Hellboy and archaeologist Anastasia Bransfield trek to Iceland for evidence of a seemingly impossible network of occultists, but a fresh dig site holds answers that come at a steep—and risky—price. Hellboy in Love: The Art of Fire #1 kicks off a new adventure that can be enjoyed by long time fans as well as new readers.
While I enjoy Hellboy, I haven’t read everything and it’s been a bit since I picked up a series. So, I went into Hellboy in Love: The Art of Fire #1 fairly unfamiliar with recent events and came away enjoy the debut issue. That’s one of the things I love about Hellboy, while it rewards those who have stuck around and read everything, it’s also a series where you can pick up a story arc and just enjoy it.
Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden put the spotlight on Hellboy and Anastasia as they head to Iceland to gather clues to a mystery Anastasia has been investigating. That’s about what you need to know as far as background and all of it is explained in some way. In Iceland, the duo need to contact a long dead witch, which you know is not going to go right.
Mignola and Golden deliver a first issue that delivers the action, excitement, horror, mystery, and humor you’d expect from a Hellboy adventure and deliver it in a way that anyone can pick it up and enjoy. It’s easy to dive into, there’s little you need to know before, which is impressive for a character and series that has so much out there. It’s an interesting story about two individuals who are dating and supporting each other in different ways. There’s something sweet and cute about it all. It’s uplifting in a way to see these two front and center.
The art by Alex Nieto is interesting. Nieto also handles the color with Clem Robins on lettering and the style reminds me a bit of Mike Allred. It has a “pulp” aspect to it that fits the lighthearted feel to the comic. This isn’t a comic where the horror is the focus, and instead is more about its two leads and the art reflects that in a way.
Hellboy in Love: The Art of Fire #1 is a fun entry in the Hellboy universe that rewards long time fans but also new readers can dive into and just enjoy. Hellboy is great that way, pulling something off that far too few do. It’s the start of another adventure that can be enjoyed on its own but also adds to the bigger picture.
Story: Mike Mignola, Christopher Golden Art: Alex Nieto
Color: Alex Nieto Letterer: Clem Robins
Story: 7.75 Art: 7.75 Overall: 7.75 Recommendation: Read
Dark Horse provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle
