Frank Miller's Sin City is visually quite astonishing. A brutal adult noir set in the fictional Basin City, Miller's black and white artwork realises the atmosphere of some weird Depression-era-style future superbly well. Our principal character, Marv, is a giant, as large as he is ugly, who has found some peace, some kindness, some shelter in the arms of a prostitute called Goldie. Goldie, running from someone, scared as hell, needs protection as much as Marv needs a little human kindness. Hauling himself out of the depths of a huge hangover Marv wakes to find Goldie murdered. And revenge is one of the things Marv does best. While the artwork is undeniably fine the story is rather thin in places, and the sound effects come a little too thick and fast. Although not a great comic it is a very good one and, as the first part of the classic Sin City series, the beginning chapter in what has become an essential addition to the adult graphic novel collector's list. --Mark Thwaite

Classic start to a classic series....a must have!, 24 Apr 2008
This is one of my favourite graphic novels. Utterly fantastic and visually stunning. Even if you are not a reader of graphic novels, any traditional crime fan would be pulled into Frank Millers world of hard cases, hitmen, dames and hookers. The men are big and burly, the women are so hot and curvy, and its all conveyed perfectly in harsh black and white artwork. Its like traditional film noir on the page.

This is the first in the series of Sin city, and the protagonist is the incredible Marv, hulking street fighter and tough guy with a "condition." He can't believe his luck when he meets a beautiful woman called Goldie...But it's not to last, and she ends up murdered. Then Marv is hot on the trail of her killers, and blood splattered vengeance will be his!! Kevin is truly one of the creepiest baddies I've seen, and Marv makes sure he gets what he deserves. Some of the characters are just amazing and recur throughout the Sin City series, like Gail, the fiery hooker, and Nancy, the angelic strip club dancer. This is a great crime story, as well a thrilling personal drama. I found it kind of romantic too, in a tragic way.

A welcome change from traditional superhero comics. Frank Miller is a genius! Read the rest of series now, and have a look at the art book! A great adult read indeed!

Impressive crime story, 06 Aug 2007
This is a great story and incredibly well drawn. Marv is a brute with justice on his side in this dark tale of violence, prostitution and corruption. Highly recommended if you're fond of noir and incredibly well designed drawings. Some of Miller's art is astounding and this is well worth a look.

Grimy "Goodbye", 26 Mar 2007
With a name like "The Hard Goodbye," it isn't surprising that the first volume of the Sin City series is pure, gritty noir. After practically reinventing the superhero comic, Frank Miller created a series that can definitely be called his opus -- gritty, dark, sexy and heady. Think of it as "The Big Sleep" meets "Kill Bill."

"The night is hot as hell. Everything sticks." With those words, tough, scarred Marv encounters and beds a beautiful, alluring "goddess" named Goldie. No sooner have they made love than she is found dead beside him, and unsurprisingly the police believe that Marv is the killer. Case closed? Not really.

Being blamed for the murder of the woman he loved, Marv devotes himself to finding who killed her and framed him. He rampages through the depths of Sin City, unearthing the twisted power structure that holds it up -- and in his homicidal quest, destroying his hidden enemies for the murder of Goldie... and in the process, dooming himself.

The noir atmosphere starts from the first panel -- toughguyspeak, a silhouette and a beautiful woman. That dark, dirty feel sets the mood for the book, and in fact for the entire series. Imagine one of those old Humphrey Bogart noir movies, with the smoky atmosphere and black-and-white film... but darker, more violent, openly sexual, and often gruesome in tone.

Miller's drawing style is all in black and white, and in "Hard Goodbye" the style is simple, but effective. He uses stark swashes of dark and light to illustrate the characters' faces and bodies, never overburdening the reader with too many unnecessary details. Although later volumes have more visual detail, Miller strips it down here to the bare bones, and it fits the spare narrative beautifully.

"Sin City" itself is a seedy underbelly, full of crime, revenge and corruption; Marv isn't the guy who's going to clean it up, a la Dashiell Hammett, but the guy who will get revenge, no matter what the consequences are. The characters are just as dark: a corrupted Cardinal, psychopathic cannibal Kevin, and moderately crooked cops. Lots of death ensues.

Frank Miller's "Sin City: The Hard Goodbye" is a hard book to read. However, the Chander-by-way-of-Tarantino comic book is an electrifying read, dark and bloody and vivid.

Five Star Sin, 28 Jun 2006
This has to be the perfect place to start from if you want to enter the world of Sin City. Frank Miller brings what has to be one of the best graphic novels ever to the public. If you have already seen the film and want to follow up your interest in Sin City, this is one of the 3 main books used. The others being That Yellow Bastard and The Big Fat Kill, there is also a small section of Booze, Broads and Bullets used.

The second Sin City film will be based around the book To Hell and Back, which is the seventh book of the Sin City Empire.

Hartigan saves little Nancy Callahan in Miller's comic noir, 07 Jun 2005
Although I still have a preference for Marv and narrative of "The Hard Goodbye," the first of Frank Miller's "Sin City" graphic novels, I think that artistically he hits full stride in the fourth, "That Yellow Bastard." It is just mildly ironic that this becomes the first volume in the series to add any color to Miller's black and white world. But whereas "The Hard Goodbye" had an almost kitchen sink approach with Miller pretty much trying everything he could come up with for black & white (or white & black) illustrations, I find there is much more of a coherent artistic vision and a rhythm to way in which Miller goes from predominantly black to predominantly white pages, and back again.

"That Yellow Bastard" begins with tough cop John Hartigan, whose good heart is going bad on him, trying to stay alive long enough to do one last case before he dies. Somebody has been raping and murdering little girls for some time and now they have taken 11-year-old Nancy Callahan. Hartigan is able to save Nancy from Roark Junior, the son of Senator Roark, but takes four bullets in the process. Junior is in worse shape, having an ear and both of his "weapons" removed by Hartigan's bullets. If an old man dies and a little girl survives, then Hartigan considers that a fair deal. But this bloody encounter is but the first act in this particular comic noir.

The first episode sets the rules for Hartigan's world, where protecting women is hard-wired into the psyches of tough guys like him. Even when Hartigan finds out that Nancy grew up and filled out, that does not change his mission (just complicates it a bit). Granted, the age difference would make more sense if he was her grandfather, but then there is a consistency to what Hartigan means when he says that he loves Nancy, even if she is inclined to read it a different way. There is a leap in the narrative at one point that you might find a bit hard to accept (i.e., confession leads to immediate release), but you have to admit it is a lot easier to be a pariah out in the world than stuck in prison (and I think Junior would have wanted it that way).

Again, the art work here is Miller at what I consider to be his best, but attention must also be paid to the sense of pacing that he shows in several scenes (most notably when Hartigan pulls himself together for the final confrontation with Junior). There are easily a dozen great looks at Hartigan's grizzled face, and a 15-page sequence, spanning two chapters, of Nancy dancing at the club, consisting of not only full-page shots but also two-page spreads, as she mesmerizes her audience. With "That Yellow Bastard" readers who were introduced to the graphic novels by the film that incorporated three of the first four volumes will be heading into new territory with "Family Values." It will interesting to see when and how Miller tops artistically what he came up with for this one.

Classic start to a classic series....a must have!, 24 Apr 2008
This is one of my favourite graphic novels. Utterly fantastic and visually stunning. Even if you are not a reader of graphic novels, any traditional crime fan would be pulled into Frank Millers world of hard cases, hitmen, dames and hookers. The men are big and burly, the women are so hot and curvy, and its all conveyed perfectly in harsh black and white artwork. Its like traditional film noir on the page.

This is the first in the series of Sin city, and the protagonist is the incredible Marv, hulking street fighter and tough guy with a "condition." He can't believe his luck when he meets a beautiful woman called Goldie...But it's not to last, and she ends up murdered. Then Marv is hot on the trail of her killers, and blood splattered vengeance will be his!! Kevin is truly one of the creepiest baddies I've seen, and Marv makes sure he gets what he deserves. Some of the characters are just amazing and recur throughout the Sin City series, like Gail, the fiery hooker, and Nancy, the angelic strip club dancer. This is a great crime story, as well a thrilling personal drama. I found it kind of romantic too, in a tragic way.

A welcome change from traditional superhero comics. Frank Miller is a genius! Read the rest of series now, and have a look at the art book! A great adult read indeed!

Impressive crime story, 06 Aug 2007
This is a great story and incredibly well drawn. Marv is a brute with justice on his side in this dark tale of violence, prostitution and corruption. Highly recommended if you're fond of noir and incredibly well designed drawings. Some of Miller's art is astounding and this is well worth a look.

Grimy "Goodbye", 26 Mar 2007
With a name like "The Hard Goodbye," it isn't surprising that the first volume of the Sin City series is pure, gritty noir. After practically reinventing the superhero comic, Frank Miller created a series that can definitely be called his opus -- gritty, dark, sexy and heady. Think of it as "The Big Sleep" meets "Kill Bill."

"The night is hot as hell. Everything sticks." With those words, tough, scarred Marv encounters and beds a beautiful, alluring "goddess" named Goldie. No sooner have they made love than she is found dead beside him, and unsurprisingly the police believe that Marv is the killer. Case closed? Not really.

Being blamed for the murder of the woman he loved, Marv devotes himself to finding who killed her and framed him. He rampages through the depths of Sin City, unearthing the twisted power structure that holds it up -- and in his homicidal quest, destroying his hidden enemies for the murder of Goldie... and in the process, dooming himself.

The noir atmosphere starts from the first panel -- toughguyspeak, a silhouette and a beautiful woman. That dark, dirty feel sets the mood for the book, and in fact for the entire series. Imagine one of those old Humphrey Bogart noir movies, with the smoky atmosphere and black-and-white film... but darker, more violent, openly sexual, and often gruesome in tone.

Miller's drawing style is all in black and white, and in "Hard Goodbye" the style is simple, but effective. He uses stark swashes of dark and light to illustrate the characters' faces and bodies, never overburdening the reader with too many unnecessary details. Although later volumes have more visual detail, Miller strips it down here to the bare bones, and it fits the spare narrative beautifully.

