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Hellboy Omnibus
Hellboy: Histórias Curtas, Vol. 2
Este volume de 368 páginas cobre as aventuras de Hellboy entre 1961 a 1993, levando até a saga inicial, Sementes da Destruição. Ele contém histórias do Hellboy incluindo A Feiticeira Troll, O Caixão Acorrentado, A Noiva do Demônio, A Mão Direita da Perdição e O Vigarista, além de incluir Cabeças, Buster Oakley Realiza seu Desejo e Natal Subterrâneo.
Com mais de 100 páginas desenhadas pelo próprio Mignola, Históricas Curtas Vol. 2 contém um incrível grupo de artistas! Os dois volumes de Histórias Curtas, junto com os quatro da série Hellboy Omnibus, reúnem todas as premiadas histórias de Hellboy em ordem cronológica para uma experiência de leitura definitiva.
Sem saber de seu papel como a Besta do Apocalipse, Hellboy viaja pelo mundo para ter suas primeiras contendas com a realeza do inferno e com o extramundano Ogdru Hem, enquanto atira no olho de Baba Yaga e tem um vislumbre de sua possível sina na épica aventura africana, Makoma
Com mais de 100 páginas desenhadas pelo próprio Mignola, Históricas Curtas Vol. 2 contém um incrível grupo de artistas! Os dois volumes de Histórias Curtas, junto com os quatro da série Hellboy Omnibus, reúnem todas as premiadas histórias de Hellboy em ordem cronológica para uma experiência de leitura definitiva.
Sem saber de seu papel como a Besta do Apocalipse, Hellboy viaja pelo mundo para ter suas primeiras contendas com a realeza do inferno e com o extramundano Ogdru Hem, enquanto atira no olho de Baba Yaga e tem um vislumbre de sua possível sina na épica aventura africana, Makoma
372 pages, Paperback
First published August 15, 2018
57 people are currently reading
605 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.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
November 9, 2025
I love Mignola's short stories. This is where he lets his freak flag for Hellboy fly. Stories like Buster Oakley Gets His Wish and Heads are balls out crazy. Mignola's version of alien abduction is hilarious and weird. The Baba Yaga and Vampire in Prague both lead into elements that will reappear in the main mythology. There's a lot to love here and I found presenting it in chronological order refreshing.
August 15, 2024
First off the Hellboy series including this book is magic storytelling at its highest. There’s plenty of action in these pages but I found it didn’t reach the same emotional depth as the previous omnibus. The artwork is phenomenal as ever. I love that these new stories exist in the gothic horror vein which is rare with modern horror focusing on the modern setting. Yet, there is still a creepiness to stories involving castles and crypts. I can’t wait to read more.
October 10, 2018
You can find my review on my blog by clicking here.
Sometimes you just find yourself wondering about how inherently different every individual’s perception and understanding of something is from one another. Pour in everyone’s personal experience, their knowledge and their subjective tastes to the mix and you find yourself with an opinion and we all know about those: everyone has one. Hellboy’s character was one of those things that I barely even knew what exactly he was about. My teenage self, whose only knowledge comes from Guillermo del Toro’s Hellboy movies would’ve merely reduced the character to a red ape with a giant right fist who goes around a fantasy town with his amphibian friend and beautiful flaming chick, looking to bargain with mythical creatures who are up to no good. But after having read so many of his stories, and now this second and final short story omnibus, I know that Hellboy is so much more, and to the very least, legendary.
With seventeen standalone stories written by Mike Mignola, the collection showcases some of the most important and award-winning stories in Hellboy’s universe. Giving fans pieces to a bigger puzzle, each adventure continues to play with the half-demon’s lore and sets in motion his inevitable and forthcoming destiny as the Beast of the Apocalypse. The artwork continues to vary greatly from one story to another with the return of countless different artists who have worked on Hellboy. In this short story collection, Hellboy also runs into so many new creatures that he has never had the chance to pummel to the ground before. From having to face Baba Yaga for the first time to having some fun with Blackbeard and even getting abducted by aliens, it’s safe to say that Hellboy is never safe from any trouble.
It’s amazing how Mike Mignola just molds his universe with countless different mythologies and folklore. It might sound ridiculous at first, but when you’ve got a red half-demon with a bad-ass charisma who just loves to deal with threats with his fist, you wonder what else would dare face Hellboy and how long can they all survive. And it’s not even just about tossing all these creatures we know from our personal cultures at Hellboy. Hellboy also has a lot of knowledge on their origins and what not that makes this just as fascinating and insightful as going through a Wikipedia page (without all the little details). If anything, each story does make me want to go out there and discover their real origin stories, it’s just that much fun. And with knowledge, Hellboy also has a tool for every problem. If he needs a special plant to scare away a ghost, a special silver bullet for a furry friend or a nice little cross for our white-faced biting fellows, Hellboy has it. Action sequences will honestly always be hilarious, even if they are short and sometimes not very cinematic.
