of Frogs finally I have something meaty to set stuck in and read. Yes I will have be patent as not all the editions have been printed yet but they are on their way although I am someone intrigued by the idea that the longer stories are part of the omnibus editions while the one shots and shorter stories have their own parallel omnibuses coming out as well.
the question is how much of my book shelves am I going to have to clear to proudly show them all (and what do I do with the books I clear) on the quandary.
Anyway the books are not for everyone with their highly stylised artwork however once you are a few pages in it all seems so natural and the story just pulls you in. I have several of the books that make up this first edition however I am still amazed at what new treasures and joys I find in reading these pages.
Now I have to just distract myself till the next one comes out.
I have long since been follow Hellboys antics and adventures however making sense of the various stories - their interwoven references and the suspicion that a far longer story is being slowly played out all meant either being incredibly patient or spending a fortune,
Now I no longer need to worry about either. Like the amazing Plague of Frogs finally I have something meaty to set stuck in and read. Yes I will have be patent as not all the editions have been printed yet but they are on their way although I am someone intrigued by the idea that the longer stories are part of the omnibus editions while the one shots and shorter stories have their own parallel omnibuses coming out as well.
the question is how much of my book shelves am I going to have to clear to proudly show them all (and what do I do with the books I clear) on the quandary.
Anyway the books are not for everyone with their highly stylised artwork however once you are a few pages in it all seems so natural and the story just pulls you in. I have several of the books that make up this first edition however I am still amazed at what new treasures and joys I find in reading these pages.
Now I have to just distract myself till the next one comes out.
October 21, 2025
Just as good as the first time I read it. Definitely one of the best comics to ever be created.
July 22, 2018
How good was this. I really enjoyed the Hellboy mythos and world. Great story lines, action and amazing characters. This contained a couple of volumes and some short stories. They all really continued and overall story arc, with great background information on the characters ( good and evil) as well combine perfect amounts of history. The artwork was really quite unique. I had been told that some people consider it too simiplistic. However, I feel like that it personifies Hellboy perfectly. My only very small critique would be that occasionally the dialogue would be a little long ( not a huge problem here. Its not like Snyders dialogue issues). Definitely recommend this to everyone who reads and doesnt read graphic novels.
January 28, 2023
قد أحاول كثيرًا أن أعبر عن قدر حبي لمايك مينيولا وعالَم هِلبُوي، لكنني سأفشل في الغالب. يكفيني الآن أنني حاولتُ أن تخرج هذه الترجمة في أكمل الصور تعبيرًا عن هذا الحب.
December 31, 2019
Solid 4 stars.
Very nice art, distinctive style, definitely. The story (or stories) is very much original. I always enjoyed how the color red is underused in the panels so that when Hellboy shows up, he really pops and stands out. He's a very vibrant, bright red that leaps off the page.
Absolutely hungry for more. It helps a lot that the Omnibus editions (coming out this year, starting with Volume 1 in May 2018) organize the graphic novels in chronological order, so they make more sense.
Overall, I really liked it!
Very nice art, distinctive style, definitely. The story (or stories) is very much original. I always enjoyed how the color red is underused in the panels so that when Hellboy shows up, he really pops and stands out. He's a very vibrant, bright red that leaps off the page.
Absolutely hungry for more. It helps a lot that the Omnibus editions (coming out this year, starting with Volume 1 in May 2018) organize the graphic novels in chronological order, so they make more sense.
Overall, I really liked it!
February 2, 2023
إلى الذي علَّمنا حب الأساطير..
وأخذ بأيدينا إلى أجمل العوالم..
إلى الخالد في أرواحنا..
أحمد خالد توفيق
Read
January 13, 2021I avoided Hellboy for a long time...
That's not to say that I thought it was bad or anything like that. But I've been known to remark that I tend to be skeptical of widely praised works, like with comics like Saga. I often allow my nervousness to get in the way of objectively looking at works as best as I can (which can result in some shoddy reviews or half baked conceptions) and I attempt to not be a harsh critic when it comes to reviewing works, or I avoid works that doesn't nab my interest. The stuff that I usually hate is stuff that I love often being perverted or used as some cheap, mediocre punchline for some message about a particular subject. As for Hellboy, I remember seeing the trailer for the second Del Toro feature adaptation when I was a wee lad about perhaps 7 years old. My childhood naivete was such where I was afraid to even say the word 'hell,' but then again this was before I actually understood the concept of hell and what hell actually was.
