Hellboy: Strange Places (Volume Six)

Mike Mignola

This volume follows Hellboy as he wonders around in “strange plans” trying to find himself and his will to survive.  It was a nice volume to read–I liked the mermaids and the trip to Africa.  The last half of the volume, however, was slow and repetitive.  It almost feels like the series is running out of steam.  The issues are beginning to follow the same format, and while in the past facts about Hellboy’s existence were revealed little by little (which kept us reading), we know almost everything about his true nature at this time.  Now all we have are evil characters trying to rule Hellboy again and again.  Blasted arm!

I hope Hellboy’s quest to find himself is a signal that the author is also trying to find the series.  I hope this is a gateway to bigger and better issues.  At the moment it threatens to play the same song in each volume.