Calum Petrie reviews Young Hellboy: The Hidden Land #1…
I have come to love my time spent with the Hellboy comics. I’ve only previously reviewed one-shots and shorter stories, and find them extremely dense with story, leaving the reader feeling very satisfied with the experience.
This latest jaunt into into the mind of Mike Mignola and Thomas Sniegoski takes us to a earlier time in Big Red’s life. The series takes place in 1947, where a younger Professor Bruttenholm and Hellboy are setting out to an ancient Incan excavation site.
The issue definitely follows the “from bad to worse” scenario with every turn of the page. Each brings a beautifully crafted and drawn story that is not only enjoyable, but gives the reader a deeper insight into the life of Hellboy.
I can’t say when watching the movies, or reading other Hellboy comics, that I ever thought “I wonder what he was like growing up..” It never crossed my mind, yet as a being who has been on Earth since the Second World War, he certainly would have countless stories to tell. I buckled up and enjoyed my time tremendously with this issue.
Compared to the one-shots, this allows the reader more time to bask in such a vibrant and wonderful comic – an issue that left me with a smile on my face and optimistic about the upcoming issues of Hellboy in his youth.
Rating: 8/10
Calum Petrie – Follow me on Twitter – @Cetrie
