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Sir Edward Grey, Witchfinder
Witchfinder, Vol. 6: The Reign of Darkness
Sir Edward Grey takes on Victorian London's most infamous killer: Jack the Ripper!
Abandoned by Scotland Yard when he insists on an occult purpose to the murders, Grey finds an ally in American occult adventurer Sarah Jewell. Their investigation leads them to the Proserpine Home for Wayward Women, and a dangerous conspiracy that reaches the highest levels of British political power!
Mike Mignola, Chris Roberson, and Christopher Mitten tell the story of this turning point in the Witchfinder's history with help from colorist Michelle Madsen and letterer Clem Robins.
Collects Witchfinder: Reign of Darkness #1-#5 and bonus material.
Abandoned by Scotland Yard when he insists on an occult purpose to the murders, Grey finds an ally in American occult adventurer Sarah Jewell. Their investigation leads them to the Proserpine Home for Wayward Women, and a dangerous conspiracy that reaches the highest levels of British political power!
Mike Mignola, Chris Roberson, and Christopher Mitten tell the story of this turning point in the Witchfinder's history with help from colorist Michelle Madsen and letterer Clem Robins.
Collects Witchfinder: Reign of Darkness #1-#5 and bonus material.
144 pages, Paperback
Published June 28, 2020
4 people are currently reading
90 people want to read
About the author
Mike Mignola
1,872 books2,540 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 - 29 of 29 reviews
May 1, 2022
A missed opportunity. This is billed as the Witchfinder investigating the Jack the Ripper murders but they all happen off page and are only obliquely referenced. What really happens is Sir Grey tilts at windmills for 4 issues before the story comes to a head in the last issue. Roberson's entries into the Mignolaverse seem very uninspired.
Mitten's art suffered from same face. There's a lot of characters in this yet everyone all looked the same. There's one man and one woman in different dress. It made telling who's who very difficult.
Received a review copy from Dark Horse and Edelweiss. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
Mitten's art suffered from same face. There's a lot of characters in this yet everyone all looked the same. There's one man and one woman in different dress. It made telling who's who very difficult.
Received a review copy from Dark Horse and Edelweiss. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
March 25, 2020
I went into this thinking ‘Do we really need yet another take on Jack the Ripper?’
Now I’ve finished it, I’m now thinking it might be my favourite Jack the Ripper story and not only that but I’m entirely convinced this is what actually happened.
Now I’ve finished it, I’m now thinking it might be my favourite Jack the Ripper story and not only that but I’m entirely convinced this is what actually happened.
March 30, 2020
Its been a good while since I've read Mignola's Edward Grey tales. And, I'm wondering if having read the previous three or four TPBs would have had a positive effect on me enjoyment of this story. As in many Mignola properties there are references to past events and characters, including some who have appeared in either Hellboy or BRPD stories.
The good here is a change in Grey's status with the queen. It seemed inevitable when it comes to a collision between an intrepid investigator more concerned with justice than the crown's image.
The good here is a change in Grey's status with the queen. It seemed inevitable when it comes to a collision between an intrepid investigator more concerned with justice than the crown's image.
August 30, 2021
Doing a comic about the secret occult purpose behind the Jack The Ripper murders means sharing a room with quite a sizeable (and very hairy) elephant. And the latest Witchfinder volume finds itself unsurprisingly squashed. There’s a not bad idea lurking in the shadows of The Reign Of Heaven - in the wake of the Whitechapel Murders, a charitable institution opens looking to help women off the streets, but with a very unpleasant hidden agenda. A chance to comment on Victorian hypocrisy, the attitude of society to its marginalised classes, and the modern sex worker ‘rescue industry’ perhaps?
But the story keeps this plot in the background too much early on, giving us several issues of protagonist Edward Grey making an ineffectual nuisance of himself, and the chance to make any kind of point - political, satirical, progressive or otherwise - is wasted in favour of drably setting up Grey’s next status quo. It’s attractively done and competently told but that’s all - less From Hell, more From Purgatory.
But the story keeps this plot in the background too much early on, giving us several issues of protagonist Edward Grey making an ineffectual nuisance of himself, and the chance to make any kind of point - political, satirical, progressive or otherwise - is wasted in favour of drably setting up Grey’s next status quo. It’s attractively done and competently told but that’s all - less From Hell, more From Purgatory.
May 10, 2021
A disappointing conclusion?? to the series. Grey is being ignored and undermined but it's never really made clear why or how, the 'why do cops only care about dead hookers' storyline is sophomoric politics at it's worst - and doubly disappointing to see such creeping into Mignola's purview where it hasn't been found before -, and the Queen's callus disregard and dismissal of her loyal servant was so out of character as to be unbelievable.