As I began coming back to comics with works like Moore's Watchmen, Kirkman's The Walking Dead, or Snyder's Wytches informing the way for my re-ignition of my love for comics, almost everyone I knew in the comic book world was telling me to pick up Hellboy or anything by the man who created him, one Mike Mignola. I was hesitant, as I mentioned before, I tend to get nervous when it comes to widely praised works of art, as its been known, disappointment is a real bitch. So I decided to hold off for a while and get some other comics for me to dig into for the time being. But then as I started to grow a bit more in my comic book tastes, I began to notice the evocative and moody artwork by one Mike Mignola, becoming particularly impressed with his work on DC characters and his portraits of authors such as Edgar Allan Poe and particularly his portrait of HP Lovecraft. He became a favorite of mine, alongside figures like Ditko, Moebius or Phillips, despite the fact that I was often searching for writers that I enjoyed in comics more than artists, but Mignola became an artist that I enjoyed looking at his works. So after a while I decided to give Hellboy a shot after all of this time procrastinating.
I'm fortunate to say that I think Hellboy might be one of the best things that I've read in a while. Mignola's sense of atmosphere and his tendency to play with folklore and ancient myth shows him to be a rare combination of a writer/artist who is phenomenally gifted at both. His art is strange and idiosyncratic, reminiscent of some of my favorite artists such as Ditko and Ba and Moon, while his sense of tone and atmosphere is matched by few: Sean Phillips, Andrea Sorrentino, and Paul Azaceta. Mignola's writing also proves that he is one of the few people who combines horror and comedy without losing his sense of tone, only comparable to filmmakers such as Raimi and Landis. Yet Mignola has a subtler touch of humor to his work, his quirky, offbeat sense of humor often makes for the best parts of the book, particularly with Hellboy's unusual wise cracks to his many enemies.
The first arc is enjoyable, yet it suffers from clunky pacing and a reliance on expository dialogue, nevertheless Mignola manages to pace himself well despite the clunkier bits. He doesn't move too quickly or too slowly, yet I found when I got to the second arc and the short stories that followed them (at least in this collection) where Mignola truly begins to shine as a writer/artist, crafting an intense, creepy work, yet never being fully devoid of humor, and being rather unusual humor at that.
Mignola pulls from many influences. From Batman to The Shadow, to Lovecraft's paranoia of the unknown, to ancient mythos and even sword and sorcery figures like Leiber, Moorcock, and Howard, Mignola manages to craft all of these aspects together in order to make something that is truly unique and original in the world of comics. It's not a superhero comic, even though many tend to describe it as one. If that is the case, then Hellboy is a truly a one of a kind superhero comic and one that I'd even hesitate to dub a superhero comic, it's more of a weird horror fantasy work thats in the vein of the best pulp authors such as Lovecraft or Howard. But he also seems to have created something that's uniquely his own. Despite my patience being tested during the first arc of the series (not that I don't mind dense prose, as I love Moore), it's Mignola's sense of place and tone that wins me over in the end and the part of the book that won me over to begin with.
I'm often finding myself disappointed by our tendency to be out-done in comics by the British or other foreign countries, but Hellboy is a nice reminder that us Yanks still have a few tricks up our sleeves.
That's not to say that I thought it was bad or anything like that. But I've been known to remark that I tend to be skeptical of widely praised works, like with comics like Saga. I often allow my nervousness to get in the way of objectively looking at works as best as I can (which can result in some shoddy reviews or half baked conceptions) and I attempt to not be a harsh critic when it comes to reviewing works, or I avoid works that doesn't nab my interest. The stuff that I usually hate is stuff that I love often being perverted or used as some cheap, mediocre punchline for some message about a particular subject. As for Hellboy, I remember seeing the trailer for the second Del Toro feature adaptation when I was a wee lad about perhaps 7 years old. My childhood naivete was such where I was afraid to even say the word 'hell,' but then again this was before I actually understood the concept of hell and what hell actually was.
As I began coming back to comics with works like Moore's Watchmen, Kirkman's The Walking Dead, or Snyder's Wytches informing the way for my re-ignition of my love for comics, almost everyone I knew in the comic book world was telling me to pick up Hellboy or anything by the man who created him, one Mike Mignola. I was hesitant, as I mentioned before, I tend to get nervous when it comes to widely praised works of art, as its been known, disappointment is a real bitch. So I decided to hold off for a while and get some other comics for me to dig into for the time being. But then as I started to grow a bit more in my comic book tastes, I began to notice the evocative and moody artwork by one Mike Mignola, becoming particularly impressed with his work on DC characters and his portraits of authors such as Edgar Allan Poe and particularly his portrait of HP Lovecraft. He became a favorite of mine, alongside figures like Ditko, Moebius or Phillips, despite the fact that I was often searching for writers that I enjoyed in comics more than artists, but Mignola became an artist that I enjoyed looking at his works. So after a while I decided to give Hellboy a shot after all of this time procrastinating.
