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Baltimore
Baltimore: Il tenace soldatino di stagno e il vampiro
Prima guerra mondiale, fronte delle Ardenne. Il capitano Henry Baltimore, unico superstite dì una battaglia infernale, gravemente ferito, risveglia l'ira di un essere mostruoso, un vampiro. E il mondo cambia per sempre: una pestilenza che neppure la morte è in grado di fermare si diffonde in tutta Europa e solo Baltimore, controfigura tragica del tenace soldatino con una gamba sola, può combatterla. Nella sua lotta senza fine contro le tenebre convoca tre amici in una solitaria locanda, tre uomini dal passato inquietante che possono capire la natura del morbo che sta divorando l'umanità. Saranno loro i testimoni dello scontro finale contro il Male in cui Baltimore si troverà a fronteggiare una volta per tutte la creatura che è la sua nemesi da molto, troppo tempo.
293 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
About the author
Christopher Golden
763 books3,036 followersCHRISTOPHER GOLDEN has been called “the king of the horror-thriller.” The New York Times bestselling, multi-award-winning storyteller has made his mark in many mediums, as a writer of novels, screenplays, animation, audio dramas, and comics, and as an editor of landmark horror anthologies. His work has been published in dozens of languages around the world. Winner of the Bram Stoker Award, the Shirley Jackson Award, and the Audie Award, he has been nominated for others, including the British Fantasy Award. His best-known novels include Road of Bones, The House of Last Resort, All Hallows, and his latest, Carry Me to My Grave. He lives in Massachusetts, where he watches too many movies and eats too much chocolate.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 403 reviews
September 14, 2007
I picked this up when I received an email from Barnes & Noble recommending that I pre-order it since I had purchased Hellboy books in the past. At first I had thought it a novel for which Mignola was providing illustrations, but returning to the email repeatedly in the following weeks, I found it featured 150 illustrations by Mignola, and promptly ordered it. Only when it arrived did I discover that it is in fact co-written by Golden and Mignola, with 150 illustrations of varying sizes (from 2" by 2" to full-page).
A plot summary can give you the general idea of it, and can be found on most sites. I mostly wanted to talk of my experience of reading the book. I know not what Golden contributed to the writing because he and Mignola's storytelling appears to have meshed seamlessly. Mignola's nigh-obsessive mental catalog of old folklore from around the world plays out much like it does in any issue of Hellboy you can find on the shelf of your local comic shop, but it is refreshing in this new form. It is a gothic epic to which one must draw inevitable ties to Bram Stoker's Dracula and strangely to Moby Dick as well. The rich imagery paints vivid scenes to play in your mind, which I found took one of two forms: the more obvious, being accompanied by Mignola's illustrations, is to mentally image everything as another of his comic books, but the text is also easily imagined as a film version, especially after Guillermo Del Toro's successful adaptation of Hellboy. Imagining the savage form of Lord Baltimore as envisioned by Del Toro was a small giddy moment for me while reading a particularly action-filled scene.
One must take into account my unbridled love for everything that Mignola creates, as well as my long-held interest in Gothic literature, when I say that, having only finished this mere moments ago, it is one of my favorite books of all time.
A plot summary can give you the general idea of it, and can be found on most sites. I mostly wanted to talk of my experience of reading the book. I know not what Golden contributed to the writing because he and Mignola's storytelling appears to have meshed seamlessly. Mignola's nigh-obsessive mental catalog of old folklore from around the world plays out much like it does in any issue of Hellboy you can find on the shelf of your local comic shop, but it is refreshing in this new form. It is a gothic epic to which one must draw inevitable ties to Bram Stoker's Dracula and strangely to Moby Dick as well. The rich imagery paints vivid scenes to play in your mind, which I found took one of two forms: the more obvious, being accompanied by Mignola's illustrations, is to mentally image everything as another of his comic books, but the text is also easily imagined as a film version, especially after Guillermo Del Toro's successful adaptation of Hellboy. Imagining the savage form of Lord Baltimore as envisioned by Del Toro was a small giddy moment for me while reading a particularly action-filled scene.
One must take into account my unbridled love for everything that Mignola creates, as well as my long-held interest in Gothic literature, when I say that, having only finished this mere moments ago, it is one of my favorite books of all time.
November 9, 2020
The first half of Lord Baltimore's tale all collected in one volume. All the death and misery of World War I has awakened vampires from their long slumber. When Lord Baltimore fights back against one on the battlefield he awakens its mind as well. Now vampires along with other creatures have returned to Europe under the cover of the plague. Baltimore is on a quest to kill the vampire he awakened that day, Haigus. This omnibus collection collects Baltimore's trek as he hunts down Haigus across Europe.
Mignola really gets horror. This series is terrific. Ben Stenbeck is a fine choice of artist. His art hems close to Mignola's while still being its own thing. I love the character designs and mood set with the art. You really can't go wrong picking this up.
Mignola really gets horror. This series is terrific. Ben Stenbeck is a fine choice of artist. His art hems close to Mignola's while still being its own thing. I love the character designs and mood set with the art. You really can't go wrong picking this up.
October 21, 2021
Baltimore is a great comic, and this is a fantastic collection of the first four volumes of it. It’s everything a Mignola fan could wish for — awesome early 20th century Europe setting, cool protagonist, great mythology and characters, lots of horror and action. Chris Golden’s actual writing is surprisingly solid and very much on par with Mignola, and Ben Stenbeck is one of the best artists in the roster, so it was especially great seeing that he did the entire book on his own. As is standard with all Dark Horse collected editions, the book is filled with extra sketchbook material with commentaries, as well as great pinups and covers. Overall, this omnibus is a fantastic pick that any Mike Mignola fan will appreciate. Can’t wait for volume 2 to find out how the story of lord Baltimore ends!
October 12, 2020
I bought H/B copy of this great book when came out but unlucky I lost it. Finally got new copy I read it in 2007 so now 13ys later it gets it's second read.
I finally got around to giving this it's 2nd read in June 2020 on lock down. I cannot remember anything about it but after reading it 13ys ago with an average of about 100+ books each year that's over 1300+ who remembers everything it's not like Moby Dick, or Perfume but it was interesting horror with unwell illustrations as well as a WWI vampire creepy gothic Dracula style story.
From the pens of Hellboy and Buffy the Vampire an odd crossing of writers Mignola who is like Allan Moore in his graphic novels or Gaiman books and Golden who did lot of really bloody good Buffy and early Angle books.
Odd thing is that this book is also about a plague that has hit the land.
I finally got around to giving this it's 2nd read in June 2020 on lock down. I cannot remember anything about it but after reading it 13ys ago with an average of about 100+ books each year that's over 1300+ who remembers everything it's not like Moby Dick, or Perfume but it was interesting horror with unwell illustrations as well as a WWI vampire creepy gothic Dracula style story.
From the pens of Hellboy and Buffy the Vampire an odd crossing of writers Mignola who is like Allan Moore in his graphic novels or Gaiman books and Golden who did lot of really bloody good Buffy and early Angle books.
Odd thing is that this book is also about a plague that has hit the land.
February 14, 2020
My first "Perfect 10" that I've read in....a long time.
This book is sheer perfection for Horror fans. Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden, beautifully aided and abetted by artist Ben Stenbeck, have crafted a story which is like the best film that Hammer never made, a perfect confection of gothic horrors, Vampires, religious madmen, cults and cultists, creepy castles, Zombies, giant Spiders, witches, monstrous Crabs...you name it, this book has it.
