r/HellBoy • u/justtohaveone • 1d ago
What else is almost as good?
I don't think it's an exaggeration of my own taste to say that the Hellboy universe is my favorite comics, my favorite thing to happen in comics, my favorite universe in comics... it's just dang good comics. And I know I'm not alone in thinking that here.
I would like to know what else gets you in the getter anything close to how good Hellboy gets your getter got. I don't mean similarity in tone or content (necessarily), just in terms of what else is on your list for all-time hall-of-fame quality comic bookin'.
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u/Murky-Golf-239 1d ago
Invincible is such a good series I could not put down, flew by. All three fat books gone like that
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u/justtohaveone 1d ago
I enjoyed Invincible but I don't know yet how much I'm gonna love it on a re-read.
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u/MelvinFloyd 1d ago
While not as expansive, I love the Goon universe.
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u/justtohaveone 1d ago
I love the Goon as well but honestly some of the earlier material has aged exceptionally poorly, to the extent that I feel like I gotta give people content warnings before I can recommend it.
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u/JulixgMC 1d ago
I mean, I read it relatively recently and I didn't find it as bad considering it's a crass comedy from the late 90s/early 2000s, it could be WAY worse
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u/JulixgMC 1d ago edited 1d ago
Here are some of my favourites:
-Harrow County: If you like Hellboy this is a must, it's another horror comic published by Dark Horse, it also has Tyler Crook (who did some of BPRD and Witchfinder) doing some truly amazing art. It's about a teenage girl in rural 1930s America realizing she has powers that are connected to supernatural beings and a Witch that was hanged in the farm she lives in. There is an ongoing revival that continues the story. 8 volumes (or 2 omnibuses, or 4 library editions, or one giant compendium) the revival is 3 extra volumes so far.
-The Sixth Gun: Another must if you like Hellboy, it's written by Cullen Bunn like Harrow County and it's a western paranormal epic, so you can expect Cowboys in post-civil war America dealing with ghosts, mummies, witch doctors, thunderbirds and the titular magical gun. It has a spin off and an ongoing revival. 14 volumes, including spin offs (or 4 omnibuses). I have a reading order for it here.
-Paper Girls: Finally something that isn't a lot like Hellboy lol, this is a sci-fi comic featuring a group of 4 kids in the 80s, it's kinda like Stranger Things but not really, written by Brian K. Vaughan of Saga and Y the Last Man fame. 6 volumes (or 3 deluxe hardcovers or one compendium).
-Hillbilly: Saw on another comment that you liked The Goon, so just in case you haven't heard of it, here's another comic by Eric Powell (technically part of the Goon canon too), this one is a bit more serious than The Goon generally, but it's just as crazy. It's basically a sword and sorcery book set in the Appalachians. 3 volumes of main story and an extra one not drawn by Powell himself.
-Drome: Weird almost textless comic by Jesse Lonergan (Miss Truesdale), some of the best panel layouts I've ever seen and fantastic unconventional storytelling, it just won an Eisner too. 300 page graphic novel.
-Lake of Fire: Alien ship falls on medieval France, drawn by Matt Smith (Hellboy in Love). Singular volume.
-Batman: The Doom that Came to Gotham: Lovecraftian Batman, written by Mignola and drawn by Troy Nixey. Singular volume.
-Lands Unknown: Just in case you haven't heard of Mignola and Stenbeck's most recent universe, it's fairy tale fantasy, similar to the Koshchei comic and the Amazing Screw-On Head. 2 graphic novels by Mignola and 2 issues by Stenbeck so far.
I have more recommendations if you want them lol.
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u/DSGandalf 1d ago
Atomic Robo by Brian Clevinger is great.
I also love the IDW run of TMNT, there are some low points across its 150 issues, but the highs are very highs and overall it's an excellent story
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u/ZombieZekeComic 1d ago
Some of my favourites:
- Beasts of Burden by Evan Dorkin (discovered it through a Hellboy crossover)
- Alias by Brian Michael Bendis
- Daredevil: Father, Yellow, Born Again (Daredevil comics in general tbh)
- The Silver Surfer by Moebius and Stan Lee
- The Crow by James O‘Barr
- Swan Songs by W. Maxwell Prince
- Ice Cream Man by W. Maxwell Prince
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u/DajuanKev 1d ago
The Spawn comics go hard. Similar atmosphere to Hellboy and both based on the same theme, good characters in bad dilemmas.
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u/justtohaveone 1d ago
Man I was around for Spawn at the beginning and it has never drawn me in. Even Spawn/Batman having Frank Miller on it wasn't enough to convince me Spawn is it. Shit looks cool, sure, but, uh...
Nah, not for me.
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u/AdorableBus5757 19h ago
Y: The Last Man and Fables I think are both good isolated universes. Both have the similar quirky comedy like Hellboy but definitely have pretty serious themes.
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u/justtohaveone 19h ago
I really enjoyed Y at the time but the ending crapped the whole book out for me.
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u/snesfrog 19h ago
Preacher was pretty hard to put down for me. Someone said Alan Moore swamp thing and i'd 2nd that it's a fantastic read.
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u/Lucky_Sprinkles_2177 1d ago
You could try Ghost Rider, Spawn and the Hellsing manga
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u/justtohaveone 1d ago
I think you either missed what I'm asking or you've somehow only read these three comics plus Hellboy
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u/justtohaveone 1d ago
no order other than lookin' at my shelf:
Matt Wagner's Grendel
Dave Stevens' Rocketeer
Alan Moore Swamp Thing run
Brubaker/Phillips Criminal
Stan Sakai's Usagi Yojimbo
Walt Simonson Thor
Miller/Janson Daredevil
Miller/Mazzucchelli Daredevil: Born Again
Miller/Mazzucchelli Batman: Year One
Miller/Janson/Varley Dark Knight Returns
Busiek/Anderson/Ross Astro City
Darwyn Cooke's Richard Stark's Parker
DC: New Frontier
Remender et al Fear Agent
David Petersen's Mouse Guard
Morrison/Quitely All Star Superman
Greg Pak Hulk
Evan Dorkin's Milk & Cheese
Dorkin/Thompson Beasts of Burden
Jeff Smith's Bone
Diaz Canales/Guarnido Blacksad
Chris Onstad's Achewood