books

Supernatural
Graphic Novels Comics
Fiction

Books like Hellboy, Vol. 3: The Chained Coffin and Others

Hellboy, Vol. 3: The Chained Coffin and Others

2004Mike Mignola

1.1/5

\ The heat is on!!!\ This third TPB edition features “Hellboy” #5-6, 12-14, along with a pin-up gallery.The general rating is an average result of individual ratings given to each short story contained here.Creative Team:Creator, Writer & Illustrator: Mike Mignola\ FINALLY THIS THING HEATED\ I have to admit that I wasn’t that impressed on the first two TPBs, Seed of Destruction & Wake the Devil. They were well done, but they lacked of character development and since it was the beginning of the series, I expected to get to know what made thick each character. Also, the action was fair, but not something that awesome and leaving stuff without concluding properly.Still, I have watched the films (live-action and animated) and I quite liked them, so I want to give to this series a couple of more chances, buying the third TPB, The Chained Coffin and Others, and the eighth TPB, Darkness Calls. Why those? Why not 3rd and 4th? Oh, well, mainly because doing some research I found out that 3rd TPB has a following story to the events developed in the 2nd TPB, and the 8th TPB supposedly (I haven’t read it yet) a follow-up about Rasputin (main villain in the first two TPBs). Also, one important thing about Hellboy’s stories is that they aren’t linear and/or written in chronological order, so basically, you can “jump” in any TPB or novel and you won’t feel confused.I am glad to say that finally I enjoyed a lot the reading. Nope, the characters’ development keep zero, BUT since they were short stories I can live without characters’ development in short stories, also, Mignola used several elements of Irish, Russian and other countries' folklore, so honestly, I liked a lot the reading experience with this one, and now I know that I can keep reading other Hellboy stuff in comic books and prose format, which was my intention but I wanted that the series “clicked” on me first.So, since this TPB is a collection of short stories (mainly developed in two comic book issues tops, so I will review it as I usually do in anthologies…\ THE CORPSE\ Rating: **** ( 4 stars)\ This is an old game and I’ve got to play it their way.\ Ireland, 1959.Hellboy is asked to rescue a baby who was kidnapped by fairies, to be able to do this, he had to make a task solicited by them, but the clock is ticking and the time is short.Mike Mignola merged in a masterfully way several Irish folktales into this thrilling adventure.\ THE IRON SHOES\ Rating: ** ( 2 stars )\ Anybody home?\ Ireland, 1961.Hellboy goes into a kinda demolished old tower to find a dangerous fairy who isn’t affected by iron, in fact the monster wears a pair of iron shoes (not like horses’ but actually shoes made of iron!).This was the only dissapointing in the TPB, Mignola done it just to fill the remnant pages of the original comic book where the previous short story was re-published, but definitely is too brief to have real time to enjoy it.\ THE BABA YAGA\ Rating: ***** ( 5 stars )\ It tells you something. She has curious habits. – It’s not for you and I to understand.\ Russia, 1964.Hellboy is tracking a very powerful witch with several habits, some odd, some nasty, but one thing is sure, you won’t realice the real extention of her powers until it’s too late.This adventure was mentioned in Wake the Devil, but it’s until now that readers are able to know the details about it. When you think that the short story finished, Mignola hits you with a final punch raising the whole impact of the tale.\ A CHRISTMAS UNDERGROUND\ Rating: **** ( 4 stars )\ …And there are stones in that place older than any Christian grave.\ England, 1989.It’s Christmas’ Eve, and Hellboy is summoned to find the missing daughter of an old lady who is just about to die. The young girl dissapeared in a hole at the grounds of the property. Yes, I guess what you may think, but this isn’t about madness, it’s about evil.Mignola adapted folklore stuff into a Christmas story with a creepy good ambiance and development. There are some odd relevance about the date, but taking in account that scholars have put in doubt when was really the day that Jesus born, I found odd that Mignola didn’t bother about that, but again, it’s a Christmas story, so I am forgiving about that.\ THE CHAINED COFFIN\ Rating: ***** ( 5 stars )\ But what really happened here?\ England, 1995.Hellboy tells through a letter to his friend and BPRD colleague, Abe Sapien, about his visit again to the place where he “born”. Hellboy never cared to check that place before in 50 years, but now he is getting to understand why he was so reluctant. Something that can scare even to Hellboy isn’t meant to know for mere mortals.Wonderful piece which give the name to the third TPB and adding a key event involving the origin of Hellboy.\ THE WOLVES OF SAINT AUGUST\ Rating: ***** ( 5 stars )\ If I’m right, this town has an ugly little secret.\ Eastern Europe, 1994.Hellboy and Prof. Kate Corrigan are sent by the BPRD to investigate the mysterious deaths of the entire population of a town, happened in one night. Along with those deaths, a priest, old friend of Hellboy, died there too, the same night. Creepy good adventure, introducing the wonderful character of Kate Corrigan, and presenting a delicious mystery.\ ALMOST COLOSSUS\ Rating: **** ( 4 stars )\ You smell it?\ \ Yeah…\ \ Somebody’s cooking.\ Romania, 1996.Hellboy and Prof. Kate Corrigan are sent by the BPRD to find what happened with a homunculus (found in Wake the Devil) which can be crucial to save the life of Liz Sherman who lost her pyrokinetic powers to it and now she is dying. Hellboy and Kate will find more than they are expecting and maybe more than they can handle.This is direct continuation of the events developed in Wake the Devil will have more impact of you may imagine in the future of the series.
Picture of a book: Hellboy, Vol. 3: The Chained Coffin and Others

Filter by:

Cross-category suggestions

Filter by:

Filter by:

Filter by:

Filter by:

Filter by:

Filter by:

Filter by: