Description
When strangeness threatens to engulf the world, a strange man will come to save it. Sent to investigate a mystery with supernatural overtones, Hellboy discovers the secrets of his own origins, and his link to the Nazi occultists who promised Hitler a final solution in the form of a demonic avatar. Collects Hellboy: the Wolves of Saint August, Hellboy: The Corpse and the Iron Shoes, Hellboy: Almost Colossus, Dark Horse Presents 100 #2, and Hellboy: Christmas Special!.
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1998-08
Physical description
176 p.; 6.65 inches
Publication
Dark Horse Books (2004), Edition: 2nd, 176 pages
Pages
176
ISBN
1593070918 / 9781593070915
Local notes
Contains the following Hellboy shorts, setting given in parentheses:
The Corpse (1959)
The Iron Shoes (1961)
The Baba Yaga (March 1964)
A Christmas Underground (December 24, 1989)
The Chained Coffin (between "Seed of Destruction" and "Wake the Devil", likely 1995)
The Wolves of Saint August (1994)
Almost Colossus (8 days after "Wake the Devil", likely 1997)
Winner of the 1996 Harvey Award for Best Graphic Album of Previously Published Work, and Mignola won the Eisner Award for Best Writer/Artist in part for his work on Almost Colossus.
The Corpse (1959)
The Iron Shoes (1961)
The Baba Yaga (March 1964)
A Christmas Underground (December 24, 1989)
The Chained Coffin (between "Seed of Destruction" and "Wake the Devil", likely 1995)
The Wolves of Saint August (1994)
Almost Colossus (8 days after "Wake the Devil", likely 1997)
Winner of the 1996 Harvey Award for Best Graphic Album of Previously Published Work, and Mignola won the Eisner Award for Best Writer/Artist in part for his work on Almost Colossus.
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User reviews
LibraryThing member Crowyhead
This is an absolutely essential collection of Hellboy short pieces. My favorite was "The Corpse," since it borrowed heavily from esoteric folklore that I was already familiar with. It's very funny, but is also a little more contemplative than your average "Hellboy goes in and sorts 'em out with his
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fists" type story. Show Less
LibraryThing member JonathanGorman
I've read the first Hellboy collection but not the second one. This is apparently the third. Dear Dark Horse, why do you make it so difficult to figure out the chronology of the Hellboy stuff? I shouldn't have to google it everytime.
In any case, I thought the first one was ok, but after years of
This collection of short stories though is enough for me to read some more Hellboy. True, it might just be because there's a riff on Teig O'Kane and the Corpse, one of my favorite of the Yeat's tellings of fairytales I've read.
There seemed to be some deeper themes in these stories though. Questions on God inflicting suffering, roles of ancient myths and sacrifice, and tthe conflict of Christianity and older forms of worship.
In any case, I thought the first one was ok, but after years of
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hype a little disappointing and straight forward. This collection of short stories though is enough for me to read some more Hellboy. True, it might just be because there's a riff on Teig O'Kane and the Corpse, one of my favorite of the Yeat's tellings of fairytales I've read.
There seemed to be some deeper themes in these stories though. Questions on God inflicting suffering, roles of ancient myths and sacrifice, and tthe conflict of Christianity and older forms of worship.
Show Less
LibraryThing member regularguy5mb
This is such a great collection of short Hellboy pieces, most coming from old stories and fairytales and reworked to include the World's Greatest Paranormal Investigator. In pieces like The Chained Coffin and Almost Colossus, we get to see more of the Hellboy story started in Seed of Destruction.
What I love about Mignola's writing is how easily he blends fairytales and legends from all over the world and makes them just an average thing in the life of Hellboy.
Hard to pick an absolute favorite in this one, because they are all so good; but The Corpse, The Iron Shoes, and The Wolves of Saint August definitely top the list (along with the title story, of course). Also, I love the perspective of the animals in The Baba Yaga, seeing how nonhumans view these beings that Hellboy often finds himself fighting against. Most of Hellboy's opponents are wholly evil, which is what makes them so compelling.
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With Chained Coffin, we get Hellboy's origins prior to his arrival on Earth in 1944, and what a dark and terrible tale that is. Almost Colossus picks up where Liz Sherman and the homunculus leave off in Wake the Devil, as another brilliant character is brought into the fold of the Hellboy universe (named Roger by Hellboy, and what better name for a homunculus, I ask).What I love about Mignola's writing is how easily he blends fairytales and legends from all over the world and makes them just an average thing in the life of Hellboy.
Hard to pick an absolute favorite in this one, because they are all so good; but The Corpse, The Iron Shoes, and The Wolves of Saint August definitely top the list (along with the title story, of course). Also, I love the perspective of the animals in The Baba Yaga, seeing how nonhumans view these beings that Hellboy often finds himself fighting against. Most of Hellboy's opponents are wholly evil, which is what makes them so compelling.
Show Less
LibraryThing member eenerd
Great art and storytelling, natch.
LibraryThing member KateSherrod
Mignola is a master of bending folklore -- very gently -- to serve his narrative purposes. The title story of this collection is a grand example of this talent at work.
LibraryThing member Kavinay
Outstanding. When the stories get shorter, Mignola's writing gets more charming and rivals the excellence of his art. It reminds me of some of the best of Stan Sakai's Usagi Yojimbo work, where the creator is really on a roll in all facets of the stories short and long.