Mignola & Golden posit a world where the horrors, bloodshed, and inhumanity of World War I have awakened things that have been asleep for thousands of years, and, having been awakened with a new sense of purpose, set about crafting the fall of mankind, and the rise of their still-sleeping master, The Red King.
Mike Mignola has always been worth double and triple dipping for me...I will buy anything that he creates, in as many different editions and formats as they may publish, because I feel that, in his epic Hellboy universe, he has created the greatest Horror mythology since Lovecraft's Great Old Ones. And, in BALTIMORE, Mignola may have just topped himself.
I can't recommend this series enough.
This book is sheer perfection for Horror fans. Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden, beautifully aided and abetted by artist Ben Stenbeck, have crafted a story which is like the best film that Hammer never made, a perfect confection of gothic horrors, Vampires, religious madmen, cults and cultists, creepy castles, Zombies, giant Spiders, witches, monstrous Crabs...you name it, this book has it.
Mignola & Golden posit a world where the horrors, bloodshed, and inhumanity of World War I have awakened things that have been asleep for thousands of years, and, having been awakened with a new sense of purpose, set about crafting the fall of mankind, and the rise of their still-sleeping master, The Red King.
Mike Mignola has always been worth double and triple dipping for me...I will buy anything that he creates, in as many different editions and formats as they may publish, because I feel that, in his epic Hellboy universe, he has created the greatest Horror mythology since Lovecraft's Great Old Ones. And, in BALTIMORE, Mignola may have just topped himself.
I can't recommend this series enough.
October 26, 2019
You can find my review on my blog by clicking here.
Have you ever taken the time to sit down and reflect on folklores and mythologies, and how they always hold some kind of mythic sense and wisdom? Amongst the strange creatures and the eerie atmospheres, there’s an underlying layer of supernaturalism that keeps you tethered into its realm, craving for more of the bizarre as you get sucked into the unusual world. Some writers simply have the imagination to think them through, while others have the penmanship to bring them to life. As rare as they come, a harmonious unified vision of these two kinds of people is what the world needs more of.
Known for the creation of Hellboy, Mike Mignola is the mastermind behind one of the greatest vampire hunters of all time, known as Lord Henry Baltimore. Originally created by him in 2007 for an illustrated novel, called Baltimore, or, The Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire, Christopher Golden ended up being the one to pen it to life. Together they then conceived a comic book series based on that novel that has gone down as one of the most beautiful joint efforts in the business.
What is Baltimore Omnibus Vol. 1 about? Following a devastating plague that ends World War I, Europe faces a surge of vampires that have overtaken the cold nights and have blindly taken innocent lives whenever they can. Driven by a deadly desire for vengeance, the determined soldier Lord Henry Baltimore is searching the European lands for a vampire that has ruined his life, even if it means battling hordes of monsters while recklessly putting his life on the line. This omnibus edition collects half of the comic book series—four out of the eight volumes that have been released in the past—that is The Plague Ships, The Curse Bells, A Passing Stranger and Other Stories, as well as Chapel of Bones.
Within this omnibus, each story arc is structured so that each chapter allowed subtle world-building and character development with the vampire hunter, while also exploring other points of view, from citizens to enemies, giving the reader an idea of everyone’s motives and their uncontrollable destiny that is often felt like a legend in the making. While Lord Henry Baltimore travels by sea or land, and is frequently stopped by countless distractions within different towns where evil has come to corrupt the land and its people, he’s also hunted down by others who only see the darkness growing within him and wishes to relay God’s righteousness and rid the world of such evil by themselves. As you progress through this series, you come to see that the vampire hunter isn’t only seeing red, craving for vengeance, but is simply sacrificing himself for the greater good while allowing his desire for vengeance to be his driving force.
Ben Stenbeck’s artwork, reminiscent of that which can be found within the Hellboy franchise, allowed this comic book series to embrace a unique vision that works wonderfully with Mike Mignola’s and Christopher Golden’s story. Sparingly utilizing action-oriented sequences with zero dialogues to capture the goriness of Lord Henry Baltimore’s cause was also played out quite perfectly throughout this omnibus. Although his penciling isn’t intended to convey disgust in its purest form within readers, it does portray the unnatural and horrifying context and setting in which the story takes place, making the reader grasp the bleak reality in which Lord Henry Baltimore lives in. To further capture this impression, Dave Stewart’s colouring helps immensely in giving the story a dark tone that illustrates the gloomy world and its dreadful abominations.
Baltimore Omnibus Vol. 1 is a bewitching collection of stories following a vampire hunter’s quest fueled by vengeance in a world plagued with rot and death.
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
August 8, 2013
Baltimore, or, The Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire uses the story within a story narrative very successfully. Three of Lord Baltimore's close acquaintances, Doctor Rose, Demetrius Aischros, and Childress all meet at a pub, awaiting Baltimore. They each tell their story about how they came to meet Baltimore and when they became aware of the unnatural evil that exists in the world around them. Interspersed is the narrative about how Henry, Lord Baltimore, came to be the formidable vampire hunter who is nearly as frightening as the creatures he hunts.
As a huge fan of Victorian horror and ghost stories, I enjoyed the narrative device, which reminded me of MR James's ghost stories and William Hope Hodgson's Carnacki tales. Except this is a lot darker in content. Baltimore is a hero who lives in the dark, on the edge of despair, with everything he loved having been destroyed by the same vampires he hunts. He is definitely a tragic figure, seething with anger and rage. Yet, he's still sympathetic, which is a feeling underlined by the fact that three of the narrators are men who are still loyal to him, despite having seen him at his worst. For all his rough edges, he is definitely needed in this world in which the Red King continues to afflict his deadly plague on humanity, and his minions go from town to town, spreading destruction.
The stories that each of the men told were creepy and disturbing, a melange of weirdness and horror, with a vintage feel. They have an air of dark nightmares, in which you question the reality. However, you know that it happened, because that is why these men are meeting together. They are survivors of those nightmares, and in different ways beholden or loyal to Baltimore. Each character is distinctive, their narrative fitting their personality and worldview.
As the name indicates, the story pays homage to the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale, The Steadfast Tin Soldier. Baltimore saw himself as that soldier. A man who had a loving family and a loving wife when he left home to fight in the Great War, but lost everything. He is that soldier moved around a battlefield by an indifferent creator, who feels nothing for his suffering. Like the soldier, his beloved is forever denied to him, but still he fights. This allusion is achingly poignant and beautiful, a needed element in this story of unrelenting darkness and despair. That is not to say that good does not conquer, but the cost is extremely high for those who fight on the side of the light.
Baltimore, in the end, was a good book. Mignola illustrates it with his woodcut/engraving-styled, black and white drawings. They add somewhat to the narrative, but they are so stylized, it's not the same as a graphic novel, in which the illustrations help to tell the story. However, they bring to mind the woodcuts you might see in a Fairy Tale collection, such as Andrew Lang's fairy books. I could see that as a deliberate choice on Mignola's part. One of the other things I really appreciate about this collaboration is that you cannot tell which author is writing which part. It's a seamless finished product, demonstrating much appreciated creative harmony between Mignola and Golden.
Once again, I'm glad I was able to get this from my library, since these kinds of books are too pricy for my budget. It's definitely worth reading, especially for fans of the above authors and those who enjoy classic horror literature and fairy tales. Although it's dark reading, it was imaginative and involving. I'd recommend it.
