Reviewer: Kevin S. Mahoney
Title: Makoma or A Tale Told By a Mummy in the New York City Explorers’ Club on August 16, 1993
Written by: Mike Mignola
Art by: Mike Mignola & Richard Corben
Colored by: Dave Stewart
Lettered by: Clem Robins
Editor: Scott Allie
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Hellboy, the series not the character, has undergone a bit of a change up lately. There has been less action, more back-story. Each of the last two tales seemed less about moving the plot or characters forward, and more about moving them sideways, or giving readers insight into their pasts. It’s an interesting approach. The longtime fans who have been dying for any hint of Hellboy’s true nature are finally getting a finger hold on who or what he is. New readers, casual fans, and adrenaline junkies might be less impressed with the current direction of the series.
That’s not to say the current story lacks action. There are battles with giants and demons. A pool of crocodiles goes belly up. And a reanimated green-eyed mummy narrates the whole thing. It’s just not a story about Hellboy after the first few pages; Hellboy is dreaming the story as the mummy tells it to him. And while it is fun to see Hellboy transported into the realm of a specific mythology once again, he’ll have to wake up sooner or later, and then the main plot of this story will be moot. The upcoming and yet inevitable rude awakening certainly undermines the momentum of the story.
The art in this issue is suitably schizophrenic. The initial interlude in the NYCEC is pure unadulterated Mignola. Any fan of his will be impressed by the first seven pages of this story. The shadows, details, stylized faces, and otherwordly vistas still propel a reader into the story. When Hellboy begins dreaming, the art shifts completely and Richard Corben takes the reins. His style is much cleaner and more detailed, but still evocative. His sense of realism serves as a nice dichotomy with Mignola’s dark fantastic sense of style. The African animals look wonderful. And the playful reference Corben made to Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are was a special treat.
The overall effect of the story was one of pleasant diversion. Very little occurred that would make a difference down the line (unlike this title’s sister title B.P.R.D.) but everything that happened was entertaining. This arc, much like The Island, seems more of a stopgap measure than a step forward, but the journey is still worth the time and the price.
