Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: The Return of Effie Kolb #1
Recap
Years after he banished the Crooked Man, Hellboy returns to Appalachia when a young psychic warns Tom Ferrell of looming danger. But the Crooked Man's house is no longer empty, and threats both new and old simmer in the Virginia woods.
Mike Mignola returns to continue the tale of ''The Crooked Man.'' He's joined by artist Zach Howard and colorist Dave Stewart for a stellar fright fest!
Review
We return to the classic Hellboy story featuring he Crooked Man in Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: The Return of Effie Kolb #1, picking up decades later to find the terrors in the night still returning for poor old Tom and a new little girl, Sara May Blackburn…
As a big fan of the original tale, I was excited at the prospect of a return to these characters and the lore surrounding Effie Kolb the witch. While seeing old Tom made my heart hurt, the emotions run deep through this entire story. Hellboy’s presence almost feels graceful, which is incredibly hard to capture but this creative team pulls it off. The introduction of a new psychic girl Blackburn kicks off the new story as we explore the potentials of a possible new witch amidst the familiar Virginia woods.
This story strikes a perfect balance between catching readers up on the events of The Crooked Man and what happened with Effie Kolb as well as introducing and developing a new story to follow up on those events. It’s a natural progression that brings plenty of scares and intriguing mysteries to delve into. My only problem is, I’m already more interested in what’s going on with Blackburn and what her future may hold than I am in the actual return of Effie Kolb. Knowing Mignola’s storytelling prowess though, we are certain to get rewarding follow-ups to both of these plot lines in the second and final issue.
Zach Howard’s artwork does a great job in bringing the essence of Richard Corben’s aesthetic from The Crooked Man into something of it’s own in Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: The Return of Effie Kolb #1. It feels both familiar and fresh, with a solid vision of Hellboy that feels less stiff than we’ve seen. With Dave Stewart’s iconic colors, it truly feels like a welcome return to the story from years ago.
Though only a two-parter, Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: The Return of Effie Kolb is already on track to become another instant classic with its first issue. Longtime fans will absolutely find a lot to love within these pages, but it doesn’t leave new readers looking to jump in behind either.
Do yourself a favor and pick this book up!
Final Thoughts
With remarkable artwork and a heartfelt story, Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: The Return of Effie Kolb #1 puts the two-part story on track to become another instant classic in the ongoing Hellboy saga.
Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: The Return of Effie Kolb #1: On the Devil’s Time
- Writing - 9.5/109.5/10
- Storyline - 10/1010/10
- Art - 9.5/109.5/10
- Color - 9.5/109.5/10
- Cover Art - 9/109/10