As a huge fan of Victorian horror and ghost stories, I enjoyed the narrative device, which reminded me of MR James's ghost stories and William Hope Hodgson's Carnacki tales. Except this is a lot darker in content. Baltimore is a hero who lives in the dark, on the edge of despair, with everything he loved having been destroyed by the same vampires he hunts. He is definitely a tragic figure, seething with anger and rage. Yet, he's still sympathetic, which is a feeling underlined by the fact that three of the narrators are men who are still loyal to him, despite having seen him at his worst. For all his rough edges, he is definitely needed in this world in which the Red King continues to afflict his deadly plague on humanity, and his minions go from town to town, spreading destruction.
The stories that each of the men told were creepy and disturbing, a melange of weirdness and horror, with a vintage feel. They have an air of dark nightmares, in which you question the reality. However, you know that it happened, because that is why these men are meeting together. They are survivors of those nightmares, and in different ways beholden or loyal to Baltimore. Each character is distinctive, their narrative fitting their personality and worldview.
As the name indicates, the story pays homage to the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale, The Steadfast Tin Soldier. Baltimore saw himself as that soldier. A man who had a loving family and a loving wife when he left home to fight in the Great War, but lost everything. He is that soldier moved around a battlefield by an indifferent creator, who feels nothing for his suffering. Like the soldier, his beloved is forever denied to him, but still he fights. This allusion is achingly poignant and beautiful, a needed element in this story of unrelenting darkness and despair. That is not to say that good does not conquer, but the cost is extremely high for those who fight on the side of the light.
Baltimore, in the end, was a good book. Mignola illustrates it with his woodcut/engraving-styled, black and white drawings. They add somewhat to the narrative, but they are so stylized, it's not the same as a graphic novel, in which the illustrations help to tell the story. However, they bring to mind the woodcuts you might see in a Fairy Tale collection, such as Andrew Lang's fairy books. I could see that as a deliberate choice on Mignola's part. One of the other things I really appreciate about this collaboration is that you cannot tell which author is writing which part. It's a seamless finished product, demonstrating much appreciated creative harmony between Mignola and Golden.
Once again, I'm glad I was able to get this from my library, since these kinds of books are too pricy for my budget. It's definitely worth reading, especially for fans of the above authors and those who enjoy classic horror literature and fairy tales. Although it's dark reading, it was imaginative and involving. I'd recommend it.
June 30, 2020
This is the second time I am reading Baltimore from start to end and I am just done with the first volume of the Omnibus.
I really loved it the first time I'd read it in trades and you know what's changed?Nothing. I really was looking forward for Baltimore to be in Omnibus format so that I could reread and enjoy it from start till end.. Mignola, Golden and Stenbeck has created yet another strong character and a very intriguing story to back him up. This first volume is almost relentless in achieving that, a true page turner. There were some slow moments towards the middle of the book but it still from there on it yet again picked up pace and although I have read the full arc before I am still excited to read through the second volume asap.
I really loved it the first time I'd read it in trades and you know what's changed?Nothing. I really was looking forward for Baltimore to be in Omnibus format so that I could reread and enjoy it from start till end.. Mignola, Golden and Stenbeck has created yet another strong character and a very intriguing story to back him up. This first volume is almost relentless in achieving that, a true page turner. There were some slow moments towards the middle of the book but it still from there on it yet again picked up pace and although I have read the full arc before I am still excited to read through the second volume asap.
April 28, 2021
Lord Baltimore destroys evil where he finds it but he hunts only one creature -a vampire named Haigus who murdered his family. In a world ravaged by a contagion, Baltimore wants to be left to his vengeance but somehow he never does. Not really. New horrors hide in every shadow and he makes them vanish in a spray of blood.
I loved this graphic novel, with its dark tones, and self-contained stories being part of a larger story.
Longer review to come, I guess.
I loved this graphic novel, with its dark tones, and self-contained stories being part of a larger story.
Longer review to come, I guess.
September 14, 2017
"Good lord," said Doctor Rose, the sardonic mask slipping a moment. "I'd no idea his family had met such an awful end. But what of the monk? Did you ever discover what became of him?"
Aischros nodded, not looking at them. "He died just as he had foreseen."
The mariner's eyes were unfocused. He felt as if he were looking through them, beyond the walls of the inn. The recollection of his time on Trevelyan Island lingered with him, and he knew that, having told the tale, it would be some time before he could distance himself from it again.
"I never knew how it all happened," Childress said. "Only that Henry's family had died, and Elowen had been murdered."
At his speaking of Lady Baltimore's name, Aischros flinched and looked up. A soft smile of remembrance touched his lips. Elowen had been a kind of epiphany to any who met her.
Doctor Rose opened his cigarette case and offered him one. Aischros shook his head and the doctor held out the case to Childress. The man hesitated before accepting. But when the doctor struck a match and went to light the cigarette, Childress flinched away from the flame. He frowned deeply, then reached out to take the match.
Mister Childress had no love of fire; that much was clear. He rubbed his palm across the burn scar on his neck and frowned.
"How well did you know them?" Aischros asked him.
Childress let his smile bloom. "All my life. Trevelayn was my home. My heart is filled with memories of a time when it was like paradise. But I was gone a very long time, and the last time I returned there, I saw what it had become. I try not to think about that. I want to remember it as it was in my youth... and Henry and Elowen that way as well."
"It seems you also have something to share with us," Doctor Rose said.
Childress nodded, his humor fading, the way Aischros supposed it must in this gray, dull place.
"I wonder," the man said. "Was this what Henry had in mind, having us all meet like this-that we, who each know only a part of him, would share these tales?"
Doctor Rose frowned and looked toward the door of the inn. Aischros and Childress did the same. It did not open. Of Baltimore, there was no sign.
The gloom had deepened. Evening would arrive soon. The serving girl had begun to light oil lamps and the innkeeper was trying to light a fire in the hearth. A heavy iron chandelier hung from the ceiling, boasting dozens of small light-bulbs, but no one even attempted to turn it on. Somehow Aischros felt sure that the electricity did not work at the inn. If he had to wager, he'd bet that it had simply ceased functioning at some point, and no one had bothered to have it fixed. Or perhaps it had never worked at all. Such a modern thing as electricity would have seemed out of place in this decrepit purgatory. The ghosts would not have allowed it.
"Is he dead, do you think?" Doctor Rose asked. "Did he send us those notes to gather us here so that we would eulogize him?"
Aischros grunted softly and shook his head. "He's been dead for years. Since that night. But he can't rest. Don't you see? He promised."
"You speak in metaphor, though," Doctor Rose replied, almost worriedly. "You don't mean he's truly dead?"
"What is that? Truly dead? His blood pumps; he breathes and walks and eats. Does that make a man alive?"
Neither Childress nor the doctor had an answer to that.
"Your story, Mister Childress?" Doctor Rose asked.
"In time," he replied, turning to focus on the mariner. "First, however, I feel certain there's another story that Demetrius must tell."
Aischros grimaced, the weight of dread still upon him. "What do you mean?"
"Come now, my friend," Childress said, lifting his glass of ale in a kind of toast. "You believed that monk's every word. It was plain in your face and your choice of words. You shared a bond with Henry that he obviously felt quite strongly. And you believed Doctor Rose's incredible account. He's told us of the experience that allowed him to accept Henry's story. What gave you such faith in impossible things?"
Aischros lowered his gaze a moment, then looked up. "I have tried to forget."
Childress took a sip of ale and grimaced. He set down the glass. "It's a day for remembering things best forgotten."
The mariner ran a hand over the stubble of his chin, his fingers tracing several of the myriad thin scars on his face.
"All right," he said, looking at Doctor Rose and then back at Childress. "Once. And then never again."
