Weaving together threads of Jack Kirby super-heroism, H.P. Lovecraft horror, Nazi menace, ironic world-weariness, and, well, Rasputin, Mignola creates perhaps the richest fantasy tapestry since Alan Moore's Watchmen (clearly an inspiration). The warp and weft rewards attentive readers with both subtle details and shocking plot twists, as well as page after page of masterful artwork. Reminiscent of The Spirit, Hellboy is powerful, dark graphic art, embellished with a suprisingly lighthearted strand of humor.

Peter Merholz