Hellboy 8: Darkness Calls by Mike Mignola

In volume 8, Hellboy: Darkness Calls, Hellboy is still on sabbatical, but that means anything but rest for our red dehorned hero. Hecate, the queen of the witches, is presumed destroyed and now they need a new leader. They offer to make Hellboy, King of the Witches, but for those who are familiar with Hellboy, we know what he told them they could do with that offer. Which just a piece of advice, not wise to turn down such job offers from witches.

Hellboy’s rejection hurls him into the world of his old nemesis, Baba Yaga, who is still seeking an eye for an eye revenge against Hellboy. Even though they are now on her battlegrounds, Hellboy still finds a few alliances, but Baba Yaga is willing to conjure up whatever it takes to get her revenge. Meanwhile, the witches embark on bringing back an ancient entity that most likely will destroy the world.

Unlike the last couple of volumes that consisted of several short stories, Darkness Calls is just one action packed tale filled with folklore, mythology, theology, and demonology.

I don’t think I can sum it up better than Jane Yolen in the introduction: “It is a deeply human story for all its monsters.”

I can hardly wait to start reading volume 9, oh wait, there is no volume 9 :(.