REVIEW: 'Young Hellboy: The Hidden Land' #1 by Mike Mignola, Thomas Sniegoski, and Craig Rousseau

Stranded on a strange island after a mishap on their way to a South American dig site, Hellboy and Professor Bruttenholm are confronted by all manner of monsters! But even when the stranger who rescues them turns out to be one of Hellboy's heroes, they aren't as safe as they think they are!

Join Hellboy creator Mike Mignola as he teams with writer Tom Sniegoski, artist Craig Rousseau, and colorist Dave Stewart to bring you a tale of Hellboy's childhood!

YOUNG HELLBOY: THE HIDDEN LAND #1

Writer: Mike Mignola, Thomas Sniegoski

Artist: Craig Rousseau

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

Release Date: February 17, 2021

Cover Price: $3.99

Score: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

Mike Mignola and co-writer Thomas Sniegoski have brought a delightful chapter of Hellboy's childhood with this new series, finding another way to feed loyal fans of the classic character. 'Young Hellboy: The Hidden Land' is also accessible to new readers without knowing much beforehand. Delving into the young but still sassy Hellboy's past is every bit as entertaining as one would hope. 

The premise is simple. Due to some unforeseen circumstances, Professor Bruttenholm and Hellboy crash land near a strange island, and the two encounter some dangerous situations. This is an adventure series that is written with a lot of charm, joy, and wonder. There's plenty of danger too of course but there's a lighter, softer sense of dread than expected making it a great gateway for younger readers to introduce themselves to Hellboy. 

As in any Hellboy comic, it's the art that establishes so much, and Craig Rousseau has a light touch with beautifully designed characters and scenes. The key is the emotional range caught on the young Hellboy's face. And he goes through them all here. That's the emotional punch in seeing this adventure through Hellboy's eyes and Rousseau takes us there in fine fashion. Hellboy is the focal point and colorist Dave Stewart makes sure his signature red pops throughout as well as creating a picture book-worthy story with flawless panels. 

'Young Hellboy' is a simple but thoroughly entertaining adventure executed with perfection. A story that's easy for anyone to jump into and explore the early days of Hellboy. It's full of danger but also youthful exuberance and action guided by some great art.