With some stories much shorter than others, yet just as important, you also come to see a pattern in Hellboy’s personality as an agent of the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense. He is an extremely gullible individual who will always come to the rescue of those who request it until he then realizes the mess in which he got himself in. He never however gives up and always gets to the end of it, even if it all started with his decision to not think through what he’s about to do. It is still however hilarious how much the saying fits his character: “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.” I do also love how his character is far from ever showing fear. His life is the most hectic and wild adventure anyone could ever imagine, yet there’s very little that will make him back down. In fact, he clearly shows that he’s a character that prefers confrontation over escape. Then again, the toll of it all, including his destiny, is felt through an aura he assimilated over the years and he carries around with him like his coat and his gun.
Hellboy: The Complete Short Stories Volume 2 is a fun collection to wrap up the remaining award-winning short stories in the Hellboy series and that ultimately leads up to the events of Seed of Destruction.
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
Sometimes you just find yourself wondering about how inherently different every individual’s perception and understanding of something is from one another. Pour in everyone’s personal experience, their knowledge and their subjective tastes to the mix and you find yourself with an opinion and we all know about those: everyone has one. Hellboy’s character was one of those things that I barely even knew what exactly he was about. My teenage self, whose only knowledge comes from Guillermo del Toro’s Hellboy movies would’ve merely reduced the character to a red ape with a giant right fist who goes around a fantasy town with his amphibian friend and beautiful flaming chick, looking to bargain with mythical creatures who are up to no good. But after having read so many of his stories, and now this second and final short story omnibus, I know that Hellboy is so much more, and to the very least, legendary.
With seventeen standalone stories written by Mike Mignola, the collection showcases some of the most important and award-winning stories in Hellboy’s universe. Giving fans pieces to a bigger puzzle, each adventure continues to play with the half-demon’s lore and sets in motion his inevitable and forthcoming destiny as the Beast of the Apocalypse. The artwork continues to vary greatly from one story to another with the return of countless different artists who have worked on Hellboy. In this short story collection, Hellboy also runs into so many new creatures that he has never had the chance to pummel to the ground before. From having to face Baba Yaga for the first time to having some fun with Blackbeard and even getting abducted by aliens, it’s safe to say that Hellboy is never safe from any trouble.
It’s amazing how Mike Mignola just molds his universe with countless different mythologies and folklore. It might sound ridiculous at first, but when you’ve got a red half-demon with a bad-ass charisma who just loves to deal with threats with his fist, you wonder what else would dare face Hellboy and how long can they all survive. And it’s not even just about tossing all these creatures we know from our personal cultures at Hellboy. Hellboy also has a lot of knowledge on their origins and what not that makes this just as fascinating and insightful as going through a Wikipedia page (without all the little details). If anything, each story does make me want to go out there and discover their real origin stories, it’s just that much fun. And with knowledge, Hellboy also has a tool for every problem. If he needs a special plant to scare away a ghost, a special silver bullet for a furry friend or a nice little cross for our white-faced biting fellows, Hellboy has it. Action sequences will honestly always be hilarious, even if they are short and sometimes not very cinematic.
With some stories much shorter than others, yet just as important, you also come to see a pattern in Hellboy’s personality as an agent of the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense. He is an extremely gullible individual who will always come to the rescue of those who request it until he then realizes the mess in which he got himself in. He never however gives up and always gets to the end of it, even if it all started with his decision to not think through what he’s about to do. It is still however hilarious how much the saying fits his character: “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.” I do also love how his character is far from ever showing fear. His life is the most hectic and wild adventure anyone could ever imagine, yet there’s very little that will make him back down. In fact, he clearly shows that he’s a character that prefers confrontation over escape. Then again, the toll of it all, including his destiny, is felt through an aura he assimilated over the years and he carries around with him like his coat and his gun.
Hellboy: The Complete Short Stories Volume 2 is a fun collection to wrap up the remaining award-winning short stories in the Hellboy series and that ultimately leads up to the events of Seed of Destruction.
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
September 16, 2019
Now that I've actually read the correct book, I can say this is similar to the first short stories omnibus. They are by no means bad, they just do not live up to the main Hellboy storyline. I don't think they're necessary to really follow the main storyline either, but they're fun all the same.
