The Outhouse - The Greatest Comic Book Forum

[******]

I hate scoring or grading or whatever. I think someone should just read the review and know how good you think it is, but... if I gotta, I gotta: 8.5. Not the greatest Hellboy story ever, but still a great Hellboy story.

Necessary evil when compiling and comparing results from a wide cross section of people over a 5 year period.

[David Bird]

Okay, my question: What is the process for picking artistic collaborators?

Since Mignola restricted himself to covers, a lot of people have taken a turn at Hellboy--unlike B.P.R.D., where Guy Davis quickly established himself as the title's artist--who decides who will be given the opportunity? On what basis? How are they approached? Who have you wanted to see try, but haven't been able to get? Any chance Hellboy will be getting his own Guy Davis (who will take over the principle work)?

And that's one question!

[BlueStreak]

Memory Review!

Comics like Double Feature of Evil show why the one-shot isn't entirely dead in comicdom. Mike Mignola shows it's possible to write a simple story with no reprecussions that's fun and enjoyable. While I generally read the Hellboy in trades, issues like this make me wonder if there's any other hidden gems that I'm missing. My only complaint is that the art isn't Mignola's as well. Although Corben does an admirable job with art, no artist can really live up to Mignola's interpretation of the characters.

Story: 9
Art: 8

Overall: 8.5

[BlueStreak]

Also, friendly reminder that the cutoff for questions is 9:30 PM, EST. I'll be assembling the questions after that.

[Victorian Squid]

David Bird stole my question.

[******]

Hellboy: Double Feature of Evil

Seeing as this was my pick, it should be pretty obvious that I love Hellboy. I tend to have lots of favorite comics, but Hellboy and B.P.R.D. in conjunction would have to be my favorite favorite. While the big sweeping epics filled with building continuity are amazing, it's nice to get one of these stand alone one shots once or twice a year just as a reminder that underneath all that destiny stuff is a damn fun character.

This being a double feature, both of these stories taking place in 1960 is just about the perfect setting and Hellboy investigating old B.P.R.D. cases always makes for fun comic booking. While in the first story we get a more complete telling from introduction to completion, in the second there's a bit more of a sense of being in progress. Both are equally quirky and fun be it a house buying souls by the coin or an Egyptian alligator deity taking offense to prayers made to a rival.

Every time I read a Hellboy comic with Richard Corben art I'm amazed at how he maintains his very specific and unique style but still blends it with the look Mignola established when he was the primary artist. When combined with Dave Stewart's always brilliant colors, it produces a delightfully weird result that is unlike anything else in comics.

As far as finding some little nitpick or gripe with this goes, I got nothing. It was a charming little comic that entertained me. That's the whole reason for reading these things, right?

Story: 10
Art: 10
Overall: 10

[******]

So the questions are supposed to be specific to Double Feature of Evil, right?

Hurm, hard.

Oookay.

Mike, in a lot of the afterwords in the trade and library collections you've talked about the folklore and other inspiration for your stories. What was the primary inspiration for the house in Sullivan's Reward?

[******]

Why don't you draw anymore?

As usual, Punchy speaks without knowledge.

Mignola is doing a series of Hellboy stories in USA Today.

http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/201 ... 1_ST_N.htm

[Starlord]

This was a really good week, by the way. Really enjoyed the stories and it looks like nobody was really disappointed.

[Zero]

Hellboy: Double Feature of Evil

Hellboy typically comes in two flavours. Big ol' epics with punching and shorter, more idiosyncratic stories. They usually feature punching, and we get two of them here.

I'd love to get a peek at Mike Mignola's library as I'm sure it's full of books which themselves are filled with wonderful little stories which themselves are filled with wonderfully odd situations which themselves are filled with delightfully creepy characters like Sullivan. The addition of Hellboy to these stories adds a layer of humour to the proceedings and his weary attitude towards the supernatural is a nice contrast to the mayhem around him, especially in the second story. Both stories have nice little ideas, but only the first off them really lingers afterward, the second feeling rather too familiar to really stand out.

Richard Corben is a great artist, and while I still miss Mignola's own stylish and shadowy art the rounder look provided here works well to see the slightly sleazy vibe the two 'villains' here need. The first story in particular gets credit for both the creepiness and the humour required for the coins and the dusty, sepia toned feel of both stories sell the time period we're playing in well.

One great Hellboy story and one perfectly serviceable one is as much as anyone can ask from a comic these days. There's nothing quite like these comics and I'm always grateful for the chance to read shorter stories like these.

8

For a question if I'm not too late:

What's your favourite piece of folklore that you haven't been able to fold into the Hellboy mythos?

For a different thing: Great way to send off Snowypoo, and a great way to get us all on side Streak.

[48THRiLLS]

I got to my shop later than I normally do and they were out so I am skipping this week.

[Victorian Squid]

Hellboy: Double Feature of Evil

After the wordless intro simulating the camera panning into the old movie theater I was sold already, because I'm a big Hellboy fan but I'm an even bigger Richard Corben fan and seeing his take on Hellboy again is an automatic win right there.

The movie theater of the dead double-feature frames two "Tales From the Crypt"-type stories that feel like something straight out of the past, from EC Comics' early days, also informed by Corben's style.

This one-shot follows closely on the heels of the Hellboy/Beasts of Burden one-shot that was a solid ten for me. Only the fact that the second story felt a little slight to me, as though Hellboy were more a spectator in his own story, prevents me from giving this book a perfect score as well. It's a minor qualm though, so:

9.5

QUESTION FOR MIKE MIGNOLA:

Do you think one-shots like this one and the Beast of Burden crossover can be read in isolation from the greater Hellboy continuity? In other words, if one is several trade paperbacks behind in one's Hellboy reading, can a person read these one-shots before they are caught up with the regular book?

[Greg]

I plan to pick up the issue and review it, but one question I have: Any possibility of finally getting Caribbean based folklore, specifically Haitian folklore characters/stories showcased in one of your books?

[Victorian Squid]

I'm pretty sure non-members who don't post reviews before cut-off are sort of exempt.

[******]

After the wordless intro simulating the camera panning into the old movie theater I was sold already, because I'm a big Hellboy fan but I'm an even bigger Richard Corben fan and seeing his take on Hellboy again is an automatic win right there.

I want a full size replica of Richard Corben's Bride of Frankenstein movie poster.