Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Writer: Mike Mignola, Scott Allie, Chris Robertson, Chelsea Cain, Dean Rankine
Artist: Tim Sale, Michael Walsh, Michael Avon Oeming, Dean Robins
Editor: Scott Allie
Release Date: 27 January 2016
Price: $3.99

What’s big and red and . . . ah, why bother, you know the answer is going to be Hellboy! And here he is trudging through a winter wonderland to mark the thirtieth anniversary of Dark Horse Comics. This landmark event also features the debut work here of Tim Sale, Chris Robertson, Chelsea Cain and Michael Walsh. If you don’t know who they are, go look them up.

Hellboy kicks off his appearances with a neat little ghost story called ‘Wandering Souls’, set in 1953 Wyoming, where Hellboy and Susan investigate some spooky going’s on at an old mine. This tale is swiftly followed by ‘Mood Swings’, a 1975 Christmas story with a difference. You’ll never think of ‘Frosty the Snowman’ in the same way again. Rounding out Hellboy Winter Special is ‘Kung Pao Lobster’ which provides some cartoon chuckles and some shamanistic chills.

Like most anthology titles Hellboy Winter Special is a smorgasbord designed to appeal to a wide variety of tastes, but Hellboy is obviously the main course here and he never disappoints.  Read it curled up with a mug of hot chocolate as the snowflakes fall to get the full effect.

Reviewer: Gary Orchard
Reviews Editor: Steve Hooker