Hellboy in Love: The Art of Fire #2
Kevin Rossi
Recap
A supernatural entity in an Icelandic cave gives Hellboy and Anastasia the answers they seek, but has other ideas when the two of them try to leave with their newfound knowledge.
Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden join artist Alex Nieto in a return to Hellboy's adventures of both the supernatural and the heart.
Review
With Hellboy in Love: The Art of Fire #2 – written by Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden, with art by Alex Nieto, and lettered by Clem Robins – readers find Hellboy and Anastasia Bransfield face to face with a resurrected witch, and things are not going well. This issue concludes the two-issue mini-series, and it does so in a satisfying manner. The heart and focus of this series has always been Hellboy and Stasia’s relationship, and the conclusion of this issue keeps the focus on it. However, it also does a fantastic job of leaving things open for not only more Hellboy in Love entries, but the wider lore of this universe. For one, while Hellboy and Stasia survive this whole ordeal, they aren’t the only ones. The other element is that Mignola and Golden included Liz, Abe, and Professor Bruttenholm dealing with the absence of Hellboy. Hellboy’s numerous leaves of absence are key moments in the history of the B.P.R.D, and it would be interesting to see more of that side of things.
With Hellboy in Love: The Art of Fire #2, Alex Nieto has proven themselves to be able to tackle a Hellboy story, somehow capturing Mignola’s distinct visual voice while making it their own. Nieto’s style perfectly balances the horror elements with the romantic themes of the series, which is easier said than done. In addition to Nieto’s art and coloring, Clem Robins’ familiar lettering once again binds the script and art together, ensuring that Hellboy in Love: The Art of Fire reads like a classic Hellboy story.
Final Thoughts
Hellboy in Love: The Art of Fire #2 is another fantastic entry in the Hellboy Universe and Hellboy in Love series. The creative team packs a lot into just two issues and hits so many of the classic story beats of a Hellboy tale. While The Art of Fire is just one entry into the larger Hellboy in Love story, one or two more issues would have been nice to flesh out some of the additional elements that are introduced in this issue.
Hellboy in Love: The Art of Fire #2: Season of the Witch
- Writing - 8/108/10
- Storyline - 8/108/10
- Art - 8/108/10
- Color - 8/108/10
- Cover Art - 8/108/10