October 13, 2018
Some good side stories. However it doesn't have cohesive or larger impact as the main arc does.
March 4, 2019
Hellboy:The Complete Short Stories Volume two is quite good! It is a collection of Hellboy short stories by Mike Mignola and others. For the most part the stories are excellent and some of the artwork is truly amazing.
I especially liked the following ones:
The Troll Witch
The Baba Yaga
The Sleeping and the Dead (great artwork as well!)
The Vampire of Prague
None of the stories are bad. Some are just very short. But the ones I listed plus the almost dozen more will be a great addition to any Hellboy collection. A must read for Hellboy fans and anyone that like short horror stories.
I especially liked the following ones:
The Troll Witch
The Baba Yaga
The Sleeping and the Dead (great artwork as well!)
The Vampire of Prague
None of the stories are bad. Some are just very short. But the ones I listed plus the almost dozen more will be a great addition to any Hellboy collection. A must read for Hellboy fans and anyone that like short horror stories.
October 22, 2020
The Hydra and the Lion, ☆☆☆☆
The Troll Witch, ☆☆☆☆☆
The Baba Yaga, ☆☆☆☆
The Sleeping and the Dead, ☆☆☆☆☆
Heads, ☆☆☆☆
Goodbye, Mr. Tod, ☆☆☆☆
The Vârcolac, ☆☆☆☆
The Vampire of Prague, ☆☆☆☆
The Bride of Hell, ☆☆☆☆☆
The Whittier Legacy, ☆☆☆☆☆
Buster Oakley Gets His Wish, ☆☆☆☆
They That Go Down to the Sea in Ships, ☆☆☆☆☆
A Christmas Underground, ☆☆☆☆☆
Dr. Carp's Experiment, ☆☆☆☆
The Ghoul, or Reflections on Death and the Poetry of Worms, ☆☆☆☆☆
In the Chapel of Moloch, ☆☆☆☆☆
Makoma, or A Tale Told by a Mummy in the New York City Explorers' Club on August 16, 1993, ☆☆☆☆
The Troll Witch, ☆☆☆☆☆
The Baba Yaga, ☆☆☆☆
The Sleeping and the Dead, ☆☆☆☆☆
Heads, ☆☆☆☆
Goodbye, Mr. Tod, ☆☆☆☆
The Vârcolac, ☆☆☆☆
The Vampire of Prague, ☆☆☆☆
The Bride of Hell, ☆☆☆☆☆
The Whittier Legacy, ☆☆☆☆☆
Buster Oakley Gets His Wish, ☆☆☆☆
They That Go Down to the Sea in Ships, ☆☆☆☆☆
A Christmas Underground, ☆☆☆☆☆
Dr. Carp's Experiment, ☆☆☆☆
The Ghoul, or Reflections on Death and the Poetry of Worms, ☆☆☆☆☆
In the Chapel of Moloch, ☆☆☆☆☆
Makoma, or A Tale Told by a Mummy in the New York City Explorers' Club on August 16, 1993, ☆☆☆☆
January 22, 2023
Tinha ficado bem empolgado com o primeiro volume do omnibus de Histórias Curtas do Hellboy, assim como fiquei com os demais omnibus que contam as histórias do demônio de forma cronológica. Mas este segundo volume das Histórias Curtas não me empolgou. Deve, claro, ter a ver com o momento que estou passando que pouca coisa me anima e muita coisa me deixa puto da vida. Contudo, os fãs da arte de Mike Mignola deverão adorar este volume, porque a grande maioria das histórias que estão presentes neste encadernado omnibus possuem roteiro e desenhos do próprio pai do Hellboy. Algumas delas são legais, outras nem tanto, e outras eu não entendi. Mas acho que também nesse momento nem tenho muita capacidade e cabeça para entender algumas histórias por aí.
September 5, 2018
Well after a worrying message saying that Amazon was struggling to secure my copy it finally arrived safe and well and screaming out to be read.
Well what could I do but to obey.
And I will admit that I really enjoyed it. Now this is the second of the standalone stories often when they were published they were mixed in with the longer story arc stories. However here they are collected in one book and to be honest considering the rather oppressive nature of the story arc these are actually a breath of fresh air.
Let me explain.
The collected tales are all heading towards their conclusion - yes the stories of Hellboy do end sadly. So you know the stories are all linked but here in the short stories anything goes and to be honest I think the writers knew this and had a little fun along the way.
Do not get me wrong these are not told in insolation and yes they do find in to the grand scheme just not as directly. means you can lose yourself to the moment more and enjoy the situation more.
Sadly there is now only the last book to come out - and that is pretty much it - there are other tales to see and read from Abe Sapien to the rest of the BPRD so I am not planning on waving goodbye to them yet - just preparing to take a break from them for a little while I think
Well what could I do but to obey.
And I will admit that I really enjoyed it. Now this is the second of the standalone stories often when they were published they were mixed in with the longer story arc stories. However here they are collected in one book and to be honest considering the rather oppressive nature of the story arc these are actually a breath of fresh air.
Let me explain.
The collected tales are all heading towards their conclusion - yes the stories of Hellboy do end sadly. So you know the stories are all linked but here in the short stories anything goes and to be honest I think the writers knew this and had a little fun along the way.
Do not get me wrong these are not told in insolation and yes they do find in to the grand scheme just not as directly. means you can lose yourself to the moment more and enjoy the situation more.
Sadly there is now only the last book to come out - and that is pretty much it - there are other tales to see and read from Abe Sapien to the rest of the BPRD so I am not planning on waving goodbye to them yet - just preparing to take a break from them for a little while I think
Read
April 17, 2025cheered for the like 10 pages Abe was in this lol
November 13, 2024
One of the coolest things about this was the stories that tied into the main Hellboy plot. This was pretty good. I do think I enjoyed the first volume a bit more. Going to read Hellboy and the BPRD next. Must have more Hellboy!!!!
Recommend.
Recommend.
Read
November 13, 2021There are some excellent stories in this book, while others are so short, maybe 2-3 pages, they seem to be super forgettable and unnecessary. I think they were maybe used as promotion material in the day. Some of them are more like Hellboy is witnessing something, or listening to stories, or accidentally solving stuff… Maybe Mignola wanted it to feel like a Lovecraft story, where the stories are told from the perspective of a witness.
Some of them were superb. Sadly these are just mysteries, nothing really holds any plot, making this feel like watching a police-detective TV series, all episodes on their own, but nothing really connecting them together, or seemingly to move a bigger plot.
So best is to sit back, immerse yourself in the weirdness of the Hellboy universe and enjoy the art of the book, which is the main highlight.
Some of them were superb. Sadly these are just mysteries, nothing really holds any plot, making this feel like watching a police-detective TV series, all episodes on their own, but nothing really connecting them together, or seemingly to move a bigger plot.
So best is to sit back, immerse yourself in the weirdness of the Hellboy universe and enjoy the art of the book, which is the main highlight.
July 15, 2023
"Heads", "The Whittier Legacy", and "Makoma" are probably the standouts here but like the last volume this a terrific collection of stories that offer a concentrated example of why Hellboy is one of the best comics ever made. I also feel like this volume demonstrates the tonal range of Hellboy in it's widest form: stories of absurd humour, eldritch unknowable horror, and gothic hauntings are presented back-to-back which keeps it an engaging read from short to short.
February 16, 2021
Collected in omnibus form, Mignola's short stories quickly appear repetitive and formulaic. Fortunately, his interpretation of folklore and mythology is imaginative enough to ensure they are still offer pulpy entertainment.
April 6, 2019
Hellboy in short stories is Hellboy in action, more so than the longer graphic novels. That means this volume has lots of fulfilling punching action.
I had read a few of these stories before, but the bulk of them were new to me. Only a third of the stories are illustrated by Mignola himself (though he wrote all of them), but for the most part, they all feel like his style (the one that stood out the most, Buster Oakley Gets his Wish, also has a story that stood out, so the art style ends up working for it). There are some great stories here - the standout is Makoma, featuring Hellboy entering an African folk tale, although A Christmas Underground was strong as well. There are a few short shorts that tend to the humorous, and some longer stories, but they're all vintage Hellboy; dealing with Lovecraftian creatures, Blackbeard's ghost, Moloch, and even a cowboy, Hellboy's signature style is on display; I even laughed out loud once or twice, which isn't the norm for Hellboy. This is definitely a worthwhile piece of the Hellboy collection that needs to be read.
I had read a few of these stories before, but the bulk of them were new to me. Only a third of the stories are illustrated by Mignola himself (though he wrote all of them), but for the most part, they all feel like his style (the one that stood out the most, Buster Oakley Gets his Wish, also has a story that stood out, so the art style ends up working for it). There are some great stories here - the standout is Makoma, featuring Hellboy entering an African folk tale, although A Christmas Underground was strong as well. There are a few short shorts that tend to the humorous, and some longer stories, but they're all vintage Hellboy; dealing with Lovecraftian creatures, Blackbeard's ghost, Moloch, and even a cowboy, Hellboy's signature style is on display; I even laughed out loud once or twice, which isn't the norm for Hellboy. This is definitely a worthwhile piece of the Hellboy collection that needs to be read.