"Sin City" itself is a seedy underbelly, full of crime, revenge and corruption; Marv isn't the guy who's going to clean it up, a la Dashiell Hammett, but the guy who will get revenge, no matter what the consequences are. The characters are just as dark: a corrupted Cardinal, psychopathic cannibal Kevin, and moderately crooked cops. Lots of death ensues.

Frank Miller's "Sin City: The Hard Goodbye" is a hard book to read. However, the Chander-by-way-of-Tarantino comic book is an electrifying read, dark and bloody and vivid.

Five Star Sin, 28 Jun 2006
This has to be the perfect place to start from if you want to enter the world of Sin City. Frank Miller brings what has to be one of the best graphic novels ever to the public. If you have already seen the film and want to follow up your interest in Sin City, this is one of the 3 main books used. The others being That Yellow Bastard and The Big Fat Kill, there is also a small section of Booze, Broads and Bullets used.

The second Sin City film will be based around the book To Hell and Back, which is the seventh book of the Sin City Empire.

Hartigan saves little Nancy Callahan in Miller's comic noir, 07 Jun 2005
Although I still have a preference for Marv and narrative of "The Hard Goodbye," the first of Frank Miller's "Sin City" graphic novels, I think that artistically he hits full stride in the fourth, "That Yellow Bastard." It is just mildly ironic that this becomes the first volume in the series to add any color to Miller's black and white world. But whereas "The Hard Goodbye" had an almost kitchen sink approach with Miller pretty much trying everything he could come up with for black & white (or white & black) illustrations, I find there is much more of a coherent artistic vision and a rhythm to way in which Miller goes from predominantly black to predominantly white pages, and back again.

"That Yellow Bastard" begins with tough cop John Hartigan, whose good heart is going bad on him, trying to stay alive long enough to do one last case before he dies. Somebody has been raping and murdering little girls for some time and now they have taken 11-year-old Nancy Callahan. Hartigan is able to save Nancy from Roark Junior, the son of Senator Roark, but takes four bullets in the process. Junior is in worse shape, having an ear and both of his "weapons" removed by Hartigan's bullets. If an old man dies and a little girl survives, then Hartigan considers that a fair deal. But this bloody encounter is but the first act in this particular comic noir.

The first episode sets the rules for Hartigan's world, where protecting women is hard-wired into the psyches of tough guys like him. Even when Hartigan finds out that Nancy grew up and filled out, that does not change his mission (just complicates it a bit). Granted, the age difference would make more sense if he was her grandfather, but then there is a consistency to what Hartigan means when he says that he loves Nancy, even if she is inclined to read it a different way. There is a leap in the narrative at one point that you might find a bit hard to accept (i.e., confession leads to immediate release), but you have to admit it is a lot easier to be a pariah out in the world than stuck in prison (and I think Junior would have wanted it that way).

Again, the art work here is Miller at what I consider to be his best, but attention must also be paid to the sense of pacing that he shows in several scenes (most notably when Hartigan pulls himself together for the final confrontation with Junior). There are easily a dozen great looks at Hartigan's grizzled face, and a 15-page sequence, spanning two chapters, of Nancy dancing at the club, consisting of not only full-page shots but also two-page spreads, as she mesmerizes her audience. With "That Yellow Bastard" readers who were introduced to the graphic novels by the film that incorporated three of the first four volumes will be heading into new territory with "Family Values." It will interesting to see when and how Miller tops artistically what he came up with for this one.

GREAT STORY, POOR QUALITY PAPERBACK, 05 Jan 2009
Seed of Destruction is a weird, wonderful story about Nazi world domination and an immortal sorcerers attempt to bring about the apocalypse. The characters are an engaging group of misfits whose pasts are shrouded in mystery and are never fully revealed. The story is very well written, darkly comic and throughout the entire 128 pages is engaging and exciting. The art work is superb with a dark and gothic feel, filled to the brim with brooding blacks and shadows.

However, If you are new to Hellboy and want to read the comics then this edition is best avoided. Not because Seed of Destruction isnt a great story filled with amazing characters. Far from it, my criticism is with the paperback. It dosent do the story, characters or the artwork justice. Seed of Destruction is a comic you will want to read again and again, unfortunately the book wont last. Pages are falling out of the copy I bought which is a shame as it is one of the best comics I have read. If this was the only edition available then I would recommend you buy it, read it and then put it safely on a shelf for safe keeping. Luckily, you can buy the Library Edition, (Hellboy: Seed of Destruction and Wake the Devil v. 1 (Hellboy Library Editions 1) which includes this story, Wake the Devil and loads of supplementary materials. The Library Editions oversized pages really bring the artwork to life, and because it's a hardback they won't fall out. It may be more expensive; however it is well worth the extra cost.


A must have series for any comics fan...or if you like gothic devil coolness!, 21 Apr 2008
No graphic novel collection is complete without some titles, like Watchmen, Knightfall, Sin City and Hellboy!!
I first started reading Hellboy before the first movie came out, I was curious, got one to try and now have them all (and the novels and figures and statues). Seed of Destruction is the first in the series and it jumps straight in to Hellboys life in the B.P.R.D. (bereau for paranormal resreach and defense, kind of like a supernatural CIA). You just see he is a demon working for the agency, and he has a cool coat and a massive stone hand. But as the story goes on, you find he was summoned by Nazis and Ra ra rasputin to help win WW2. But he was saved by Proff. Bruttenholm and now fights for the good guys! Along with Abe Sapien (fish guy) and Liz (Fire starter!). Expect battles with disgusting tentacled Lovecraftian monsters and crazed Nazis. And Nazis do tend to make excellent bad guys! As you progress through the series you find out much more about Hellboys background, and the origins of Abe and Liz too. Its just a great story, well told!

My favourite aspect of the artwork is the black, There is so much darkness throughout and it really sets the tone and sets it apart from other graphic novels. The villains are great, you cannot beat an evil Nazi head in a jar! I love Mignolas fascination with myths from all over the world, especially europe. You get the feeling he puts in lots of research to find just the right gross, creepy myth to use. Its kind of nice to get that european feel for a change, especially if all you read is Marvel and DC!
Recommended!!

This is really FUN!, 07 Jan 2005
Seed of Destruction is Mike Mignola's first graphic album featuring his brilliant Hellboy. The artwork is very Kirbyesque throughout with gothic overtones. Somehow it all works very well. Mignola portrays a quirkiness and humour to the Hellboy character (which is fully realised in Del Toro's new Hellboy movie) and brings to the mix Abe Sapien (almost a modern reworking of Universal's Creature from the Black Lagoon), the incendiary Liz Sherman and, of course, the BPRD (Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defence).

Seed of Destruction begins with Hellboy appearing after a fiendish nazi experiment by the villain of the piece, Rasputin.

From then on it's a rollercoaster ride of battles with frog-like monsters and tentacled beasts until the final showdown. The book doesn't take itself too seriously which is just as well given the absolutely ridiculous scenario. But, this is really FUN.

Mignola has found his niche and he has come up with a truly original concept, strong characters and atmosphere soaked, adrenaline pumping storylines in his Hellboy series. If you really like comics you can't afford to miss Hellboy.

Refreshing and funny, 28 Apr 2003
Mike's artwork is a breath of fresh air, like Frank Miller his use of black as a colour or to create an image from very little is amazing, although he can be very cartoony, much like Manga can flip between different styles between panes. The inking is also very good in this book and can't be faulted. The use of panes and bubbles is also spot on so it makes the experience very pleasureable reading.
As for the story, I enjoyed this very much, this is possibly because I have read many Lovecraft stories which have obviously been drawn from for this book. There is also a sledge hammer wit about the main character Hellboy that keeps you wanting him to get into these crazy fights with beasts as he is almost a step away from the serious and moody story line. Hellboy is the oddest looking hero I have seen for a comic that is trying to take itself seriously but he is the touch of humour that without which you realise would not make the story 'perfect'.
I hope a Lovecraft type mythos is used more in future Hellboy because this one book has got me hooked.

The birth of a legend, 21 May 2002
This is a truly magnificent graphic novel. Mike Mignola has created something wonderfully different and original... The artwork is excellent- a unique style that fits the 'dark' nature of the story. I recommend this novel to anyone fascinated by the occult, by fairy tales, by aliens and witches and goblins.

Classic start to a classic series....a must have!, 24 Apr 2008
This is one of my favourite graphic novels. Utterly fantastic and visually stunning. Even if you are not a reader of graphic novels, any traditional crime fan would be pulled into Frank Millers world of hard cases, hitmen, dames and hookers. The men are big and burly, the women are so hot and curvy, and its all conveyed perfectly in harsh black and white artwork. Its like traditional film noir on the page.

This is the first in the series of Sin city, and the protagonist is the incredible Marv, hulking street fighter and tough guy with a "condition." He can't believe his luck when he meets a beautiful woman called Goldie...But it's not to last, and she ends up murdered. Then Marv is hot on the trail of her killers, and blood splattered vengeance will be his!! Kevin is truly one of the creepiest baddies I've seen, and Marv makes sure he gets what he deserves. Some of the characters are just amazing and recur throughout the Sin City series, like Gail, the fiery hooker, and Nancy, the angelic strip club dancer. This is a great crime story, as well a thrilling personal drama. I found it kind of romantic too, in a tragic way.

A welcome change from traditional superhero comics. Frank Miller is a genius! Read the rest of series now, and have a look at the art book! A great adult read indeed!

Impressive crime story, 06 Aug 2007
This is a great story and incredibly well drawn. Marv is a brute with justice on his side in this dark tale of violence, prostitution and corruption. Highly recommended if you're fond of noir and incredibly well designed drawings. Some of Miller's art is astounding and this is well worth a look.

Grimy "Goodbye", 26 Mar 2007
With a name like "The Hard Goodbye," it isn't surprising that the first volume of the Sin City series is pure, gritty noir. After practically reinventing the superhero comic, Frank Miller created a series that can definitely be called his opus -- gritty, dark, sexy and heady. Think of it as "The Big Sleep" meets "Kill Bill."

"The night is hot as hell. Everything sticks." With those words, tough, scarred Marv encounters and beds a beautiful, alluring "goddess" named Goldie. No sooner have they made love than she is found dead beside him, and unsurprisingly the police believe that Marv is the killer. Case closed? Not really.

