My Wife: Has A Different Kind Of Fury For Hellboy

Hellboy is too good for comic books.

Hellboy: The Fury #1
Written by Mike Mignola
Art by Duncan Fegredo & Dave Stewart
Published by Dark Horse Comics

Yeah, I said it. So what do I possibly mean by that? Well. I just find this comic too good to be limited to the standard comic book form. I can see the appeal of "waiting for the trade" when I read Hellboy.

First of all, it's just so cinematic, and even though I hate using that word (because it is both overused and relatively useless for capturing the totality of Hellboy's visual achievements which roughly described might be that there is not only amazing storytelling through pictures in these books, but amazing storytelling delivered with a constant, stunning beauty even when the a picture is of something violent, or something simple, or just something that in standard life doesn't require, demand or attract attention), I LOVE the art in this - looking at it makes me want to, like, dive into it like its water, it is that inviting, and so I resort to the word "cinematic", which to my mind calls up thoughts of total immersion, which I think best describes what happens inside a Hellboy story.

And the story - oh the story! - is of course fascinating, and one that I want much more of, which is where my "too good for comic books" line comes from. I feel like I got just a taste of what's about to happen. It felt too short. It felt almost like a tease. So much happens in this comic's various plot threads, and so many questions arise that as I came to the end of this issue I thought - that's it? (Actually, I thought: "that's IT? If so, that is NOT okay, because you CANNOT STOP NOW".)

What's funny about that is, when this was handed to me and I felt the book, it's weight in my hand, and I thought of the daily schedule I was under, the way the days were starting so early and then going so late and I thought, "Oh God - I love Hellboy and all - but how long is this going to take me to read?"

Now I just want to know what happens next. And I kind of want Duncan Fegredo to come and decorate our apartment. Just put murals and artwork all over our walls. I'd never leave, but my shut-in status would be one of great visual pleasure.

Is this is a short review that tells you how much I like this book without telling you a thing about it? Ha ha! What a tease I am, huh? Well....I don't want to deprive you of an amazing experience. You're just going to have to read this one for yourself.

And maybe I'll give up a little more of the plot after issue two.