February 26, 2019
Druhá (finančně výhodná) sbírka Hellboyovských povídek naštěstí zůstává kvalitou stejně vysoko. Pořád tu platí, že pokud jste četli vše od Crwe, tak tu potkáte jednu (pokud jsem něco neminul) známou povídku a ve zbytku příjemnou všehochuť příběhů od různých kreslířů (a při troše štěstí nejste tak alergičtí na Corbena jako já). Jako příjemný lokální bonus beru povídku Pražský upír, kdy se v přiložených skicách Mignola přizná, jak si Prahu zamiloval při své návštěvě (a bodejť by ne :)). Bohužel je tohle na chvíli poslední kousek z Mignolaverse, než zkompletuju zbytek, ale už teď se těším na návrat.
(a protože se mnoho nezměnilo a já jsem líný člověk, tak kradu z minula)
Mohlo by se vám líbit, pokud:
- si chcete rozšířit hlavní linku Hellboyových příběhů
- chcete poznat Hellboye v rukou jiných kreslířů
Spíš vás zklame, pokud:
- nejste na povídky a Hellboy vás nijak zvlášť neláká
(a protože se mnoho nezměnilo a já jsem líný člověk, tak kradu z minula)
Mohlo by se vám líbit, pokud:
- si chcete rozšířit hlavní linku Hellboyových příběhů
- chcete poznat Hellboye v rukou jiných kreslířů
Spíš vás zklame, pokud:
- nejste na povídky a Hellboy vás nijak zvlášť neláká
March 28, 2019
While reading this, I did feel that something was lost in the change of pacing demanded by the shorter stories. That plodding horror feel Mignola really nails in the standard-length books was all the more highlighted by its absence. However, looking back now that I'm done, I really loved a lot of the stories in this collection, and several stand out among my favorite Hellboy stories I have read so far. So, still good.
March 28, 2023
The Troll Witch. The Baba Yaga. The Bride of Hell. A Christmas Underground. Makoma.
My favourite stories in this final omnibus volume.
So this really is the end?
My favourite stories in this final omnibus volume.
So this really is the end?
July 13, 2020
Great collection of short stories in the Hellboy universe. I really enjoyed the monster that recited nursery rhymes as it attacked.
April 5, 2025
I've now read all of the original "core" Hellboy stories. Good stories with good art. I liked some stories better than others, but that's the norm. I would have preferred to see the short stories inserted into the other omnibus volumes, but I guess the timelines didn't work that way. Thankfully even though I've read the core material, there's a ton of BPRD tie in material still to go.
March 1, 2021
A wonderful collection of short stories with incredible charm and stunning artwork. However, it fails to impress as much as the main storyline. The main reason is the lack of causality. Unlike the other omnibuses, the events in one story don’t affect the other, which makes presenting them in chronological order quite pointless.
May 13, 2025
Fun stuff, though I do wish some of these had a little more meat on their bones
August 19, 2024
Again, another great collection of Hellboy short stories to give you deeper insight on his life and adventures throughout the years. I would say that I think the previous short story collection is slightly better, but this one still has a very solid collection of stories. IMO the first collection has a few stories that are fantastic, whereas this one has a lot that are very good.
Additionally, unlike the first short story collection, most of the stories are illustrated by Mignola, which was nice to see. My top three are:
They That Go Down to the Sea in Ships - Blackbeard’s ghost/zombie is a very cool antagonist and his “death scene” where he gets dragged down into the water abyss by all of his other ghost/zombie crew mates/victims is extremely memorable. The entire story is illustrated in this very gritty and almost whispy sort of style that brings it to like and makes it really stand out.
Buster Oakley Gets His Wish - A very short but very fun story about Hellboy vs Aliens. The aliens turn a devil worshipping kid into a half cow half human (a lot sillier than it sounds) who ends up becoming Hellboys temporary sidekick for the story. Silly and ridiculous but a fun look into the more goofy side of Hellboy.
Heads - A weird and creepy story that I honestly wish was longer. I feel like it genuinely builds up a bit of tension and has a noticeable atmosphere change which felt sinister. It has memorable monsters and a satisfying conclusion too.
Honorable mentions to: The Sleeping and the Dead, Goodbye Mr. Tod, The Bride of Hell, and Makoma.
Honestly, I think my list could easily be switched around depending on my mood or any arguments that were made for others, including those on my honorable mentions. Overall another super fun and interesting dive into the Hellboy universe, filled with stories that are extremely consistent and very good.
