REVIEW: 'Hellboy: The Silver Lantern Club' #3 by Mike Mignola & Chris Roberson, Ben Stenbeck, Christopher Mitten, and Michelle Madsen

 

HELLBOY: THE SILVER LANTERN CLUB #3

Writer: Mike Mignola & Chris Roberson

Artist: Ben Stenbeck/Christopher Mitten

Colorist: Michelle Madsen

Letterer: Clem Robins

Editor: Kath O’Brien

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: December 29, 2021

Reliving old stories with Hellboy and Professor Bruttenholm, Simon Bruttenholm recalls the strange tale of a woman whose synesthetic visions revealed the presence of a mysterious and malevolent entity. What ensues is a hair-raising confrontation worthy of the Silver Lantern Club's finest!

Score: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

Storytelling in the Hellboy universe is so comforting and engaging. 'Hellboy: The Silver Lantern Club' #3 offers a spooky tale of a haunting in London. This is the kind of comic you grab a cup of warm cocoa and curl up with at night, and dive right in. 

While having some pints at a local London pub, Hellboy and Professor Bruttenholm are convinced to stay awhile and listen to another tale about the Silver Lantern Club as a conversation about a painting recalls another adventure. This is where the reader settles in just like Hellboy and the professor do as Simon spins his story. He recalls his younger self and Honora Grant investigating a haunting and coming across Sarah Jewell and her friend Amelia Cartwright Jones when the appearance of a creature leads them on a brief chase. They gather to compare notes and collaborate. Another encounter with the mysterious creature on Great Titchfield Street leads to clues that yield results in their research. 

Mike Mignola and Chris Roberson write this as a supernatural mystery more than an outright horror story. It's really the collaborative efforts of the Silver Lantern Club that find a resolution to this malevolent entity roaming London that drives the narrative. Jones' "synesthesia" or ability to sense something through visions and Grant's research makes the difference. They build their case on the real-life exploits of people like John Dee, Edward Keeley, and John Varley. It's smart and engaging writing. There's also a little subtext about the relationship between Sarah and Amelia that is subtle but refreshing. 

Ben Stenbeck, Christopher Mitten, and Michelle Madsen handle all the art duties and do a remarkable job. Madsen keeps the Hellboy aesthetic of earthy colors and dark shadows that sets an eerie and suspenseful landscape. Stenbeck and Mitten's designs are a little softer and more detailed than Mignola's signature look but are just as effective in conveying multiple emotions and directing the action. 

'Hellboy: The Silver Lantern Club' #3 is a wonderfully straightforward supernatural mystery that relies on smart characters and teamwork. Hellboy is on this sideline for this issue but the stars are the Silver Lantern Club and they don't disappoint. A fun and enrapturing tale told with intelligence and great art. What more could you want from a Hellboy title?