Hellboy and the BUAP – The Vargu’s Monster in our Photo Review – The Tower

A new volume from Hellboy is always a reason to be happy. New Hellboy comics are published in English every year, and Cross Cult also features new stories in Germany in the usual high quality. A wide world around Hellboy appeared a long time ago, which is divided into several continuous series. Today we’re going to look at some short stories that can be read somewhat independently without thinking about the entire Hellboy universe.

with the Fargo monster Let’s start with the short story of the same name straight into the fun. Hellboy ended up in Romania in 1962, where a monster caused problems in the Carpathian Mountains and actually killed many people. The locals don’t dare to go to Castle Fargo anymore, but only show Hellboy on the way. At the site, he encounters a monster who turns out to be a worthy opponent in battle and throws Hellboy down a cliff. Upon reaching the bottom, two women found him unconscious and he was brought back to health. After some time, Hellboy wakes up, still too weak from the fight, plays in a puppet show, where his fight with the monster is the theme. However, some parts of the play are actually played differently, right?

The Beast of Vargu is a great start and what I think is a very typical short story from the Hellboy universe. Written by Mike Mignola himself and beautifully illustrated by Duncan Figredo, the story sees a frail Hellboy unsure of how to confront him with the Fargo monster. Great start!

Then we move on to the short story return of Saturn. Set in New Hampshire in 1975, Hellboy meets an old acquaintance named Agent Kinsley, who works with local police officers to uncover the horror. A mass grave was found outside the city, in a place where a textile mill had been located decades ago. At first, everyone in a relationship gropes in the dark, but little by little more and more clues are found regarding the actions. Are mysterious forces at work here, a vampire circling around or just a mass murderer who’s been killing people in droves for decades? Of course, that should not be disclosed here. For fans, there are some nods to Liz Sherman’s relationship with Hellboy, as Liz feels neglected by Hellboy.

at Krampus night Hellboy also ended up in Austria in 1975, and he travels a lot. There he was already expected by a man who drew attention to himself with an alleged massacre in the church. So Hellboy visited him and immediately invited him to dinner. But what is this guy up to and what is the deal with Krampus in this area? Krampus is a fearsome figure accompanied by Saint Nicholas and in some areas a figure of Advent customs. This fits like a glove for a Hellboy short story.

This story by Mike Minola with graphics by Adam Hughes (who works for DC, Marvel, and Dark Horse, among others) is another good example of a Hellboy short story for me. A legendary character or character is often taken and Hellboy has to face that number. Not infrequently, this is accompanied by a physical altercation and some strong sayings from the red horn. So all the main points that make up a good Hellboy story. This story was published years ago as a special issue by Cross Cult in Germany and is reprinted here.

Finally, with The return of the Lampedon worm A short 6-page story before the fan is given a little basic knowledge in 30 pages with artwork and graphics at the end of the book.

Hellboy and the BUAP – The Beast of Vargu and Other Stories, published by Cross Cult, ISBN: 978-3-96658-516-3, 14 x 21 cm, hardcover, 144 pages, €22

Order Hellboy and the BUAP – The Beast of Vargu at Buecher.de now

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Order Hellboy and the BUAP – The Beast of Vargu on Amazon.de now

Our online magazine ntower is a member of the affiliate networks Amazon PartnerNet, Awin, Webgains, Media Markt E-Business GmbH and Saturn online GmbH. If you order via one of our affiliate links, we receive a variable commission from the respective store operator. There are no additional costs for end customers.