Hellboy Graphic Novels for a newbie.

[carth33]

I haven't started reading any of them yet, but I was wondering what you all would say are maybe the 3-5 best Hellboy graphic novels. I appreciate the help. Hope everyone is having a great day!

[LobsterJohnson]

Some of my favorites are (not in order):
Hellboy in Hell vol. 1 (in my opinion, this is one of the best comics ever)
Hellboy: Conqueror Worm
Hellboy: Strange Places

Although I've liked just about every Hellboy book that I've read, my favorites are the ones illustrated by Mignola.

Outside of the Hellboy series itself, there are a lot of other good books in the Mignolaverse. I especially like Lobster Johnson, and in my opinion Get the Lobster is the best comic book of all time.

[Joker]

Ideally, you'd start at 1 and go forward. (Though, the first volume is great, it's a little different an animal than the series as follows.) Hellboy's story isn't told in chronological order, so jumping in at random probably wouldn't hurt your experience too much. I'd actually suggest the trades that are comprised of short stories, The Troll Witch and Others or The Right Hand of Doom. They might give you a better sense of the overall book. I would agree that Conqueror Worm and Strange Places are excellent stories, though.

[middenway]

Hellboy: The Midnight Circus, Hellboy: The Chained Coffin and Others, Hellboy: The Troll Witch and Others, Hellboy: Conqueror Worm. Most of those are pretty light on continuity elements, excpet for the last story in The Chained Coffin and Others and Conqueror Worm, but they're not so every that you shouldn't be able to go in and enjoy them anyhow.

[Joker]

All good recommendations there. The Chained Coffin especially.

[carth33]

thanks guys. i appreciate the suggestions.