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‘Young Hellboy: The Hidden Land #2’ – Advance Comic Book Review

I love that there is simply an agreed-upon look for the undead in the Hellboy universe. It doesn’t matter who’s drawing it, you immediately know which world you’re involved with. Mike Mignola’s Hellboy universe is iconic in so many ways, this just being one of them. He’s pulled from so many inspirations and mythologies, from Lovecraftian horrors to Russian folklore, and in Young Hellboy: The Hidden Land, he and co-writer Thomas Sniegoski draw from someplace new and yet classic: that of the Ray Harryhausen era of filmmaking. Perfect for the time and era in which The Hidden Land exists.

In this series, Hellboy is a kid – what we’d think of as eight or nine years old. He and his father, the Professor, have been stranded on an island that’s full of giant crabs, giant apes, and dinosaurs. There’s also an ancient city with an evil magic within.

The first issue introduced us to the perils of the island, and the second issue introduces us to an ally of our stranded duo. She’s a pilot whose nickname was Sky Devil. Some time back, she, too, was stranded on this island and saved by the indigenous creatures.

While there is some forward motion to the story, there’s also some time to fill in the backstory with who the various characters are and what has brought them all together. The best thing about this series is that we can tell this era of stories matters to these creators. You can feel the influence of Tarzan, King Kong, and all of the other serials from this era. Because of that, it’s even easier to get wrapped up in and enjoy the story; there’s an easily discernible joy that permeates through everyone’s work. Rousseau fills Young Hellboy’s face full of such enthusiasm for adventure. Clem Robbins kills the lettering, allowing us to hear the excitement of the characters. Dave Stewart is a giant whose colors are always glorious. Mignola, Sniegoski, and the rest of the team have crafted a young adult Hellboy story that is candy for my soul.

Creative Team: Mike Mignola and Thomas Sniegoski (script), Craig Rousseau (art), Dave Stewart (colors), Clem Robbins (letters), Katii O’Brien (editor), Jenny Blenk (assistant editor), Patrick Satterfield (designer), Ann Gray (digital art technician)
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Click here to purchase.

Phillip Kelly, Fanbase Press Contributor

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