• HELLBOY & BPRD OLD MAN WHITTIER
    Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: Old Man Whittier
    Writer:
    Mike Mignola
    Artist:
    Gabriel Hernández Walta
    Letterer:
    Clem Robins
    Cover Artist:
    Gabriel Hernández Walta, Dave Stewart
    Publisher:
    Dark Horse Comics
    Price:
    $3.99
    Release Date:
    2022-06-29
    Colorist:
    Dave Stewart

Mike Mignola's Hellboy and the B.P.R.D. is a series of short stories and one-shots from Dark Horse Comics that depict the bizarre, otherworldly adventures of everyone's favorite big red paranormal investigator. More often than not, he comes across occult-dabbling families who succumb to the darkness of the esoteric beyond in their quest for power and glory. The 8-page short, "The Whittier Legacy," originally published in 2010, describes one such tragic family and the dreadful end that befalls one of their descendants. Some things should remain dead, but in the world of Hellboy, death is just the beginning. Written by Mike Mignola with artwork from Gabriel Hernández Walta and Dave Stewart and letters by Clem Robins, Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: Old Man Whittier unearths more slithering secrets about the dreadful Whittier family.

Set in Lenox, Massachusetts, in 1986, Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: Old Man Whittier takes the titular paranormal investigator to the dilapidated country home of the Whittier family. Catherine Rodwell contacted the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense when her aunt left all her possessions to her, including the house. Together with Hellboy, she enters the manor to find the portrait of her ancestor Elijah Whittier staring right at her amongst the cobweb and dust. The house's caretaker, Miss Cooke, cordially welcomes Catherine but gives the cold shoulder to Hellboy, who uses the distraction to inspect the estate's burial grounds. As he goes deeper into the rabbit hole, Catherine finds herself in great danger when she encounters a zombified Elijah.

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The Whittier House in Hellboy and the B.P.R.D. Old Man Whittier

Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: Old Man Whittier, like most Hellboy stories, is a slow-burning tale that opens with a fair amount of exposition, luring the reader in with a dark recollection of the past. Once the trap is sprung, the book approaches the supernatural territory on nimble feet, like a mouse exploring an empty cellar for breadcrumbs. Hellboy plays his role with ease, picking up clues as ghosts bear ominous forewarning and venomous snakes rear their heads to strike. Catherine becomes the focal point of a separate narrative that goes down a far more nefarious road, at which point the story starts to show its true colors. While Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: Old Man Whittier is by no means a gamechanger, Mignola always finds a way to make classic tropes feel fresh to keep the storyline exciting.

Like Mignola, artist Gabriel Hernández Walta is a multiple Eisner award recipient whose skill with the pencil brings an air of tension and secrecy to the plot. His bold contours push out the characters from the claustrophobic backgrounds made of little details using gristly lines, giving the panels a gritty look. One can feel the creepiness of the house and the fear in Catherine's eyes. As the story progresses, Walta's artwork gradually goes off the deep end, dousing the book in a haunting atmosphere. Colorist Dave Stewart accentuates the deepening shadows with an array of muted shades, making Hellboy the only one standing out in each frame. Equally commendable is letterer Clem Robins' work, who always finds ways to point the reader's attention to the right place.

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Catherine in trouble in Hellboy and the B.P.R.D. Old Man Whittier

Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: Old Man Whittier reimagines the age-old horror tropes of haunted houses, dangerous secrets, and zombified monstrosities, adding to the already rich history of the Hellboy comic books. The one-shot is emblematic of Mignola's signature style -- a quiet opening that avalanches into a thrilling adventure and ends with an explosive conclusion. Even though the titular character only plays a minor role in the story, the enthralling storytelling and equally great art are bound to captivate casual readers and Hellboy fans alike.