Additionally, unlike the first short story collection, most of the stories are illustrated by Mignola, which was nice to see. My top three are:
They That Go Down to the Sea in Ships - Blackbeard’s ghost/zombie is a very cool antagonist and his “death scene” where he gets dragged down into the water abyss by all of his other ghost/zombie crew mates/victims is extremely memorable. The entire story is illustrated in this very gritty and almost whispy sort of style that brings it to like and makes it really stand out.
Buster Oakley Gets His Wish - A very short but very fun story about Hellboy vs Aliens. The aliens turn a devil worshipping kid into a half cow half human (a lot sillier than it sounds) who ends up becoming Hellboys temporary sidekick for the story. Silly and ridiculous but a fun look into the more goofy side of Hellboy.
Heads - A weird and creepy story that I honestly wish was longer. I feel like it genuinely builds up a bit of tension and has a noticeable atmosphere change which felt sinister. It has memorable monsters and a satisfying conclusion too.
Honorable mentions to: The Sleeping and the Dead, Goodbye Mr. Tod, The Bride of Hell, and Makoma.
Honestly, I think my list could easily be switched around depending on my mood or any arguments that were made for others, including those on my honorable mentions. Overall another super fun and interesting dive into the Hellboy universe, filled with stories that are extremely consistent and very good.
October 3, 2024
This is the second volume in the complete collection of Hellboy short stories, unabridged and arranged in chronological order by in-universe date rather than by writing or publication date. That structure means that some of these stories are full-fledged, self-contained narratives, and others are cute little flashback intermissions that were originally released as breathers or tone-setters between chapters of the main story. It also means that the order in which everything appears here is circumstantial rather than intentional. Taken out of context and lumped together, the short little stories can feel pretty samey over time, despite the fact that many of them have gorgeous Mignola art. And some of the longer stories reference events from the main series. This is all to say that these short story omnibus collections might be better for a fan than a newbie.
I adored the first volume, but I thought the stories in this second volume had a much lower average quality overall. I wonder how much of that is coincidence since, again, these weren't necessarily written in this order, and how much of that is just my fatigue with the format. I felt like most of the best stuff was in the first half and most of the weaker stuff was in the second. There are plenty of gems in here, and the set as a whole is absolutely worth reading. But I don't think anything quite hit the highs of the first volume. And, while I didn't think there were any total misses in the first volume, I'm sorry to say a handful of these stories landed as total duds to me.
Still love Hellboy. Gonna read the main story front to back fairly soon, and I think that cohesive format will refresh my enthusiasm for the series.
I adored the first volume, but I thought the stories in this second volume had a much lower average quality overall. I wonder how much of that is coincidence since, again, these weren't necessarily written in this order, and how much of that is just my fatigue with the format. I felt like most of the best stuff was in the first half and most of the weaker stuff was in the second. There are plenty of gems in here, and the set as a whole is absolutely worth reading. But I don't think anything quite hit the highs of the first volume. And, while I didn't think there were any total misses in the first volume, I'm sorry to say a handful of these stories landed as total duds to me.
Still love Hellboy. Gonna read the main story front to back fairly soon, and I think that cohesive format will refresh my enthusiasm for the series.
February 21, 2024
Другий том коротких історій про Геллбоя, містить на своїй обкладинці ілюстрацію до однієї із них - а саме до історії "Голови", намальованою японському сеттингу де Червоний протистоїть ватазі привидів, котрі вночі залишають свої тіла спати, а голови відправляють на полювання за людьми. Для Міньйоли це одна з найулюбленіших історій.
А для мене їх тут назбиралося три:
1) The Goul, or Reflections on Death - вражаючий шедевр, де паралельно показані дві сюжетні лінії - Ляльква інсценізація Гамлета і поювання Геллбоя на древнього гуля, котрий спілкується цитатами з староанглійський п'єс і поем, а вкінці сам паде в домовину до тлустих хробаків.
2) In the Chapel of Moloc - прекрасний зразок переосмислення Міньйолою циклу "Капричос" свого геніального попередника і натхненника - Франціско де Ґойї. Той випадок, коли комікс стає взірцем елітарного мистецтва. Приємний бонус - посилання на оповідання "Натура для Пікмана" Лавкрафта.
3) Макома, або історія розказана Мумією - дітище двох геніїв - Міньоли і Корбена. Геллбой відвідує товариство археологів, де знаходить щойно привезену мумію із Таємного Міста. Мумія розповідає йому африканську казку про національного героя Макому, казку ілюструє Корбен, сцени з Геллбоєм і Мумією - Майк. Прекрасний зразок антропологічної деконструкції, перфектний арт і така ж історія.
