Hellraiser (Boom! Studios) #2

Publication date: May, 2011

Written by: Clive Barker and Christopher Monfette
Art by: Leonardo Manco
Colors by: Charlie Kirchoff & Jordie Bellaire
Lettering by: Travis Lanham
Edited by: Ian Brill

“Pursuit of the Flesh, Part Two”

Clive Barker’s new “Hellraiser” series continues and thus far silences the concerns I voiced in my review for the first issue, namely the implementation of the Harrowers; that repulsive “superhero” team from the original “Hellraiser” comic book series. It’s always pleasant to be proven wrong in a manner that works in your favor, right?

“Pursuit of the Flesh, Part Two” sees Kirsty Cotton meeting with a mysterious society calling themselves “the Harrowers”; those who have escaped the Cenobites and sworn to end them by any means necessary. A mysterious letter from an unknown source has led them to the location of one more of LeMerchand’s puzzle-boxes, “the Carousel”, and using the tools they have at hand, they leave to collect it, activate it, destroy the Cenobites whom it summons and then destroy it when they’re finished. As Pinhead observes the whole ordeal, his servant (the farmer) tails Kirsty’s fiancé, Edgar, through an airport.

Now this is how the Harrowers should have been handled from the very beginning. Here, they’re a quartet of the select individuals lucky-enough to have escaped the grip of the Cenobites and use what they’ve learned to try and eliminate them through their only means of reaching Earth: LeMarchand’s puzzle-boxes. No acid-spitting superpowers, no extreme motorcycling through the gates of Hell, no farting comedy relief cherub sidekick… Just four nihilistic individuals taking a far more practical and strategic approach to ending Leviathan.



It’s a much more sophisticated and palatable take on the concept of a team determined to “fight the forces of evil”, forgoing the goofy superhero shtick that never worked with the tone of the “Hellraiser” franchise. The idea of the Harrowers tracking down the numerous and unique puzzle-boxes built by LeMerchand as a means to cut Leviathan off from his food source (souls) actually seems like a reasonable plan, or at least the most effective way anyone can “fight Hell” that I can think of.

One of the better things about the original “Hellraiser” comics is the extension of the mythos beyond just Pinhead and the Lament Configuration; showcasing a much larger and more epic picture of which the films only scratch the surface. LeMerchand was a far more sinister figure in the comics than the easily duped oaf seen in “Hellraiser: Bloodline” and there were many more puzzle-boxes of intricate and elaborate design than just the Lament Configuration. In fact, the comics often showed these “puzzles” to be more than literal, but sometimes intangible concepts or just plain ole force of will and desire.

The idea of a group of occultists who hunt down these “cursed artifacts” before they can do anymore harm, well, it gave me flashbacks to the unfortunately titled “Friday the 13th the Series”, but in a good way!



Another world-building element highlighted in this issue is that each puzzle-box summons different Cenobites and the Harrowers are never sure just what creatures they’ll be calling when they open it. Again, it’s a nice detail that illustrates that while Pinhead may be the “General”, there are lots of other Cenobites out there doing ghastly things across the world with their own wacky puzzle-boxes. Classic sitcom spin-off material, right there.

But focusing more on the plot-itself, the Harrowers come across as “prepared but not enough” in their quest to destroy the puzzle-boxes and their Cenobite guardians. They’re shown at length using detective skills to piece clues together to find the boxes and then using magical methods to better draw their prey out where they can dispose of them with modern and mystical weaponry. And yet… none of them take any precautions to protect themselves from hooks and chains? No body armor of any kind? You’d think that would be Rule #1 in their line of business.

Of the four Harrowers (Kirsty, Marcus, Bethany and Alex), only Kirsty displays any real personality, particularly in her concern for the safety of the family who accidentally inherited the puzzle-box. There’s some pretty clunky exposition where the other three Harrowers try to “subtly” slip-in their professions and worldviews into awkward dialogue exchanges (one is a paranoid doctor, one is a faith-less priest, one is a vengeful callgirl), but I’d rather the characters display their personalities than describe them to me. After the battle with the Cenobites summoned by the Carousel, I’m not even sure if they’re all alive, even. Ah well, no doubt future issues will afford them the opportunity to flesh themselves out.

The muddiness of Leonard Manco’s artwork can be both a blessing and a curse. I love the filthy atmosphere it exudes and his Cenobites just rock outloud. He even slips in some rather funny details here and there, such as Kirsty’s pencil-holder on page 1. However, I had a hard time following the action during the hectic Cenobite battle. For instance, there’s a scene where it looks like Bethany is trying to hand a dagger to Alex, who proceeds to go from empty-handed to equipped between panels and kills the Cenobite by stabbing it in the face. Next thing I know, Bethany is using the dagger I thought she handed to Alex to cut Marcus free from a chain. Did they both have daggers the whole time? Did Bethany give Alex her dagger then take it back once he was done? The art doesn’t make it clear.

But I can forgive snafus like that when you get art this positively bitchin’ at the same time:



Aw yeah.

There’s definitely a lot going on in this book, much of which I haven’t even touched upon yet (Who is “HD”? How are Pinhead’s machinations going to come together?). In just two issues and a prelude I feel like a lot of ground has been covered (most superhero comics these days don’t even get half this much plot in six issues) and I’m firmly hooked. The art can be a bit too hectic for its own good from time to time, but I’d say the ends justify the means when you look at the results. Though the dialogue is awkward when giving character introductions, Barker and Monfette still deserve ample amounts of cred for taking a concept from the Hellraiser Mythos I positively despised and reinventing it into something genuinely intriguing and fitting.

Grade: B (as in, “Boy, nothing slips by the watchful eye of our ever-vigilant TSA officers, does it?”)