Image © Dark Horse Comics and Mike Mignola.

The lead feature and highlight of this issue for me is a new serialized Hellboy story. I don’t quite get Mignola’s fascination with Mexico as a film noir/horror setting, but he makes it entertaining. Taking place in 1956, Hellboy is something of a wastrel, drinking and smoking his way into trouble without seeming to even notice it or care much. Blinded by love until it’s too late…or is it? Nice art by Mick McMahon, another interesting interpretation of the Mignola style.

“Alabaster: Boxcar Tales” by Kiernan and Lieber is up to 12 chapters, and I still don’t know what’s going on, really, but the visuals and dialogue keep me reading.

“Nexus: Into the Past” is on chapter 7, and it’s been a wild ride, which continues here, but the story finally gets more personal for Horatio Hellpop and his family on Ylum. I still feel this story is somewhat out of control, but I liked this chapter.

“Monstrous” by Horton and Cody is an interesting premise: a human soul trapped in a monstrous body, but in this case amid a society of monster overlords that he’s trying to infiltrate.

“Saint George: Dragonslayer” part 2 is trying to turn the heroic legend on its head, and doing an entertaining job of it so far. I like the irreverent art and script by Van Lente and Brown, though some of the faces are too manga for my taste.

Other stories here didn’t catch my interest.

Recommended.