Review – Hellboy in Hell #7 (Dark Horse Comics)

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Writer/Artist: Mike Mignola
Release Date: 26th August, 2015

It’s been a good while since the last issue of Hellboy in Hell, and I can honestly say I’ve missed it. I didn’t know I had, but by the time I was a couple of pages in I had the biggest shit-eating grin on my face. Mignola is a true master of his craft, from the way he manages to tangle in pieces of humour to a reasonably dark tale to the way that negative space is used to further the story to the way it’s almost what isn’t shown more that what’s actually on the page that makes the biggest impression.

What is on the page, however, is nothing short of a masterpiece. For some reason Mignola’s work apparently “isn’t for everyone”, and I can almost understand. It’s unique to a point of being instantly recognisable, with odd shapes, sharp angles and an unabashed love of using black space in his panel structure.

Dave Stewart, as always, does an incredible job of subtly adding colour to an incredibly dark book (it is set in Hell, after all), and the decision to have slight changes in HB’s skin tone is a stroke of genius.

Speaking of which, a little about the story; Hellboy is still in Hell (funnily enough) and seems to have contracted a parasite that has latched onto his very soul. We’re greeted on the opening pages by Doctors trying to help him, with more than just a hint of Marley and Marley about them. Come to think of it, there’s quite a strong feeling of Muppets about this issue. Not a criticism by any means, just an observation! The inclusion of “bubble bubble, toil and trouble” was a nice touch as well.

Hopefully now the book will be on a steady release with the new arc, as I really don’t want to have to wait that long again!

Rating: A very easy 5/5. As if I was going to give it anything else.

INTERIOR ARTWORK
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