The mariner let go of the arms of his chair and sat forward, staring at them. "It could not have happened, but it did. I know that it did."
4 1/2 stars
Aischros nodded, not looking at them. "He died just as he had foreseen."
The mariner's eyes were unfocused. He felt as if he were looking through them, beyond the walls of the inn. The recollection of his time on Trevelyan Island lingered with him, and he knew that, having told the tale, it would be some time before he could distance himself from it again.
"I never knew how it all happened," Childress said. "Only that Henry's family had died, and Elowen had been murdered."
At his speaking of Lady Baltimore's name, Aischros flinched and looked up. A soft smile of remembrance touched his lips. Elowen had been a kind of epiphany to any who met her.
Doctor Rose opened his cigarette case and offered him one. Aischros shook his head and the doctor held out the case to Childress. The man hesitated before accepting. But when the doctor struck a match and went to light the cigarette, Childress flinched away from the flame. He frowned deeply, then reached out to take the match.
Mister Childress had no love of fire; that much was clear. He rubbed his palm across the burn scar on his neck and frowned.
"How well did you know them?" Aischros asked him.
Childress let his smile bloom. "All my life. Trevelayn was my home. My heart is filled with memories of a time when it was like paradise. But I was gone a very long time, and the last time I returned there, I saw what it had become. I try not to think about that. I want to remember it as it was in my youth... and Henry and Elowen that way as well."
"It seems you also have something to share with us," Doctor Rose said.
Childress nodded, his humor fading, the way Aischros supposed it must in this gray, dull place.
"I wonder," the man said. "Was this what Henry had in mind, having us all meet like this-that we, who each know only a part of him, would share these tales?"
Doctor Rose frowned and looked toward the door of the inn. Aischros and Childress did the same. It did not open. Of Baltimore, there was no sign.
The gloom had deepened. Evening would arrive soon. The serving girl had begun to light oil lamps and the innkeeper was trying to light a fire in the hearth. A heavy iron chandelier hung from the ceiling, boasting dozens of small light-bulbs, but no one even attempted to turn it on. Somehow Aischros felt sure that the electricity did not work at the inn. If he had to wager, he'd bet that it had simply ceased functioning at some point, and no one had bothered to have it fixed. Or perhaps it had never worked at all. Such a modern thing as electricity would have seemed out of place in this decrepit purgatory. The ghosts would not have allowed it.
"Is he dead, do you think?" Doctor Rose asked. "Did he send us those notes to gather us here so that we would eulogize him?"
Aischros grunted softly and shook his head. "He's been dead for years. Since that night. But he can't rest. Don't you see? He promised."
"You speak in metaphor, though," Doctor Rose replied, almost worriedly. "You don't mean he's truly dead?"
"What is that? Truly dead? His blood pumps; he breathes and walks and eats. Does that make a man alive?"
Neither Childress nor the doctor had an answer to that.
"Your story, Mister Childress?" Doctor Rose asked.
"In time," he replied, turning to focus on the mariner. "First, however, I feel certain there's another story that Demetrius must tell."
Aischros grimaced, the weight of dread still upon him. "What do you mean?"
"Come now, my friend," Childress said, lifting his glass of ale in a kind of toast. "You believed that monk's every word. It was plain in your face and your choice of words. You shared a bond with Henry that he obviously felt quite strongly. And you believed Doctor Rose's incredible account. He's told us of the experience that allowed him to accept Henry's story. What gave you such faith in impossible things?"
Aischros lowered his gaze a moment, then looked up. "I have tried to forget."
Childress took a sip of ale and grimaced. He set down the glass. "It's a day for remembering things best forgotten."
The mariner ran a hand over the stubble of his chin, his fingers tracing several of the myriad thin scars on his face.
"All right," he said, looking at Doctor Rose and then back at Childress. "Once. And then never again."
The mariner let go of the arms of his chair and sat forward, staring at them. "It could not have happened, but it did. I know that it did."
4 1/2 stars
November 16, 2025
Baltimore omnibus vol.1, foi meu primeiro contato com as obras do Mike Mignola, e não poderia ter sido melhor. Baltimore foi uma leitura estupenda! Ela consegue ser dinâmica, instigante e fluida, que mescla o horror, mistério, ocultismo, podridão e ação. Foi o tipo de leitura que eu comecei e não conseguia parar de ler.
Nesse primeiro volume, vamos acompanhar o Lorde Henry Baltimore, que durante a 1ª Guerra Mundial, teve um embate com um vampiro, que até então, eram monstros que estavam presentes no mundo, mas estavam “adormecidos”, vivendo de restos humanos. Porém, quando Baltimore corta o rosto de um desses vampiros, a raça desperta, e têm noção do real potencial que eles possuem. Assim, uma praga é espalhada pelo mundo, como uma espécie de peste que contamina as pessoas, as mata, e depois as revivem como uma espécie de vampiro inferior – meio zumbi – que ataca as pessoas e dissemina a praga, deixando um cenário de devastação e podridão por onde ela passa.
O Vampiro que Henry desperta, chamado Haigus, se torna o grande nêmesis do Baltimore nesse primeiro volume, tendo em vista que após o despertar do vampiro, ele declara que Henry iniciou uma guerra entre eles. Assim, o vampiro vai atrás da família de Henry, assassinando todos, inclusive sua esposa – de maneira fria e revoltante – a fim de provocar e destruir Baltimore. Porém, o que Haigus não esperava é que ele, na verdade, criou o seu maior inimigo. Baltimore a partir daí, se torna um caçador de vampiros e monstros, que carrega diversas armas e impiedosamente mata os monstros que aparecem em seu caminho.
Embora tudo isso pareça muita coisa, tais informações são expostas ao leitor logo de começo, por meio de flashbacks, tendo em vista que o omnibus foca em mostrar o Lorde Baltimore já atuando como caçador de vampiros e realizando sua jornada de vingança em busca de Haigus pela Europa.
Dessa forma, acompanhamos Henry durante 9 histórias que estão presentes nesse volume, as quais ele está seguindo pistas sobre a localização de Haigus, mas sempre acaba se deparando com algo além, desviando-o de seu objetivo. Todas as histórias possuem começo, meio e fim, sendo uma boa opção para realizar a leitura em momentos diferentes, caso não consiga ler tudo de uma vez.
Apesar de as histórias sejam fechadas, os elementos expostos, são reaproveitados em outras histórias, deixando o universo conectado e bem amarrado, mostrando que o desenvolvimento foi muito bem feito e não transpareça uma sensação de que você está lendo um filler. Todas as histórias do omnibus são, no mínimo boas, com bons personagens e bons roteiros, trazendo diferentes desafios ao protagonista.
Ainda que a HQ possua como destaque os elementos de caça aos monstros, vingança e ocultismo, as reflexões sobre humanidade, vingança e “fazer o bem” estão presentes nas histórias e permeiam as ações e escolhas do Baltimore. Ele enfrenta dilemas morais como: priorizar sua missão ou ajudar um povo que está sofrendo? A sua vingança é mais importante que a vida das pessoas? Deixando o quadrinho ainda mais profundo.
