Hellboy in Mexico

Written by Mike Mignola
Art by Richard Corben

I started, a little over a month ago, to read my way through Hellboy and the rest of the Mignola-verse titles.  My goal is to get caught up to the titles, and to then start picking them up monthly.  The problem with this title is that it's difficult to trade-wait, as individual comics such as this one are sometimes not collected for a few years.  And also, when the subject matter involves Hellboy fighting vampire luchadores with art by Richard Corben, it becomes impossible to wait at all.

This is one of the best Hellboy comics I've ever read.  While on a mission in Mexico in 1982, Abe Sapien discovers old newspaper photos of Hellboy with a trio of luchadores.  He then begins to tell the story of the year he spent in Mexico in the 50s, fighting vampires and witches alongside these three wrestlers.  One of the brothers, the youngest, is captured by vampires, and things go from light-hearted to grim pretty quickly.

As usual, Corben's artwork is brilliant, and Mignola tells a simple story not weighted down by a ton of mysticism or prophecy.  Great stuff.