If comic books were cigarettes, then Art Baltazar and Franco Aureliani have figured out a brilliant way to get the next generation of users hooked: you take the potent form, strip it down, and re-imagine it with saccharine colors and gentle jokes. The result? Itty-Bitty Hellboy is by far the best candy cigarette out there. And there’s no doubt it’ll pull young readers in, while still giving weathered comic addicts the fix they need.

Here’s the official word from Darkhorse:

Lobster Johnson is on the trail of a Squatch! His search has led him to the deep woods, and Hellboy and the B.P.R.D. are going to help him the best way they know how! That’s right—it’s a camping trip! One thing is for sure: when Liz is around you never need a flashlight, but you might need to bring your own marshmallows!

Anyone familiar with the work of Baltazar and Franco know that part of the magic of this team comes from their tongue-in-cheek approach to well known comic characters. And their newest Itty Bitty Hellboy run is no exception. With issue #2 this team has once again found a way to capture the edgy essence of Hellboy and his B.P.R.D compatriots, while still making them family friendly –an incredibly tricky task for for a title so saturated in the occult. Issue#2 marks the arrival of Lobster Johnson, who’s on the hunt for Squatch. The search, of course, is fruitless, circular and inefficient. But the journey is delightful, giving nearly each character in the B.P.R.D universe a chance to shine, and offer an entertaining parody of themselves. This issue is clearly written for kids, but layered with so many inside jokes and fanboy references that it’s a joy for more hardcore fans to read.

The illustrations, provided by Art Baltazar, are pitch perfect. His style is simple, but he has a knack for capturing the often complicated details that permeate the superhero genre in just a few strong strokes. It’s rare to actually see old-fashion cartooning in comic books nowadays, and Baltazar’s style makes us wish for more.

Like many fans of Baltazar and Franco, I mourned the loss of Tiny Titans and Superman Family Adventures. But I’m delighted to welcome their work on Itty Bitty Hellboy. And it’s as good as anything they’ve ever done.

5/5