А для мене їх тут назбиралося три:
1) The Goul, or Reflections on Death - вражаючий шедевр, де паралельно показані дві сюжетні лінії - Ляльква інсценізація Гамлета і поювання Геллбоя на древнього гуля, котрий спілкується цитатами з староанглійський п'єс і поем, а вкінці сам паде в домовину до тлустих хробаків.
2) In the Chapel of Moloc - прекрасний зразок переосмислення Міньйолою циклу "Капричос" свого геніального попередника і натхненника - Франціско де Ґойї. Той випадок, коли комікс стає взірцем елітарного мистецтва. Приємний бонус - посилання на оповідання "Натура для Пікмана" Лавкрафта.
3) Макома, або історія розказана Мумією - дітище двох геніїв - Міньоли і Корбена. Геллбой відвідує товариство археологів, де знаходить щойно привезену мумію із Таємного Міста. Мумія розповідає йому африканську казку про національного героя Макому, казку ілюструє Корбен, сцени з Геллбоєм і Мумією - Майк. Прекрасний зразок антропологічної деконструкції, перфектний арт і така ж історія.
August 15, 2020
This collection has some of the best Hellboy stories ever put in print. Most are allegory based on folk tales, legends and old myths, but it is a testament to Mike Mignola's genius as a story teller that he is able to take these and elevate it to pure entertainment and art. Standouts include:-
* The Hydra And the Lion - That's how you do an ending reveal
* The sleeping And The Dead - Sad
* Heads - entertaining Japanese legend given a new spin
* The Bride Of Hell - classic biblical story with a twist
* Buster Oakley Gets His Wish - Hellboy fighting aliens featuring a UFO, the tale you didn't know you needed to read.
* They that go down to the sea in Ships - Abe gets a cameo in a thrilling Sea Shanty Tale.
* A Christmas Underground - Told like a Christmas Story, except more poignant and exciting.
* The Ghoul - students of literature should study the way the panels and poems went together, this was pure artistry
* In The Chapel of Moloch - What price will true artists be willing to pay for "divine" Inspiration?
* Makoma - easily the best story of them all, it had everything and then some.
* The Hydra And the Lion - That's how you do an ending reveal
* The sleeping And The Dead - Sad
* Heads - entertaining Japanese legend given a new spin
* The Bride Of Hell - classic biblical story with a twist
* Buster Oakley Gets His Wish - Hellboy fighting aliens featuring a UFO, the tale you didn't know you needed to read.
* They that go down to the sea in Ships - Abe gets a cameo in a thrilling Sea Shanty Tale.
* A Christmas Underground - Told like a Christmas Story, except more poignant and exciting.
* The Ghoul - students of literature should study the way the panels and poems went together, this was pure artistry
* In The Chapel of Moloch - What price will true artists be willing to pay for "divine" Inspiration?
* Makoma - easily the best story of them all, it had everything and then some.
Read
May 14, 2020The second short story collection contains 17 entries, taking place between 1961 and 1993. Like the first book, there’s a wide variety here and the historic scope is hugely impressive. You can tell Mignola revels in the short story format because he can explore a small idea and get right to the point without the burden of stringing it out over five or more issues. Basically, this is the place where he can integrate even more myths and folklore into the Hellboy universe.
A lot of the stories, especially the shorter ones, are fun and kooky while still maintaining a dark edge. It's the longer stories, though, that are the best. “The Sleeping and the Dead” is probably my favorite - it’s a fantastic vampire saga with several genuinely creepy scenes. The Blackbeard one is pretty awesome, too, as is “The Bride of the Dead.” And I was fascinated by “Makoma,” a retelling of an African folk tale. I’d love to see more Africa-based Hellboy stories.
A lot of the stories, especially the shorter ones, are fun and kooky while still maintaining a dark edge. It's the longer stories, though, that are the best. “The Sleeping and the Dead” is probably my favorite - it’s a fantastic vampire saga with several genuinely creepy scenes. The Blackbeard one is pretty awesome, too, as is “The Bride of the Dead.” And I was fascinated by “Makoma,” a retelling of an African folk tale. I’d love to see more Africa-based Hellboy stories.
October 1, 2024
As the title suggests, this is a bunch of short stories collected in chronological order. Despite taking place before the main series, if you have no idea who Hellboy is, then read volume 1 of the main series (at least enough to get his origin), then jump right in! The collection is pretty good with entries varying from mid to that was phenomenal!