Além disso, o omnibus mesmo contendo suas 510 páginas, os textos e a narrativa não são pesados, sendo algo que flui naturalmente e não é mais do mesmo. Os diálogos são todos importantes, e muitas vezes complementados com os desenhos. Ou seja, se algo já está sendo mostrado, ele não precisa ser dito, e assim, os desenhos contam muito da história, por exemplo: cenas que focam nos pescoços de pessoas para mostrar que eles estão infectados (algo que não é dito), ou momentos em que o Baltimore ou outro personagem está posicionado no fundo do quadro e na sequencia já aparece realizando alguma ação. Tudo isso compõe uma narrativa bem desenvolvida e gostosa de ser lida. E somado ao âmbito de que nada é por acaso, os títulos das histórias são bem interessantes e valem a atenção do leitor, pois, os títulos não representam apenas um tema a ser trabalhado, possuindo também um significado importante para a história.
Por fim, destaco que as 9 histórias presentes aqui encerram um ciclo do Lorde Baltimore, com uma revelação impactante no final e serve para mostrar o rumo que o personagem vai tomar em seguida, mas que concretiza uma jornada de vingança.
Nesse primeiro volume, vamos acompanhar o Lorde Henry Baltimore, que durante a 1ª Guerra Mundial, teve um embate com um vampiro, que até então, eram monstros que estavam presentes no mundo, mas estavam “adormecidos”, vivendo de restos humanos. Porém, quando Baltimore corta o rosto de um desses vampiros, a raça desperta, e têm noção do real potencial que eles possuem. Assim, uma praga é espalhada pelo mundo, como uma espécie de peste que contamina as pessoas, as mata, e depois as revivem como uma espécie de vampiro inferior – meio zumbi – que ataca as pessoas e dissemina a praga, deixando um cenário de devastação e podridão por onde ela passa.
O Vampiro que Henry desperta, chamado Haigus, se torna o grande nêmesis do Baltimore nesse primeiro volume, tendo em vista que após o despertar do vampiro, ele declara que Henry iniciou uma guerra entre eles. Assim, o vampiro vai atrás da família de Henry, assassinando todos, inclusive sua esposa – de maneira fria e revoltante – a fim de provocar e destruir Baltimore. Porém, o que Haigus não esperava é que ele, na verdade, criou o seu maior inimigo. Baltimore a partir daí, se torna um caçador de vampiros e monstros, que carrega diversas armas e impiedosamente mata os monstros que aparecem em seu caminho.
Embora tudo isso pareça muita coisa, tais informações são expostas ao leitor logo de começo, por meio de flashbacks, tendo em vista que o omnibus foca em mostrar o Lorde Baltimore já atuando como caçador de vampiros e realizando sua jornada de vingança em busca de Haigus pela Europa.
Dessa forma, acompanhamos Henry durante 9 histórias que estão presentes nesse volume, as quais ele está seguindo pistas sobre a localização de Haigus, mas sempre acaba se deparando com algo além, desviando-o de seu objetivo. Todas as histórias possuem começo, meio e fim, sendo uma boa opção para realizar a leitura em momentos diferentes, caso não consiga ler tudo de uma vez.
Apesar de as histórias sejam fechadas, os elementos expostos, são reaproveitados em outras histórias, deixando o universo conectado e bem amarrado, mostrando que o desenvolvimento foi muito bem feito e não transpareça uma sensação de que você está lendo um filler. Todas as histórias do omnibus são, no mínimo boas, com bons personagens e bons roteiros, trazendo diferentes desafios ao protagonista.
Ainda que a HQ possua como destaque os elementos de caça aos monstros, vingança e ocultismo, as reflexões sobre humanidade, vingança e “fazer o bem” estão presentes nas histórias e permeiam as ações e escolhas do Baltimore. Ele enfrenta dilemas morais como: priorizar sua missão ou ajudar um povo que está sofrendo? A sua vingança é mais importante que a vida das pessoas? Deixando o quadrinho ainda mais profundo.
Além disso, o omnibus mesmo contendo suas 510 páginas, os textos e a narrativa não são pesados, sendo algo que flui naturalmente e não é mais do mesmo. Os diálogos são todos importantes, e muitas vezes complementados com os desenhos. Ou seja, se algo já está sendo mostrado, ele não precisa ser dito, e assim, os desenhos contam muito da história, por exemplo: cenas que focam nos pescoços de pessoas para mostrar que eles estão infectados (algo que não é dito), ou momentos em que o Baltimore ou outro personagem está posicionado no fundo do quadro e na sequencia já aparece realizando alguma ação. Tudo isso compõe uma narrativa bem desenvolvida e gostosa de ser lida. E somado ao âmbito de que nada é por acaso, os títulos das histórias são bem interessantes e valem a atenção do leitor, pois, os títulos não representam apenas um tema a ser trabalhado, possuindo também um significado importante para a história.
Por fim, destaco que as 9 histórias presentes aqui encerram um ciclo do Lorde Baltimore, com uma revelação impactante no final e serve para mostrar o rumo que o personagem vai tomar em seguida, mas que concretiza uma jornada de vingança.
February 17, 2008
When I saw this today, I...well, I licked my chops.
*
Hmmmm. An interesting take on the ManBearPig legend, doctor.
Hmmmm. An interesting take on Sesame Street, sailor.
Hmmmm. An interesting take on whatever the fuck that was, soldier.
Hmmmm. Has it really been twelve years since From Dusk 'til Dawn was at a theater near you? Because it's still fresh in my mind and, ah, fresh in the mind of the authors: people held captive - fighting for their lives - in the lair of the vampires until, suddenly, the cavalry arrives.
I doff major hats to the authors though, for actually getting me to shudder: the sailor's tale. You can't beat puppets coming to life for true horror. And, well, when it's a town full of puppets...
But, in the end, the campaign of Lord Baltimore was less interesting than the stories each man told in turn.
Though, I must ask you now that we're seated here in the gloom and it is very, very late...I must ask you: how do you know Lord Baltimore, and why do you yourself believe that true evil stalks this world? I see it in your face: you've seen things. Share. Share.
((Anybody want to start a Waiting for Baltimore group?))
*
Hmmmm. An interesting take on the ManBearPig legend, doctor.
Hmmmm. An interesting take on Sesame Street, sailor.
Hmmmm. An interesting take on whatever the fuck that was, soldier.
Hmmmm. Has it really been twelve years since From Dusk 'til Dawn was at a theater near you? Because it's still fresh in my mind and, ah, fresh in the mind of the authors: people held captive - fighting for their lives - in the lair of the vampires until, suddenly, the cavalry arrives.
I doff major hats to the authors though, for actually getting me to shudder: the sailor's tale. You can't beat puppets coming to life for true horror. And, well, when it's a town full of puppets...
But, in the end, the campaign of Lord Baltimore was less interesting than the stories each man told in turn.
Though, I must ask you now that we're seated here in the gloom and it is very, very late...I must ask you: how do you know Lord Baltimore, and why do you yourself believe that true evil stalks this world? I see it in your face: you've seen things. Share. Share.
((Anybody want to start a Waiting for Baltimore group?))
October 26, 2020
Some of the best Mike Mignola stuff that I have read for quite a while. The only detractor I have is that it is very grim and that tone never changes. Hell, the main character loves to repeat how he is damned as often as possible. So, although I like the main character, he is still very one-note. The draw is story, the art, and the monsters. Now I hate to write a recap of anything, but this simply boils down to is: main character is plagued by vampires who kill his family and help spread the plague across Europe. Lord Baltimore is cursed in that he is now a vampire killer who cannot be killed and kills these monsters by the dozen. And what is great is that vampires in these stories are actually kind of the lowest form of monster. But there are also different types of demons, witches, and ancient vampires who provide a much bigger threat. None stand a chance to our protagonist. Some really entertaining stories. And this book is entirely done by one artist, Ben Stenbeck, who is very good. This may sound like sacrilege, but I would argue that he is better than Mignola himself.
