In my prior posting on the Hellboy-related comics, I bemoaned the fact that it looked like we would not see any more titles, though there were several plot threads left unfinished. Thus, I was surprised to see new comics come out in 2025.
As I write this, there are three mini-series out, with some additional ones promised, and a semi-related new original graphic novel out. And all are under a new imprint at Dark Horse Comics for Mike Mignola‘s works: Curious Objects. It uses an onion or radish. Reminds me of something from The Amazing Screw-On Head.
The three mini-series out are The Serpent in the Garden: Ed Grey and the Last Battle for England, Frankenstein: New World – The Sea of Forever, and Shadow of the Golden Crane. All will be collected in hardback collections toward the end of 2025. As I write this, the first series is finished, and the rest are halfway through their runs.
The Serpent in the Garden: Ed Grey and the Last Battle for England is a three-issue mini series and concludes the stories for several characters, including Edward Gray and Gruagach.
Edward is now living in Avalon, which is protected by Alice Monaghan, who is the Queen. He is now happy with the love of his life, Mary. But the peace of Avalon is threatened by Morgan le Fay and her champion, Gruagach. Gruagach has had a long history with Hellboy and was left behind with the death of Hellboy and the rebirth of the world. What will be the outcome of this final battle for Avalon? I thought this was a satisfying conclusion for several of these characters.
Frankenstein: New World – The Sea of Forever is a four-issue mini-series that continues the story of Frankenstein and Lilja in the future world after its rebirth. We learned in the prior mini-series that evil has come into this world in the form of Murk. And it seems to be following the two on their quest. They will confront the Bog Roosh, who was confronted by Hellboy during his wanderings. While they conclude their time with the Bog Roosh, the overall storyline continues. We just don’t know when that will occur.
Shadow of the Golden Crane spins out of the Hellboy and the B.P.R.D. series, as it focuses on B.P.R.D. agent Susan Xiang in 1963. We learn more about the Golden Crane Society, an ancient Chinese society that also fights supernatural evils, and Susan’s connection to it. Will we see further stories with her?
We got a mini-series in 2023 called Giant Robot Hellboy, which was never collected, and they announced there will be a two-issue follow-up, Giant Robot Hellboy Returns, but it has yet to be scheduled. And I can’t find the announcement anymore at Dark Horse. So I’m not sure what’s up.
There will be a one-shot in August, Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: Professor Harvey Is Gone, based on a short story by Chris Golden. And expect a two-issue mini-series in the Hellboy in Love line called The Art of Fire starting in August.
Finally, there is a stand-alone hardcover collection, Bowling With Corpses and Other Strange Tales From Lands Unknown, which is an all-new collection of short stories written and drawn by Mignola. Seeing as how he right off credits “Howard, Smith, Lovecraft, Dunsany, Leiber” and others, I felt I should include it here. The title story is loosely based on an Italian folk tale. The rest are mostly original. I would think that most could have appeared in pulps like Weird Tales or the like. I hope this will be but the first of several such collections. And it seems that may be the case.
So keep your eye out for these and possibly other items coming out this year.
