Hellboy Universe Reading Order 1339BC-1948: The Secret Histories

The infant demon with the giangantic stone hand made his debut as a character in Dime Press #3 (1993) before appearing again in John Byrne’s Next Men #21 later that year. But the official continuity for Hellboy and his supporting cast of agents from the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD) begins in Hellboy: Seed of Destruction #1-4, which kicked off a series of mini-series and one-shots that slowly fleshed out his history and that of his colleagues; building upon interlinked conspiracies and paranormal threats to the world from the Nazis to the Heliotropic Brotherhood of Ra.  

Since those humble beginnings, we’ve seen many limited series from the world of Hellboy that expand on the origins of the BPRD, the vigilante Lobster Johnson, the witchfinder Sir Edward Grey and others. So our Hellboy reading order has been broken up into three chunks. You can start here with the untold tales and secret histories from 1339BC, through the late 1800s and two World Wars – including the arrival of young Hellboy into our world – or hold on for one of the next two reading orders before jumping back here to see how it all began!  

A huge thank you to to Fraser Sherman for his invaluable assistance.

SCROLL DOWN to the bottom for the KEY COLLECTED EDITIONS for this event!

Must Reads: Story arcs marked with a ✔ are must-read stories from this time period, along with any key related stories and often-forgotten tales that are worth a read. Some tales told in flashback that are set during this period will be marked as required reading in later Hellboy Universe Reading order entries.

Chronology: Every appearance of the characters from the Hellboy Universe set in this period are included in chronological order, mapping out their timeline rather than just the order the issues were released.

Anthology Issues: When an issue contains multiple stories, the relevant story is denoted with square brackets. For example, [2/5] refers to the second story of the five stories in that issue, so you don’t need to read the other four.

Want to keep it simple? Here’s the core reading order without story descriptions, page-by-page breakdowns – just the stories:

  •      The Sword of Hyperborea #1
  •      Panya: The Mummy’s Curse #1
  •      Hellboy Winter Special (2019) #1 [3/3]
  •      Hellboy: The Wild Hunt #7 [2/2]
  •      Abe Sapien: The Drowning and Other Stories – “The Calm Before The Storm”
  • MySpace Dark Horse Presents #16 [1/4]
  • Witchfinder: In The Service of Angels #1-5
  •      Witchfinder: Lost and Gone Forever #1-5
  • Dark Horse Presents (2011) #36 [1/11]
  • Witchfinder: The Mysteries of Unland #1-5
  • Witchfinder: City of the Dead #1-5
  •      Miss Truesdale and the Fall of Hyperborea #1-4
  • Witchfinder: The Gates of Heaven #1-5
  • Witchfinder: The Reign of Darkness #1-5
  •      Hellboy Winter Special (2017) #1 [1/3]
  • The British Paranormal Society: Time out of Mind #1-4
  •      The Sword of Hyperborea #2
  • Rise of the Black Flame #1-5
  •      Hellboy Winter Special (2019) #1 [2/3]
  •      House of Lost Horizons: A Sarah Jewel Mystery #1-5
  •      Hellboy Winter Special (2018) #1 [3/3]
  • Lobster Johnson: The Burning Hand #1-5
  •      Crimson Lotus #1-5
  • Lobster Johnson: Caput Mortuum #1
  • Lobster Johnson: Satan Smells a Rat #1
  • Dark Horse Presents (2011) #9 [1/10]
  • Lobster Johnson: A Scent of Lotus #1-2
  • Lobster Johnson: The Prayer of Neferu #1
  • Lobster Johnson: Get the Lobster! #1-5
  • Lobster Johnson: A Chain Forged in Life #1
  • Lobster Johnson: The Forgotten Man #1
  • Lobster Johnson: The Glass Mantis #1
  • Lobster Johnson: Garden of Bones #1
  • Lobster Johnson: Mangekyō #1
  • Lobster Johnson: Metal Monsters of Midtown #1-3
  • Lobster Johnson: The Pirate’s Ghost #1-3
  • Lobster Johnson: The Iron Prometheus #1-5
  • Rasputin: The Voice of the Dragon #1
  • Hellboy: Box Full of Evil #1 [2/2]
  •      MySpace Dark Horse Presents #23 [1/4]
  • Free Comic Book Day – Hellboy (2008) #1 [2/3]
  •      The Sword of Hyperborea #3
  • Rasputin: The Voice of the Dragon #2
  • Sledgehammer 44 #1-2
  • Sledgehammer 44: The Lightning War #1-3
  • BPRD: 1946 #1-5
  •      Dark Horse Presents Annual 1999 [5/7]
  • BPRD: 1947 #1-5
  •      Young Hellboy: The Hidden Land #1-4
  • Young Hellboy: Assault on Castle Death #1-4
  • Hellboy: The Midnight Circus
  • BPRD: 1948 #1-5
  • BPRD: Vampire #1-5

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Chronology: Every appearance of characters from the Hellboy Universe from this period are included in chronological order, mapping out their timeline rather than just the order the issues were released.
Spoilers: The issue/story overviews may include spoilers, so be warned!

Must ReadsTitle, Synopsis & First AppearancesEvent / Crossover
The Sword of Hyperborea #1 (2022)
The Hyperborean Age: The powerful Hyperborean blade is passed to Gall Dennar from his father;  Dennar uses the Sword of Hyperborea in a last-ditch battle against the dark forces unleashed on Earth.
Panya: The Mummy’s Curse #1 (2023)
1339BCE: Young Panya witnesses the fall of the great Egyptian dynasty that raised her.
Hellboy Winter Special #1 [3/3] (2019)
1412: “The Beast of Ingelheim” – The townspeople of Ingelheim hunt down the creature that’s been preying on their livestock.
Note: This story was due to be a prelude to the cancelled series, The Last Knight of St Hogan.
Hellboy: The Wild Hunt #7 [2/2] (2009)
1646: “The Burial of Katherine Baker” Henry Hood receives a stark warning when he interrupts the funeral of a witch.
Abe Sapien: The Drowning and Other Stories (2018) [Sketchbook pages]
1865, Feb 22: “The Calm Before The Storm”Langdon Everett Caul prepares for a life-changing aquatic adventure.
Note: Originally released in digital format.
MySpace Dark Horse Presents #16 [1/4] (2008)
1879, Feb 06: “Murderous Intent”Sir Edward Grey earns the name ‘Witchfinder’ when he deals with a plot to assassinate Queen Victoria.
Witchfinder: In The Service of Angels #1-5 (2009)
1879: Sir Edward Grey meets Mary Wolf and discovers the existence of the Heliopic Brotherhood of Ra when a rampaging monster is unleashed on London.

1st appearance: Mr Silk, August Swain, Mary Wolf
Witchfinder: Lost and Gone Forever #1-5 (2011)
1880: Taking a trip to the American frontier, Sir Edward Grey still manages to uncover a witch, as well as zombie cowboys and deadly outlaws.
Dark Horse Presents #36 [1/11] (2014)
1880: “Beware the Ape” – Back in London, Sir Edward Grey fends off a chthonic ape on the city’s streets.
Witchfinder: The Mysteries of Unland #1-5 (2014)
1881: Sir Edward Grey uncovers a shocking secret when he’s sent to Hallam in Yorkshire to investigate the death of a Crown-appointed official.

1st appearance: Miss Goad, Ada Poole, Anna Poole
Witchfinder: City of the Dead #1-5 (2016)
1882, Aug: Sr Edward Grey’s further investigations into the Heliopic Brotherhood of Ra leads to an unexpected alliance when the vampire Vladimir Giurescu threatens London.

1st appearance: Dr Lewis, Dr Manley
Miss Truesdale and the Fall of Hyperborea #1-4 (2023)
1883: Miss Trusdale of the Heliopic Brotherhood of Ra is granted memories of her past life as Anum Yassa, as well as visions of the future.
1st appearance: Miss Trusdale

Must ReadsTitle, Synopsis & First AppearancesEvent / Crossover
Witchfinder: The Gates of Heaven #1-5 (2018)
1884, Oct: Sir Edward Grey joins forces with the British Paranormal Society when a scientist threatens to unleash dark other dimensional forces on Earth.

1st appearance: Honora Grant, British Paranormal Society
Witchfinder: The Reign of Darkness #1-5 (2019-2020)
1888-1889: Occult adventuruer Sarah Jewel joins Sir Edward Grey on the hunt for Jack the Ripper; as the truth about the Heliopic Brotherhood of Ra is finally revealed.
Hellboy Winter Special #1 [1/3] (2017)
1891, Mar: “The Great Blizzard” – Sir Edward Grey continues his adventures with Sarah Jewel, as a trip to Cornwall unveils a frozen mystery.
The British Paranormal Society: Time out of Mind #1-4 (2022)
1910, Apr: Simon Bruttonholm and Honora Grant investigate two separate mysteries that quickly overlap and discover more sinister secrets in the town of Noxton.
The Sword of Hyperborea #2 (2022)
1916: The Sword of Hyperborea resurfaces at a pivotal moment during the First World War, as an urban legend faces capture.  
Rise of the Black Flame #1-5 (2016-2017)
1923: Sarah Jewel joins a group of investigators intent on finding out why English girls are going missing in Burma, only to discover the Cult of the Black Flame.

