Hellboy Winter Special 2018: Ghosts, Animals and JUSTICE

I will begin by saying I was a little disappointing by this issue, which fell a little short of last years special, although my perception could be tainted by my lack of understanding the middle story, would an editor note have been so hard? (eg *read BPRD The Devil You Know for more info!) As a reader I felt a little lost in the first and second stories despite having read a lot of Hellboy (own all 4 omnis) and might have liked a title page for each story with a quick recap.

That said I did really enjoy the Lobster Johnson story and the first one wasn’t bad, just mildly confusing at times. This issue is half or less the cost of this seasons other holiday specials, so that alone makes it worth getting rather than spending 10$ on 2 stories you like and 8 you don’t.

The art was consistently great throughout including the second story which I otherwise didn’t like, I really enjoyed the panel of the flying toad thing flying off with the frog lady (see? mildly confusing) and the art in the Lobster Johnson story was great as well.

As far as winter specials go this wasn’t bad, wasting no time with unnecessary Christmas messages or even worse forced feeling attempts to integrate other religions. (with the exception of Ben Grimm celebrating Hanukah with other Jewish heroes, which I’ve always enjoyed) Not that I don’t think other religions need representation, I mostly just don’t like religious messages in comics, but that’s not a discussion for this review.