I'm fortunate to say that I think Hellboy might be one of the best things that I've read in a while. Mignola's sense of atmosphere and his tendency to play with folklore and ancient myth shows him to be a rare combination of a writer/artist who is phenomenally gifted at both. His art is strange and idiosyncratic, reminiscent of some of my favorite artists such as Ditko and Ba and Moon, while his sense of tone and atmosphere is matched by few: Sean Phillips, Andrea Sorrentino, and Paul Azaceta. Mignola's writing also proves that he is one of the few people who combines horror and comedy without losing his sense of tone, only comparable to filmmakers such as Raimi and Landis. Yet Mignola has a subtler touch of humor to his work, his quirky, offbeat sense of humor often makes for the best parts of the book, particularly with Hellboy's unusual wise cracks to his many enemies.
The first arc is enjoyable, yet it suffers from clunky pacing and a reliance on expository dialogue, nevertheless Mignola manages to pace himself well despite the clunkier bits. He doesn't move too quickly or too slowly, yet I found when I got to the second arc and the short stories that followed them (at least in this collection) where Mignola truly begins to shine as a writer/artist, crafting an intense, creepy work, yet never being fully devoid of humor, and being rather unusual humor at that.
Mignola pulls from many influences. From Batman to The Shadow, to Lovecraft's paranoia of the unknown, to ancient mythos and even sword and sorcery figures like Leiber, Moorcock, and Howard, Mignola manages to craft all of these aspects together in order to make something that is truly unique and original in the world of comics. It's not a superhero comic, even though many tend to describe it as one. If that is the case, then Hellboy is a truly a one of a kind superhero comic and one that I'd even hesitate to dub a superhero comic, it's more of a weird horror fantasy work thats in the vein of the best pulp authors such as Lovecraft or Howard. But he also seems to have created something that's uniquely his own. Despite my patience being tested during the first arc of the series (not that I don't mind dense prose, as I love Moore), it's Mignola's sense of place and tone that wins me over in the end and the part of the book that won me over to begin with.
I'm often finding myself disappointed by our tendency to be out-done in comics by the British or other foreign countries, but Hellboy is a nice reminder that us Yanks still have a few tricks up our sleeves.
May 28, 2019
Eu acho que comecei com um baita pé esquerdo nas minhas leituras com Hellboy. Eu li "A Mão Direita da Perdição" e detestei na época do lançamemento do primeiro filme do Hellboy. Isso me afastou do universo dele por anos. Somente agora, com o novo filme (mas não por causa dele) que comecei a entender porque as pessoas reverenciavam tanto essa criação de Mike Mignola. Esse Omnibus que a Mythos colocou nas bancas neste mês foi um grande "braço a torcer" sobre minhas impressões das histórias de Hellboy. Elas são muito divertidas e sabem enredar elementos da mitologia sobrenatural, do folclore e das lendas cristãs como só elas. Isso sem falar da sensacional arte de Mignola, que fez escola, e sabe fornecer o clima lúgubre, misterioso e sombrio necessário para adornar histórias desse tipo. Além disso, aprendi algumas coisas sobre os personagens do universo de Hellboy que não tinha nenhum conhecimento, como as origines de Liz Sherman e de Roger, o Homúnculo. Também entendi as ligações do Monge Rasputin com a Baba Yaga. Tudo isso deixa mais rica e mais interessante minha leitura e redescoberta de um universo que eu julgava desinteressante, mas estava BEM errado.
August 12, 2018
Near the end of World War II, the evil Rasputin summoned a creature from another world -- a little red demon baby.
And so starts Mike Mignola's distinctly offbeat "Hellboy Volume 1: Seed of Destruction and Wake the Devil," two interconnected action-factory stories with a bright-red demon as its anti-hero. Mignola happily crams this rather brief tale with Lovecraftian horrors, mythic demons, a cursed mansion, a vampire in an old castle, and a truly malevolent villain who wants to destroy the world.
Hellboy himself is a classic anti-hero -- despite his red skin, bulky body and sawed-off horns, he's very human in attitude, with an understated love for his friends and his adoptive father. Throughout these stories he's faced by hints of what he truly is and what he's expected to become by the infernal players, but his good heart won't have it. And his snappy wit ("Insolent beast! Troglodyte!" "Big talk for a guy with no pants") only makes him more lovable.
And so starts Mike Mignola's distinctly offbeat "Hellboy Volume 1: Seed of Destruction and Wake the Devil," two interconnected action-factory stories with a bright-red demon as its anti-hero. Mignola happily crams this rather brief tale with Lovecraftian horrors, mythic demons, a cursed mansion, a vampire in an old castle, and a truly malevolent villain who wants to destroy the world.
