The Visitor: How and Why He Stayed

When Mignola introduced the character of Hellboy to the world, he included a single page in the first series that puzzled readers for 23 years. It showed aliens monitoring Hellboy’s activities from space. But who were they, and what were their intentions? Finally in this volume, Mignola gives the answer. An extraterrestrial is present at Hellboy’s first appearance on Earth in 1944, and his mission is to assassinate the demon child–but a premonition of the power of free will stays his hand. The visitor takes on the alias of human Michael Mathers and stays to watch Hellboy’s progress. Unexpectedly, Michael falls in love and builds a life on earth, averting a number of paranormal disasters and regularly calling in anonymous tips to the BPRD (Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense). Drawn by Grist and colored by Crabtree in a style deliberately similar to that of the original series, this comic slots easily into the Mignolaverse and offers a satisfying answer to a long-running mystery. (Oct.)