Hellboy: Seed of Destruction v. 1 (Hellboy) (Hellboy (Dark Horse)) 
Customer Ratings: - Brilliant pulp-style occult investigations!. If you like occult-themed, action-oriented pulp heroics that remind you of the Call of Cthulhu RPG (right down to tentacled gods with Lovecraftian names), then this is for you. The art is good, the writing is good and most importantly, the mood and the atmosphere is spot-on. The book isn t particularly long, which is a drawback only because I would ve wanted to have more to delve into in one sitting.
- Something is coming.
Near the end of World War II, the evil Rasputin summoned a creature from another world -- a little red demon baby.
And so starts Mike Mignola s distinctly offbeat Hellboy Volume 1: Seed of Destruction, an eerie action/fantasy with a bright-red demon as its anti-hero. Mignola happily crams this rather brief tale with Lovecraftian horrors, a crumbling cursed mansion and a truly malevolent villain who wants to destroy the world.
Decades after Hellboy was summoned into this world, his adoptive father Professor Bruttenholm recounts what little he can remember of a doomed expedition to the north pole, along with the three Cavendish brothers. Then a grotesque frog creature attacks Bruttenholm, killing him instantly -- moments before Hellboy returns the favor.
Soon after, Hellboy and his companions Abe Sapien (fish-man) and Liz Sherman (pyrokinetic) arrive at cursed Cavendish Manor, unaware that the mansion s owner is in league with Rasputin. Then ghastly frog-creatures kidnap Liz and attack Hellboy, as Rasputin reveals his presence to the demon/man that he considers his servant.
And if Hellboy will not serve him, then Rasputin intends to use Liz s power to unleash a horrifying evil on the world....
Seed of Destruction is basically the springboard for the Hellboy graphic novel series (particularly as it reveals Hellboy s background and supposed destiny), and it s also the briefest -- virtually all the action takes place in the course of an hour or two. It s only real flaw is that Rasputin s drawn-out monologues tend to slow the plot down -- there s a LOT of exposition.
But for all that, it s a pretty wild ride. Mignola s rough, shadowy art matches the overall tone of the story, starting as a straightforward horror/suspense story before rapidly escalating into an all-out war on the lakeside. And there are some poignant moments as well, such as Hellboy s tragic final meeting with his adoptive father, or Abe s glimpse of the frogmen cradling the mother they killed.
And Mignola is pretty clearly a huge H.P. Lovecraft fan -- the story takes place in a cursed lakeside house, with a tentacled monster and mutated frog-beasts that were once human. And the Ogru Jahad only add to that impression -- they re ancient, terrible creatures that apparently want to obliterate everything. For whatever reason.
Hellboy is the pivot of the whole adventure. And despite his scarlet skin, horns and cloven hooves, he s anything but devilish -- he s sarcastic, wry, hot-tempered and determined to keep the world from Rasputin s clutches. But he also has a gentler side that we see when he s dealing with the elderly Bruttenholm, as well as his teammates Abe and Liz.
Full of action and grotesque creatures, Hellboy, Vol. 1: Seed of Destruction is a solid introduction to a decidedly unusual series. Bravo, Mike Mignola. - GREAT STORY, POOR QUALITY PAPERBACK. Seed of Destruction is a weird, wonderful story about Nazi world domination and an immortal sorcerers attempt to bring about the apocalypse. The characters are an engaging group of misfits whose pasts are shrouded in mystery and are never fully revealed. The story is very well written, darkly comic and throughout the entire 128 pages is engaging and exciting. The art work is superb with a dark and gothic feel, filled to the brim with brooding blacks and shadows.
However, If you are new to Hellboy and want to read the comics then this edition is best avoided. Not because of the story and characters but because of the poor quality binding. The paperback edition dosent do the story, characters or the artwork justice. Seed of Destruction is a comic you will want to read again and again, unfortunately the book wont last. Pages are falling out of the copy I bought which is a shame as it is one of the best comics I have read. If this was the only edition available then I would recommend you buy it, read it and then put it safely on a shelf. Luckily, you can buy the Library Edition, (Hellboy: Seed of Destruction and Wake the Devil v. 1 (Hellboy Library Editions 1) which includes this story, Wake the Devil and loads of supplementary materials. The Library Editions oversized pages really bring the artwork to life, and because it s a hardback they won t fall out. It may be more expensive, however it is well worth the extra cost.
- A must have series for any comics fan...or if you like gothic devil coolness!. No graphic novel collection is complete without some titles, like Watchmen, Knightfall, Sin City and Hellboy!!
I first started reading Hellboy before the first movie came out, I was curious, got one to try and now have them all (and the novels and figures and statues). Seed of Destruction is the first in the series and it jumps straight in to Hellboys life in the B.P.R.D. (bereau for paranormal resreach and defense, kind of like a supernatural CIA). You just see he is a demon working for the agency, and he has a cool coat and a massive stone hand. But as the story goes on, you find he was summoned by Nazis and Ra ra rasputin to help win WW2. But he was saved by Proff. Bruttenholm and now fights for the good guys! Along with Abe Sapien (fish guy) and Liz (Fire starter!). Expect battles with disgusting tentacled Lovecraftian monsters and crazed Nazis. And Nazis do tend to make excellent bad guys! As you progress through the series you find out much more about Hellboys background, and the origins of Abe and Liz too. Its just a great story, well told!
My favourite aspect of the artwork is the black, There is so much darkness throughout and it really sets the tone and sets it apart from other graphic novels. The villains are great, you cannot beat an evil Nazi head in a jar! I love Mignolas fascination with myths from all over the world, especially europe. You get the feeling he puts in lots of research to find just the right gross, creepy myth to use. Its kind of nice to get that european feel for a change, especially if all you read is Marvel and DC!
Recommended!! - This is really FUN!. Seed of Destruction is Mike Mignola s first graphic album featuring his brilliant Hellboy. The artwork is very Kirbyesque throughout with gothic overtones. Somehow it all works very well. Mignola portrays a quirkiness and humour to the Hellboy character (which is fully realised in Del Toro s new Hellboy movie) and brings to the mix Abe Sapien (almost a modern reworking of Universal s Creature from the Black Lagoon), the incendiary Liz Sherman and, of course, the BPRD (Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defence).
Seed of Destruction begins with Hellboy appearing after a fiendish nazi experiment by the villain of the piece, Rasputin. From then on it s a rollercoaster ride of battles with frog-like monsters and tentacled beasts until the final showdown. The book doesn t take itself too seriously which is just as well given the absolutely ridiculous scenario. But, this is really FUN. Mignola has found his niche and he has come up with a truly original concept, strong characters and atmosphere soaked, adrenaline pumping storylines in his Hellboy series. If you really like comics you can t afford to miss Hellboy.
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Hellboy: Seed of Destruction v. 1 (Hellboy) (Hellboy (Dark Horse)) (ID: 1593070942)