Hellboy himself is a classic anti-hero -- despite his red skin, bulky body and sawed-off horns, he's very human in attitude, with an understated love for his friends and his adoptive father. Throughout these stories he's faced by hints of what he truly is and what he's expected to become by the infernal players, but his good heart won't have it. And his snappy wit ("Insolent beast! Troglodyte!" "Big talk for a guy with no pants") only makes him more lovable.
March 25, 2019
It's been over a decade since I read these stories. I think I read the first 5 trades and then started collecting the single issues and have been ever since! It's pretty wild re-reading this after having read so much more of the rest of the story. Mignola combines action & adventure, mystery, horror, mythology, folklore, human drama, and even a dash of science fiction in a way no comics creator has before or since. And that he wrote AND drew a lot of the early stuff makes the accomplishment even more impressive! I've got two more omnibuses to go (they're really affordable for the amount of material you get) and am looking forward to refreshing my memory of Hellboy's early publication days.
October 17, 2024
من أحلى و أمتع كتب الكوميكس اللى قراتها السنة دى
July 25, 2018
You can find my review on my blog by clicking here.
It’s a bit hard to not have heard of this giant red ape-like creature. His presence alone invades the atmosphere and his charisma steals the show. And to turn him into the world’s greatest paranormal investigator too? He’s easily a character that has left a huge mark in our pop culture and is here to stay. Although a bit underrated, Hellboy has his fair share of lore to share with us and it is one that will please a lot of horror and mystic fans. His now completed comic book has given birth to a couple of spin-offs and is now being released in this perfectly-ideal omnibus editions to collect Mike Mignola’s award-winning stories in a chronological order perfect for readers. This first volume collects Seed of Destruction (Volume 1), Wake the Devil (Volume 2), and the stories “Wolves of St. August”, “The Chained Coffin” and “Almost Colossus” from The Chained Coffin (Volume 3).
How exactly does Hellboy‘s saga begin? In this first omnibus the story begins by throwing readers back during the World War II era where a special Nazi team led by Rasputin conduct a strange summoning that ultimately leads to the birth of a baby Hellboy in a church in Britain. While the Nazis believe their plans have failed, Rasputin claims that he has initiated the end of the world. For almost half a century, this demon-child who was taken in by Professor Bruttenholm, grows to be an agent of the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (B.P.R.D.) in New York. Tagged along with Liz Sherman (a woman with pyrokinetic abilities) and Abe Sapien (an amphibious man), this team investigate strange happenings and uncover the truth behind them while discovering themselves and their place in the world.
The lore and the characters are where all the praise should be redirected to. With an underlying touch of Lovecraftian mythology, this story draws upon the mystical world to recreate its own air of horror and mystery. With various references to iconic mythologies and characters, Mike Mignola sets up his world in a basin of strange and ugly creatures that constantly harass Hellboy in his unrestrained and untroubled behaviour. Its especially the style and manner that each threat is approached that poignantly mesmerizes you. While it isn’t exactly an easy-to-dive-in series, it does rapidly capture your heart with all the charming and short dialogues, as well as the brutal and fun action sequences by Hellboy. As fascinating as it is to learn about the Ogdru Jahad, frog-monsters and vampires, it is how Hellboy will deal with them that makes this so fun.
It is worth mentioning that the artwork is not something that will please everyone. The style is perfect for Hellboy and grows on you, to the point where it quickly becomes easy for reader to associate it to this series. It is really heavy on shadows and on rough character designs, and rarely focuses on emotions and details. The creepy and edgy designs help in fact to convey the eerie and creepy mood that emanates from many of the settings featured in this story. The transitions aren’t smooth either, and is axed more of frames of key moments in order to let readers imagine the sequence and fill the gap with their own touch of creativity. But with dialogues that are so poetic and that often sound like satanic incantations, as well as snappy one-liners, readers aren’t ever really left to their own.
If there’s one thing that I’m happy about, it is the fact that the main series is complete and that they are now being recollected into these omnibuses. If I had read the first volume alone (Seed of Destruction), I would have heavily questioned its reputation since it is far from enough to understand why Hellboy is such an iconic character. In this omnibus, it is much easier for fans to appreciate every characters development and the overall world-building that is set up.
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
It’s a bit hard to not have heard of this giant red ape-like creature. His presence alone invades the atmosphere and his charisma steals the show. And to turn him into the world’s greatest paranormal investigator too? He’s easily a character that has left a huge mark in our pop culture and is here to stay. Although a bit underrated, Hellboy has his fair share of lore to share with us and it is one that will please a lot of horror and mystic fans. His now completed comic book has given birth to a couple of spin-offs and is now being released in this perfectly-ideal omnibus editions to collect Mike Mignola’s award-winning stories in a chronological order perfect for readers. This first volume collects Seed of Destruction (Volume 1), Wake the Devil (Volume 2), and the stories “Wolves of St. August”, “The Chained Coffin” and “Almost Colossus” from The Chained Coffin (Volume 3).
