Hellboy and monsters go hand in hand, but what if you made Hellboy giant and robotic? It’s a damn good idea explored by Mike Mignola and Duncan Fegredo in Giant Robot Hellboy, which continues this week with issue #2. Set in 1967, Hellboy is connected to a machine that allows him to combat giant monsters off the coast of Africa. Strapped in against his will, this latest issue shows how much damage Robot Hellboy can take before real Hellboy relents.
Fegredo locks in an even better second issue visually backed up by the ever-exceptional Dave Stewart. The story opens with Robot Hellboy fighting a Godzilla look-alike, but soon he’s squaring up against a centipede ocean beast and a praying mantis beast. Each shot of a laser or rocket looks dynamic and cool with great use of fire and smoke to add depth to the battles.
On top of this, Robot Hellboy’s suit functions are super rad, making you wish for an action figure yesterday. Take, for instance, its knuckles, which pop out in an oddly satisfying sort of way. The form and function of this machine are at once imaginative and somehow realistic. The level of detail in backgrounds and environments is exceptional. At times, there’s a Geof Darrow level of detail that’ll keep you lingering on pages far longer than most comics.
Hellboy has seen better days.
Credit: Dark Horse
Colors by Stewart are incredible as well. Take, for instance, the page above, which features a nice haziness to the background, lifting up the clouds and foreground nicely. A subtle kiss of orange when nipple rockets shoot off Robot Hellboy adds great dynamic lighting. A layer of detail in the colors enhances Fegredo’s art.
As far as the story, things get juicy in the drama department. It should be noted this is a fight comic first, so don’t expect deep character work. What we do get is some possible new info in the hands of a key character, which could mix things up. Given the state of how Robot Hellboy is controlled by the end, there’s also a chance Hellboy himself gets more to do than to be a dude asleep and plugged into a machine.
Forget all the kaiju movies and TV shows out there: Giant Robot Hellboy is the best way to enjoy big monster action. This is a monster book with highly detailed art that’ll awaken your inner child and put a big smile on your face.
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