Being blamed for the murder of the woman he loved, Marv devotes himself to finding who killed her and framed him. He rampages through the depths of Sin City, unearthing the twisted power structure that holds it up -- and in his homicidal quest, destroying his hidden enemies for the murder of Goldie... and in the process, dooming himself.

The noir atmosphere starts from the first panel -- toughguyspeak, a silhouette and a beautiful woman. That dark, dirty feel sets the mood for the book, and in fact for the entire series. Imagine one of those old Humphrey Bogart noir movies, with the smoky atmosphere and black-and-white film... but darker, more violent, openly sexual, and often gruesome in tone.

Miller's drawing style is all in black and white, and in "Hard Goodbye" the style is simple, but effective. He uses stark swashes of dark and light to illustrate the characters' faces and bodies, never overburdening the reader with too many unnecessary details. Although later volumes have more visual detail, Miller strips it down here to the bare bones, and it fits the spare narrative beautifully.

"Sin City" itself is a seedy underbelly, full of crime, revenge and corruption; Marv isn't the guy who's going to clean it up, a la Dashiell Hammett, but the guy who will get revenge, no matter what the consequences are. The characters are just as dark: a corrupted Cardinal, psychopathic cannibal Kevin, and moderately crooked cops. Lots of death ensues.

Frank Miller's "Sin City: The Hard Goodbye" is a hard book to read. However, the Chander-by-way-of-Tarantino comic book is an electrifying read, dark and bloody and vivid.

Five Star Sin, 28 Jun 2006
This has to be the perfect place to start from if you want to enter the world of Sin City. Frank Miller brings what has to be one of the best graphic novels ever to the public. If you have already seen the film and want to follow up your interest in Sin City, this is one of the 3 main books used. The others being That Yellow Bastard and The Big Fat Kill, there is also a small section of Booze, Broads and Bullets used.

The second Sin City film will be based around the book To Hell and Back, which is the seventh book of the Sin City Empire.

Hartigan saves little Nancy Callahan in Miller's comic noir, 07 Jun 2005
Although I still have a preference for Marv and narrative of "The Hard Goodbye," the first of Frank Miller's "Sin City" graphic novels, I think that artistically he hits full stride in the fourth, "That Yellow Bastard." It is just mildly ironic that this becomes the first volume in the series to add any color to Miller's black and white world. But whereas "The Hard Goodbye" had an almost kitchen sink approach with Miller pretty much trying everything he could come up with for black & white (or white & black) illustrations, I find there is much more of a coherent artistic vision and a rhythm to way in which Miller goes from predominantly black to predominantly white pages, and back again.

"That Yellow Bastard" begins with tough cop John Hartigan, whose good heart is going bad on him, trying to stay alive long enough to do one last case before he dies. Somebody has been raping and murdering little girls for some time and now they have taken 11-year-old Nancy Callahan. Hartigan is able to save Nancy from Roark Junior, the son of Senator Roark, but takes four bullets in the process. Junior is in worse shape, having an ear and both of his "weapons" removed by Hartigan's bullets. If an old man dies and a little girl survives, then Hartigan considers that a fair deal. But this bloody encounter is but the first act in this particular comic noir.

The first episode sets the rules for Hartigan's world, where protecting women is hard-wired into the psyches of tough guys like him. Even when Hartigan finds out that Nancy grew up and filled out, that does not change his mission (just complicates it a bit). Granted, the age difference would make more sense if he was her grandfather, but then there is a consistency to what Hartigan means when he says that he loves Nancy, even if she is inclined to read it a different way. There is a leap in the narrative at one point that you might find a bit hard to accept (i.e., confession leads to immediate release), but you have to admit it is a lot easier to be a pariah out in the world than stuck in prison (and I think Junior would have wanted it that way).

Again, the art work here is Miller at what I consider to be his best, but attention must also be paid to the sense of pacing that he shows in several scenes (most notably when Hartigan pulls himself together for the final confrontation with Junior). There are easily a dozen great looks at Hartigan's grizzled face, and a 15-page sequence, spanning two chapters, of Nancy dancing at the club, consisting of not only full-page shots but also two-page spreads, as she mesmerizes her audience. With "That Yellow Bastard" readers who were introduced to the graphic novels by the film that incorporated three of the first four volumes will be heading into new territory with "Family Values." It will interesting to see when and how Miller tops artistically what he came up with for this one.

GREAT STORY, POOR QUALITY PAPERBACK, 05 Jan 2009
Seed of Destruction is a weird, wonderful story about Nazi world domination and an immortal sorcerers attempt to bring about the apocalypse. The characters are an engaging group of misfits whose pasts are shrouded in mystery and are never fully revealed. The story is very well written, darkly comic and throughout the entire 128 pages is engaging and exciting. The art work is superb with a dark and gothic feel, filled to the brim with brooding blacks and shadows.

However, If you are new to Hellboy and want to read the comics then this edition is best avoided. Not because Seed of Destruction isnt a great story filled with amazing characters. Far from it, my criticism is with the paperback. It dosent do the story, characters or the artwork justice. Seed of Destruction is a comic you will want to read again and again, unfortunately the book wont last. Pages are falling out of the copy I bought which is a shame as it is one of the best comics I have read. If this was the only edition available then I would recommend you buy it, read it and then put it safely on a shelf for safe keeping. Luckily, you can buy the Library Edition, (Hellboy: Seed of Destruction and Wake the Devil v. 1 (Hellboy Library Editions 1) which includes this story, Wake the Devil and loads of supplementary materials. The Library Editions oversized pages really bring the artwork to life, and because it's a hardback they won't fall out. It may be more expensive; however it is well worth the extra cost.


A must have series for any comics fan...or if you like gothic devil coolness!, 21 Apr 2008
No graphic novel collection is complete without some titles, like Watchmen, Knightfall, Sin City and Hellboy!!
I first started reading Hellboy before the first movie came out, I was curious, got one to try and now have them all (and the novels and figures and statues). Seed of Destruction is the first in the series and it jumps straight in to Hellboys life in the B.P.R.D. (bereau for paranormal resreach and defense, kind of like a supernatural CIA). You just see he is a demon working for the agency, and he has a cool coat and a massive stone hand. But as the story goes on, you find he was summoned by Nazis and Ra ra rasputin to help win WW2. But he was saved by Proff. Bruttenholm and now fights for the good guys! Along with Abe Sapien (fish guy) and Liz (Fire starter!). Expect battles with disgusting tentacled Lovecraftian monsters and crazed Nazis. And Nazis do tend to make excellent bad guys! As you progress through the series you find out much more about Hellboys background, and the origins of Abe and Liz too. Its just a great story, well told!

My favourite aspect of the artwork is the black, There is so much darkness throughout and it really sets the tone and sets it apart from other graphic novels. The villains are great, you cannot beat an evil Nazi head in a jar! I love Mignolas fascination with myths from all over the world, especially europe. You get the feeling he puts in lots of research to find just the right gross, creepy myth to use. Its kind of nice to get that european feel for a change, especially if all you read is Marvel and DC!
Recommended!!

This is really FUN!, 07 Jan 2005
Seed of Destruction is Mike Mignola's first graphic album featuring his brilliant Hellboy. The artwork is very Kirbyesque throughout with gothic overtones. Somehow it all works very well. Mignola portrays a quirkiness and humour to the Hellboy character (which is fully realised in Del Toro's new Hellboy movie) and brings to the mix Abe Sapien (almost a modern reworking of Universal's Creature from the Black Lagoon), the incendiary Liz Sherman and, of course, the BPRD (Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defence).

Seed of Destruction begins with Hellboy appearing after a fiendish nazi experiment by the villain of the piece, Rasputin.

From then on it's a rollercoaster ride of battles with frog-like monsters and tentacled beasts until the final showdown. The book doesn't take itself too seriously which is just as well given the absolutely ridiculous scenario. But, this is really FUN.

Mignola has found his niche and he has come up with a truly original concept, strong characters and atmosphere soaked, adrenaline pumping storylines in his Hellboy series. If you really like comics you can't afford to miss Hellboy.

Refreshing and funny, 28 Apr 2003
Mike's artwork is a breath of fresh air, like Frank Miller his use of black as a colour or to create an image from very little is amazing, although he can be very cartoony, much like Manga can flip between different styles between panes. The inking is also very good in this book and can't be faulted. The use of panes and bubbles is also spot on so it makes the experience very pleasureable reading.
As for the story, I enjoyed this very much, this is possibly because I have read many Lovecraft stories which have obviously been drawn from for this book. There is also a sledge hammer wit about the main character Hellboy that keeps you wanting him to get into these crazy fights with beasts as he is almost a step away from the serious and moody story line. Hellboy is the oddest looking hero I have seen for a comic that is trying to take itself seriously but he is the touch of humour that without which you realise would not make the story 'perfect'.
I hope a Lovecraft type mythos is used more in future Hellboy because this one book has got me hooked.

The birth of a legend, 21 May 2002
This is a truly magnificent graphic novel. Mike Mignola has created something wonderfully different and original... The artwork is excellent- a unique style that fits the 'dark' nature of the story. I recommend this novel to anyone fascinated by the occult, by fairy tales, by aliens and witches and goblins.

Love this manga, 05 Jan 2009
What do you say, love this series, probably one of the best mangas on the market and certainly a must read series for any manga fan.

Kira caught?, 16 Nov 2008
Volume 5 of the hit Death Note manga keeps up the pace in a fantastic way.
Now Light (Kira) is at the edge of his plans the police and L have to use all of there wits to out beat Light in someway. But this proves harder than they think as Light has one ace up this sleve.

As always the fantastic manga hits it right on the spot.

For all you death note readers just keep on going.

----Alex Gradwell/Venomtheevil----

As one Kira leaves another appears on the scene, 10 Jan 2008
The fifth volume of the brilliant Death Note manga opens with Light in jail under suspicion of being Kira. In order to get out of this predicament he gives up the Death Note and all memories associated with it and when the murders continue while Light is in prison L decides that Light can be released but must remain under his constant surveillance. As the murders continue it becomes apparent that Kira seems to have changed tact as rather than make the world a better place they seem to be targeted at the world of big business.