How exactly does Hellboy‘s saga begin? In this first omnibus the story begins by throwing readers back during the World War II era where a special Nazi team led by Rasputin conduct a strange summoning that ultimately leads to the birth of a baby Hellboy in a church in Britain. While the Nazis believe their plans have failed, Rasputin claims that he has initiated the end of the world. For almost half a century, this demon-child who was taken in by Professor Bruttenholm, grows to be an agent of the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (B.P.R.D.) in New York. Tagged along with Liz Sherman (a woman with pyrokinetic abilities) and Abe Sapien (an amphibious man), this team investigate strange happenings and uncover the truth behind them while discovering themselves and their place in the world.
The lore and the characters are where all the praise should be redirected to. With an underlying touch of Lovecraftian mythology, this story draws upon the mystical world to recreate its own air of horror and mystery. With various references to iconic mythologies and characters, Mike Mignola sets up his world in a basin of strange and ugly creatures that constantly harass Hellboy in his unrestrained and untroubled behaviour. Its especially the style and manner that each threat is approached that poignantly mesmerizes you. While it isn’t exactly an easy-to-dive-in series, it does rapidly capture your heart with all the charming and short dialogues, as well as the brutal and fun action sequences by Hellboy. As fascinating as it is to learn about the Ogdru Jahad, frog-monsters and vampires, it is how Hellboy will deal with them that makes this so fun.
It is worth mentioning that the artwork is not something that will please everyone. The style is perfect for Hellboy and grows on you, to the point where it quickly becomes easy for reader to associate it to this series. It is really heavy on shadows and on rough character designs, and rarely focuses on emotions and details. The creepy and edgy designs help in fact to convey the eerie and creepy mood that emanates from many of the settings featured in this story. The transitions aren’t smooth either, and is axed more of frames of key moments in order to let readers imagine the sequence and fill the gap with their own touch of creativity. But with dialogues that are so poetic and that often sound like satanic incantations, as well as snappy one-liners, readers aren’t ever really left to their own.
If there’s one thing that I’m happy about, it is the fact that the main series is complete and that they are now being recollected into these omnibuses. If I had read the first volume alone (Seed of Destruction), I would have heavily questioned its reputation since it is far from enough to understand why Hellboy is such an iconic character. In this omnibus, it is much easier for fans to appreciate every characters development and the overall world-building that is set up.
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
December 1, 2021
Very few comic artists have a style as distinctive as Mike Mignola, especially in mainstream comics. Before ever reading anything by him, I already knew and loved his style, and could recognize it a mile off, thanks to artwork I'd seen online and on the front covers of his books. As such, the calibre of his art needs little introduction – anyone who's into comics probably already knows. This collection is absolutely full of jaw-dropping images, with generous use of bold black inks (a little reminiscent of Charles Burns), and sparing but incredibly effective use of eye-popping reds. In particular, Hellboy's titular hero must have one of the most striking and iconic character designs in comics: his mere presence makes any panel look great. All of that said, I do feel as though the art's quality isn't totally consistent throughout this collection: in the first story (Seed of Destruction, pages 4–107) practically every single panel looks stunning, but I can't quite say the same for the rest, and the final story (Almost Colossus, pages 290–336) feels noticeably rougher, perhaps even a little rushed.
This series boasts a premise that appeals to me greatly, mixing together folklore, mythology and history from around the world, along with some general horror tropes and a dash of superhero stuff. Aside from the art and widespread acclaim, this was one of the main things that attracted me to the series; I was hoping for something in a similar vein to The Sandman by Neil Gaiman. Like Gaiman, Mignola does a good job of borrowing elements from myriad sources to create an intriguing occult universe, but so far Hellboy is shaping up to be a very different series to The Sandman. In this volume at least, Hellboy is unabashedly an action comic, clearly indebted to the mainstream superhero tradition. Each story starts out with some kind of creepy paranormal mystery, but they quickly escalate into punch-ups, which usually end with some kind of explosions, or with buildings collapsing.
The well-drawn action and exciting plots keep me thoroughly engaged, but so far there’s been a conspicuous lack of world-building or character exploration. Not once in this volume’s 366 pages do we, for example, see where Hellboy lives, or what he does in his free time. There are few extended conversations, and the small number that are included are laden with exposition about backstory, and do little to show the speakers’ personalities. Most of the protagonist’s speech is limited to quips and wisecracks. We also get little insight into the wider setting: we scarcely see any “ordinary people”, and it remains frustratingly unclear to what extent magic is commonplace and accepted in this world.
