HELLBOY WILD HUNT #4 (OF 8)
What did the
iFanboy
community think?
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Size: pages
Price: 2.99
We’re at the crossroads now, or at least the midway point in this epic arc for Hellboy. For the past few issues we’ve been told Hellboy is going to be threw a transformation to save or destroy the planet. After this issue….it’s tough to tell really if any of this will come true.
Before I start with the good stuff I have to put this out. After reading this issue I really have no idea where this story is taking us. The revival of the Blood Queen is certainly the big problem in this arc, and the visions Hellboy has been having has to serve some purpose. But we dont get any of that in this issue. It’s basically Hellboy going from one huge landscape to another, and bringing his friend (the baby from The Corpse now grown up) to help him save the day. That isnt to say this issue isnt enjoyable, I mean I made it my pick for this week….But overall it would’ve been nice to see some more development with the villain instead of some more obscurities with Hellboy.
With that out of the way, this issue was certainly fun. It’s basically Hellboy reminsicing about the last couple of years (or last couple of stories pretty much) and fighting a bunch of children turned beasts. Even if it is a slower paced issue then most other comics; this still beats anything released by Marvel and DC. It’s fine for Mignola to go at this pace, because no matter what he writes it always entertains. It can still dish out the quips for Hellboy and he can still provide an entertaining fight no matter who the opposing figure is.
It helps that Duncan Fegredo is doing the pencils and colors for this. It’s interesting because normally the fight scenes has red as the primary color for Fegredo. But instead he just sticks with the light blues and browns and it still looks gorgeous to look at. Look at the panel on page 11 where Hellboy uppercuts a huge patch of the beasts. So much detail in that panel it boggles the mind. The fight through out the rest of the issue is just as detailed and it’s amazing how Fegredo could do all of this within a short time period. If only other artists could follow the ways of any artists on Hellboy titles….they could learn how to ship their issues out on time more.
This issue also has another back up involving a mythological beast. This time it’s the Baba Yaga and the ‘feast’ of a poor peasant. These back ups, so far, have been really entertaining and again I would love to see Mignola do a whole series on something like this. Guy Davis again does the pencils and colors and it’s amazing just how close he resembles Mignola. There are differences in both artists styles, but put some of Fegredo’s panels to Davis’s panels…and you can barely tell the difference.
This issue was a lot of fun, even if it didnt advance the story as of much. I’m sure this wont suffer the ‘Secret Invasion’ flu where a good amount of issues doesnt advance the story. But with the revival of the Blood Queen and the constant reminders of Hellboy’s ‘destiny’….There certainly seems to be something huge on the horizon for the character…I just wish it would get there at a faster rate.
Art: 5 - Excellent
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I’m confused by this reaction. There’s a huge plot development in this issue (in regard to Alice). A new conflict as well as a new environment. It’s an act break.
@Paul: Well yes it’s a development for Alice and there is a new conflict….But why a new conflict?
Wasnt the point of this arc was the release of the Blood Queen and her influence to the world? Suddenly Mignola introduces Alice again and now it’s suddenly about her and her relationship with Hellboy. Not to complain, again I am having fun with this so far. But now that it seems like the conflict has changed, it just seems weird to me.
It hasn’t changed. It’s called a parallel narrative. It’s the middle of a story.
And it’s not just a development for Alice. It’s a challenge for Hellboy.
Hellboy arcs are usually a slow burn anyway. Few plot beats, but more atmosphere than the average bear.
Patience, lad.
@Paul: I used to have patience but that went away a loong time ago 🙂
I know Hellboy arcs that a while….but the previous one with Darkness Calls didnt suddenly change the conflict…or at least have a parallel narrative. It was just one situation and Hellboy trying to get out of it. Here it just feels like were being thrown into a different story when the previous three issues showed what the big problem is for this universe.
So, it’s complex is what you’re saying. Complex is good.
@Paul: No that’s not what I’m saying
I’m saying that for the first two issues; Hellboy getting closer to the Blood Queen seemed to be the point of this arc. Plus that his destiny was now to be the King of Hell to fight the Queen. Now the last two issues has been introducing this girl (or reintroducing her) and now he’s gotta save her life. In the span of four issues, it seems like the dynamics of the plot has changed.
Again though, I really liked it….I made it my pick…
Just don’t understand why you’re averse to more than one plot thread. The Blood Queen doesn’t need to appear in every issue. It’s the rhythm of the story. Layered and interesting.
I know you enjoyed it. The comment just struck me as odd.
@Paul: I mean I’m not against the plot….I’m just saying this appeared out of no where for me. Maybe if they introduced her in the beginning instead of this Hunt…I mean I know that’s why this is called ‘The Wild Hunt’ because of him being hunted at first, and it brought him into this setting in the first place. But that all got swept aside pretty much in the beginning of issue 2. So why not just have Alice being introduced in issue 1? That’s all.
Pacing?
I guess that’s what it all boils down to. It mightve hurt the pacing if we were introduced to Alice earlier in the game. Overall I guess I am just too excited for this arc to get on with the main plot. Mignola definitely has a huge plan for Hellboy in this arc and for future stories…I jsut want to see where this gonna go in a quicker way. But that makes me greedy I suppose.