September 7, 2017
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
This gorgeous illustrated novel is one of the scarier things I have read. A framed collection of short stories, the tale is told by three strangers around the table of an inn. BALTIMORE is about war, plague, human weakness and vampires.
These vampires are original and disgusting. The translation that the horrors of the Great War awoke literal monsters is very effective. Both authors are veteran fantasy and horror writers. They create a slew of amazing monsters, each more terrifying than the last, sometimes simply by being benign in initial appearance.
If you’re not a fan of short stories, you may find the format a bit repetitive. Each man tells two stories: why he believes in magic and monsters, and how he met Baltimore. The frame around these stories is expanded at the end, when Baltimore actually shows up and takes the men hunting.
Mike Migonla's dark, silhouetted illustrations hint at the horror without showing it, which is perfect. You’re hearing stories of monsters without truly seeing them. The shadowy, imperfect images perfectly represent the faulty nature of memory and imagination.
A perfect blend of Gothic imagery and twisted history, BALTIMORE, OR, THE STEADFAST TIN SOLDIER AND THE VAMPIRE is a beautiful book to treat yourself or any horror, fantasy or graphic novel fans in your entourage.
This gorgeous illustrated novel is one of the scarier things I have read. A framed collection of short stories, the tale is told by three strangers around the table of an inn. BALTIMORE is about war, plague, human weakness and vampires.
These vampires are original and disgusting. The translation that the horrors of the Great War awoke literal monsters is very effective. Both authors are veteran fantasy and horror writers. They create a slew of amazing monsters, each more terrifying than the last, sometimes simply by being benign in initial appearance.
If you’re not a fan of short stories, you may find the format a bit repetitive. Each man tells two stories: why he believes in magic and monsters, and how he met Baltimore. The frame around these stories is expanded at the end, when Baltimore actually shows up and takes the men hunting.
Mike Migonla's dark, silhouetted illustrations hint at the horror without showing it, which is perfect. You’re hearing stories of monsters without truly seeing them. The shadowy, imperfect images perfectly represent the faulty nature of memory and imagination.
A perfect blend of Gothic imagery and twisted history, BALTIMORE, OR, THE STEADFAST TIN SOLDIER AND THE VAMPIRE is a beautiful book to treat yourself or any horror, fantasy or graphic novel fans in your entourage.
September 4, 2009
I've always wanted to be able to sit in a book-lined study sipping brandy, or in an out of the way tavern with a group of grizzled old men swapping stories of the supernatural that occurred earlier in our lives. I may be well on my way towards being old and grizzled, but the only scary stories I have involve high school and the single evening I spent bussing tables at a Ponderosa in Ellisville, MO. For now, I'll just have to be content reading books like Baltimore.
The highlight for me was the story involving something that lives at the bottom of a lake that was ten kinds of creepy stacked on ten other kinds of creepy. I was in creepy heaven.
The highlight for me was the story involving something that lives at the bottom of a lake that was ten kinds of creepy stacked on ten other kinds of creepy. I was in creepy heaven.
February 9, 2026
A horror series published by Dark Horse from the creator of Hellboy, set after World War I, Europe is devastated not just by war, but by a supernatural plague unleashed by a vampire named Haigus. Lord Henry Baltimore, a British officer disfigured in the war, dedicates his life to hunting the vampire responsible for unleashing the nightmare.
4/5 More action oriented, the minimal dialogue can make emotional beats feel muted.
The narrative sometimes feels more like folklore vignettes from one iconic scene to the next, rather than a cohesive plot. That said it's unforgivably gothic its like Dracula filtered through shell shock.
4/5 More action oriented, the minimal dialogue can make emotional beats feel muted.
The narrative sometimes feels more like folklore vignettes from one iconic scene to the next, rather than a cohesive plot. That said it's unforgivably gothic its like Dracula filtered through shell shock.
May 15, 2009
Vampires. Forgotten gods. Cannons shook them in their resting places. Spilled blood awakened them. The ravages and chaos of war brought them forth.
But they were sleepwalking creatures, content to exist as scavengers feeding on the flesh and blood of the dead and the dying.
Until Baltimore.
Humanity itself is to blame for the ills that come to call, but Baltimore alone gave the malevolent force its purpose and drive.
And so for Lord Baltimore the true battle begins.
________
As much as this is Baltimore's tale, it's also the story of three men of disparate backgrounds, summoned to a grey and joyless city. The battlefield surgeon, the grizzled mariner, and the wealthy soldier trade stories as they await Baltimore's arrival. The group's insight into our hero is intriguing, but even more compelling are the abominations each man has witnessed. As Childress points out, the men are together not just to wait for their friend, but to discuss evil.
Their stories are chilling and grotesque--with the horrific qualities disturbingly (and perfectly) punctuated by Mignola's illustrations. Bearing a striking similarity to woodcuts, the drawings are heavy and dark against the stark white page, adding additional weight to the story.
Golden's descriptions are jaw-dropping: the blackness of the battlefield, illuminated only by the flash of firepower; the vampires--abominable creatures who are black of body and red of eye, their muzzles stained with the blood of the fallen; the grey pallor of the infected, and the flat, lifeless black of their sunken eyes; the Red King cloaked in crimson, with grey wraiths at his beckon call. Add to these the demons and monsters of Rose, Childress and Aischros' experiences, and you'll find yourself shivering and grimacing at the vivid imagery. These stories are the stuff of nightmares, and I enjoyed every nuance.
But they were sleepwalking creatures, content to exist as scavengers feeding on the flesh and blood of the dead and the dying.
Until Baltimore.
Humanity itself is to blame for the ills that come to call, but Baltimore alone gave the malevolent force its purpose and drive.
And so for Lord Baltimore the true battle begins.
________
As much as this is Baltimore's tale, it's also the story of three men of disparate backgrounds, summoned to a grey and joyless city. The battlefield surgeon, the grizzled mariner, and the wealthy soldier trade stories as they await Baltimore's arrival. The group's insight into our hero is intriguing, but even more compelling are the abominations each man has witnessed. As Childress points out, the men are together not just to wait for their friend, but to discuss evil.
Their stories are chilling and grotesque--with the horrific qualities disturbingly (and perfectly) punctuated by Mignola's illustrations. Bearing a striking similarity to woodcuts, the drawings are heavy and dark against the stark white page, adding additional weight to the story.
Golden's descriptions are jaw-dropping: the blackness of the battlefield, illuminated only by the flash of firepower; the vampires--abominable creatures who are black of body and red of eye, their muzzles stained with the blood of the fallen; the grey pallor of the infected, and the flat, lifeless black of their sunken eyes; the Red King cloaked in crimson, with grey wraiths at his beckon call. Add to these the demons and monsters of Rose, Childress and Aischros' experiences, and you'll find yourself shivering and grimacing at the vivid imagery. These stories are the stuff of nightmares, and I enjoyed every nuance.