Death Note continues to fascinate and entertain and the addition of a more self motivated Kira is a nice if not terribly original addition to the story. Also another good thing about this volume is that rather than reveal the identity of the new Kira right away as they did with Misa the story keeps you guessing as to their identity throughout. If there is a problem with this volume of the story it is that, despite the addition of the new Kira, it has the feel that it is mainly setting things up for the future rather than telling the story itself. In spite of this small matter I can definitely see why so many people are raving about this excellent manga.

Classic start to a classic series....a must have!, 24 Apr 2008
This is one of my favourite graphic novels. Utterly fantastic and visually stunning. Even if you are not a reader of graphic novels, any traditional crime fan would be pulled into Frank Millers world of hard cases, hitmen, dames and hookers. The men are big and burly, the women are so hot and curvy, and its all conveyed perfectly in harsh black and white artwork. Its like traditional film noir on the page.

This is the first in the series of Sin city, and the protagonist is the incredible Marv, hulking street fighter and tough guy with a "condition." He can't believe his luck when he meets a beautiful woman called Goldie...But it's not to last, and she ends up murdered. Then Marv is hot on the trail of her killers, and blood splattered vengeance will be his!! Kevin is truly one of the creepiest baddies I've seen, and Marv makes sure he gets what he deserves. Some of the characters are just amazing and recur throughout the Sin City series, like Gail, the fiery hooker, and Nancy, the angelic strip club dancer. This is a great crime story, as well a thrilling personal drama. I found it kind of romantic too, in a tragic way.

A welcome change from traditional superhero comics. Frank Miller is a genius! Read the rest of series now, and have a look at the art book! A great adult read indeed!

Impressive crime story, 06 Aug 2007
This is a great story and incredibly well drawn. Marv is a brute with justice on his side in this dark tale of violence, prostitution and corruption. Highly recommended if you're fond of noir and incredibly well designed drawings. Some of Miller's art is astounding and this is well worth a look.

Grimy "Goodbye", 26 Mar 2007
With a name like "The Hard Goodbye," it isn't surprising that the first volume of the Sin City series is pure, gritty noir. After practically reinventing the superhero comic, Frank Miller created a series that can definitely be called his opus -- gritty, dark, sexy and heady. Think of it as "The Big Sleep" meets "Kill Bill."

"The night is hot as hell. Everything sticks." With those words, tough, scarred Marv encounters and beds a beautiful, alluring "goddess" named Goldie. No sooner have they made love than she is found dead beside him, and unsurprisingly the police believe that Marv is the killer. Case closed? Not really.

Being blamed for the murder of the woman he loved, Marv devotes himself to finding who killed her and framed him. He rampages through the depths of Sin City, unearthing the twisted power structure that holds it up -- and in his homicidal quest, destroying his hidden enemies for the murder of Goldie... and in the process, dooming himself.

The noir atmosphere starts from the first panel -- toughguyspeak, a silhouette and a beautiful woman. That dark, dirty feel sets the mood for the book, and in fact for the entire series. Imagine one of those old Humphrey Bogart noir movies, with the smoky atmosphere and black-and-white film... but darker, more violent, openly sexual, and often gruesome in tone.

Miller's drawing style is all in black and white, and in "Hard Goodbye" the style is simple, but effective. He uses stark swashes of dark and light to illustrate the characters' faces and bodies, never overburdening the reader with too many unnecessary details. Although later volumes have more visual detail, Miller strips it down here to the bare bones, and it fits the spare narrative beautifully.

"Sin City" itself is a seedy underbelly, full of crime, revenge and corruption; Marv isn't the guy who's going to clean it up, a la Dashiell Hammett, but the guy who will get revenge, no matter what the consequences are. The characters are just as dark: a corrupted Cardinal, psychopathic cannibal Kevin, and moderately crooked cops. Lots of death ensues.

Frank Miller's "Sin City: The Hard Goodbye" is a hard book to read. However, the Chander-by-way-of-Tarantino comic book is an electrifying read, dark and bloody and vivid.

Five Star Sin, 28 Jun 2006
This has to be the perfect place to start from if you want to enter the world of Sin City. Frank Miller brings what has to be one of the best graphic novels ever to the public. If you have already seen the film and want to follow up your interest in Sin City, this is one of the 3 main books used. The others being That Yellow Bastard and The Big Fat Kill, there is also a small section of Booze, Broads and Bullets used.

The second Sin City film will be based around the book To Hell and Back, which is the seventh book of the Sin City Empire.

Hartigan saves little Nancy Callahan in Miller's comic noir, 07 Jun 2005
Although I still have a preference for Marv and narrative of "The Hard Goodbye," the first of Frank Miller's "Sin City" graphic novels, I think that artistically he hits full stride in the fourth, "That Yellow Bastard." It is just mildly ironic that this becomes the first volume in the series to add any color to Miller's black and white world. But whereas "The Hard Goodbye" had an almost kitchen sink approach with Miller pretty much trying everything he could come up with for black & white (or white & black) illustrations, I find there is much more of a coherent artistic vision and a rhythm to way in which Miller goes from predominantly black to predominantly white pages, and back again.

"That Yellow Bastard" begins with tough cop John Hartigan, whose good heart is going bad on him, trying to stay alive long enough to do one last case before he dies. Somebody has been raping and murdering little girls for some time and now they have taken 11-year-old Nancy Callahan. Hartigan is able to save Nancy from Roark Junior, the son of Senator Roark, but takes four bullets in the process. Junior is in worse shape, having an ear and both of his "weapons" removed by Hartigan's bullets. If an old man dies and a little girl survives, then Hartigan considers that a fair deal. But this bloody encounter is but the first act in this particular comic noir.

The first episode sets the rules for Hartigan's world, where protecting women is hard-wired into the psyches of tough guys like him. Even when Hartigan finds out that Nancy grew up and filled out, that does not change his mission (just complicates it a bit). Granted, the age difference would make more sense if he was her grandfather, but then there is a consistency to what Hartigan means when he says that he loves Nancy, even if she is inclined to read it a different way. There is a leap in the narrative at one point that you might find a bit hard to accept (i.e., confession leads to immediate release), but you have to admit it is a lot easier to be a pariah out in the world than stuck in prison (and I think Junior would have wanted it that way).

Again, the art work here is Miller at what I consider to be his best, but attention must also be paid to the sense of pacing that he shows in several scenes (most notably when Hartigan pulls himself together for the final confrontation with Junior). There are easily a dozen great looks at Hartigan's grizzled face, and a 15-page sequence, spanning two chapters, of Nancy dancing at the club, consisting of not only full-page shots but also two-page spreads, as she mesmerizes her audience. With "That Yellow Bastard" readers who were introduced to the graphic novels by the film that incorporated three of the first four volumes will be heading into new territory with "Family Values." It will interesting to see when and how Miller tops artistically what he came up with for this one.

GREAT STORY, POOR QUALITY PAPERBACK, 05 Jan 2009
Seed of Destruction is a weird, wonderful story about Nazi world domination and an immortal sorcerers attempt to bring about the apocalypse. The characters are an engaging group of misfits whose pasts are shrouded in mystery and are never fully revealed. The story is very well written, darkly comic and throughout the entire 128 pages is engaging and exciting. The art work is superb with a dark and gothic feel, filled to the brim with brooding blacks and shadows.

However, If you are new to Hellboy and want to read the comics then this edition is best avoided. Not because Seed of Destruction isnt a great story filled with amazing characters. Far from it, my criticism is with the paperback. It dosent do the story, characters or the artwork justice. Seed of Destruction is a comic you will want to read again and again, unfortunately the book wont last. Pages are falling out of the copy I bought which is a shame as it is one of the best comics I have read. If this was the only edition available then I would recommend you buy it, read it and then put it safely on a shelf for safe keeping. Luckily, you can buy the Library Edition, (Hellboy: Seed of Destruction and Wake the Devil v. 1 (Hellboy Library Editions 1) which includes this story, Wake the Devil and loads of supplementary materials. The Library Editions oversized pages really bring the artwork to life, and because it's a hardback they won't fall out. It may be more expensive; however it is well worth the extra cost.


A must have series for any comics fan...or if you like gothic devil coolness!, 21 Apr 2008
No graphic novel collection is complete without some titles, like Watchmen, Knightfall, Sin City and Hellboy!!
I first started reading Hellboy before the first movie came out, I was curious, got one to try and now have them all (and the novels and figures and statues). Seed of Destruction is the first in the series and it jumps straight in to Hellboys life in the B.P.R.D. (bereau for paranormal resreach and defense, kind of like a supernatural CIA). You just see he is a demon working for the agency, and he has a cool coat and a massive stone hand. But as the story goes on, you find he was summoned by Nazis and Ra ra rasputin to help win WW2. But he was saved by Proff. Bruttenholm and now fights for the good guys! Along with Abe Sapien (fish guy) and Liz (Fire starter!). Expect battles with disgusting tentacled Lovecraftian monsters and crazed Nazis. And Nazis do tend to make excellent bad guys! As you progress through the series you find out much more about Hellboys background, and the origins of Abe and Liz too. Its just a great story, well told!

My favourite aspect of the artwork is the black, There is so much darkness throughout and it really sets the tone and sets it apart from other graphic novels. The villains are great, you cannot beat an evil Nazi head in a jar! I love Mignolas fascination with myths from all over the world, especially europe. You get the feeling he puts in lots of research to find just the right gross, creepy myth to use. Its kind of nice to get that european feel for a change, especially if all you read is Marvel and DC!
Recommended!!

This is really FUN!, 07 Jan 2005
Seed of Destruction is Mike Mignola's first graphic album featuring his brilliant Hellboy. The artwork is very Kirbyesque throughout with gothic overtones. Somehow it all works very well. Mignola portrays a quirkiness and humour to the Hellboy character (which is fully realised in Del Toro's new Hellboy movie) and brings to the mix Abe Sapien (almost a modern reworking of Universal's Creature from the Black Lagoon), the incendiary Liz Sherman and, of course, the BPRD (Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defence).

Seed of Destruction begins with Hellboy appearing after a fiendish nazi experiment by the villain of the piece, Rasputin.

From then on it's a rollercoaster ride of battles with frog-like monsters and tentacled beasts until the final showdown. The book doesn't take itself too seriously which is just as well given the absolutely ridiculous scenario. But, this is really FUN.