My criticisms are probably the result of false expectations more than actual shortcomings in the comic itself. As a quippy fantasy action-adventure comic, this is very successful and a lot of fun – considerably more interesting to me than most comics that fit that description! I definitely intend to read on, particularly as I’ve heard people say that this first omnibus collects some of the series’s weaker material. Nonetheless, I’m holding out hope that as Mignola matures as a writer, he becomes confident enough to slow down the pace a little and take the time to flesh out the cast and their motivations.
This series boasts a premise that appeals to me greatly, mixing together folklore, mythology and history from around the world, along with some general horror tropes and a dash of superhero stuff. Aside from the art and widespread acclaim, this was one of the main things that attracted me to the series; I was hoping for something in a similar vein to The Sandman by Neil Gaiman. Like Gaiman, Mignola does a good job of borrowing elements from myriad sources to create an intriguing occult universe, but so far Hellboy is shaping up to be a very different series to The Sandman. In this volume at least, Hellboy is unabashedly an action comic, clearly indebted to the mainstream superhero tradition. Each story starts out with some kind of creepy paranormal mystery, but they quickly escalate into punch-ups, which usually end with some kind of explosions, or with buildings collapsing.
The well-drawn action and exciting plots keep me thoroughly engaged, but so far there’s been a conspicuous lack of world-building or character exploration. Not once in this volume’s 366 pages do we, for example, see where Hellboy lives, or what he does in his free time. There are few extended conversations, and the small number that are included are laden with exposition about backstory, and do little to show the speakers’ personalities. Most of the protagonist’s speech is limited to quips and wisecracks. We also get little insight into the wider setting: we scarcely see any “ordinary people”, and it remains frustratingly unclear to what extent magic is commonplace and accepted in this world.
My criticisms are probably the result of false expectations more than actual shortcomings in the comic itself. As a quippy fantasy action-adventure comic, this is very successful and a lot of fun – considerably more interesting to me than most comics that fit that description! I definitely intend to read on, particularly as I’ve heard people say that this first omnibus collects some of the series’s weaker material. Nonetheless, I’m holding out hope that as Mignola matures as a writer, he becomes confident enough to slow down the pace a little and take the time to flesh out the cast and their motivations.
January 13, 2024
لا أعلم أي روح حارسة كانت تهمس لي : «خذ هذا الكتاب إلى المنزل »...
الجملة دي كانت من كلمات نيتشه عن كتاب شوبنهاور اللي قراه في شبابه و غير له طريقة تفكيره...و أنا بقراها كان في بالي كتاب واحد ينطبق عليه الكلام ده بالنسبالي...هلبوي ☺️
أول لقاء ليا معاه كان هذا المجلد...قريته بالإنجليزية... لكن بدون مبالغة...نسخته العربية هى الأكثر قربا لقلبي... الترجمة أخدت التجربة لمستوى جديد... بعد قراءة النسخة الإنجليزية حسيت قد إيه المترجم بذل جهد و حرفية بالغة...مش بس عشان يطلع بترجمة تليق بملحمة زي هلبوي...لكن نسج بكلماته...و من روحه... اللي جعل الترجمة تطلع أبيات شعرية غاية في الجمال و الدقة في نفس الوقت... حاجة كده زي حرفة صياغة الدهب...
التفوق الوحيد اللي حسيته لصالح النسخة الإنجليزية على النسخة العربية...هو حيوية الألوان و توهجها...
هلبوي... العزيز... مخلوق لغاية واحدة...كل شخصيات الحكايات الرئيسية و الثانوية بتقنعه تارة...و تجبره تارة... على إنه ينفذ الغاية دي...و هو دائما لا يظن ذلك 😀
معنى therapeutic لو استشعرناه... أنت مخير في الطريق اللي حتمشيه...مصيرك قرار راجعلك وحدك... و ده مش شيء سهل...
من أجمل اللقطات في المجلد ده... لقطة نزع هلبوي لقرون الشيطان وسط تعجب الشياطين و الاشباح...ولادة جديدة ليه بقراره و تقرير مصيره...
من أقوى اللقطات في المجلد ده...قراره إنه...مبقاش عايز يعرف هو جه ليه على الأرض...و إيه الهدف من ورا كده
من أرق اللقطات في المجلد ده...و يا للعجب ☺️...الحوار الجميل بين راسبوتين...و بين الجدة بابا ياجا...
