Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews
Hellboy: Being Human #1
Dark Horse Comics
Mignola & Corben
Hellboy delivers some of the best, self-enclosed, one shots out there today and "Being Human" is no different. The story isn't overly complex and doesn't try to overwhelm the reader with too much information jammed into twenty two pages. Instead, the issue pairs Hellboy with an interesting character from his history and tells a fun and entertaining story. I can't imagine a better selling factor for someone looking to read a comic book.
Hellboy begs the good folks at the BPRD to let loose one of the characters they are studying, Homunculus aka Roger. Hellboy gets his wish and takes Roger on an easy task down in South Carolina. Within the first few pages Hellboy and Roger review their history together and the reader gets a feel for this Roger character. While he resembles a stone person he was hatched not born hence Roger's struggle with being human.
The case they work on is very straight forward and may seem like one you've read in a Hellboy book before. An old, plantation is haunted where corpses walk out of their tomb and sit down in the abandoned house. After some observation and some back story from a local police officer Hellboy and Roger find out what's going on.
In a clever twist, Hellboy is immediately taken out of the action and that leaves Roger to handle things on his own. By the end of the book Roger handles the case almost entirely himself and he and Hellboy have themselves a heart to heart at the end to sort everything out.
It's a great story. It moves fast but provides enough information so the reader understands the problem and can figure out for themselves whom the real villain is in the story. The story contains some other characters that can support the story where Hellboy is more of the anchor at the beginning and end. Is Roger going to become the next Abe Sabien? No, but this at least allows the possibility that he can be used again the future to further advance him.
Corben is excellent on artwork. He tells a terrific action story and he nails the supernatural elements of the book. He's got a great knack for the horror genre in his stories and he uses it here well. I did find it a little tough to follow the fight between Roger and the zombie that looked a lot like Roger but it was entertaining and creative nonetheless.
There is no jumping on point with Hellboy because his story is told out of order as it is. This issue is definitely one that anyone can pick up and read and enjoy. They may not get the best spotlight on Hellboy but you will definitely come away getting a great feel for what his world is like and the kind of guy he is in terms of humanity. This is simply an excellent read and worth the cover charge.
4.5 out of 5 Geek Goggles
