Hellboy: The Crooked Man # 1
Written by Mike Mignola
Art by Richard Corben & Dave Stewart
Published by Dark Horse Comics
Why did I choose Hellboy this week? First, I'd recently read B.P.R.D., and although I didn't enjoy that particular issue, I was intrigued by it. (Hellboy was mentioned a time or two in that issue, so I knew about a connection.) Secondly, I've recently seen Iron Man (which was fine) and Incredible Hulk (which was stupid) on the big screen and therefore was treated to previews of the upcoming Hellboy movie. Again, I was further intrigued. Subsequently, there are all these 10 second youTube videos of Hellboy, which are so damn intriguing. Lots of intrigue.
So, hey, obviously I'm a marketers dream right now. Nevertheless, all those things DID in fact lead me to pick up this comic this week. So, marketing staff: Well Done.
Now, what did I think of it? Well, I really enjoyed it. At this point, if you read my Virgin Read articles regularly, you know that I'm slowly making my way through the entire series of Buffy. What you may not know, is that I've just finished reading Grapes of Wrath for the first time. So, it may be no coincidence that upon reading this comic, I truly felt like it was a cross between Grapes of Wrath and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And not just because the main character's name is Tom. But, you know, Appalachian Mountains in VA is comparable to the feel of Depression Era Oklahoma. Right? And then all the witchcraft, Devil and darkness stuff? The only current equivalent in my life I could come up with was Buffy.
So, when I first started reading, I immediately thought the Joad family in Grapes. And so, the first time that a character was referred to as a "witch," my head was still in the realm of Steinbeckian fiction. I immediately thought that we had some "mountain-folk-logic" on our hands. You know, just some average, everyday ignorance attempting to explain what they don't understand by calling it, "magic."
Wake-up call! I'm reading a comic book, and that means we've got a real witch here, folks. The Devil to boot! Again: Buffy-ish.
Of course, then we've got the Tom Joad-esque behavior of our Hellboy character (conveniently named) Tom. You know, he's already "wanted" and figures he'll just sacrifice himself for the good of others. Wait, I guess that's more like the Preacher Casey's behavior. Or…actually, is that more Jesus-y? Ah, I'm a Jew, and so I rarely pick up on Christian symbolism. Looks like I just did, though. So, hey. Yay for me! And Jesus?
There's a lot that I feel I still don't know about this comic. I don't really know anymore about Hellboy than I did before reading it. Who is he? Why does he look like that? What are his powers? (Does he have powers?) But rather than being disappointed in not knowing these things, I just feel drawn to reading the next issue. I mean, if feels like I've read the first chapter of a longer book. Which, since its issue one of three, I guess I did. And, honestly, totally honestly, I'm definitely going to read the other two issues. I'm interested enough to make that promise. I think along with the story that interest, that enjoyment? A good part of that to do with the art. I'm no Art Critic (nor am I a Comic Critic for that matter), but the art and story went hand in hand here. In other books I've read, I often do all the reading and then go back and skim the pictures. But in this case I read and looked at the same time. In fact, as I went to the next page, first I took in the art, and then I read the words. Not my usual order. Things are changing. A lady becomes a woman, a moon becomes a star, a baby chews beef jerky. Evolution.
So, ah….that's all I got. I'd like to read the next two issues before the movie comes out. But if not, I may have to go back and read some back issues and get my questions answered. Or, ya'll can fill me in!
-Nina Stone, 2008
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