1st apearance: Sarah Jewel, Marie- Thérèse Lafleur, AN Sandhu
Hellboy Winter Special #1 [2/3] (2019)
1924, Dec: “The Longest Night” – Sarah Jewel is among those snowed in when a blizzard his Upstate New York while a creature lurks outside.
House of Lost Horizons: A Sarah Jewel Mystery #1-5 (2021)
1926, Feb: Sarah Jewel and Marie- Thérèse Lafleur try to solve a supernatural murder mystery in Washington.
Hellboy Winter Special #1 [3/3] (2018)
1930: “The Empty Chair” – The vigilante Lobster (aka Lobster Johnson) delivers his own brand of justice when mob bosses gather in New York
Lobster Johnson: The Burning Hand #1-5 (2012)
1932: The Lobster looks into a series of scalpings of police offers on the streets of New York.

1st appearance: Jake Eckerd, Detective Hanson, Cindy Tynan
Crimson Lotus (2018) #1-5 (2018)
1932, Summer: The Crimson Lotus begins her deadly quest for revenge.
Lobster Johnson: Caput Mortuum #1 (2012)
1932: Scientists attempting to use chemical weapons on New Yorkers from their zeppelin are faced with the relentless fury of the Lobster.
Lobster Johnson: Satan Smells a Rat #1 (2013)
1933: The Lobster hunts down a killer who’s been targetting the homeless
Dark Horse Presents #9 [1/10] (2012)
1933: “Tony Masso’s Finest Hour” – The Lobster witnesses the emergence of a demonic presence on Earth.

Must ReadsTitle, Synopsis & First AppearancesEvent / Crossover
Lobster Johnson: A Scent of Lotus #1-2 (2013)
1933: Investigating a series of brutal Chinatown murders sets the Lobster on a collision course with the Crimson Lotus.
Lobster Johnson: The Prayer of Neferu #1 (2012)
1933: The Lobster discovers the reformed Helipic Brotherhood of Ra.
Lobster Johnson: Get the Lobster! (2014) #1-5 (2014)
1934: The Lobster becomes public enemy number one and the focus of the NYPD while also chasing down the man behind a mind-control scheme.

1st appearance: Frank Cossaro, Marty Cossaro
Lobster Johnson: A Chain Forged in Life #1 (2015)
1934, Dec: Gangers kidnap a man dressed as Santa Claus and become the Lobster’s latest target.
Lobster Johnson: The Forgotten Man (2016) #1 (2016)
1935, Winter: The population of Hoovervilles are subjected to experiments by a man masquerading as a priest until the Lobster steps in.
Lobster Johnson: The Glass Mantis #1 (2015)
1935, Apr: Th Metropoitan Museum becomes a murder scene when a new exhibit opens and gives the Lobster a new mystery to investigate.
Lobster Johnson: Garden of Bones #1 (2017)
1935: Sorcerers send undead hitman after the NYPD, leaving up to the Lobster to operate outside the law to confront them.
Lobster Johnson: Mangekyō #1 (2017)
1935, Autumn: The Lobster stops a prison break, drawing the ire of his past nemesis, the Crimson Lotus.
Lobster Johnson: Metal Monsters of Midtown #1-3 (2016)
1936, May: The Lobster investigates the mastermind behind three gigantic rampaging robots who are tearing up New York.
Lobster Johnson: The Pirate’s Ghost #1-3 (2017)
1936, Aug: The Lobster and his crew look into the connection between the mob and a ghost ship.
Lobster Johnson: The Iron Prometheus (2007) #1-5 (2007-2008)
1937: With the world on the brink of war, Memnan Saa and the Nazis seek out the Sword of Hyperborea

1st appearance: Bill, Lester, Adolfo Flores, Helena Gallaragas, Professor Kyriakos Gallaragas, Jim Sacks, Doctor Waxman
Rasputin: The Voice of the Dragon #1 (2017)
1937, Jul: Professor Simon Bruttenholm explores the connection between the Third Reich and the possible return of Grigori Rasputin.

1st appearance: Simon Bruttenholm
Hellboy: Box Full of Evil #1 [2/2] (1999)
1938: “The Killer in My Skull” – The Lobster forces his way into a police investigation when there’s a murder at the Zinco-Davis Research project.

1st appearance: The Lobster/‘Lobster Johnson’, Robert Isherwood
MySpace Dark Horse Presents #23 [1/4] (2009)
1938, Spring: “And What Shall I Find There?” – As a member of the British Paranormal Society, Trevor Bruttenholm explores a church in Southwest France and discovers an ancient evil.