Mignola has found his niche and he has come up with a truly original concept, strong characters and atmosphere soaked, adrenaline pumping storylines in his Hellboy series. If you really like comics you can't afford to miss Hellboy.

Refreshing and funny, 28 Apr 2003
Mike's artwork is a breath of fresh air, like Frank Miller his use of black as a colour or to create an image from very little is amazing, although he can be very cartoony, much like Manga can flip between different styles between panes. The inking is also very good in this book and can't be faulted. The use of panes and bubbles is also spot on so it makes the experience very pleasureable reading.
As for the story, I enjoyed this very much, this is possibly because I have read many Lovecraft stories which have obviously been drawn from for this book. There is also a sledge hammer wit about the main character Hellboy that keeps you wanting him to get into these crazy fights with beasts as he is almost a step away from the serious and moody story line. Hellboy is the oddest looking hero I have seen for a comic that is trying to take itself seriously but he is the touch of humour that without which you realise would not make the story 'perfect'.
I hope a Lovecraft type mythos is used more in future Hellboy because this one book has got me hooked.

The birth of a legend, 21 May 2002
This is a truly magnificent graphic novel. Mike Mignola has created something wonderfully different and original... The artwork is excellent- a unique style that fits the 'dark' nature of the story. I recommend this novel to anyone fascinated by the occult, by fairy tales, by aliens and witches and goblins.

Love this manga, 05 Jan 2009
What do you say, love this series, probably one of the best mangas on the market and certainly a must read series for any manga fan.

Kira caught?, 16 Nov 2008
Volume 5 of the hit Death Note manga keeps up the pace in a fantastic way.
Now Light (Kira) is at the edge of his plans the police and L have to use all of there wits to out beat Light in someway. But this proves harder than they think as Light has one ace up this sleve.

As always the fantastic manga hits it right on the spot.

For all you death note readers just keep on going.

----Alex Gradwell/Venomtheevil----

As one Kira leaves another appears on the scene, 10 Jan 2008
The fifth volume of the brilliant Death Note manga opens with Light in jail under suspicion of being Kira. In order to get out of this predicament he gives up the Death Note and all memories associated with it and when the murders continue while Light is in prison L decides that Light can be released but must remain under his constant surveillance. As the murders continue it becomes apparent that Kira seems to have changed tact as rather than make the world a better place they seem to be targeted at the world of big business.

Death Note continues to fascinate and entertain and the addition of a more self motivated Kira is a nice if not terribly original addition to the story. Also another good thing about this volume is that rather than reveal the identity of the new Kira right away as they did with Misa the story keeps you guessing as to their identity throughout. If there is a problem with this volume of the story it is that, despite the addition of the new Kira, it has the feel that it is mainly setting things up for the future rather than telling the story itself. In spite of this small matter I can definitely see why so many people are raving about this excellent manga.

Info. for Prospective Buyers, 12 Feb 2005
For anyone who doesn't know Hellboy - imagine Sam Spade as a demon superhero investigating supernatural threats H.P. Lovecraft might have written and you're somewhere close.

Admittedly this is not the best of the Hellboy stories - Mike Mignola admits in an afterword that he lost control of the plot (the comic originally appeared monthly) - and if I were only marking the story I'd probably have wanted to give it 3.5 stars. Nonetheless, it is definitely worth reading with the trademark Hellboy mix of humour, action and horror, and the noir art as ever is wonderful (pushing it from 3.5 to a deserved 4).

A word of warning: although this is marked as vol.2 of the Hellboy series, there are stories in vol.3 'The Chained Coffin and Others' which precede 'Wake the Devil' chronologically.

Mignola is GOD!, 05 Feb 2003
Mignola is God! Or should I say that he is the Devil who brought from hell the best super-hero of comic history! This stuff is very hot, oh boy this is so hot that you almost burn your fingers when you read such a quality story. Everything which make the universe of hellboy so exciting is at the rendez-vous: monster, gouhlish legend, mega fight with nazis...you will read it over and over again. In this volume hellboy is on mission to save the earth and hunt down Raspoutin the mad Russian monk and his Nazi troop .The ideal program to keep you awake all night!

Hellboy refuses his personal destiny and saves the world !, 28 Jan 1998
Another great entry in what is one of the best comics around. And don't worry - this IS illustrated by Mike Mignola, not James Sinclair - despite the description from the fine folks at Amazon! Mr. Sinclair does a fine job on the colors though! READ THIS BOOK!

Classic start to a classic series....a must have!, 24 Apr 2008
This is one of my favourite graphic novels. Utterly fantastic and visually stunning. Even if you are not a reader of graphic novels, any traditional crime fan would be pulled into Frank Millers world of hard cases, hitmen, dames and hookers. The men are big and burly, the women are so hot and curvy, and its all conveyed perfectly in harsh black and white artwork. Its like traditional film noir on the page.

This is the first in the series of Sin city, and the protagonist is the incredible Marv, hulking street fighter and tough guy with a "condition." He can't believe his luck when he meets a beautiful woman called Goldie...But it's not to last, and she ends up murdered. Then Marv is hot on the trail of her killers, and blood splattered vengeance will be his!! Kevin is truly one of the creepiest baddies I've seen, and Marv makes sure he gets what he deserves. Some of the characters are just amazing and recur throughout the Sin City series, like Gail, the fiery hooker, and Nancy, the angelic strip club dancer. This is a great crime story, as well a thrilling personal drama. I found it kind of romantic too, in a tragic way.

A welcome change from traditional superhero comics. Frank Miller is a genius! Read the rest of series now, and have a look at the art book! A great adult read indeed!

Impressive crime story, 06 Aug 2007
This is a great story and incredibly well drawn. Marv is a brute with justice on his side in this dark tale of violence, prostitution and corruption. Highly recommended if you're fond of noir and incredibly well designed drawings. Some of Miller's art is astounding and this is well worth a look.

Grimy "Goodbye", 26 Mar 2007
With a name like "The Hard Goodbye," it isn't surprising that the first volume of the Sin City series is pure, gritty noir. After practically reinventing the superhero comic, Frank Miller created a series that can definitely be called his opus -- gritty, dark, sexy and heady. Think of it as "The Big Sleep" meets "Kill Bill."

"The night is hot as hell. Everything sticks." With those words, tough, scarred Marv encounters and beds a beautiful, alluring "goddess" named Goldie. No sooner have they made love than she is found dead beside him, and unsurprisingly the police believe that Marv is the killer. Case closed? Not really.

Being blamed for the murder of the woman he loved, Marv devotes himself to finding who killed her and framed him. He rampages through the depths of Sin City, unearthing the twisted power structure that holds it up -- and in his homicidal quest, destroying his hidden enemies for the murder of Goldie... and in the process, dooming himself.

The noir atmosphere starts from the first panel -- toughguyspeak, a silhouette and a beautiful woman. That dark, dirty feel sets the mood for the book, and in fact for the entire series. Imagine one of those old Humphrey Bogart noir movies, with the smoky atmosphere and black-and-white film... but darker, more violent, openly sexual, and often gruesome in tone.

Miller's drawing style is all in black and white, and in "Hard Goodbye" the style is simple, but effective. He uses stark swashes of dark and light to illustrate the characters' faces and bodies, never overburdening the reader with too many unnecessary details. Although later volumes have more visual detail, Miller strips it down here to the bare bones, and it fits the spare narrative beautifully.

"Sin City" itself is a seedy underbelly, full of crime, revenge and corruption; Marv isn't the guy who's going to clean it up, a la Dashiell Hammett, but the guy who will get revenge, no matter what the consequences are. The characters are just as dark: a corrupted Cardinal, psychopathic cannibal Kevin, and moderately crooked cops. Lots of death ensues.

Frank Miller's "Sin City: The Hard Goodbye" is a hard book to read. However, the Chander-by-way-of-Tarantino comic book is an electrifying read, dark and bloody and vivid.

Five Star Sin, 28 Jun 2006
This has to be the perfect place to start from if you want to enter the world of Sin City. Frank Miller brings what has to be one of the best graphic novels ever to the public. If you have already seen the film and want to follow up your interest in Sin City, this is one of the 3 main books used. The others being That Yellow Bastard and The Big Fat Kill, there is also a small section of Booze, Broads and Bullets used.

The second Sin City film will be based around the book To Hell and Back, which is the seventh book of the Sin City Empire.

Hartigan saves little Nancy Callahan in Miller's comic noir, 07 Jun 2005
Although I still have a preference for Marv and narrative of "The Hard Goodbye," the first of Frank Miller's "Sin City" graphic novels, I think that artistically he hits full stride in the fourth, "That Yellow Bastard." It is just mildly ironic that this becomes the first volume in the series to add any color to Miller's black and white world. But whereas "The Hard Goodbye" had an almost kitchen sink approach with Miller pretty much trying everything he could come up with for black & white (or white & black) illustrations, I find there is much more of a coherent artistic vision and a rhythm to way in which Miller goes from predominantly black to predominantly white pages, and back again.

"That Yellow Bastard" begins with tough cop John Hartigan, whose good heart is going bad on him, trying to stay alive long enough to do one last case before he dies. Somebody has been raping and murdering little girls for some time and now they have taken 11-year-old Nancy Callahan. Hartigan is able to save Nancy from Roark Junior, the son of Senator Roark, but takes four bullets in the process. Junior is in worse shape, having an ear and both of his "weapons" removed by Hartigan's bullets. If an old man dies and a little girl survives, then Hartigan considers that a fair deal. But this bloody encounter is but the first act in this particular comic noir.

The first episode sets the rules for Hartigan's world, where protecting women is hard-wired into the psyches of tough guys like him. Even when Hartigan finds out that Nancy grew up and filled out, that does not change his mission (just complicates it a bit). Granted, the age difference would make more sense if he was her grandfather, but then there is a consistency to what Hartigan means when he says that he loves Nancy, even if she is inclined to read it a different way. There is a leap in the narrative at one point that you might find a bit hard to accept (i.e., confession leads to immediate release), but you have to admit it is a lot easier to be a pariah out in the world than stuck in prison (and I think Junior would have wanted it that way).

