The Good
The issue reads like poetry, both simple and intricate all at once. As we saw in the previous two issues of HELLBOY IN HELL, this one fully utilizes minimalism in the way that it is structured, illustrated and written. Mignola chooses his words carefully, allowing the abstract yet simple images to tell the majority of the story for him. Reading this you may have to read between the lines a little bit to really grasp the full scope of the story, but that's okay. It is worth reading more than once to get a better understanding of what is going on, but beyond that, it's also equally as entertaining the second or third read-through as it is the first time.
The issue is laden with shadows which Mignola uses liberally to set the tone and the mood of his story, and the result is an incredibly aesthetically pleasing, absolutely breathtaking issue. The art is just gorgeous.
The story opens with a dialogue exchange between Hellboy and his Uncle. The mood in this first page is incredibly dark and brooding, and I liked the way that Mignola broke up the scenes set in the present with flashback scenes washed in a red hue.
The dialogue is great. Mignola uses language that is more elaborate, and this is broken up by Hellboy's care-free, bold, quick witted responses. It's a great series of moments and the dialogue exchange between these characters is light and interesting. It is definitely something to see the interactions and the set up made by one of the characters. The ending is incredibly unexpected which really knocks it out of the park.
The Bad
There was really nothing bad about this issue.
The Verdict
How Mignola is able to top the previous two issues since this series relaunched is something that completely leaves me in awe. Everything about it from the art, to the dialogue to the abstractness of the story, to the hints at underlying themes and the surprise ending makes this one of my most anticipated reads each month, and this month's issue is no different. The story is beautiful and is a bit on the existential side in the sense that it really makes readers question who Hellboy is and what his purpose is. It's incredibly well crafted, and the ending will absolutely shock you.
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