الجملة دي كانت من كلمات نيتشه عن كتاب شوبنهاور اللي قراه في شبابه و غير له طريقة تفكيره...و أنا بقراها كان في بالي كتاب واحد ينطبق عليه الكلام ده بالنسبالي...هلبوي ☺️
أول لقاء ليا معاه كان هذا المجلد...قريته بالإنجليزية... لكن بدون مبالغة...نسخته العربية هى الأكثر قربا لقلبي... الترجمة أخدت التجربة لمستوى جديد... بعد قراءة النسخة الإنجليزية حسيت قد إيه المترجم بذل جهد و حرفية بالغة...مش بس عشان يطلع بترجمة تليق بملحمة زي هلبوي...لكن نسج بكلماته...و من روحه... اللي جعل الترجمة تطلع أبيات شعرية غاية في الجمال و الدقة في نفس الوقت... حاجة كده زي حرفة صياغة الدهب...
التفوق الوحيد اللي حسيته لصالح النسخة الإنجليزية على النسخة العربية...هو حيوية الألوان و توهجها...
هلبوي... العزيز... مخلوق لغاية واحدة...كل شخصيات الحكايات الرئيسية و الثانوية بتقنعه تارة...و تجبره تارة... على إنه ينفذ الغاية دي...و هو دائما لا يظن ذلك 😀
معنى therapeutic لو استشعرناه... أنت مخير في الطريق اللي حتمشيه...مصيرك قرار راجعلك وحدك... و ده مش شيء سهل...
من أجمل اللقطات في المجلد ده... لقطة نزع هلبوي لقرون الشيطان وسط تعجب الشياطين و الاشباح...ولادة جديدة ليه بقراره و تقرير مصيره...
من أقوى اللقطات في المجلد ده...قراره إنه...مبقاش عايز يعرف هو جه ليه على الأرض...و إيه الهدف من ورا كده
من أرق اللقطات في المجلد ده...و يا للعجب ☺️...الحوار الجميل بين راسبوتين...و بين الجدة بابا ياجا...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 1, 2021
I've never read any Hellboy so this is my first foray into it. I decided to read it in chronological order so unsure if it gets better in later volumes. First off the art is consistently good throughout, I'd actually say the story and dialogue are good as well... in fact, I don't actually think there's anything wrong with it. Reading this was like one of those relationships where you have to say "It isn't you, it's me" but actually mean it.
Things I didn't like?
Lots of repetition; Hellboy goes to lots of old abandoned churches/castles/mansions; usually with another character who he can exposit with. Then he punches a monster. THE END.
The aesthetic. By this I don't meant he art, which is great throughout (though repetitive) but more the steampunk, history obsessed, vintage, ornateness. Why do I hate this? I don't know, it just sticks in my craw for some reason. It's a way of applying sophistication whilst at the same time being completely shallow.
Shallowness.
I think that's why I dislike Hellboy.. or why I don't like it as much as I'd like to. The past few years I've been reading stuff like The Sandman or more recently Moonshadow... so when I read something like Hellboy then it's all good for a bit of a laugh maybe, but in essence I feel like I'm wasting my time on it. Feel free to comment below if you think I should carry on reading it... thankfully I didn't spend any money on volume 1 and just read the pdf online, which is a bit naughty.
Things I didn't like?
Lots of repetition; Hellboy goes to lots of old abandoned churches/castles/mansions; usually with another character who he can exposit with. Then he punches a monster. THE END.
The aesthetic. By this I don't meant he art, which is great throughout (though repetitive) but more the steampunk, history obsessed, vintage, ornateness. Why do I hate this? I don't know, it just sticks in my craw for some reason. It's a way of applying sophistication whilst at the same time being completely shallow.
Shallowness.
I think that's why I dislike Hellboy.. or why I don't like it as much as I'd like to. The past few years I've been reading stuff like The Sandman or more recently Moonshadow... so when I read something like Hellboy then it's all good for a bit of a laugh maybe, but in essence I feel like I'm wasting my time on it. Feel free to comment below if you think I should carry on reading it... thankfully I didn't spend any money on volume 1 and just read the pdf online, which is a bit naughty.
March 3, 2019
"We are what we are, and we have our paths to travel."
I've had a few friends recommend the Hellboy books to me over the years, so I was expecting some solid entertainment from the series.
What I wasn't expecting was a work of art that seamlessly blends a smorgasbord of literary and mythological influences with its own masterfully realized world.
I'm overjoyed that the whole damned series is being recollected just in time for new readers like myself to be exposed to some of the most effortlessly graceful and impactful art and writing to ever color the pages of comic bookdom.
October 18, 2019
Hellboy is a sweetheart.
May 13, 2022
Hellboy Omnibus 1
El primero si te cuenta como es que aprecio Hellboy, y presenta lo que supongo será el antagonista principal por un rato a pesar de.