Again, the art work here is Miller at what I consider to be his best, but attention must also be paid to the sense of pacing that he shows in several scenes (most notably when Hartigan pulls himself together for the final confrontation with Junior). There are easily a dozen great looks at Hartigan's grizzled face, and a 15-page sequence, spanning two chapters, of Nancy dancing at the club, consisting of not only full-page shots but also two-page spreads, as she mesmerizes her audience. With "That Yellow Bastard" readers who were introduced to the graphic novels by the film that incorporated three of the first four volumes will be heading into new territory with "Family Values." It will interesting to see when and how Miller tops artistically what he came up with for this one.

GREAT STORY, POOR QUALITY PAPERBACK, 05 Jan 2009
Seed of Destruction is a weird, wonderful story about Nazi world domination and an immortal sorcerers attempt to bring about the apocalypse. The characters are an engaging group of misfits whose pasts are shrouded in mystery and are never fully revealed. The story is very well written, darkly comic and throughout the entire 128 pages is engaging and exciting. The art work is superb with a dark and gothic feel, filled to the brim with brooding blacks and shadows.

However, If you are new to Hellboy and want to read the comics then this edition is best avoided. Not because Seed of Destruction isnt a great story filled with amazing characters. Far from it, my criticism is with the paperback. It dosent do the story, characters or the artwork justice. Seed of Destruction is a comic you will want to read again and again, unfortunately the book wont last. Pages are falling out of the copy I bought which is a shame as it is one of the best comics I have read. If this was the only edition available then I would recommend you buy it, read it and then put it safely on a shelf for safe keeping. Luckily, you can buy the Library Edition, (Hellboy: Seed of Destruction and Wake the Devil v. 1 (Hellboy Library Editions 1) which includes this story, Wake the Devil and loads of supplementary materials. The Library Editions oversized pages really bring the artwork to life, and because it's a hardback they won't fall out. It may be more expensive; however it is well worth the extra cost.


A must have series for any comics fan...or if you like gothic devil coolness!, 21 Apr 2008
No graphic novel collection is complete without some titles, like Watchmen, Knightfall, Sin City and Hellboy!!
I first started reading Hellboy before the first movie came out, I was curious, got one to try and now have them all (and the novels and figures and statues). Seed of Destruction is the first in the series and it jumps straight in to Hellboys life in the B.P.R.D. (bereau for paranormal resreach and defense, kind of like a supernatural CIA). You just see he is a demon working for the agency, and he has a cool coat and a massive stone hand. But as the story goes on, you find he was summoned by Nazis and Ra ra rasputin to help win WW2. But he was saved by Proff. Bruttenholm and now fights for the good guys! Along with Abe Sapien (fish guy) and Liz (Fire starter!). Expect battles with disgusting tentacled Lovecraftian monsters and crazed Nazis. And Nazis do tend to make excellent bad guys! As you progress through the series you find out much more about Hellboys background, and the origins of Abe and Liz too. Its just a great story, well told!

My favourite aspect of the artwork is the black, There is so much darkness throughout and it really sets the tone and sets it apart from other graphic novels. The villains are great, you cannot beat an evil Nazi head in a jar! I love Mignolas fascination with myths from all over the world, especially europe. You get the feeling he puts in lots of research to find just the right gross, creepy myth to use. Its kind of nice to get that european feel for a change, especially if all you read is Marvel and DC!
Recommended!!

This is really FUN!, 07 Jan 2005
Seed of Destruction is Mike Mignola's first graphic album featuring his brilliant Hellboy. The artwork is very Kirbyesque throughout with gothic overtones. Somehow it all works very well. Mignola portrays a quirkiness and humour to the Hellboy character (which is fully realised in Del Toro's new Hellboy movie) and brings to the mix Abe Sapien (almost a modern reworking of Universal's Creature from the Black Lagoon), the incendiary Liz Sherman and, of course, the BPRD (Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defence).

Seed of Destruction begins with Hellboy appearing after a fiendish nazi experiment by the villain of the piece, Rasputin.

From then on it's a rollercoaster ride of battles with frog-like monsters and tentacled beasts until the final showdown. The book doesn't take itself too seriously which is just as well given the absolutely ridiculous scenario. But, this is really FUN.

Mignola has found his niche and he has come up with a truly original concept, strong characters and atmosphere soaked, adrenaline pumping storylines in his Hellboy series. If you really like comics you can't afford to miss Hellboy.

Refreshing and funny, 28 Apr 2003
Mike's artwork is a breath of fresh air, like Frank Miller his use of black as a colour or to create an image from very little is amazing, although he can be very cartoony, much like Manga can flip between different styles between panes. The inking is also very good in this book and can't be faulted. The use of panes and bubbles is also spot on so it makes the experience very pleasureable reading.
As for the story, I enjoyed this very much, this is possibly because I have read many Lovecraft stories which have obviously been drawn from for this book. There is also a sledge hammer wit about the main character Hellboy that keeps you wanting him to get into these crazy fights with beasts as he is almost a step away from the serious and moody story line. Hellboy is the oddest looking hero I have seen for a comic that is trying to take itself seriously but he is the touch of humour that without which you realise would not make the story 'perfect'.
I hope a Lovecraft type mythos is used more in future Hellboy because this one book has got me hooked.

The birth of a legend, 21 May 2002
This is a truly magnificent graphic novel. Mike Mignola has created something wonderfully different and original... The artwork is excellent- a unique style that fits the 'dark' nature of the story. I recommend this novel to anyone fascinated by the occult, by fairy tales, by aliens and witches and goblins.

Love this manga, 05 Jan 2009
What do you say, love this series, probably one of the best mangas on the market and certainly a must read series for any manga fan.

Kira caught?, 16 Nov 2008
Volume 5 of the hit Death Note manga keeps up the pace in a fantastic way.
Now Light (Kira) is at the edge of his plans the police and L have to use all of there wits to out beat Light in someway. But this proves harder than they think as Light has one ace up this sleve.

As always the fantastic manga hits it right on the spot.

For all you death note readers just keep on going.

----Alex Gradwell/Venomtheevil----

As one Kira leaves another appears on the scene, 10 Jan 2008
The fifth volume of the brilliant Death Note manga opens with Light in jail under suspicion of being Kira. In order to get out of this predicament he gives up the Death Note and all memories associated with it and when the murders continue while Light is in prison L decides that Light can be released but must remain under his constant surveillance. As the murders continue it becomes apparent that Kira seems to have changed tact as rather than make the world a better place they seem to be targeted at the world of big business.

Death Note continues to fascinate and entertain and the addition of a more self motivated Kira is a nice if not terribly original addition to the story. Also another good thing about this volume is that rather than reveal the identity of the new Kira right away as they did with Misa the story keeps you guessing as to their identity throughout. If there is a problem with this volume of the story it is that, despite the addition of the new Kira, it has the feel that it is mainly setting things up for the future rather than telling the story itself. In spite of this small matter I can definitely see why so many people are raving about this excellent manga.

Info. for Prospective Buyers, 12 Feb 2005
For anyone who doesn't know Hellboy - imagine Sam Spade as a demon superhero investigating supernatural threats H.P. Lovecraft might have written and you're somewhere close.

Admittedly this is not the best of the Hellboy stories - Mike Mignola admits in an afterword that he lost control of the plot (the comic originally appeared monthly) - and if I were only marking the story I'd probably have wanted to give it 3.5 stars. Nonetheless, it is definitely worth reading with the trademark Hellboy mix of humour, action and horror, and the noir art as ever is wonderful (pushing it from 3.5 to a deserved 4).

A word of warning: although this is marked as vol.2 of the Hellboy series, there are stories in vol.3 'The Chained Coffin and Others' which precede 'Wake the Devil' chronologically.

Mignola is GOD!, 05 Feb 2003
Mignola is God! Or should I say that he is the Devil who brought from hell the best super-hero of comic history! This stuff is very hot, oh boy this is so hot that you almost burn your fingers when you read such a quality story. Everything which make the universe of hellboy so exciting is at the rendez-vous: monster, gouhlish legend, mega fight with nazis...you will read it over and over again. In this volume hellboy is on mission to save the earth and hunt down Raspoutin the mad Russian monk and his Nazi troop .The ideal program to keep you awake all night!

Hellboy refuses his personal destiny and saves the world !, 28 Jan 1998
Another great entry in what is one of the best comics around. And don't worry - this IS illustrated by Mike Mignola, not James Sinclair - despite the description from the fine folks at Amazon! Mr. Sinclair does a fine job on the colors though! READ THIS BOOK!

Begging of the end, 04 Dec 2008
Volome 7 is without question one of the best volumes of the series. It is the turning point of the series full of twists and a big final one which well make jaws drop. It brings it new a new set of people to add more sides to this epic battle of wits as well.

Now the ONLY drawback is that this volume does set up the worst story line of the series. But that storyline alone its still great. New foes/friends and the now the first story Arc is over.

The End Is Near.

----Alex Gradwell/Venomtheevil----

Light's plans bear fruit, 30 May 2008
This seventh volume of the truly excellent Death Note manga is something of a book of two halves. The first half of the volume sees the conclusion of Light's rather complicated plots and it looks like he is well on his way to creating his perfect world. The second half of the volume sets things up for the second half of the series with new opponents arising to challenge Kira and events take a turn that he does not expect.

This series continues to impress me and some of the twists in the plot of the story, although seeming somewhat contrived in places, are nonetheless fascinating and do enough to keep you reading. I will definitely be interested to see where the story goes on from here.

#7-- An ending, and a new beginning, 18 Jan 2008
I won't spoil it for you, but a lot happens in this volume.

Characters die, the Yotsuba/Kira saga comes to an end, Light's machinations from 2 volumes ago before he was imprisoned are finally revealed, and the main story that runs through the book takes a twist.

The 1st half of this volume is all about endings. Light remembers everything he set into motion before he gave himself up to L, and many conclusions come out of it, while the main story takes a dramatic twist as it moves on 4 years.

The 2nd half is all about setting up the coming volumes. New enemies/allies [depending on if you agree with Kira or not] are revealed, and their own plans set into motion.


I am yet to read a volume of Death Note that isn't 5*, and this is no different.

