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Review: ‘Hellboy In Hell’ #2

Published

11 years ago

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Dark Horse Comics dropped one of their most anticipated titles prior to the New Year, Hellboy In Hell, bringing their most infamous characters back from the grave…sort of. Issue #1 caught us up on events surrounding Hellboy’s demise. This issue takes a different route as it focuses is on hell itself, its denizens, and its prime city but most importantly Hellboy’s true origin.

WRITTEN BY: Mike Mignola
ART BY: Mike Mignola
PUBLISHER: Dark Horse Comics
PRICE: 2.99
RELEASE DATE: January 2nd, 2013

Hellboy is in for one hell of a ride, literally, as he is taken to the main city and former seat of his father’s throne; Pandemonium. As this book progresses we are reminded of the role Hellboy was designed to take in hell, as the rightful King. Throughout both “B.P.R.D.” and “Hellboy” there have been continuous references to Hellboy’s past. Hellboy is under constant pressure to take up his father’s mantel and though he continues to refuse to do so it seems to me only a matter of time before our hero becomes a villain.

Mike Mignola has an amazing writing style; his dialogue has a philosophical air to it, continuously delivering a sense of foreboding. What I like most about his writing are his references to classic literature like Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” in the first issue and to William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” in this one. This gives the story an epic grandeur, in turn giving me the tingles.

Where Mignola’s writing is intricate and delicate, his artistic style is anything but. Very rough look which Mignola is famous for, giving the art at first glance an unfinished look but on close inspection, it is obvious that every pump in the line or overly shaded area is intended to be exactly that way. Mignola puts great amount of effort and detail into his work to give it such a rough elegance. Many other artists for “B.P.R.D.” use a similar style but no one can imitate this man’s masterful rustic precision.

Dave Stewart also plays his part to a “T” as this book would lack a lot of its life without his colouring. Stewart uses darker tones for the bulk of the art but when it comes to the fire, monsters, and other hellish elements his use of bright reds, yellows, and oranges are a not so subtle.

This book is already turning heads and its only on its second issue, the story will no doubt increase in pace and scope as we journey alongside Hellboy through Hell.

4.5/5 Skulls

Reviewed by – GreenBastard

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Comics

‘Witchblade’ is Getting Resurrected This Summer in New Comic Series from Top Cow and Image Comics

Published

1 day ago

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April 18, 2024

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Witchblade cover

Witchblade, the popular comic series that initially ran from 1995 to 2015 and launched a TV series, is getting resurrected in a new comic series from Top Cow and Image Comics. It’s set to unleash heavy metal, black magic and blood this summer.

Look for the new Witchblade series to launch on July 17, 2024.

In Witchblade #1, “New York City Police Detective Sara Pezzini’s life was forever fractured by her father’s murder. Cold, cunning, and hellbent on revenge, Sara now stalks a vicious criminal cabal beneath the city, where an ancient power collides and transforms her into something wild, magnificent, and beyond her darkest imaginings. How will Sara use this ancient power, or will she be consumed by it?”

The series is penned by NYT Best-Selling writer Marguerite Bennett (Animosity, Batwoman, DC Bombshells) and visualized by artist Giuseppe Cafaro (Suicide Squad, Power Rangers, Red Sonja). The creative duo is working with original co-creator Marc Silvestri, who is the CEO of Top Cow Productions Inc. and one of the founders of Image Comics. They are set to reintroduce the series to Witchblade’s enduring fans with “a reimagined origin with contemporary takes on familiar characters and new story arcs that will hook new readers and rekindle the energy and excitement that fueled the 90’s Image Revolution that shaped generations of top creators.”

Bennett said in a statement, “The ability to tell a ferocious story full of monsters, sexuality, vision, and history was irresistible.” She adds, “Our saga is sleek, vicious, ferocious, and has a lot to say about power in the 21st century and will be the first time that we are stopping the roller coaster to let more people on. I’ve loved Witchblade since I was a child, and there is truly no other heroine like Sara with such an iconic legacy and such a rich, brutal relationship to her own body.”

“The Witchblade universe is being modernized to reflect how Marguerite beautifully explores the extreme sides of Sara through memories, her personal thoughts, like desire and hunger, in her solitude and when she is possessed by the Witchblade. So, I had to visually intersect a noir True Detective-like world with a supernatural, horror world that is a fantastic mix between Berserk and Zodiac,” Cafaro stated.

Marc Silvestri notes, “This is brand new mythology around Sara, and I can’t wait for you to fall in love with her and all the twists and turns. Discover Witchblade reimagined this summer, and join us as we bring all the fun of the 90s to the modern age and see how exciting comics can be. I can’t wait for you to read this new series.”

Witchblade#1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, July 17th, for $4.99 for 48 pages. And it’ll come with multiple cover variants.

  • Cover A: Marc Silvestri and Arif Prianto (Full Color)

  • Cover B: Giuseppe Cafaro and Arif Prianto (Full Color)

  • Cover C: Blank Sketch Cover

  • Cover D (1/10): Dani and Brad Simpson (Full Color)

  • Cover E (1/25): Marc Silvestri and Arif Prianto, Virgin Cover (Full Color)

  • Cover F (1/50): J.Scott Campbell (Full Color)

  • Cover G (1/100): Bill Sienkiewicz. (Full Color)

  • Cover H (1/250): Line art by Marc. Virgin Cover, Inks (B/W)

Witchblade #1 will also be available across many digital platforms, including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play.

Witchblade comic panel Witchblade #1 cover image

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