October Book Club: Hellboy: The Chained Coffin and Others

[thwhtGuardian]

Hellboy: The Chained Coffin and Others

This volume is a collection of some of the best Hellboy stories around, including his origin story( A Chained Coffin) and battles with werewolves, witches, goblins and a play on Mary Shelly's Frankenstein making it not only a great jumping on point for new readers looking to get into the character but the perfect read for Halloween.

[Mister Mets]

It is hilarious that the Corpse, my favorite of the stories, started as a feature in Previews magazine. Mignola did it as a two page serial, which worked to keep everything consistently interesting.

[thwhtGuardian]

It is hilarious that the Corpse, my favorite of the stories, started as a feature in Previews magazine. Mignola did it as a two page serial, which worked to keep everything consistently interesting.

Yeah, a lot of Mignola's early Hellboy stories are like that; popping up in strange places with interesting layouts caused by the medium they were in. It unintentionally gives the stories a pulp feel just because they're so piecemeal.

[Johnny Thunders!]

Got my copy, I will be diving in soon. Even though I own, and have re-read a couple of Hellboy trades. I don’t feel like I know the book at all but I love Ron Perlman’s version! Is that the character to most people?

[Reviresco]

Got my copy, I will be diving in soon. Even though I own, and have re-read a couple of Hellboy trades. I don’t feel like I know the book at all but I love Ron Perlman’s version! Is that the character to most people?

Yes! Ron Perlman all the way!

[thwhtGuardian]

Got my copy, I will be diving in soon. Even though I own, and have re-read a couple of Hellboy trades. I don’t feel like I know the book at all but I love Ron Perlman’s version! Is that the character to most people?

Neither of the Del Toro films are perfect adaptations(but then what again is?) but they were definitely entertaining films and Perlman was an excellent Hellboy. I definitely preferred those two over the third even if I do love Harbor.

[K7P5V]

Yes! Ron Perlman all the way!

I know, right?! Personally, my preference will always be the animated version (XD)

[thwhtGuardian]

I know, right?! Personally, my preference will always be the animated version (XD)

Yeah, I'm still a little sour that those never kick started an animated series. The comics based on the scripts they were going to do if the series had been picked up are really good though if you' liked the feel of the cartoon.

[Johnny Thunders!]

Pearlman’s Hellboy reads like The Thing to me. The comic one not so much to my mind.

[etrumble]

Loved the P Craig Russel intro.

I'm about half way through the volume.

As always, I love the art and atmosphere.

The thing that I miss in most Hellboy stories is any sense of risk/danger. He simply over powers an interesting foe. I don't think I've ever read a Hellboy story where I thought "how is he going to get out of this!"

[seusilva]

Loved the P Craig Russel intro.

I'm about half way through the volume.

As always, I love the art and atmosphere.

The thing that I miss in most Hellboy stories is any sense of risk/danger. He simply over powers an interesting foe. I don't think I've ever read a Hellboy story where I thought "how is he going to get out of this!"

Have you ever read the Fegredo saga? HB gets tangled in a really messy situation there. But yeah, the regular short stories always basically ends with some punches or crazy explosions haha

[Johnny Thunders!]

Maybe with an invulnerable character, the harm has to be emotional and the world around them has to feel more vulnerable? To me, Hellboy is a demon but he loves and wants to be human. It is the Thing! Anyways, I just read the Chained Coffin and that gave me the creeps. The art is so gorgeous panel after panel, you take it for granted.

[Mister Mets]

Man, I've been slacking on participating in these. I'm a schoolteacher, so I had plenty of time in summer. But this is a really appropriate collection and it is Halloween weekend.

Maybe with an invulnerable character, the harm has to be emotional and the world around them has to feel more vulnerable? To me, Hellboy is a demon but he loves and wants to be human. It is the Thing! Anyways, I just read the Chained Coffin and that gave me the creeps. The art is so gorgeous panel after panel, you take it for granted.

It seems effortlessly brilliant as a ten page story from an anthology. It's essentially the origin of Hellboy, so it's really important to the mythos but the flashbacks work so well. The art is stunning, although I'm trying to figure out how it originally worked in black & white, since the night scenes, the appearance of the bad guy and Hellboy's contrast with everything else benefit from color.

It does seem it had an unusual publication. Three pages were featured in a Hero magazine special which previewed Dark Horse Comics Presents #100, which itself seemed to be a five issue mini series, so the Hellboy story seems to come from there. The preview starts with the third page, although that may just be to get readers to check out the full material.

[Johnny Thunders!]

I just read the Werewolf story and that was awesome too! I just saw the Guiellrmo Del Toro Cabinet of Curiosities and this book pairs really well. All the monsters in Hellboy remind me of that tv show.