February 8, 2017
Lord Baltimore è qui un protagonista che se ne sta sullo sfondo, un eroe decadente e una figura particolarmente caxxuta come cacciatore di vampiri. Veri pilastri portanti della storia contenuta in questo libro sono tre suoi amici: Thomas Childress, il dottor Rose e il marinaio Aischros, in grado di credere ai resoconti riportati sul diario del protagonista in quanto venuti a loro volta in diretto contatto con il male. Vicende di cui veniamo resi partecipi in un’atmosfera spettrale, una locanda lercia e buia, in uno dei tanti luoghi fatiscenti devastati dal morbo rosso, l’epidemia che sta dilagando e devastando l’intero vecchio continente a tal punto da aver posto fine alla guerra stessa. Henry Baltimore è il nostro soldatino di stagno, la cui esperienza in guerra ha “ridestato” i vampiri e reso lui campione dell’umanità. Quella stessa umanità inconsapevole del fatto che il reale pericolo non sia una malattia ma le orrende creature. Il suo travagliato percorso l’ha condotto attraverso perdite e lutti che hanno profondamente cambiato l’uomo che era senza più speranza di poter tornare indietro, ormai completamente dedito al desiderio di vendetta e alla sconfitta del Re Cremisi, sovrano dei vampiri. Eventi drammatici e spargimenti di sangue narrati “attorno al fuoco” coinvolgono il lettore che ogni tanto può pure rifarsi gli occhi grazie alle ornamentali illustrazioni di Mignola.
Se vi è piaciuto il libro date un occhio anche alla serie a fumetti di Baltimore, portata avanti dalla stessa coppia di autori, potrete così continuare ad assistere alle suggestive avventure di questo novello Van Helsing - tale Lord Henry Baltimore (che sotto il pastrano tiene un vero e proprio arsenale). Però sappiate già che il libro è meglio.
Se vi è piaciuto il libro date un occhio anche alla serie a fumetti di Baltimore, portata avanti dalla stessa coppia di autori, potrete così continuare ad assistere alle suggestive avventure di questo novello Van Helsing - tale Lord Henry Baltimore (che sotto il pastrano tiene un vero e proprio arsenale). Però sappiate già che il libro è meglio.
September 14, 2020
Baltimore is a good work of horror. The plot concerns the titular vampire-hunter's career, as well as contextual stories from his colleagues.
It takes place during and right after World War I, although it's really an alternate history. The war is fought against Hessians, not Germans nor even Prussians. The war takes place in Gaul, never France, and involves Nordic forces. A plague sets in at the end, a la the Spanish Flu, but it's actually a mass vampiric attack on humanity.
I mentioned stories, and perhaps it's worth thinking of Baltimore as a collection of intertwined tales. The center of the book involves three people meeting in a deplorable inn, taking turns telling or reading stories, so it's not too far removed from the club tale genre a la Arthur C. Clarke's Tales from the White Hart or Spider Robinson's Callahan's series. The tone is different, though, as Baltimore is almost ceaselessly bleak and fierce, without any humor.
Mike Mignola has many black and white illustrations throughout. It's not a graphic novel, as most pages are mostly text. What Baltimore has instead are many small, nearly marginal inserts that illustrate details of events, or offer atmospheric cues. In addition, there are several very good full-page drawings for key scenes and characters.
One detail: the book is framed slightly by allusions to Hans Christian Andersen's "The Steadfast Tin Soldier." This seems a bit superfluous and doesn't add much to the overall story, especially with its resonance of children's tales, which Baltimore is not.
Recommended for horror readers, as well as for Mike Mignola fans.
It takes place during and right after World War I, although it's really an alternate history. The war is fought against Hessians, not Germans nor even Prussians. The war takes place in Gaul, never France, and involves Nordic forces. A plague sets in at the end, a la the Spanish Flu, but it's actually a mass vampiric attack on humanity.
I mentioned stories, and perhaps it's worth thinking of Baltimore as a collection of intertwined tales. The center of the book involves three people meeting in a deplorable inn, taking turns telling or reading stories, so it's not too far removed from the club tale genre a la Arthur C. Clarke's Tales from the White Hart or Spider Robinson's Callahan's series. The tone is different, though, as Baltimore is almost ceaselessly bleak and fierce, without any humor.
Mike Mignola has many black and white illustrations throughout. It's not a graphic novel, as most pages are mostly text. What Baltimore has instead are many small, nearly marginal inserts that illustrate details of events, or offer atmospheric cues. In addition, there are several very good full-page drawings for key scenes and characters.
One detail: the book is framed slightly by allusions to Hans Christian Andersen's "The Steadfast Tin Soldier." This seems a bit superfluous and doesn't add much to the overall story, especially with its resonance of children's tales, which Baltimore is not.
Recommended for horror readers, as well as for Mike Mignola fans.
October 9, 2020
All right, this is fucking amazing.
Baltimore is just a wet dream for all fans of Dracula and the macabre in general. It has literally everything to this aspect: spooky post-WWI European towns and villages riddled with plague, occultists, vampires, monsters of all kinds, cursed bells, infernal trains, mad priests, submarine wrecks full of the living dead, Edgar Allan Poe's head in a jar (Futurama style) feeding its ideas into an Italian theater, undead nuns, and then some.
Yes, there are SFX, which I hate and consider childish, but there's not that many of them and they are only present in the fight scenes which are thankfully short and to-the-point (of a sword) since Baltimore is just this ultimate badass who is basically unkillable and would probably keep on in his quest for revenge even if he was killed. Also the plot is pretty interesting with full of great visual and story ideas. But mostly it's just the atmosphere that does it. Unknowingly, I have just discovered what is the quintessential autumn comic.
And I really liked the resolution of the Haigus story arc which was not bombastic at all but pretty mellow and fitted nicely to the overall tone of the series.
Baltimore is just a wet dream for all fans of Dracula and the macabre in general. It has literally everything to this aspect: spooky post-WWI European towns and villages riddled with plague, occultists, vampires, monsters of all kinds, cursed bells, infernal trains, mad priests, submarine wrecks full of the living dead, Edgar Allan Poe's head in a jar (Futurama style) feeding its ideas into an Italian theater, undead nuns, and then some.
Yes, there are SFX, which I hate and consider childish, but there's not that many of them and they are only present in the fight scenes which are thankfully short and to-the-point (of a sword) since Baltimore is just this ultimate badass who is basically unkillable and would probably keep on in his quest for revenge even if he was killed. Also the plot is pretty interesting with full of great visual and story ideas. But mostly it's just the atmosphere that does it. Unknowingly, I have just discovered what is the quintessential autumn comic.
And I really liked the resolution of the Haigus story arc which was not bombastic at all but pretty mellow and fitted nicely to the overall tone of the series.
May 24, 2025
This is the paperback edition of the collected series and I have to say its a weight tomb but so much fun reading it. It has a very distinctive style that those familiar with Hellboy will instantly recognise.
The story is pretty much captured in the books description so no real worry for spoilers for once although I think that is part of the appeal.
You know what is going on and I think to the majority you can guess what happens - the real interest is in how you get there, what happens from such a different and creative take on the whole vampire hunting trope.
There is a second omnibus out there which yes I pretty much picked up straight after finishing this one
The story is pretty much captured in the books description so no real worry for spoilers for once although I think that is part of the appeal.
You know what is going on and I think to the majority you can guess what happens - the real interest is in how you get there, what happens from such a different and creative take on the whole vampire hunting trope.
There is a second omnibus out there which yes I pretty much picked up straight after finishing this one
November 9, 2007
This one really blew me away. It's a beautifully put together, heavily ilustrated volume, rigidly plotted in the Gothic-Victorian tradition of character introduction and flashback, with at least one of the major characters not introduced until near the end. It's heavily influenced by Hans Christian Anderson and Mary Shelley, but has a universality of theme that's perfectly timely. It's a terrific novel!
Read
December 15, 2019This just isn’t the book for me. I love Hellboy and the work Mignola has done for DC that I’ve read has been good, but I just can’t get into this one.
June 26, 2020
A battle between the badass Lord Baltimore and a vampire, set in a gothic world from comic book god Mike Mignola.. Take my money.
