Product Description
Since Mike Mignola's Hellboy first hit the stands in 1993, it has become a cultural sensation, racking up a dozen Eisner Awards and inspiring numerous spinoffs, from a novel line, to video games, to feature films. Now, Dark Horse is pleased to present the comics that started it all, collected in deluxe hardcover editions. Sized at 9" by 12", and handsomely bound to match The Art of Hellboy hardcover, each volume contains two full story-arcs - the equivalent of two trade-paperbacks. Each volume of the Hellboy Library Editions also includes extensive supplemental materials, including previously unreleased sketches and designs.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 5.0 based on 19 reviews)

Nicest Collection I Have Purchased

The Hellboy Library edition is absolutely wonderful. The cover and format are beautiful. The paper is perfect. And the story...well, there is a reason this book got the all-star treatment. Hellboy is one of the most original comic stories to come out in many years. Buy it!
November 14, 2008

5 stars for both content and presentation

As a long time fan of Mike Mignola's Hellboy series (as in, back to Hellboy's initial appearance in John Byrne's Next Men), I've been waiting for a collection that did justice to Mignola's incredible artwork. As soon as I set my eyes on the Hellboy Library Edition, I knew my wait was over.

Similar to the Sin City Library collections, the Hellboy Library Edition is a larger than normal hardcover size. Think of the DC Absolute hardcover series; this book is just slightly smaller than that format. As if the extra large presentation weren't enough, the page stock has been significantly upgraded. The pages are thicker than most cover stock, and they have a glossy finish that perfectly showcases Mignola's unique (and gorgeous) artwork. Each page truly becomes fine art. The pages are also very resistant to fingerprints, which is especially important given the amount of black Mignola tends to use. I can see some collectors having a problem with the cloth-like cover of this volume, but I think it suits the book quite well.

In this hefty first volume you get the complete Seed of Destruction and Wake the Devil stories plus a nice helping of bonus material, including promotional artwork, shorts, and sketchbook artwork. Seed of Destruction is, of course, the Hellboy origin story and the basis of the 2004 Hellboy film. Wake the Devil is the sequel story, and served as the inspiration for the animated Hellboy feature Blood and Iron.

With its high price tag, the Hellboy Library Edition collections are not for everyone. They are however, a must-have for serious Hellboy collectors. Once you see the quality of the book, you won't think twice about replacing your Hellboy paperback collections.

November 08, 2008

buy this, you won't regret it

i forgot how good "seeds of destruction" is. i also forgot the difference between "seeds" and the first movie. the art just looks better on the bigger pages, i found myself just staring and taking it all in. my only complaint is the cover material. if you have any pets this will be covered in hair, i wish it would have come with a slip case.
October 03, 2008

Hellboy Library Edition Vol 1

This collection has to be seen to be appreciated. I actually saw this at a comix store while away on business and immediately knew I had to have it and Amazon had a stellar price I couldn't pass up. This is a beautiful compliment to the Art of Hellboy hardcover released a few years ago. I haven't placed both books next to each other (yet) but I believe they're the same size as they seem to follow the same format. This is the way the Hellboy books should be read, the larger (then the original comic book size) print and vibrant colors will make your eyes bleed with joy. That is if you get weepy looking at beautiful artwork from a master at the top of his game. 5 stars just isn't a high enough rating.
September 27, 2008

Great volume of Hellboy goodness!

This is an amazing volume!

It contains many Hellboy stories all in one book. Each book included in this compilation included has a nice intro and dedication. There's also a very cool sketchbook section in the back and some other extras.

The stories themselves are of course amazing. If you love Hellboy but don't own the early comics, this book might be the one you want to pick up.

The binding is very well made. The cover is sturdy and coated in fabric. The book itself is big and the paper is thick and glossy. It's the most well constructed book of comics I've ever seen!
September 25, 2008

SIMILAR PRODUCTS

Hellboy Library Edition, Vol. 2: The Chained Coffin, The Right Hand of Doom, and Others
by Mike Mignola

The Absolute Sandman, Vol. 3
by Neil Gaiman

The Absolute Sandman, Vol. 4
by Neil Gaiman

The Starman Omnibus, Vol. 1
by James Robinson
by Tony Harris

Watchmen
by Alan Moore
by Dave Gibbons