There are four stories in the new Hellboy Winter Special. I'd say two are worth reading, and one of those is spectacular. That's a soft recommendation at best, but there it is.


Second best is 'Broken Vessels' by Mike Mignola, Scott Allie, and Tim Sale. It's a simple tale of two men meeting over a fire during winter, rife with the well researched mythological bent that Mignola is renowned for. The art by Sale is a very pleasant mix of traditional pencil/ink and painted work that is utilized to excellent effect to distinguish between times. The but, and there is a but, is that there's no Hellboy connection to the story. None. Zilch. It's just a great odd story that would fit better in a book of Greek myths being adapted. I guess its here because its Hellboy-ish.


The big winner is 'Mood Swings' by Chelsea Cain and Michael Avon Oeming which is the accounting of Liz Sherman going through puberty while fighting evil snowmen . Lord a mighty, its great! (But not enough to rave about the book.)