I love a good Hellboy tale more than almost anything else. Like Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman or Lone Wolf and Cub, his stories are a comforting place to return to.

This new two-part series focuses on Hellboy with a sidekick, Sara May Blackburn, who is a wonderful addition to canon while sidelining the B.P.R.D and – at the same time – bringing back a previous baddie: The Crooked Man.

Mignola is a deft writer of exposition. He catches you up on everything you need to know and tells you what the mission of the series is. Sara sometimes knows things before they happen. Also, she may or may not be a witch. Regardless, she knows something bad is about to happen, so the duo set off into a night that comes too quickly.

Mignola truly is great in that he has perfected the ability to spin a yarn. Additionally, this issue has incredible artwork from Zach Howard who is the real deal. It helps that Dave Stewart, master colorist, is on the series, but Howard’s look and feel at work here are wonderful. His thin, inky lines give the world a gritty texture that’s beautiful and haunting.

#StoriesMatter for a lot of reasons, and there is specifically a magical item in this issue that brings me great joy. It’s perfectly absurd. It’s the details and world building like this that makes me love the world of Hellboy that much more, and that will keep me coming back over and over again.

Creative Team: Mike Mignola (story), Zach Howard (art), Dave Stewart (colors), Clem Robbins (letters), Katii O’Brien (editor), Jenny Blenk (assistant editor)
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
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