March 24, 2023
This is a good one, though it bears quite a few similarities to Alan Moore's From Hell. Too bad the story couldn't have stayed more on its own original path. Sir Edward Grey chases a number of murders in Whitechapel only to discover a fairly large conspiracy to...resurrect Hecate? At the same time, Sarah Jewell is doing her own undercover work amongst the fallen women at Proserpine House. When the two investigations come together, watch out. Nice artwork throughout this. And the end sees Grey and Jewell teamed up and ready to strike out on their own.
April 20, 2021
After D'Israeli's brilliant take on Ed in the last volume, I was disappointed in Christopher Mitten's art. He has a tenancy to draw the same positions of characters, for e.g. he'll draw a character and a second character popping up behind the front character's shoulders and repeat this positioning throughout. He has a tendancy to not draw much background detail when characters are talking which I found boring. Didn't seem to think about the mise-en-scene when illustrating.
May 17, 2025
This was the wrap up (at least for now) of the Witchfinder series. This volume explores a supernatural reason for the Jack the Ripper murders, and has a few major changes for the Witchfinder character. The art still didn't quite seem to fit the story, but it was still good.
Overall, Witchfinder was a very good series.
Overall, Witchfinder was a very good series.
July 27, 2021
I recall generally liking most of these Witchfinder stories, and I know the goal here is a kind of straight-faced approach to a Victoriana serial story, but I don’t remember any of the others being this corny. Especially distracting when it’s also about Jack the Ripper lol
August 18, 2024
(3,3 of 5 for Witchfinder I didn't need)
I love the Witchfinder setting, so it pains me more that so far last book was very underperforming. Mignola, busy and high on a pedestal, probably gave Roberson only keynotes so the story has good elements and, an interesting idea but it feels dull and badly executed at several points.
Even if you would think that the main villain would be the Helioptic Brotherhood, it's actually Chris Mitten and Michelle Madsen. Because the art is terrible. The art looks like some generic "history comics". Even if the scenes are good, the pencil/ink seems very poor, especially for something like Hellboyverse. And the colouring is terrible, feels very computer-generic, cheap, especially on people.
The final result is sad. I always would love more stories of Grey's adventures. But if they could be like this, then rather not.
Edit:
Rise (2017): Sarah says she met Eddie first time at Silver Lantern Club, which makes sense. (I am yet to need to get Hellboy - SLC as I'm using the awesome Multiversity's reading order)
Witchfinder 6 (2020): Edward and Sarah meet first time at some random Monk's Head pub as it fits the story.
WTF, Chris? This is not iZombie mumbo-jumbo, it's Hellboyverse...
I love the Witchfinder setting, so it pains me more that so far last book was very underperforming. Mignola, busy and high on a pedestal, probably gave Roberson only keynotes so the story has good elements and, an interesting idea but it feels dull and badly executed at several points.
Even if you would think that the main villain would be the Helioptic Brotherhood, it's actually Chris Mitten and Michelle Madsen. Because the art is terrible. The art looks like some generic "history comics". Even if the scenes are good, the pencil/ink seems very poor, especially for something like Hellboyverse. And the colouring is terrible, feels very computer-generic, cheap, especially on people.
The final result is sad. I always would love more stories of Grey's adventures. But if they could be like this, then rather not.
Edit:
Rise (2017): Sarah says she met Eddie first time at Silver Lantern Club, which makes sense. (I am yet to need to get Hellboy - SLC as I'm using the awesome Multiversity's reading order)
Witchfinder 6 (2020): Edward and Sarah meet first time at some random Monk's Head pub as it fits the story.
WTF, Chris? This is not iZombie mumbo-jumbo, it's Hellboyverse...
April 30, 2023
The Chris Roberson era of the Mignolaverse feels generic, without the dark hooks or memorable characters that mark the classic era of Hellboy/B.P.R.D.
In "The Reign of Darkness," Sir Edward Grey comes off more like the Nutty Professor than the haunted occult-fighter of early volumes. The plot is slight, and the voices are largely interchangeable. A supposed cosmic threat wraps up to a tidy conclusion without any surprises or real threats to characters we care about.
The art from Christopher Mitten is fine but not especially distinctive. A thoroughly skippable volume that retains some respect for the reader.
In "The Reign of Darkness," Sir Edward Grey comes off more like the Nutty Professor than the haunted occult-fighter of early volumes. The plot is slight, and the voices are largely interchangeable. A supposed cosmic threat wraps up to a tidy conclusion without any surprises or real threats to characters we care about.
The art from Christopher Mitten is fine but not especially distinctive. A thoroughly skippable volume that retains some respect for the reader.