April 8, 2026
I'm really glad I stumbled across this book! It was a refreshing and inspiring departure from what I'm usually reading. The setting of an alternative post-WW1 Europe captured my attention and was perfect for the ensuing gothic horror. Colin Mace delivers a great performance for the audiobook, and if you read the novel there is wonderful (unsettling, haunting, etc.) artwork to accompany each story.
This novel follows the story of the titular [Lord Henry] Baltimore, through the remembrances of three people he's encountered since a fateful day in the Ardennes that would change the world. They've been summoned to an inn to await Baltimore, and pass the time telling one another about the last time they saw Baltimore, and their own brush with nightmare creatures.
The creatures were spooky, the action was compelling, and the characters were distinct and compelling (enough) for me. I'm a sucker for a great book about vampires, and this one does not disappoint. I have the added benefit of being late to this series, so I can read the companion graphic novels to get the full story.
This novel follows the story of the titular [Lord Henry] Baltimore, through the remembrances of three people he's encountered since a fateful day in the Ardennes that would change the world. They've been summoned to an inn to await Baltimore, and pass the time telling one another about the last time they saw Baltimore, and their own brush with nightmare creatures.
The creatures were spooky, the action was compelling, and the characters were distinct and compelling (enough) for me. I'm a sucker for a great book about vampires, and this one does not disappoint. I have the added benefit of being late to this series, so I can read the companion graphic novels to get the full story.
August 16, 2023
Sin-wood puppets, god-bears, leather demons, plague victims and of course: Vampires. This book is structured sort of like a play with each character giving an account of Baltimore's life and then an account of their very own encounter with evil. It could in fact be adapted into a play without much trouble I believe.
I didn't have high hopes for the Baltimore comic Because I didn't like bones of giants and then when I really enjoyed that comic it made me have high hopes for this book which it exceeded so now I have even higher hopes for the remaining 5 volumes of the comic. I wonder how the events at the end of this book will effect him moving forward and I'm definitely excited to the 3 characters continue on.
Anyways if you like Mike Mignola's stuff buy this book immediately! It ranks among his best in my estimation.
I didn't have high hopes for the Baltimore comic Because I didn't like bones of giants and then when I really enjoyed that comic it made me have high hopes for this book which it exceeded so now I have even higher hopes for the remaining 5 volumes of the comic. I wonder how the events at the end of this book will effect him moving forward and I'm definitely excited to the 3 characters continue on.
Anyways if you like Mike Mignola's stuff buy this book immediately! It ranks among his best in my estimation.
July 3, 2009
This was a very beautifully crafted book. I found out about this book through Wizard magazine and with Mike Mignola, from Hell Boy, writing with Christopher Golden I was intrigued to read this novel.
Baltimore blends the gritty reality, of what I presumed, is World War I horror with fantasy elements of a world beyond our world masterfully. You completely feel that the evils the characters talk about in this tale could of happened in this dark era of our history. Taking inspiration and themes from Hans Christian Andersen's The Steadfast Tin Soldier, Baltimore is as much of an homage and re-imagining of the classic fable as much as it is an original and thought provoking fantasy tale.
I really enjoyed reading this book from the writing to the illustration from Mignola. I feel this book has yet to give me all of its secrets so it will be a joy to pick up an read again years from now.
Baltimore blends the gritty reality, of what I presumed, is World War I horror with fantasy elements of a world beyond our world masterfully. You completely feel that the evils the characters talk about in this tale could of happened in this dark era of our history. Taking inspiration and themes from Hans Christian Andersen's The Steadfast Tin Soldier, Baltimore is as much of an homage and re-imagining of the classic fable as much as it is an original and thought provoking fantasy tale.
I really enjoyed reading this book from the writing to the illustration from Mignola. I feel this book has yet to give me all of its secrets so it will be a joy to pick up an read again years from now.
April 30, 2021
It didn't take me nearly as long as I expected - no time at all, in fact - to get used to a horror comic with Mike Mignola's name on it that doesn't also have Hellboy. Baltimore shares a mood with Mignola's more famous series, but it's very much its own thing and that's nothing but positive.
Hellboy and the BPRD are cool targets at which Mignola can throw whatever horror he's interested in. Lord Henry Baltimore has a very focused mission hunting one particular vampire. And while he's sometimes delayed by other monstrous emergencies, he's never distracted. His adventures aren't random vignettes, but a slow, steady drive towards a goal as Baltimore travels from quaint European village to even quainter European village fighting vampires, fungus zombies, cultists, witches, religious zealots, and all manner of other monsters. I enjoyed each panel of every page and can't wait to dig into the second omnibus volume.
Hellboy and the BPRD are cool targets at which Mignola can throw whatever horror he's interested in. Lord Henry Baltimore has a very focused mission hunting one particular vampire. And while he's sometimes delayed by other monstrous emergencies, he's never distracted. His adventures aren't random vignettes, but a slow, steady drive towards a goal as Baltimore travels from quaint European village to even quainter European village fighting vampires, fungus zombies, cultists, witches, religious zealots, and all manner of other monsters. I enjoyed each panel of every page and can't wait to dig into the second omnibus volume.
October 5, 2025
(Zero spoiler review) 2.25/5
Yet another painfully mediocre entry in the every growing pantheon of middling Hellboy spin off's. This was competent at it's best and amateurish at it's worst. The art was mostly acceptable, occasionally good, and it was nice to have the same artist for the entire time. But once again I have to repeat the same criticism I've had since day one with the extended universe, and that is the art is just too clean. It needed to be far darker and grittier, which would have done a much better job elevating the mediocre scripts that infest this tome. Sadly, Dave Stewart's colours don't do all that much to help matters either. They're not bad, they're just not that great, either. After all this time, I don't know they haven't managed to hit a winner by sheer accident. Just read the main Hellboy series and forget that anything else even exists. 2.25/5
OmniBen.
Yet another painfully mediocre entry in the every growing pantheon of middling Hellboy spin off's. This was competent at it's best and amateurish at it's worst. The art was mostly acceptable, occasionally good, and it was nice to have the same artist for the entire time. But once again I have to repeat the same criticism I've had since day one with the extended universe, and that is the art is just too clean. It needed to be far darker and grittier, which would have done a much better job elevating the mediocre scripts that infest this tome. Sadly, Dave Stewart's colours don't do all that much to help matters either. They're not bad, they're just not that great, either. After all this time, I don't know they haven't managed to hit a winner by sheer accident. Just read the main Hellboy series and forget that anything else even exists. 2.25/5
OmniBen.
October 16, 2021
If I had known how good this was, I'd have read it a long time ago. This is a truly great horror comic. Set in the time of WWI, we find out that all of the death caused by the war has reawakened the monsters (mostly vampires but other things show as well such as zombies, giant spiders, etc.) that had been hibernating and relegated to myth for centuries. Then our protagonist Lord Baltimore makes the mistake of injuring one of the vampires and "awakening" him to his trust purpose: waking the Red King and bringing Hell to Earth.
The main characters is great, the art is stellar, and the story is awesome. Just a perfect storm of a horror comic. You could almost insert Hellboy into the place of Baltimore and have a great Hellboy story, but Baltimore is a great character in his own right.
Highly recommended for fans of horror comics, especially Hellboy.
The main characters is great, the art is stellar, and the story is awesome. Just a perfect storm of a horror comic. You could almost insert Hellboy into the place of Baltimore and have a great Hellboy story, but Baltimore is a great character in his own right.
Highly recommended for fans of horror comics, especially Hellboy.
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