There are plenty of crazy legends in Italy. They mostly consist of monsters hiding in everyday objects, witches and monsters to scare children into behaving. Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden head to Italy in a new one-shot called “Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: The Monster of Nivola” with artist Daniele Serra.
Hellboy is sent to Nivola, Sardinia, to find out about a monster called “The Monster of Nivola,” which has been destroying the town and has even killed a few people. What Hellboy doesn’t realize is that the monster has a personal attachment to a local. Some may even say it’s spiritual.
It’s a decent one-shot. It does what it set out to do: tell a quick JHellboy story. There isn’t much to talk about except the relationship between the woman and the monster. The events that transpire are tragic and the reader does feel some sympathy for the woman. It takes a lot of skill to make two characters we only see once likeable enough to feel some sort of sympathy for them, even if they’re supposed to be the antagonist of the plot.
The highlight of the comic is Serra’s art. If you wanted an art style that screamed “horror,” then this is it. Everything in this comic looks creepy. The characters, the backgrounds, the shading and the colors. Speaking of colors, the way Sera uses blue and red is probably the best part of the art. From the sky to the blood, the monster, the woman’s sweater and even Hellboy give the perfect contrast. It’s amazing to see.
While “Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: The Monster of Nivola” may not have a strong story, it is decent enough to at least be read once. The artwork is the best part of the comic and here’s hoping Serra works on future projects because that art is amazing.
Leave a Reply