May 24, 2021
Another Edward Grey issue. This time he goes after Jack the Ripper in a slow, plodding plot with predictable character development. The best part is the climax because it's the most memorable scene as well as what the end implies for Greys future.
There's something up with the character design here too. All the bearded men with dark hair look too similar, which includes Grey and makes the story a tad confusing.
There's something up with the character design here too. All the bearded men with dark hair look too similar, which includes Grey and makes the story a tad confusing.
February 6, 2022
Sir Edward Grey investigates a number of murders in the Whitechapel neighborhood of 1889 London. He sees signs of the occult in the way the bodies have been killed but the local constabulary does not agree. Sir Edward also has his eyes on a prime suspect, Asquith. The police have found an alibi for Grey's suspect, so they marginalize him even further from the case. Grey finds a connection between Asquith and the Heliopic Brotherhood of Ra (who are never up to any good). On the bright side, Sir Edward runs across Sarah Jewell, an American occult investigator who wants to prevent more women from being victimized. Her investigation leads her to the Proserpine Home for Wayward Women, an institution recently created by a Lady who is friends with Queen Victoria. Is it really a safe haven for women of the night or a collection point for a much larger scheme?
Grey starts out as the Queen's good servant but his search for the truth takes him away from her good graces. The closer he gets to the truth, the further he gets from respectable society and the people in power. His commitment to doing the right thing is admirable and he grows as he realizes the priorities of others do not align with him or with the truth. The situation makes for good drama and an exciting story.
Recommended.
Grey starts out as the Queen's good servant but his search for the truth takes him away from her good graces. The closer he gets to the truth, the further he gets from respectable society and the people in power. His commitment to doing the right thing is admirable and he grows as he realizes the priorities of others do not align with him or with the truth. The situation makes for good drama and an exciting story.
Recommended.
June 21, 2022
This is the final volume of the series where Sir Edward Grey's morals comes directly at odds with the will of the Crown, forcing him to resign his commission as the Queen's personal witchfinder and dealer with all things paranormal. The old enemies, The Helioptic Brotherhood of Ra, are at it again. Now they are involved in a scheme involving the goddess Hecate which threatens the whole of London. There are many consequences to this action, the most important being the end of this series. After losing nearly everything, Grey must wander off into the next chapter of his life.
The story does seem a bit rushed. it was decided this would be the end and so all lose ends were wrapped up quickly and with a reference to Jack the Ripper tossed in for good measure. Still if you've come this far in the series, you will probably want to see how it all ends.
The story does seem a bit rushed. it was decided this would be the end and so all lose ends were wrapped up quickly and with a reference to Jack the Ripper tossed in for good measure. Still if you've come this far in the series, you will probably want to see how it all ends.
April 13, 2024
A pretty enjoyable finale for the Witchfinder series. Not as great as I hoped, but it worked. Honestly, making a comic about the Whitechapel murders is a pretty tall order, given that the shadow of Alan Moore's "From Hell" will always be looming over you. I tried to put it out of my mind, but the subject matter is so similar that every page reminded me of a much better comic. It's a strange way to see the series out, but I also understand that given the time and place, you can't NOT have Edward Grey face off with Jack the Ripper (sort of). Like I said, it's still enjoyable, but I'll be honest in saying that I'm happy this is the last volume. Any more and I feel the whole concept would've overstayed its welcome in the larger Hellboy context.
December 7, 2020
The hook for this one is Edward Grey tracking down Jack the Ripper, but there's actually a lot more going on (which is good — it's hard to do a new Ripper story). Sir Edward's convinced he knows the Ripper's identity and that the killings are part of some occult conspiracy. Scotland Yard has a murder suspect who's conveniently dead, the murders have stopped, so let's just close the book on the Ripper without ruffling too many feathers, there's a good chap. Grey, of course, can't let it go .. . Neither can Sarah Jewell, a Yank introduced as a former ally of Grey's in RISE OF THE BLACK FLAME.
4.5 for this one.
4.5 for this one.
July 1, 2023
Good but not as good as those read previously. The story was interesting, with subtle references to Jack the Ripper, but not as involving as it could be. It probably didn’t help that with the new artist I had trouble distinguishing the different characters, even from the eponymous hero.
It was also disatisfying that the story didn’t have a solid conclusion, given there’s aren’t currently any more volumes.
It was also disatisfying that the story didn’t have a solid conclusion, given there’s aren’t currently any more volumes.
June 25, 2020
Wow, this is the Edwardian take on one of the most famous serial killers of all time! Sir Edward Grey investigates the savage murder of prostitutes at Whitechapel.
A compelling and alternative take into the legend of Jack The Ripper, this graphic novel also reveals how Sir Edward left the employ of the crown. A thoroughly engrossing read from start to finish.
A compelling and alternative take into the legend of Jack The Ripper, this graphic novel also reveals how Sir Edward left the employ of the crown. A thoroughly engrossing read from start to finish.
November 22, 2020
De todos los tie-ins de Hellboy, Witchfinder es el que ha resultado el más irregular. En este ultimo volumen, se nos presenta una historia que podria haber sido de 3 numeros y no 5. El dibujo de Roberson no ayuda al ambiente victoriano que debiera tener este comic. Aun no se ve como pasa Sir Edward de su condición actual a como lo conocimos en Hellboy.
December 20, 2020
Sir Edward Grey looks into the Whitechapel murders at the end of 1888 and beginning of 1889, and discovers the true culprits behind at least some of the murders. Sir Edward must face off against foes new and old, and even risk the anger of his patron, Her Royal Highness Queen Victoria. This was no From Hell, but it was pretty good, and acts as a sort of reboot for the Witchfinder series.
April 24, 2020
If be honest Withfinder for me not the best. There be a good stories, there be not good.
I don't like this. It's interesting why he change status, it have a good art work of course, but that's all. I don't now realy why, but I don't plunged into this
I don't like this. It's interesting why he change status, it have a good art work of course, but that's all. I don't now realy why, but I don't plunged into this
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 10, 2021
I want to like these Witchfinder books but more often than not they come down to a decent idea padded out with flat characters and a going-through-the-motions plot. At least the art was decent in this one, though it’s always gonna suffer in comparison to Mignola.
September 1, 2021
Más bien flojillo el 6 tomo de la serie. Una aventura sin más de Sir Edward en la que hay un misterio y lo resuelve. Entretenido y justito
April 3, 2022
Didnt enjoy. Surprised it is such a popular series.
August 16, 2022
Storia fiacca. La Confraternita di Ra voleva evocare Ecate per fare cosa di preciso? Non viene detto.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 6, 2023
I enjoyed this one much more that volume 5 it was much more substantial. It had like subplots and covered long lengths of time with like actual investigation but it's still just a tentative 4 stars.
May 13, 2024
Dibujo mediocre, historia ramplona y en ocasiones mala narración.
October 7, 2020
After being built up for I don't know how long now, Sir Edward Grey's confrontation with Jack the Ripper was perhaps bound to be a little anticlimactic but this is ... maybe a lot anticlimactic? The mystery elements are nice, if necessarily a bit rudimentary, but the final scenes just feel like deflating rather than paying off.
July 19, 2025
Series: Sir Edward Grey, Witchfinder #6
Rating: 3 stars - I liked it
This review is for volumes 4-6.
In these volumes, Edward Grey continues to deal with the Helioptic Brotherhood of Ra. He also has to deal with a vampire named Giruescu, the Foundry’s wayward member, and the Jack the Ripper murders.
I really enjoyed Sir Edward’s continued fight against the Helioptic brotherhood and anyone trying to bring evil into the world. He does get a bit obsessed with the cases, especially the Jack the RIpper case, but it does work out for him. I enjoyed his dedication to fighting evil and protecting the innocents.
All the missions in these three volumes were interesting and action packed. Edwards' fight against the Brotherhood doesn’t end in these volumes but he does cause a major blow to their ranks and prestige. I will be interested how he continues to fight against them, especially since he is no longer an agent to the crown. Also I do want to know what else the brotherhood learned from Giruescu’s vampire.
Overall, a good continuation of Edward’s story and life. I am really curious to see if there will be any more volumes or if this is the end for now. I know he appears in Hellboy and we learn some about him then.
You can also find my reviews at Red-Haired Ash Reads.
Rating: 3 stars - I liked it
This review is for volumes 4-6.
In these volumes, Edward Grey continues to deal with the Helioptic Brotherhood of Ra. He also has to deal with a vampire named Giruescu, the Foundry’s wayward member, and the Jack the Ripper murders.
I really enjoyed Sir Edward’s continued fight against the Helioptic brotherhood and anyone trying to bring evil into the world. He does get a bit obsessed with the cases, especially the Jack the RIpper case, but it does work out for him. I enjoyed his dedication to fighting evil and protecting the innocents.
All the missions in these three volumes were interesting and action packed. Edwards' fight against the Brotherhood doesn’t end in these volumes but he does cause a major blow to their ranks and prestige. I will be interested how he continues to fight against them, especially since he is no longer an agent to the crown. Also I do want to know what else the brotherhood learned from Giruescu’s vampire.
Overall, a good continuation of Edward’s story and life. I am really curious to see if there will be any more volumes or if this is the end for now. I know he appears in Hellboy and we learn some about him then.
You can also find my reviews at Red-Haired Ash Reads.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews