- Title: Koshchei the Deathless #1 (of 6)
- Comic Vine: link
- Writer: Mike Mignola
- Artist: Ben Stenbeck
With the first issue of the new six-issue mini-series Hellboy creator Mike Mignola turns his attention back towards Koshchei, the cursed immortal sent to kill Hellboy by Baba Yaga in Hellboy: Darkness Calls. Opening with Hellboy and Koshchei in Hell, Koshchei the Deathless #1 takes place mostly in an extended flashback of the immortal sharing his tale including his apprenticeship under a dragon, his fame as a warrior, the tragedy of his marriage leading to death and immortality, and his first meeting with Baba Yaga.
Ben Stenbeck is a good choice for the comic’s artist, fitting well into the look of the Hellboy universe. Although we don’t get much of Big Red, I do like the look of Koshchei, the dragon, and the various others to pass the immortal’s path.
While he’s the furthest thing from a sympathetic character, I’m intrigued by this look back into the past of Koshchei. The framing of the having the story told in a pub in Hell is a nice touch as well. If I have concerns it’s with Mignola finding enough content to fill six issues. Worth a look.
[Dark Horse, $3.99]