Phenomenal stories include:
-The Sleeping and the Dead: A fun, dark fairy tale with Hellboy hunting down a vampire, that ends up becoming something a lot more dangerous.
-The Vampire of Prague: A quick fun fight scene of Hellboy fighting the titular monster and slaying it through a midnight chase.
-The Bride of Hell: A dark story with some fun theological questions posed by the antagonists. Very much enjoyed the plot twist (that I actually caught before the hero thanks to the clever clue the artist drew).
-They That Go Down to the Sea: A fun and surprisingly dark story where Hellboy fights the ghost of Blackbeard. The fight and Hellboy's demeanor were hilarious, meanwhile the surrounding horror story were very entertaining and dark.
-Makoma: A nice fairy tale that eludes to Hellboy's destiny. This is a fairy tale in its purist form and I loved it.
In short, a fun collection of stories, I would highly recommend if you want more Hellboy.
Note: This contains the story where Hellboy meets Baba Yaga, who is very important in the main series. I suggest you read it before the main story, if you can.
Phenomenal stories include:
-The Sleeping and the Dead: A fun, dark fairy tale with Hellboy hunting down a vampire, that ends up becoming something a lot more dangerous.
-The Vampire of Prague: A quick fun fight scene of Hellboy fighting the titular monster and slaying it through a midnight chase.
-The Bride of Hell: A dark story with some fun theological questions posed by the antagonists. Very much enjoyed the plot twist (that I actually caught before the hero thanks to the clever clue the artist drew).
-They That Go Down to the Sea: A fun and surprisingly dark story where Hellboy fights the ghost of Blackbeard. The fight and Hellboy's demeanor were hilarious, meanwhile the surrounding horror story were very entertaining and dark.
-Makoma: A nice fairy tale that eludes to Hellboy's destiny. This is a fairy tale in its purist form and I loved it.
In short, a fun collection of stories, I would highly recommend if you want more Hellboy.
Note: This contains the story where Hellboy meets Baba Yaga, who is very important in the main series. I suggest you read it before the main story, if you can.
December 9, 2021
Short story collections (graphic or otherwise) are usually a mixed bag, and that's been the case with the Hellboy short story collections, as well. Still, given how well Mignola, et al. have framed the character and its mythology, it's ripe for one-off stories. I still prefer the larger story of Hellboy and his search for identity, but these adventures show how well the character fits in the world of comics (wild adventures!).
I still find I'm lacking some backstory for the main thread of the Hellboy series, and now I see that this omnibus series is not a comprehensive collection of ALL Hellboy stories; they're collections of his own title. Maybe the B.P.R.D. series will fill some of that in ... ?
I still find I'm lacking some backstory for the main thread of the Hellboy series, and now I see that this omnibus series is not a comprehensive collection of ALL Hellboy stories; they're collections of his own title. Maybe the B.P.R.D. series will fill some of that in ... ?
August 16, 2023
Impresije su iste kao i kod prvog broja kratkih priča.
Razlika u odnosu na prvi omnibus što ovde ima jedna-dve duže priča a ostale su sve kratke po 20-30 stranica. Mahom je crtač Mignola uz ponovne ulete Korbena koji su podjednako fenomenalni kao u prvom broju.
U ovom drugom broju ko je neočekivano iznenadio je Jason Shawn Alexander koji je sa piratskom pričom pokupio ovacije po meni.
Da ne ulazim u priče ponaosob, ko voli Mignola-u i njegov "humor" voleće oba ova omibusa jer ima zabavnih priča i Hellboy putuje po raznim lokacijama na svim kontinentima suočavajući se sa raznim mitovima i legendama koji su opet na specifični Mignola-in način odabrani o uzeti kao odskočna daska za neku "ironično-banalnu" završnicu.
Razlika u odnosu na prvi omnibus što ovde ima jedna-dve duže priča a ostale su sve kratke po 20-30 stranica. Mahom je crtač Mignola uz ponovne ulete Korbena koji su podjednako fenomenalni kao u prvom broju.
U ovom drugom broju ko je neočekivano iznenadio je Jason Shawn Alexander koji je sa piratskom pričom pokupio ovacije po meni.
Da ne ulazim u priče ponaosob, ko voli Mignola-u i njegov "humor" voleće oba ova omibusa jer ima zabavnih priča i Hellboy putuje po raznim lokacijama na svim kontinentima suočavajući se sa raznim mitovima i legendama koji su opet na specifični Mignola-in način odabrani o uzeti kao odskočna daska za neku "ironično-banalnu" završnicu.
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