It seems as though the “Hellboy†universe is expanding every day. It is none too apparent with the most recent mini-series “Joe Golem: Occult Detective†where Mike Mignola teams up with Christopher Golden. This new mini-series is a noir fan’s paradise.
After stealing a woman’s purse, an orphan gets attacked by a water monster in a flooded New York City. Detective Joe Golem is called to investigate the waters where these monsters appear and put an end to them.
The story is noir in its purest form. Monsters in New York City aren’t anything new, nor are the idea of water monsters. The difference here is that, so far, it’s handled in a smart way. Not to mention that this premise isn’t shoved in our face like many of its kind.
The first few pages have narration in the all too familiar hard nose detective noir style. This is very easy to do wrong, given how the genre is. Mignola and Golden manage to grab the reader’s attention and pulls him into the story with ease.
The art by Patric Reynolds brings this comic to life. It looks exactly how one would expect a noir universe to look. It’s dark, brooding and gives off a scary vibe. Flooded New York City does not look like the typical Venice ripoff. It looks like what New York City would look like if it was flooded. It does have a bunch of boats just gliding by like it’s the normal thing to do. New York City’s unforgiving atmosphere is everywhere, even in the orphanage. It adds a great touch.
“Joe Golem: Occult Detective†is a joy to read for both “Hellboy†and noir fans. The story is well written, has a great atmosphere and the art creates the perfect world to accompany everything.
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