Classic start to a classic series....a must have!, 24 Apr 2008
This is one of my favourite graphic novels. Utterly fantastic and visually stunning. Even if you are not a reader of graphic novels, any traditional crime fan would be pulled into Frank Millers world of hard cases, hitmen, dames and hookers. The men are big and burly, the women are so hot and curvy, and its all conveyed perfectly in harsh black and white artwork. Its like traditional film noir on the page.

This is the first in the series of Sin city, and the protagonist is the incredible Marv, hulking street fighter and tough guy with a "condition." He can't believe his luck when he meets a beautiful woman called Goldie...But it's not to last, and she ends up murdered. Then Marv is hot on the trail of her killers, and blood splattered vengeance will be his!! Kevin is truly one of the creepiest baddies I've seen, and Marv makes sure he gets what he deserves. Some of the characters are just amazing and recur throughout the Sin City series, like Gail, the fiery hooker, and Nancy, the angelic strip club dancer. This is a great crime story, as well a thrilling personal drama. I found it kind of romantic too, in a tragic way.

A welcome change from traditional superhero comics. Frank Miller is a genius! Read the rest of series now, and have a look at the art book! A great adult read indeed!

Impressive crime story, 06 Aug 2007
This is a great story and incredibly well drawn. Marv is a brute with justice on his side in this dark tale of violence, prostitution and corruption. Highly recommended if you're fond of noir and incredibly well designed drawings. Some of Miller's art is astounding and this is well worth a look.

Grimy "Goodbye", 26 Mar 2007
With a name like "The Hard Goodbye," it isn't surprising that the first volume of the Sin City series is pure, gritty noir. After practically reinventing the superhero comic, Frank Miller created a series that can definitely be called his opus -- gritty, dark, sexy and heady. Think of it as "The Big Sleep" meets "Kill Bill."

"The night is hot as hell. Everything sticks." With those words, tough, scarred Marv encounters and beds a beautiful, alluring "goddess" named Goldie. No sooner have they made love than she is found dead beside him, and unsurprisingly the police believe that Marv is the killer. Case closed? Not really.

Being blamed for the murder of the woman he loved, Marv devotes himself to finding who killed her and framed him. He rampages through the depths of Sin City, unearthing the twisted power structure that holds it up -- and in his homicidal quest, destroying his hidden enemies for the murder of Goldie... and in the process, dooming himself.

The noir atmosphere starts from the first panel -- toughguyspeak, a silhouette and a beautiful woman. That dark, dirty feel sets the mood for the book, and in fact for the entire series. Imagine one of those old Humphrey Bogart noir movies, with the smoky atmosphere and black-and-white film... but darker, more violent, openly sexual, and often gruesome in tone.

Miller's drawing style is all in black and white, and in "Hard Goodbye" the style is simple, but effective. He uses stark swashes of dark and light to illustrate the characters' faces and bodies, never overburdening the reader with too many unnecessary details. Although later volumes have more visual detail, Miller strips it down here to the bare bones, and it fits the spare narrative beautifully.

"Sin City" itself is a seedy underbelly, full of crime, revenge and corruption; Marv isn't the guy who's going to clean it up, a la Dashiell Hammett, but the guy who will get revenge, no matter what the consequences are. The characters are just as dark: a corrupted Cardinal, psychopathic cannibal Kevin, and moderately crooked cops. Lots of death ensues.

Frank Miller's "Sin City: The Hard Goodbye" is a hard book to read. However, the Chander-by-way-of-Tarantino comic book is an electrifying read, dark and bloody and vivid.

Five Star Sin, 28 Jun 2006
This has to be the perfect place to start from if you want to enter the world of Sin City. Frank Miller brings what has to be one of the best graphic novels ever to the public. If you have already seen the film and want to follow up your interest in Sin City, this is one of the 3 main books used. The others being That Yellow Bastard and The Big Fat Kill, there is also a small section of Booze, Broads and Bullets used.

The second Sin City film will be based around the book To Hell and Back, which is the seventh book of the Sin City Empire.

Hartigan saves little Nancy Callahan in Miller's comic noir, 07 Jun 2005
Although I still have a preference for Marv and narrative of "The Hard Goodbye," the first of Frank Miller's "Sin City" graphic novels, I think that artistically he hits full stride in the fourth, "That Yellow Bastard." It is just mildly ironic that this becomes the first volume in the series to add any color to Miller's black and white world. But whereas "The Hard Goodbye" had an almost kitchen sink approach with Miller pretty much trying everything he could come up with for black & white (or white & black) illustrations, I find there is much more of a coherent artistic vision and a rhythm to way in which Miller goes from predominantly black to predominantly white pages, and back again.

"That Yellow Bastard" begins with tough cop John Hartigan, whose good heart is going bad on him, trying to stay alive long enough to do one last case before he dies. Somebody has been raping and murdering little girls for some time and now they have taken 11-year-old Nancy Callahan. Hartigan is able to save Nancy from Roark Junior, the son of Senator Roark, but takes four bullets in the process. Junior is in worse shape, having an ear and both of his "weapons" removed by Hartigan's bullets. If an old man dies and a little girl survives, then Hartigan considers that a fair deal. But this bloody encounter is but the first act in this particular comic noir.

The first episode sets the rules for Hartigan's world, where protecting women is hard-wired into the psyches of tough guys like him. Even when Hartigan finds out that Nancy grew up and filled out, that does not change his mission (just complicates it a bit). Granted, the age difference would make more sense if he was her grandfather, but then there is a consistency to what Hartigan means when he says that he loves Nancy, even if she is inclined to read it a different way. There is a leap in the narrative at one point that you might find a bit hard to accept (i.e., confession leads to immediate release), but you have to admit it is a lot easier to be a pariah out in the world than stuck in prison (and I think Junior would have wanted it that way).

Again, the art work here is Miller at what I consider to be his best, but attention must also be paid to the sense of pacing that he shows in several scenes (most notably when Hartigan pulls himself together for the final confrontation with Junior). There are easily a dozen great looks at Hartigan's grizzled face, and a 15-page sequence, spanning two chapters, of Nancy dancing at the club, consisting of not only full-page shots but also two-page spreads, as she mesmerizes her audience. With "That Yellow Bastard" readers who were introduced to the graphic novels by the film that incorporated three of the first four volumes will be heading into new territory with "Family Values." It will interesting to see when and how Miller tops artistically what he came up with for this one.

GREAT STORY, POOR QUALITY PAPERBACK, 05 Jan 2009
Seed of Destruction is a weird, wonderful story about Nazi world domination and an immortal sorcerers attempt to bring about the apocalypse. The characters are an engaging group of misfits whose pasts are shrouded in mystery and are never fully revealed. The story is very well written, darkly comic and throughout the entire 128 pages is engaging and exciting. The art work is superb with a dark and gothic feel, filled to the brim with brooding blacks and shadows.

However, If you are new to Hellboy and want to read the comics then this edition is best avoided. Not because Seed of Destruction isnt a great story filled with amazing characters. Far from it, my criticism is with the paperback. It dosent do the story, characters or the artwork justice. Seed of Destruction is a comic you will want to read again and again, unfortunately the book wont last. Pages are falling out of the copy I bought which is a shame as it is one of the best comics I have read. If this was the only edition available then I would recommend you buy it, read it and then put it safely on a shelf for safe keeping. Luckily, you can buy the Library Edition, (Hellboy: Seed of Destruction and Wake the Devil v. 1 (Hellboy Library Editions 1) which includes this story, Wake the Devil and loads of supplementary materials. The Library Editions oversized pages really bring the artwork to life, and because it's a hardback they won't fall out. It may be more expensive; however it is well worth the extra cost.


A must have series for any comics fan...or if you like gothic devil coolness!, 21 Apr 2008
No graphic novel collection is complete without some titles, like Watchmen, Knightfall, Sin City and Hellboy!!
I first started reading Hellboy before the first movie came out, I was curious, got one to try and now have them all (and the novels and figures and statues). Seed of Destruction is the first in the series and it jumps straight in to Hellboys life in the B.P.R.D. (bereau for paranormal resreach and defense, kind of like a supernatural CIA). You just see he is a demon working for the agency, and he has a cool coat and a massive stone hand. But as the story goes on, you find he was summoned by Nazis and Ra ra rasputin to help win WW2. But he was saved by Proff. Bruttenholm and now fights for the good guys! Along with Abe Sapien (fish guy) and Liz (Fire starter!). Expect battles with disgusting tentacled Lovecraftian monsters and crazed Nazis. And Nazis do tend to make excellent bad guys! As you progress through the series you find out much more about Hellboys background, and the origins of Abe and Liz too. Its just a great story, well told!

My favourite aspect of the artwork is the black, There is so much darkness throughout and it really sets the tone and sets it apart from other graphic novels. The villains are great, you cannot beat an evil Nazi head in a jar! I love Mignolas fascination with myths from all over the world, especially europe. You get the feeling he puts in lots of research to find just the right gross, creepy myth to use. Its kind of nice to get that european feel for a change, especially if all you read is Marvel and DC!
Recommended!!

This is really FUN!, 07 Jan 2005
Seed of Destruction is Mike Mignola's first graphic album featuring his brilliant Hellboy. The artwork is very Kirbyesque throughout with gothic overtones. Somehow it all works very well. Mignola portrays a quirkiness and humour to the Hellboy character (which is fully realised in Del Toro's new Hellboy movie) and brings to the mix Abe Sapien (almost a modern reworking of Universal's Creature from the Black Lagoon), the incendiary Liz Sherman and, of course, the BPRD (Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defence).

Seed of Destruction begins with Hellboy appearing after a fiendish nazi experiment by the villain of the piece, Rasputin.

From then on it's a rollercoaster ride of battles with frog-like monsters and tentacled beasts until the final showdown. The book doesn't take itself too seriously which is just as well given the absolutely ridiculous scenario. But, this is really FUN.

Mignola has found his niche and he has come up with a truly original concept, strong characters and atmosphere soaked, adrenaline pumping storylines in his Hellboy series. If you really like comics you can't afford to miss Hellboy.

