The Pull List – Hellboy Omnibus Volume 2: Strange Places TPB
In the follow up collection to Hellboy Omnibus Volume 1: Seed of Destruction, the second volume explores the past of Hellboy’s purpose on earth and where his destiny lies. This omnibus has contains Hellboy’s investigations that spanned from 1998 to 2005. In chronological order this sorts the story arcs of The Right Hand of Doom, Box Full of Evil and Being Human from The Right Hand of Doom and B.P.R.D.: Being Human. Followed by the complete run of Conqueror Worm, The Third Wish, The Island and Into the Silent Sea. These tales depicts Hellboy’s discovery and reflections about his time as a young demon on earth, his spiritual visions and the heralds that come to warn Hellboy about his fate.
The Right Hand of Doom
Written and illustrated by Mike Mignola, with support by Dave Stewart and Pat Brosseau, The Right Hand of Doom explores Hellboy’s giant and powerful right hand. Hellboy arrives in Spain in 1998 to visit a dying priest Adrian Frost. Adrian is the son of Professor Malcom Frost, one of Trevor Bruttenholm colleagues and witness to Hellboy’s summoning in 1944. Professor Frost saw Hellboy as a threat and campaign to convince the US government to capture and eliminate him. However, over the years as Hellboy has shown to be loyal and trustworthy, Professor Frost lost credibility and died shortly after Hellboy become a full member of B.P.R.D. Adrian Frost ask for Hellboy to show him a piece of evidence about Hellboy’s right hand. In exchange for the evidence, Adrian wants to know about the demon that his father failed to disprove.
Box Full of Evil
Written and illustrated by Mike Mignola, with support by Dave Stewart and Pat Brosseau, Box Full of Evil begins with Hellboy and Abe Sapien on a case in England. They are bought to a mansion that was recently under a spell that froze all the occupants with fear and a man holding a rotten hand appeared. This man broke open a wall and took a hidden box, then disappeared. Hellboy and Abe follow the clues to Scotland where a a group begins to open the box and unleash the demon that lies inside.
Being Human
Written and illustrated by Mike Mignola, with support by Dave Stewart and Clem Robins, Being Human takes place in 2000 at the B.P.R.D. headquarters. After observing the behavior of Roger, the homunculus found in Romania in a previous case, Hellboy wants to take Roger out on a field mission. Hellboy and Roger head to South Carolina for a case about the dead members of a family have return to the ruins of their home. The locals are stumped about this case, can’t deciding if it’s a bizarre act by teenagers, but Hellboy senses more dark magic at play. Hellboy and Roger plan a stake out to uncover that sinister forces are at work, and will learn that humanity isn’t just for humans.
Conqueror Worm
Written and illustrated by Mike Mignola, with support by Dave Stewart and Pat Brosseau, Conqueror Worm begins with the Lobster’s last known mission in 1939. The Lobster, also known as Lobster Johnson, was an American masked vigilante that dealt with monsters in the 1930’s and was later recruited to be a government agent during War World II. Lobster’s last mission took place in at Hunte Castle, Austria, where a team of allied soldiers raided a Nazi rocket laboratory. During the raid a space ship was launched and the castle was set ablaze. It was presumed the Lobster had perished and there was no survivors to the incident. In 2001, Hellboy and Roger visit Hunte Castle after the B.P.R.D. find the signal from the nazi space ship from 1939 and have determine that it will land at the ruin laboratory. Hellboy and Roger are joined by Laura Karnstein, an Austrian police officer to investigate Hunte Castle. However, along the ascend to the mountain top castle, they will discover many hidden secrets and phantoms from the past.
The Third Wish
Written and illustrated by Mike Mignola, with support by Dave Stewart and Clem Robins, The Third Wish picks up shortly after Hellboy quits the B.P.R.D. Something calls to Hellboy and he travels to Africa to find a witch doctor that promises to reveal more about Hellboy’s destiny. In order for Hellboy to understand himself, he is transported to the underworld and follows the calls from a ocean. With no other choice, he dives deep below the waters and finds the sea witch The Bog Roosh. Old enemies return to haunt Hellboy and prevent him from completing his spiritual quest.
The Island
Written and illustrated by Mike Mignola, with support by Dave Stewart and Clem Robins, The Island picks up directly after the events of The Third Wish, with Hellboy fighting against The Bog Roosh and escaping the grip of the ocean. Stumbling on a dock side bar, Hellboy sits down for a drink with some sea weary sailors. However, it the surroundings reveal the truth and Hellboy is caught in a realm between the living and the dead. Hellboy explores a ruin castle, only fall into a trap and attacked by a giant monster. An injured Hellboy accidentally awakens a demonic creature and must conquer one of his greatest fears to survive.
Into the Silent Sea
Written by Mike Mignola and Gary Gianni, with illustrations by Gianni, and support by Dave Stewart and Clem Robins, Into the Silent Sea shows Hellboy journey away from the underworld island and his adventures at sea. One a dark night, Hellboy encounters a ship and is captured. Awaking to find himself aboard an 16th century boat with a crew straight out of Moby Dick, Hellboy tries to asset the situation the best he can. But after strange sights and a looming sense of darkness at the see, the silent sea does not stay silent for long.
This collection delves deep with the lore about Hellboy and his right arm, showing off the trials Hellboy undergoes to better understand his fate. Every story was told a different aspect of Hellboy’s journey that challenges his role into becoming the destory of the world. Many times, he could had chosen to lie down and be removed from existence, but Hellboy decides that his life and the lives of the many innocent is worth protecting. I really do enjoy the different running gags of the Hellboy series such as Hellboy complaining about his torn clothes, his hatred of monkeys and apes, and no caring to listen to demons ramble on about his right hand. The humor lights the dark tones of the story and the grotesque visuals keep the horror elements very strong. Overall, comic readers looking to explore more depth about Hellboy should absolutely pick up this volume to read about the origins of Hellboy and his adventures into the underworld.