A big baddie with roots in Slavic folklore, Koshchei is the archetypal rival to the hero, who is evil to a fault. In Mike Mignola’s Hellboy universe, Koshchei is a ruthless anti-hero with a tragic past, enslaved by the deceitful Baba Yaga and forced to carry out her bidding as she holds his soul hidden inside an egg that was hidden inside a duck inside of a rabbit inside of a goat. He has tussled with the Big Red before, now coming to terms with him during their chance encounter in Hell. Written by Mignola with artwork from Ben Stenbeck and Dave Stewart and letters from Clem Robins, Koshchei in Hell #1 from Dark Horse Comics continues the tale of the former warlock in a four-part miniseries.
Koshchei is at peace in Hell. He has rooms full of books and a cellar stretching with wine collections to keep him company. In his complacency, he has forgotten about the one thing he came to Hell in search of — his soul. The story then connects directly with Sir Edward Grey: Acheron, another Hellboy one-shot from last year. Acheron visits Koshchei with news of Hellboy’s passing, bequeathing Hell upon him as per Anung Un Rama’s wishes. Acheron’s words leave a mark on the former assassin as he finally decides to leave the comfort of his books and take a trip to Pandemonium, Satan’s seat of power, before his death at the hands of Hellboy.
It has been a while since Mike Mignola has explored the character of Koshchei, and Koshchei in Hell #1 seems like the perfect time to recap the character’s history and story so far. As a result, the issue burns ever so slowly, like Kohschei’s procrastination itself, taking its good time to set up the plot as new characters try their best to push the protagonist towards his intended path. Instead of plunging into a self-absorbed narration, Mignola uses different storytelling devices at his disposal, like a puppet show or a simple conversation, to carve out a picture of the past. Just as the book reaches its final arc, the adventurous spirit kicks in, taking the readers by storm. There is an underlying tension that builds as the story ventures into uncharted territory, bringing much-needed suspense to the plot.
If the aesthetics of Koshchei in Hell #1 seem solemn, it is due to Ben Stenbeck’s framing of silent scenes that spread an air of melancholia over the book. There is an insipid sense of lifelessness in the sleepy town as the heavy inks bring out the details in medieval architecture. The darkened clouds and long shadows in the alleyways create a creeping sensation that portends an oncoming thunderstorm. Keeping with the gloomy lighting, colorist Dave Stewart uses drab tones of ocher and beige to accompany the grime on the pages. Only during dramatic scenes do the colors shift to brighter tones, with red creating a striking presence, be it a flashback scene or Acheron’s presence in a dimmed room.
Koshchei in Hell #1 speaks in riddles and foreboding messages, keeping the mystery as hidden as possible. It falls on Koshchei and the reader to unravel the mysteries of Hell on their own. So far, it has been smooth sailing for the brooding protagonist, but by the looks of things, especially the cliffhanger ending, the tale has finally opened up its sails to gather more speed. Littered with imagery such as the crow and the snail and references to other one-shots, including the infamous Order of Fly, Koshchei in Hell #1 immerses itself in the Hellboy mythos and continues to build on its legacy.
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