Writer: Mike Mignola, Rob Williams Artist: Laurence Campbell Letterer: Clem Robins Colorist: Quinton Winter, Dave Stewart Cover Artist: Laurence Campbell Publication Date: January 12, 2022 Format: FC, 32 pages; Miniseries Price: $3.99
From the ancient warrior Gall Dennar, to Sir Edward Grey, to the B.P.R.D.’s Agent Howards, the iconic Hyperborean sword from the world of Hellboy has landed in many influential hands. And this has been no accident. Trace the sword’s path through the adventures and encounters that finally brought it to Ragna Rok, at the end of the world, and witness the sword’s journey through history.
Hellboy creator Mike Mignola gives us a new tale from the world of Hellboy, cowritten by Rob Williams and featuring the art of Mignolaverse veteran Laurence Campbell to deliver never-before-seen Hellboy lore!
Hellboy comics can be a hell of a lot of fun. Mike Mignola has created characters and a world that balances a rich and complicated universe but also can deliver stories that can be picked up and enjoyed with little knowledge. Mignola has figured out how to balance the ongoing narrative with the one-shot. Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: 1957—Family Ties is example of the comic you can just pick up and enjoy. You have to have little knowledge of the characters but if you do, there’s clearly more to this issue.
Written by Mignola and Chris Roberson, Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: 1957—Family Ties has Hellboy and Agent Xiang looking for a book that can summon demons. It takes them to a house where unnatural things are occurring or it could be horrible family relations. There’s not a ton you really need to know to enjoy the comic. It’s a pretty typical “fight demons” type of story. Where it works well is the build up and tension.
Mignola and Roberson keep the readers guessing. Who’s the malignant force in the house? Who is going to be the demon they must fight? Where’s the demon they’ll have to fight? It’s all pretty standard but the way it’s presented will leave you not knowing who can be trusted until that’s revealed. There’s also some solid creepy moments. You get a cinematic feel as the horrors are presented. While it doesn’t deliver scares, there’s a general unease created by the imagery that works really well.
That’s due to the art of Laurence Campbell. Joined by Dave Stewart on colors and Clem Robins lettering, the visuals for the comic are excellent. There are some solid moments that really will make readers unease but never grossed out. There’s the type of visuals you’re not expecting so they deliver a slight punch as they’re revealed. But, it’s all done in a way that doesn’t really scare as opposed to make readers “sick”. With the colors and pencils combined, the art has a vibe about it that is more unease and gross than make you not want to turn a page.
Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: 1957—Family Ties is a solid start to this series of one-shot comics. It has some details that fans of the Hellboy world will enjoy but those who have never read a story can ignore and not miss anything. It’s a solid horror comic for this Halloween season and one fans of Hellboy or the horror genre should check out.
Story: Mike Mignola and Chris Roberson Art: Laurence Campbell Color: Dave Stewart Letterer: Clem Robins Story: 8.15 Art: 8.3 Overall: 8.2 Recommendation: Buy
Dark Horse provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
The year is 1957 and change is in the air. This is the year that Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show for the final time. It is the year that the Wham-O Company produces the first Frisbee. The year that Andrei Gromyko becomes foreign minister of the Soviet Union, that Dwight D. Eisenhower is sworn in as the President of the United States, and that Congress approves the Eisenhower Doctrine and its assistance to Communist-threatened foreign regimes. It is, in short, the perfect year for the events of Hellboy & The BPRD 1950’s comics and the Occult Cold War storyline to come to a head.
This September, Dark Horse Comics will publish Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: 1957—Family Ties, the first of a series of five suspense-filled, stand-alone and interconnected one-shots that will conclude the Hellboy & The BPRD 1950’s comics and set the stage for a new Hellboy & The BPRD set during the tumult of the 1960s. Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: 1957—Family Ties is co-written by legendary Hellboy creator Mike Mignola and bestselling iZombie co-creator Chris Roberson, featuring art and a cover by Laurence Campbell, coloring by Eisner Award-winning colorist Dave Stewart and lettering by Clem Robins. Each of the 5 interconnected one-shots will feature a different artist; each comic will feature a cover by the extraordinary Laurence Campbell:
Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: 1957— Family Ties, featuring art by Laurence Campbell
Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: 1957— Forgotten Lives, featuring art by Stephen Green;
Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: 1957— Fearful Symmetry, featuring art by Alison Sampson
Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: 1957—Falling Sky, featuring art by Shawn Martinbrough
Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: 1957— From Below, featuring art by Mike Norton
Before they can track down an errant copy of Gustav Strobl’s Witchcraft and Demonology, Hellboy and B.P.R.D. agent Susan Xiang is sidetracked by a beset housewife’s pleas for help in Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: 1957— Family Ties. Unraveling the mystery of an unwanted house guest may lead the occult investigators right to where they wanted to be, but also right into demonic danger.
Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: 1957— Family Ties will be published by Dark Horse Comics on September 15, 2021, as a full-colored 32-page comic.
Hellboy has appeared in countless graphic novels and comic books, prose novels and short story collections, acclaimed role-playing games and videogames, three live-action films and two animated features, and has inspired countless toys and collectibles. Now, award-winning Hellboy creator Mike Mignola is getting his turn in the spotlight in the all-new documentary Mike Mignola: Drawing Monsters, which tells the definitive story of one of the most influential and important comic book creators of all time. This feature-length film includes never-before-seen interviews conducted with the legendary creator at his studio, drawing demonstrations, behind-the-scenes footage from comic book conventions, and interviews with some of the most influential people in entertainment, including Neil Gaiman (American Gods), Steven Universe creator Rebecca Sugar, Victor LaValle (The Ballad Of Black Tom), artist Tara McPherson, and comic book superstars like Vita Ayala, Duncan Fegredo, Fábio Moon, and Joe Quesada. Mike Mignola: Drawing Monstersis now on Kickstarter for a month-long campaign that runs throughout March.
As one of the most successful independent comic book creators, Mignola has inspired generations of writers and artists. Mike Mignola: Drawing Monsters provides an in-depth look at his legacy, from the beginning of his career working as an inker for Marvel Comics to his success with Hellboy. The film features never-before-told revelations from Neil Gaiman about the Mignolaverse and the production of Guillermo Del Toro’s Hellboy II, and an interview with Steven Universe creator Rebecca Sugar discussing Mignola’s influence on her creation.
The documentary features Mythbusters host Adam Savage, Hellboy film actor Doug Jones and actress Vanessa Eichhotlz, novelists Christopher Golden (of the bestselling Ben Walker novels) and Victor LaValle (The Ballad Of Black Tom), Dark Horse Publisher and founder Mike Richardson, Dark Horse Editor Katii O’Brien, Marvel EVP of Creative Development Joe Quesada, comic book writers Vita Ayala (The Wilds), Chris Roberson (Hellboy & The B.P.R.D.) and Thomas Sniegoski (Young Hellboy), and award-winning cartoonist Fábio Moon (Daytripper), as well as interviews and art demonstrations with painter Jason Shawn Alexander, Duncan Fegredo (Hellboy: The Wild Hunt), Michael Avon Oeming (B.P.R.D.: The Soul Of Venice), award-winning colorist Dave Stewart and, of course, Mignola himself.
Mike Mignola: Drawing Monsters is being co-directed and produced by Jim Demonakos (founder, LightBox Expo and ECCC) and Kevin Hanna (Clockwork Girl), an American director noted for his work in feature film, animation, comic books, and television.
The Kickstartercampaign features tiers with the Mike Mignola: Drawing Monstersfilm digitally or on Blu-Ray, as well as a Kickstarter exclusive t-shirt, original art, a commission from Mignola himself, the opportunity to receive an executive producer credit on the film, and an incredible Hellboy Portfolio Print Set that is exclusive to the Kickstarter campaign, featuring new 9″x12″ Hellboy prints by Mignola and Dave Stewart, Laurence Campbell, Duncan Fegredo, Alex Maleev, Fábio Moon, Mike Norton, Paolo Rivera, Craig Rousseau, Tim Sale, and Ben Stenbeck. All the artists involved have previously drawn interiors for various Mignolaverse books.
Filming will continue and is scheduled to be completed in the fall/winter of 2021, with the finished film debuting by spring of 2022.
Fans of the Hellboy universe know that Rasputin is the man responsible for bringing Hellboy to Earth, but when did the mad monk find his calling to bring about Ragna Rok? Following his iconic appearance in Hellboy: The Conqueror Worm, how did the mysterious Visitor stay hidden on Earth for so long? Where did the legendary Sledgehammer armor really come from? Hellboy Universe: The Secret Histories collects in hardcover for the first time three acclaimed stories that shed new light on the hidden corners of the Hellboy universe: Rasputin: The Voice of the Dragon, Sledgehammer 44, and The Visitor: How and Why He Stayed.
Dark Horse Books will release Hellboy Universe: The Secret Histories in the summer of 2021, featuring an all-new cover by legendary creator Mike Mignola and award-winning colorist Dave Stewart and 420 pages of stories by John Arcudi, Chris Roberson, Laurence Campbell, Christopher Mitten, Dave Stewart, and others.
Hellboy Universe: The Secret Histories will be available in comic stores on June 2nd, 2021 and in bookstores on June 15th, 2021 for $39.99.