Refreshing and funny, 28 Apr 2003
Mike's artwork is a breath of fresh air, like Frank Miller his use of black as a colour or to create an image from very little is amazing, although he can be very cartoony, much like Manga can flip between different styles between panes. The inking is also very good in this book and can't be faulted. The use of panes and bubbles is also spot on so it makes the experience very pleasureable reading.
As for the story, I enjoyed this very much, this is possibly because I have read many Lovecraft stories which have obviously been drawn from for this book. There is also a sledge hammer wit about the main character Hellboy that keeps you wanting him to get into these crazy fights with beasts as he is almost a step away from the serious and moody story line. Hellboy is the oddest looking hero I have seen for a comic that is trying to take itself seriously but he is the touch of humour that without which you realise would not make the story 'perfect'.
I hope a Lovecraft type mythos is used more in future Hellboy because this one book has got me hooked.

The birth of a legend, 21 May 2002
This is a truly magnificent graphic novel. Mike Mignola has created something wonderfully different and original... The artwork is excellent- a unique style that fits the 'dark' nature of the story. I recommend this novel to anyone fascinated by the occult, by fairy tales, by aliens and witches and goblins.

Love this manga, 05 Jan 2009
What do you say, love this series, probably one of the best mangas on the market and certainly a must read series for any manga fan.

Kira caught?, 16 Nov 2008
Volume 5 of the hit Death Note manga keeps up the pace in a fantastic way.
Now Light (Kira) is at the edge of his plans the police and L have to use all of there wits to out beat Light in someway. But this proves harder than they think as Light has one ace up this sleve.

As always the fantastic manga hits it right on the spot.

For all you death note readers just keep on going.

----Alex Gradwell/Venomtheevil----

As one Kira leaves another appears on the scene, 10 Jan 2008
The fifth volume of the brilliant Death Note manga opens with Light in jail under suspicion of being Kira. In order to get out of this predicament he gives up the Death Note and all memories associated with it and when the murders continue while Light is in prison L decides that Light can be released but must remain under his constant surveillance. As the murders continue it becomes apparent that Kira seems to have changed tact as rather than make the world a better place they seem to be targeted at the world of big business.

Death Note continues to fascinate and entertain and the addition of a more self motivated Kira is a nice if not terribly original addition to the story. Also another good thing about this volume is that rather than reveal the identity of the new Kira right away as they did with Misa the story keeps you guessing as to their identity throughout. If there is a problem with this volume of the story it is that, despite the addition of the new Kira, it has the feel that it is mainly setting things up for the future rather than telling the story itself. In spite of this small matter I can definitely see why so many people are raving about this excellent manga.

Info. for Prospective Buyers, 12 Feb 2005
For anyone who doesn't know Hellboy - imagine Sam Spade as a demon superhero investigating supernatural threats H.P. Lovecraft might have written and you're somewhere close.

Admittedly this is not the best of the Hellboy stories - Mike Mignola admits in an afterword that he lost control of the plot (the comic originally appeared monthly) - and if I were only marking the story I'd probably have wanted to give it 3.5 stars. Nonetheless, it is definitely worth reading with the trademark Hellboy mix of humour, action and horror, and the noir art as ever is wonderful (pushing it from 3.5 to a deserved 4).

A word of warning: although this is marked as vol.2 of the Hellboy series, there are stories in vol.3 'The Chained Coffin and Others' which precede 'Wake the Devil' chronologically.

Mignola is GOD!, 05 Feb 2003
Mignola is God! Or should I say that he is the Devil who brought from hell the best super-hero of comic history! This stuff is very hot, oh boy this is so hot that you almost burn your fingers when you read such a quality story. Everything which make the universe of hellboy so exciting is at the rendez-vous: monster, gouhlish legend, mega fight with nazis...you will read it over and over again. In this volume hellboy is on mission to save the earth and hunt down Raspoutin the mad Russian monk and his Nazi troop .The ideal program to keep you awake all night!

Hellboy refuses his personal destiny and saves the world !, 28 Jan 1998
Another great entry in what is one of the best comics around. And don't worry - this IS illustrated by Mike Mignola, not James Sinclair - despite the description from the fine folks at Amazon! Mr. Sinclair does a fine job on the colors though! READ THIS BOOK!

Begging of the end, 04 Dec 2008
Volome 7 is without question one of the best volumes of the series. It is the turning point of the series full of twists and a big final one which well make jaws drop. It brings it new a new set of people to add more sides to this epic battle of wits as well.

Now the ONLY drawback is that this volume does set up the worst story line of the series. But that storyline alone its still great. New foes/friends and the now the first story Arc is over.

The End Is Near.

----Alex Gradwell/Venomtheevil----

Light's plans bear fruit, 30 May 2008
This seventh volume of the truly excellent Death Note manga is something of a book of two halves. The first half of the volume sees the conclusion of Light's rather complicated plots and it looks like he is well on his way to creating his perfect world. The second half of the volume sets things up for the second half of the series with new opponents arising to challenge Kira and events take a turn that he does not expect.

This series continues to impress me and some of the twists in the plot of the story, although seeming somewhat contrived in places, are nonetheless fascinating and do enough to keep you reading. I will definitely be interested to see where the story goes on from here.

#7-- An ending, and a new beginning, 18 Jan 2008
I won't spoil it for you, but a lot happens in this volume.

Characters die, the Yotsuba/Kira saga comes to an end, Light's machinations from 2 volumes ago before he was imprisoned are finally revealed, and the main story that runs through the book takes a twist.

The 1st half of this volume is all about endings. Light remembers everything he set into motion before he gave himself up to L, and many conclusions come out of it, while the main story takes a dramatic twist as it moves on 4 years.

The 2nd half is all about setting up the coming volumes. New enemies/allies [depending on if you agree with Kira or not] are revealed, and their own plans set into motion.


I am yet to read a volume of Death Note that isn't 5*, and this is no different.

Dwight and Miho in a "Sin City" tale of revenge, 09 Aug 2005
When I started reading "Family Values," Book 5 of Frank Miller's "Sin City" series, I found myself wondering why Dwight keeps getting to be the narrator-protagonist of the comic noir stories. Then I remembered that Marv and Hartigan are both dead, so it means it is either Dwight or somebody new and Miller will have to get to the latter sooner or later. But for the third time in the first five books, once again Dwight is the man.

Dwight shows up at Poppa's Olympian Palace, an old fashioned diner (you know the type; it looks like you could put it on wheels and hitch it to a train as a cheap dinner car) driving a VW Beetle (hey, it is a German car, so what is your complaint? Besides, you can always trade up). The place is riddled with bullets and whatever happened there Dwight is interested, and since deadly little Miho is backing him up we have to think it has something to do with the girls of Old Town. The problem is that nobody is talking about why what happened at Poppa's happened and it takes a while and a couple of versions of the tale to figure out the meaning of the key detail Miller keeps working into the art. You are not going to be able to figure out what is going on until it is all laid out for you, but that is not necessarily a bad thing (as opposed to telegraphing the ending). I also like a red herring, especially when it walks on four legs.

It seems like every killing in Sin City is revenge for a previous killing, which just means there is another killing in Sin City that needs to be revenged and the cycle goes on and on and on. But there is a moral to this particular story and as Dwight notes it is a great big wide world out there and there's all kinds of families in it. Apparently they all play by the same rules, it is just that some are a lot better at it, especially when it comes to covering their tracks. The best part of this story is the way Dwight has to unravel the truth, moving from one source to the next to find out another layer of the truth so that he and Miho know exactly who has to pay for what happened (and we finally get to find out what really happened).

"Family Values" is a relative short "Sin City" tale, coming it at 126 black & white pages and I think picking pink as the color on the cover to go along with the drawing of Miho in the snow might be a made choice (besides red and yellow, do any colors really make sense in Miller's "Sin City"). Miller does some nice things with the snow in Book 5 that are interesting, but reducing Miho to a ghostly figure of pure white takes a little getting used to (especially if you want to start unpacking the symbolic value of doing so in contrast to the shadows and dirt of Sin City in general). It is a rather simple and ordinary tale by "Sin City" standards, but that still makes it above average if you are looking at the overall genre of graphic novels.

The Short Pink One, 20 Jul 2005
Another awesome sin city installment. Admittidly not with the same raw, cut graphics of the first few but still beautiful & signature Miller. As this was the shortest of the books i've read from the series it does leave you wanting but for the price it is a cracking read - dark, blunt and full of that amazing circling dialogue that Miller fans have seen in not only Sin City but his Batman aswell. Incidentally, had some serious deja vous moments with some of the compositions of Miho and Miller's Caroline Kelly (Robin From Dark Knight Returns & Strikes Again) and there is a hint of Vinnie in Lex Luthor aswell. Basically if you were a fan of the above titles or the series in general this won't let you down but i would be tempted to invest in another aswell to keep you busy as it is short and pacey. For the those daring to enter Sin City for the first time this is a great piece but i'd hit the Yellow Bastard or A Dame to Kill For first- this one is a good accompeniament to save for a cookie break or a rainy day.
Keep it casual
r

Wow, 29 Oct 2003
I first read this when i was about 10 and have only found a copy now that i had the wonderful idea of amazon and it is as good as i originally thought it was. The plot is fantastic and miho was and still is the best assassin i have ever read or seen in anything, full marks go to the author

Welcome To Blood Spattered Sin City, 05 Jan 2001
Another yarn of violent payback on the mean streets of Sin City. A man with a debt to pay is looking for answers regarding the murder of a city official called Bruno. Bruno has a shadowy past, and his killers haven't managed to cover their tracks.....

Business as usual in Sin City - the breathtaking use of black and white imagery successfully conveys the mean streets and low lifes, whilst the violence is suitably grotesque and over the top. The bitter black comedic plot should grab anyone who is a fan of of Chandler, Leonard or Ellroy.

Not top notch when compared to The Big Fat Kill or the original Sin City but still worth taking a look at for lovers of crime or if you wonder what Miller got up to after Batman: The Dark Knight Returns.

priests and whores and nobody left to blame, 04 Sep 1998
if frank miller could find a motive for any of his characters besides evil priests and evil women, he could write a story that competed with unillustrated fiction. I appreciate all the progress he has made in the comic book and graphic novel realm but I'm waiting for the next step. He has become formulaic in his character's motives and so the storylines have become simple revenge stories. Though revenge stories are typical of the 'film noir' style he has developed, they remain typical. I am really looking forward to Miller's breaking out of the trend in which he has stuck himself.