Hellboy: The Troll Witch and Others

My copy of Hellboy Vol. 7 includes a label on the cover with the "now a major motion picture" which were no doubt added to copies on release of Hellboy II: The Golden Army. I had hoped this meant that the volume would be an isolated story like the previous edition Conqueror Worm, perhaps with the source material that movie had drawn from, however we instead return to the 5-8 page mini stories - fun but forgettable.

The volume also marked the first time I notices other names credited on the cover and certainly in the artwork (Mignola does all the writing) you can see a difference in the signature style at times, though mainly in a specific sequence in one particular story "Makoma", however it seems to be an intentional stylist choice rather than a difference in artist.

So while not the most engrossing volume in Hellboy and a piece meal collection, the action is still great and the parable sized stories are still strong if not as layered as some earlier volumes offer. It's a shame, because the premise for a lot of these is great (such as the Troll Witch), however the length ensures any conflict is quickly resolved. One for completists and collectors but not recommended as a place to start.