Hellboy in Hell

**Kees_L** · 01-05-2013, 08:28 AM

Originally Posted by xxTK421xx

Absolutely incredible issue. A little early to tell, but it's up there with the best Mignola's ever done if you ask me.

So, spoilerific question for issue 2:

spoilers:

Did Hellboy actually kill Satan off panel? I'm not quite sure if the little homage to Macbeth was simply a Mignola flourish, and the panel of the bloody dagger was more of a "what if?", or if it really happened and Hellboy did the deed. It seems to have been left a bit ambiguous because no one seems to acknowledge the act in the following panels. Maybe it didn't happen, or maybe he did kill Satan and, in typical Hellboy style, just doesn't want to talk about it.

end of spoilers

Potentially spoilerific answer, plus a little forward since I'd still be in the midst of reading:
spoilers:

Could Satan get killed or be to die and perish as a result of any combat or slayment? Or would such be particular and remarkable enough to leave to imagination or mystery or for following up on properly if needed - and thus initially for keeping it off panel?
I mean think about it: if Satan would die, as being the lord of darkness metaphorically, wouldn't his positive or holy counterpart like a lord up in heaven be to die also?
Maybe Hellboy thrusting his weapon onto Satan or any Satan-like entity, would primarily mean Hellboy as to be saying "No way Hose. Move along. We're not buddies, you and me."
Demons or either deathkeepers or endbringers are usually depicted as being such: they don't die. Because they'd be demons. Metaphores or neither living nor dead beings.
Read back upon Hecate - who might have died due to Hellboy putting effort into that plus for her being part human. Whereas Astoroth just goes 'Poof!' when he does. Hellboy mainly appears to be battling monsters back to where they came from, but Hellboy doesn't seem purely focused on killing them necessarily - because it might be some monsters don't get killed.

end of spoilers
Would be my take, cautiously, since I'm still reading or getting my mitts 'round these wonderful issues.

**lefthook** · 01-05-2013, 09:48 AM

#2 is incredible. Revealing so much of who Hellboy is and where he came from. Im excited to find out what more we could unearth. Great great issue!

**Maija** · 01-05-2013, 12:28 PM

Almost 9 years ago I saw a trailer on TV with this weird blue guy and a weird red guy and a gal who makes fire and I thought, "I have no idea what this is about but I have to see this movie." My pal James said "What? You've never heard of Hellboy?" "No, I haven't read comics since I was eight."

He brought the Right Hand of Doom trade to the theatre so I could flip through it before the movie. I was instantly taken by the art, which smashed any preconceived notions I had about what went on in the pages of comic books. I dug all that black ink and jaggy feathering right away. I didn't have time to read a longer story before the movie started, but I was able to read "Pancakes". This is how I met and and was immediately charmed by Hellboy. And I had my first glimpse of Pandemonium! And Astaroth! I know that story wasn't intended to be really in continuity (at least the Hell side of it) but nonetheless I will be studying panels to see if there's a pancake on a plinth anywhere in Pandemonium labelled "Our Blackest Hour".

When the movie came out, all of the trades must have been scooped off of comic store shelves, because the earliest one I could find was "The Chained Coffin and Others". So the first story I read about adult Hellboy was The Corpse. I was struck by how he was treated with no more surprise than the plumber come to fix a plugged up pipe, and I liked it better than the movie. (I loved the movie, and saw it multiple times, but the more Hellboy comics I read, the more I preferred the version in the comics, especially Kate). And then there was the deadpan humour ("That's kind of interesting."), and the graphic pacing ("TIC"), not to mention crazy pig creatures getting WAMMed. Little did I know what kind of trouble vengeful Gruagach was going to stir up in Hellboy's future, or the role wee Alice was to play.

So, with all that history (9 years? yikes!) and all the wonderful things that have happened since in my life thanks to Hellboy and this community (which I'm sorry I've fallen out of here on the forum in the last couple of years), following Hellboy back to Hell has felt like a bittersweet homecoming for me too. The graphic storytelling (those "blank" moment panels!) the art (that descent into the Abyss!) and the humour ("!") are all like those first Hellboy encounters, evolved. "Welcome home" indeed!

**Maija** · 01-05-2013, 12:45 PM

Yeah, I never would have imagined ten years ago that seeing creepy, bloody dangling chains and hooks would make me feel a little bit wistful! The Chained Coffin was the first story in which I saw Hellboy helpless in the face of his past, which made him more human. I look forward to seeing him confront that past head on in the next issues. Whatever chains might be put on him are not ones that he forged in life.

**Kees_L** · 01-05-2013, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by Maija

Almost 9 years ago [sch-nip]

Welcome Back, Maija.
Your avatar rings festive.
Plus I like how you say "jaggy feathering" or "plinth", "deadpan" and "humour".

Originally Posted by Maija

Yeah, I never would have imagined ten years ago that seeing creepy, bloody dangling chains and hooks would make me feel a little bit wistful! [snippeth for trutheth]

But how often are you prone to playing a game of Whist? Or Wist, as having emerged out of the 16th century game of Ruffs & Honours?

