How to get Current in Hellboy

[JayBee]

Hey all! For my University's comic book club I am running a meeting on How to get Current in comics. I have Marvel, DC, and Image, covered but one member brought up an interest in Hellboy. The thing is that I have never read Hellboy and so if anyone has any tips on how to start reading Hellboy then please post.

Thanks!

[Joker]

Start buying the trades or library editions. They're numbered, so it's easy to figure out where to start.

[middenway]

OK, here goes...

• Read Hellboy trades 1-12 (Hellboy Library Editions 1-6)
• Any time after reading Hellboy 5, (Hellboy LE 3), read B.P.R.D. 1-14 (B.P.R.D. Plague of Frogs omnibuses volumes 1-4) and B.P.R.D.: Being Human.
• Read Lobster Johnson, and Witchfinder any time you like. I suggest reading the first volume of each before B.P.R.D. 11 (B.P.R.D. Plague of Frogs omnibus volumes 4).
• I suggest reading Abe Sapien 1-2, and B.P.R.D.: 1946-1947-1948, before reading B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth. It's not essential, but it gives the reader a strong background for some important plot elements to come.
• Read the rest of Abe Sapien after B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth 7.
• Read the OGNs Hellboy: The Midnight Circus and Hellboy: House of the Living Dead at any time. They stand alone really well. They are best read after Hellboy 11 (Hellboy LE 6).
• Read Hellboy in Hell after Hellboy.
• Read Sledgehammer 44 any time after Lobster Johnson 1.

[Hero]

As a follow up question to middenway's excellent post above, what if I only wanted to read the Hellboy title and not the others? Would things start to get confusing if I was only reading Hellboy?

[Joker]

Not really. There might be a small thing or two, but it stands just fine on its own.

[middenway]

As a follow up question to middenway's excellent post above, what if I only wanted to read the Hellboy title and not the others? Would things start to get confusing if I was only reading Hellboy?

Hellboy stands alone really well. You could easily read just Hellboy.

[Hero]

Thanks to both of you. I'm hoping to pick up everything Hellboy in Dark Horse Digital's cyber Monday sale.

[Kees_L]

Hey all! For my University's comic book club I am running a meeting on How to get Current in comics. I have Marvel, DC, and Image, covered but one member brought up an interest in Hellboy. The thing is that I have never read Hellboy and so if anyone has any tips on how to start reading Hellboy then please post.

Thanks!

I would think that a key thing to any storytelling will be anticipations and the shaping or playing around with such. Anticipations for either the maker or teller and any audiences alike.

Anticipations along themes or representations, where graphic material could be drawing from or basing themselves on, as well and as particularly as any material.

The titles and covers of books or movies and comics alike would seem to involve themselves with how or why they might be good to check out, *sort of* specifically.

*Sort of*, because for stories there wouldn't neededly exist just one way of accomplishing things, as variety and diversity and creativeness would seem key as much as any anticipationing or representing for any stories or material imaginable to begin with.

If Zombies or monkeys with a gun are cool don't mean all else should be the same. Although with Hellboy and everything related it seems the representation is put forth as vitally or purposeful as for ANY comics really. Any stories even.

Because within the Mignolaverse apparently the books are coming about in order to represent enticement with enough room to help establish gratification both instantaneously as well as in a more puzzly reflective sense, all at the same time - no, along different times even - like a history or lore more rather.

Which may sound complicated but it's broken down to stories and arcs per title. Titles existing around enough room to show and flesh out all the representation onto anticipation, in enticing ways, as most gratifyingly, both as most organically.

Organically in the sense that characters seem to develop and act how they particularly would, or be to refuse to, how only they might.

And any existing or coming to mind themology is often incorporated into the stories, all to have *payoff* be maximized.

How even King Thoth or Arthurian lineage, Shakespeare, Pinocchio or Venetian toilet systems (oh Lord) would be adding to stuff moreso than not.

So yeah, reading it or experiencing it (by means of reading it) might be good. Since it all pretty much seems made for that!

[topfueluhl]

I think the Hellboy stuff stands great on it's own. But after you read them all you'll end up wanting to read the others (B.P.R.D., Lobster Johnson, Witchfinder, Sledgehammer 44) to get the rest of the story.