Hellboy in Love: The Art of Fire #2: Season of the Witch

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.