The Serpent in the Garden: Ed Grey and the Last Battle for England #1: A Rebirth

Mike Mignola had no way of knowing how beloved the world he created with Hellboy in 1994 would be. Over the last thirty years, Hellboy has expanded into an entire universe with its intricate lore and mythology spanning centuries. Mignola wasn’t alone in this, however. Though he has one of the most recognizable art styles, he has accrued an incredible cast of collaborators to bring his visions to life. The creative team behind The Serpent in the Garden: Ed Grey and the Last Battle for England will be familiar to fans of this universe. Along with Mignola as the writer, the three-issue series features artist Ben Stenbeck, colorist Dave Stewart, and letterer Clem Robins. The Serpent in the Garden: Ed Grey and the Last Battle for England #1 sees the return of paranormal investigator Edward Grey as he is enlisted to serve his queen, but things are not what they seem.

The debut issue features familiar faces but readers quickly learn that The Serpent in the Garden is not a traditional Edward Grey adventure. The majority of the issue acts as a crash course in Hellboy’s universe which includes the events leading up to and after The Wild Hunt, which blended various folklore and mythologies, Arthurian legend in this case, with Mignola’s contributions. Once readers are up to speed, they’ll see Grey accept his quest in Avalon and be transformed into a form that resembles the Green Man, a figure associated with Celtic folklore but with variations in many other cultures. The Green Man is often associated with Pan, the god of the wild. Both figures are often linked to the natural world, chaos, and rebirth. In the context of this series, Grey’s transformation also feels like an obvious nod to the Green Knight in “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”, the 14th-century poem dealing with chivalric ideals and the testing of the morality of one of King Arthur’s knights.

Being a three-issue series, Mignola gets right to the point but presents some fun ideas that continue to cement this universe as one that still has room for a wealth of fantastic stories. The output from Mignola and company in the last couple of years since the conclusion of the major Hellboy and B.P.R.D’s stories has been sporadic but enjoyed by longtime fans. Longtime collaborators Ben Stenbeck and Dave Stewart are a welcomed addition to this series. Stenbeck’s art is nearly synonymous with the world of Hellboy, as is Stewart, and the two are trusted to accurately deliver the visual language of this world that fans expect. In terms of the writing, the pacing is somewhat choppy but seeing Hellboy in the various flashbacks makes up for it. The build-up to Grey’s transformation certainly overshadows the pacing as well. A story like this needs context for readers whether they are new or longtime fans, and The Serpent in the Garden: Ed Grey and the Last Battle for England #1 succeeds in catching readers up while setting up something that has the potential to be a classic addition.