Click image for larger version.

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We should play it, as it might prove merry or witty if not witsy although like all good stuff, if any good, melancholy for it could loom beyond corners or past bends?

**thwhtGuardian** · 01-05-2013, 09:22 PM

Originally Posted by Maija

Almost 9 years ago I saw a trailer on TV with this weird blue guy and a weird red guy and a gal who makes fire and I thought, "I have no idea what this is about but I have to see this movie." My pal James said "What? You've never heard of Hellboy?" "No, I haven't read comics since I was eight."

He brought the Right Hand of Doom trade to the theatre so I could flip through it before the movie. I was instantly taken by the art, which smashed any preconceived notions I had about what went on in the pages of comic books. I dug all that black ink and jaggy feathering right away. I didn't have time to read a longer story before the movie started, but I was able to read "Pancakes". This is how I met and and was immediately charmed by Hellboy. And I had my first glimpse of Pandemonium! And Astaroth! I know that story wasn't intended to be really in continuity (at least the Hell side of it) but nonetheless I will be studying panels to see if there's a pancake on a plinth anywhere in Pandemonium labelled "Our Blackest Hour".

When the movie came out, all of the trades must have been scooped off of comic store shelves, because the earliest one I could find was "The Chained Coffin and Others". So the first story I read about adult Hellboy was The Corpse. I was struck by how he was treated with no more surprise than the plumber come to fix a plugged up pipe, and I liked it better than the movie. (I loved the movie, and saw it multiple times, but the more Hellboy comics I read, the more I preferred the version in the comics, especially Kate). And then there was the deadpan humour ("That's kind of interesting."), and the graphic pacing ("TIC"), not to mention crazy pig creatures getting WAMMed. Little did I know what kind of trouble vengeful Gruagach was going to stir up in Hellboy's future, or the role wee Alice was to play.

So, with all that history (9 years? yikes!) and all the wonderful things that have happened since in my life thanks to Hellboy and this community (which I'm sorry I've fallen out of here on the forum in the last couple of years), following Hellboy back to Hell has felt like a bittersweet homecoming for me too. The graphic storytelling (those "blank" moment panels!) the art (that descent into the Abyss!) and the humour ("!") are all like those first Hellboy encounters, evolved. "Welcome home" indeed!

It definitely is a culmination of everything that is great about Hellboy.

**Ebon Phantom** · 01-07-2013, 03:28 PM

Just picked up the two issues and have to say they were amazing. I'm absolutely loving the trip through hell and can't wait to see what comes next.

**Neil Hill** · 01-07-2013, 07:59 PM

Originally Posted by Maija

Yeah, I never would have imagined ten years ago that seeing creepy, bloody dangling chains and hooks would make me feel a little bit wistful! The Chained Coffin was the first story in which I saw Hellboy helpless in the face of his past, which made him more human. I look forward to seeing him confront that past head on in the next issues. Whatever chains might be put on him are not ones that he forged in life.

Glad to see ya back, Maija! And I agree, lots of wistful during this issue.

**Middenway** · 01-07-2013, 08:31 PM

Originally Posted by xxTK421xx

Absolutely incredible issue. A little early to tell, but it's up there with the best Mignola's ever done if you ask me.

So, spoilerific question for issue 2:

spoilers:

Did Hellboy actually kill Satan off panel? I'm not quite sure if the little homage to Macbeth was simply a Mignola flourish, and the panel of the bloody dagger was more of a "what if?", or if it really happened and Hellboy did the deed. It seems to have been left a bit ambiguous because no one seems to acknowledge the act in the following panels. Maybe it didn't happen, or maybe he did kill Satan and, in typical Hellboy style, just doesn't want to talk about it.

end of spoilers

A quote from Scott Allie about Hellboy in Hell:

I can’t remember if it’s the first or second issue, where something significant happens and Mike handles it so obliquely that even he realized, “oh, people might miss that. So I’m going to go back in a subsequent issue to help make it make a little more sense and less vague.”

I thought, “cool, that’s alright. That works.” So then I read the scene that makes the earlier scene make more sense, and I think, “great, people will still miss this.”

He may in fact be referring to this moment. We'll have to wait and see.

**abhijith** · 01-08-2013, 12:08 AM

hell boy u r d man !!!
love <3

**UnravThreads** · 01-09-2013, 03:52 PM

Talking fish appear to have returned to a Mignola title. Hmm...

**xxTK421xx** · 01-09-2013, 04:38 PM

Originally Posted by Middenway

A quote from Scott Allie about Hellboy in Hell:

He may in fact be referring to this moment. We'll have to wait and see.

Haha, that is awesome. spoilers:

If HB did kill Satan off panel, and in such a vague way, I think it's a pretty interesting and unique end to one of the most popular villains of all time. Only Mignola would do something so unexpected. Almost like he's saying "Satan? Yeah, he exists in my world, but there are much bigger fish to fry...and in the meantime, here's more Masterpiece Puppet Theater." Love it.

end of spoilers