5 out of 5

Odd that the single spark of joy in the core Mignolaverse titles right now would be coming from the book that’ s verily set in Hell.  Alas, Mignola’s snail’s releasing pace makes that spark alternately nigh-unbearably long between appearances, and something to pretty much reliably look forward to.

‘Hounds of Pluto’ follows the title’s somewhat established wandering nature, blending fable with ongoing narrative in the way that, really, only Mike can do.  Herein, Hellboy ain’t feeling well, is taken in by a couple of doctors who think a third doctor friend can assist, which he does in exchange for HBs help in trapping a rival inside a dead cat.  (This is how things work in Hell, after all.)  This gives us wonderful Boom! panels and HB’s always chuckly missives and plenty of bold Dave Stewart red splashes amidst every possible variation he can dig up of greys and browns; Mignola, as ever, knows his world and his pacing such that his pages are filled / not filled with all the right beats, and all the necessary “random” imagery and / or context to set the scene, like those damned puppets he can keep seguing to and have it surreally float right back into his story.

Issue 8 focuses more on what’s plaguing Hellboy, and in so doing allows Mignola to give us some nice snapshots to catch us up with the story in case we’re feeling lost (which I often do); it’s hard to tell if the clearing of HB’s symptoms (and the return of his color) is as big a deal as it seems, or just another step in the direction Mike is heading.  Both, I guess.  And another spark to look forward to in the next issue.