El resto son varias aventuras de Hellboy, y los demás miembros de B.P.R.D. Bastante entretenidas todas.
Que si cuando se da tiempo para desarrollar la historia como en la de los Lobos de Saint August se disfruta más que las otras más cortas.
3.9 stars
El primero si te cuenta como es que aprecio Hellboy, y presenta lo que supongo será el antagonista principal por un rato a pesar de.
El resto son varias aventuras de Hellboy, y los demás miembros de B.P.R.D. Bastante entretenidas todas.
Que si cuando se da tiempo para desarrollar la historia como en la de los Lobos de Saint August se disfruta más que las otras más cortas.
3.9 stars
March 15, 2019
4.5 stars
Seed of Destruction: 4 stars
The Wolves of Saint August: 4 stars
The Chained Coffin: 4 stars
Wake the Devil: 5 stars
Almost Colossus: 5 stars
Seed of Destruction: 4 stars
The Wolves of Saint August: 4 stars
The Chained Coffin: 4 stars
Wake the Devil: 5 stars
Almost Colossus: 5 stars
December 3, 2024
I’m still trying to find the comic/graphic novel that gives me my “ah ha!” moment. I suppose this was entertaining enough. Pulpy, spooky, Victorian/gothic monster action with a historical fiction edge. I liked the tie-ins to WWII and having Rasputin as a character is good fun. The art style took some getting used to. Very minimalist with heavy inking was unique but not really for me.
October 31, 2024
This was fantastic! I am so looking forward to reading more Hellboy in the near future. Stories were moody and atmospheric. Colors and art were great.
Highly Recommend.
Highly Recommend.
June 22, 2018
Behind a monk who's supposed to be dead, the relics portraying demons caste in stone by memo-americans hide in shadows, and we all miss his words because a portal to another world, another time, opens and some new nightmare bursts forth to end humanity. And to all this Red just sighs, cocks his gun, and fires back into the abyss.
This omnibus gathered stories, many of which I've read already, but their arraignment, their updates colors, and their original incredible qualities as stories remind me of one important thing: HellBoy is the shit.
This omnibus gathered stories, many of which I've read already, but their arraignment, their updates colors, and their original incredible qualities as stories remind me of one important thing: HellBoy is the shit.
March 26, 2024
سعدت جدا بقراية هلبوي الجزء الأول، الكوميك مليئة بالتويستات ومليئة بالحكم وسخريات القدر، مفيش فصل في الكتاب مفاجئنيش.
من الفصول اللي أثرت فيها بشكل خضني جدا فصل التابوت المصفد (الحوار بين الشيطان والراهبة الميتة) كان أقرب لمونولوج منه حوار ممتع، الفصل ده بالذات انا حسيت بصدمة شديدة بعده لدرجة اني قفلت الكوميك ومستوعبتش شدة وقوة اللي قريته، لكن لأني بحب هذا النوع من الحوارات، أعدت قراءة الفصل مرة تانية وده طبعا راجع للترجمة المميزة جدا اللي نقلت الكوميك لمكان تاني مميز زيها.
كمان من الحوارات الفلسفية الشيقة جدا في الكوميك كان ما بين الساحرة (البريئة) البابا ياجا وراسبوتين.
من الفصول اللي أثرت فيها بشكل خضني جدا فصل التابوت المصفد (الحوار بين الشيطان والراهبة الميتة) كان أقرب لمونولوج منه حوار ممتع، الفصل ده بالذات انا حسيت بصدمة شديدة بعده لدرجة اني قفلت الكوميك ومستوعبتش شدة وقوة اللي قريته، لكن لأني بحب هذا النوع من الحوارات، أعدت قراءة الفصل مرة تانية وده طبعا راجع للترجمة المميزة جدا اللي نقلت الكوميك لمكان تاني مميز زيها.
كمان من الحوارات الفلسفية الشيقة جدا في الكوميك كان ما بين الساحرة (البريئة) البابا ياجا وراسبوتين.
April 21, 2019
One of the few contemporary comic book heroes that has a achieved universal popularity. Enough so that his name is as synonymous with comic books as Batman or Spider-Man. His stories begin here with his origin and understanding why he came to be. The first movie borrows heavily from the first story in this omnibus, Seed of Destruction. This book, more so than I was expecting, is packed with a lot of Judeo Christian themes and imagery and their connections with real world occult. Mignola has a fun time playing with it and developing a world that feels real in spite of the fantasy. He cherry picks from various mythologies and it never feels disconnected. My only qualms were the heavy occult details made it hard to follow sometimes, with villains constantly explaining their plans. Having said that, I enjoyed this comic very much and am looking forward to the next trade.
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