(W) Ollie Masters, Rob Williams (A/CA) Laurence Campbell In Shops: Sep 16, 2020 SRP: $3.99
Three Made Men, standing at the brink of retirement, find their unbreakable bond put to the ultimate test when they are suddenly – and literally – assaulted by the ghosts of their past. Confronted by decades of buried secrets – resentments, affairs, double-crosses, and murders – the three friends have no choice but to unearth the deepest, darkest sin from their past and pray they don’t find an empty grave.
I’m a big fan of mob films. I can watch films like The Godfather, Goodfellas, New Jack City, and Casino, over and over. What you rarely is that genre mashed up with others. There have been attempts at comedy or romance but most films are pretty siloed in style. Old Haunts #1 is an interesting spin on the mob story as it attempts to deliver something new, a mob story with a horror twist.
Written by Ollie Masters and Rob Williams, Old Haunts #1 introduces us to three mobsters who have a literal pile of bodies underneath them. They have decided to get out of the business and move on. But, their past crime doesn’t want them to. It’s a take on the concept of one’s past coming back to haunt you.
The result is pretty decent, enough that I really want to see where it goes.
The story delivers a few cliches from the genre and Old Haunts #1 is mostly set up but there’s enough there to want to see more. The issue is, our three main characters are generally forgettable. They each have some minor things to set them apart but they generally blend away after reading. Not long after I’ve read the first issue and each character’s name is already forgotten.
It’s the character types that really stand out and that plays into the horror aspect. Instead of the “slut” we have one character who pays for sex. We still have the tough guy who’s surely going to die. Then there’s the nice guy who’s probably supposed to be the protagonist that we cheer for in hopes they survive and are happy. It’s not bad but you can see there’s a bit plug and play going on. Still, it works as a start setting up what’s to come.
The art by Laurence Campbell is pretty solid. With color by Lee Loughridge and lettering by Sal Cipriano, it relies heavily on shadows delivering a style that fits the noir/crime genre. Blues, reds, yellows, and purples, with a heavy dose of black pepper the panels giving the comic a very interesting look that befits the story. The characters are definitely different in their look and style, but run into that issue that they also don’t stand out. It’s not bad but also a comic that you’ll remember liking but nothing specific you can really pinpoint. The horror aspects though absolutely deliver a creepy vibe and go in a solid direction I want to see more of.
As an introduction, Old Haunts #1 is interesting and entertaining. It brings together two genres you don’t see mashed up often. It’s a good introduction that as a piece of the bigger story will be fine but on its own falls a little short. It lacks that little bit something special that really puts it over the top. But, like a horror film, that’s also not the point. This is the lull before the storm and we really want to see the scares from here. As a set up to that, it works quite well.
Story: Ollie Masters, Rob Williams Art: Laurence Campbell Color: Lee Loughridge Letterer: Sal Cipriano Story: 7.5 Art: 7.5 Overall: 7.5 Recommendation: Read
AWA Studios provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
AWA Studios has released the official trailer for the supernatural crime thriller, Old Haunts, written by Ollie Masters and Rob Williams, art by Laurence Campbell, colors by Lee Loughridge, and lettering by Sal Cipriano. Old Haunts has an updated release date of June 10, 2020.
Three Made Men, standing at the brink of retirement, find their unbreakable bond put to the ultimate test when they are suddenly assaulted by the ghosts of their past. Confronted by decades of buried secrets – resentments, affairs, double-crosses, and murders – the three friends have no choice but to unearth the deepest, darkest sin from their past and pray they don’t find an empty grave.
Upshot Now #0 kicks off AWA’s upcoming titles with black and white first issues of three series along with previews of five other comics!
Story: J. Michael Straczynski, Michael Moreci, Jason Starr, Frank Cho, John Lees, Benjamin Percy, Ollie Masters, Rob Williams Art: Mike Deodato, Jr., C.P. Smith, Will Conrad, Dalibor Talajić, Ramon Rosanas, Laurence Campbell, Bretn Schoonover Color: Sabine Rich Letterer: Sal Cipriano Covers: Rahzzah, Jeff Dekal, Tim Bradstreet, Kaare Andrews
Get your copy now! To find a comic shop near you, visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook or digitally and online with the links below.
Writer: Mike Mignola, Scott Allie
Artist: Laurence Campbell
Colorist: Dave Stewart
Cover Artist: Duncan Fegredo
Genre: Horror
Publication Date: July 26, 2017
Before they were vanquished by the BPRD, Lovecraftian monsters created a Hell on Earth. Now Liz Sherman leads a crew through monster-infested ruins on the most important rescue mission of her life. As society tries to rebuild, strange cults vie for influence, and a demon emerges to lead the way . .