Must ReadsTitle, Synopsis & First AppearancesEvent / Crossover
Free Comic Book Day – Hellboy #1 [2/3] (2008)
1939, Spring: “Bishop Olek’s Devil” – Trevor Bruttenenholm meets Dr Howard Eaton when the pair visit Petrov Manor in Eastern Galicia to collect the Dielogue Goetia, only to find it’s already been used to unleash something monstrous.
The Sword of Hyperborea #3 (2022)
1940, Jul: A diver working for the Heliotropic Brotherhood of Ra discovers a Vril Crystal and the Sword of Hyperborea at the bottom of the English Channel.
Rasputin: The Voice of the Dragon #2 (2017)
1941, Jun: Simon and Trevor Bruttenholm delve deeper into Rasputin’s involvement with the Nazis and the Heliopic Brotherhood of Ra.
Sledgehammer 44 #1-2 (2013)
1944, Aug: With his spirit in the Hyperborean-powered Vril Energy Suit, Patrick Redding – the Sledgehammer – fights the Nazis on the French battlefields.

1st appearance: Captain Fields, Patrick Redding
Sledgehammer 44: The Lightning War #1-3 (2013-2014)
1944: Sledgehammer faces the Nazis’ newest ally, the Black Flame.
The Visitor: How & Why He Stayed #1 (pp.1-11) (2017)
1944, Dec: After the arrival of the young Hellboy on Earth, an extraterrestrial Visitor fails in his assignment to eliminate him.
BPRD: 1946 #1-5 (2008)
1946: Despite the victory over the Nazis in World War II, lingering threats like their Project Vampir Sturm programme continue to threaten the word; Trevor Bruttenholm of the newly-formed Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defence (BPRD) calls upon Varvara – an ancient demon in the body of a little girl – for help

1st appearance: Baron Konig, Varvara
Dark Horse Presents Annual ‘99 [5/7] (1999)
1947: “Pancakes” – Young Hellboy eats pancakes.
BPRD: 1947 #1-5 (2009)
1947, Spring: Trevor Bruttenholm and the young Hellboy continue to encounter more Nazi vampires.

1st appearance: Simon Anders, Annaliese Brezina, Katharina Brezina, Margaret Laine, Jacob Stegner
Young Hellboy: The Hidden Land #1-4 (2021)
1947, May: Young Hellboy and Trevor Bruttenholm are stranded on an island of monsters on their way to South America.

1st appearance: Scarlett Santiago, Vesperra
The Visitor: How & Why He Stayed #1 (pp.12) (2017)
1947: The Visitor watches as Hellboy and his charges prepare to relocate to Connecticut.
Young Hellboy: Assault on Castle Death #1-4 (2022-2023)
1947, Jun: The BPRD relocate to Connecticut; Hellboy is inspired by his hero, the Lobster, when an attempt is made on his life.
Hellboy: The Midnight Circus (2013)
1948: Hellboy sneaks out of BPRD Headquarters and attempts to join the circus, but it’s one that’s inhabited by creatures from Hell.

1st appearance: Gremory
BPRD: 1948 #1-5 (2012-2013)
1948, Sep: Hellboy continues to struggle with living in Connecticut; Trevor Bruttenholm and Simon Anders investigate reports of atomically-mutated creatures attacking civilians in Utah.
The Visitor: How & Why He Stayed #1 (pp.13) (2017)
1948: The Visitor watches as Hellboy learns how to ride a bike.
BPRD: Vampire #1-5 (2013)
1948: Simon Anders seeks revenge against the vampires who ruined his life.

Notable collected editions featuring the Hellboy Universe Reading Order 1339BC-1948…

Collected Edition TitleCollects…
The Sword of HyperboreaThe Sword of Hyperborea #1-4
Panya: The Mummy’s CursePanya: The Mummy’s Curse #1-4
Witchfinder Omnibus vol.1Dark Horse Presents (2011) #36 [1/11]

Hellboy: The Wild Hunt #7 [2/2]

MySpace Dark Horse Presents #16 [1/4]

Witchfinder: In The Service of Angels #1-5

Witchfinder: Lost and Gone Forever #1-5

Witchfinder: The Mysteries of Unland #1-5
Witchfinder Omnibus vol.2Hellboy Winter Special (2017) #1 [1/3]

Witchfinder: City of the Dead #1-5

Witchfinder: The Gates of Heaven #1-5

Witchfinder: The Reign of Darkness #1-5
Witchfinder vol.1: In The Service of AngelsHellboy: The Wild Hunt #7 [2/2]

MySpace Dark Horse Presents #16 [1/4]

Witchfinder: In The Service of Angels #1-5
Witchfinder vol.2: Lost and Gone ForeverWitchfinder: Lost and Gone Forever #1-5
Witchfinder vol.3: The Mysteries of UnlandDark Horse Presents (2011) #36 [1/11]

Witchfinder: The Mysteries of Unland #1-5
Witchfinder vol.4: City of the DeadWitchfinder: City of the Dead #1-5
Witchfinder vol.5: The Gates of HeavenWitchfinder: The Gates of Heaven #1-5
Witchfinder vol.6: The Reign of DarknessWitchfinder: The Reign of Darkness #1-5
Hellboy Universe Essentials: WitchfinderWitchfinder: In The Service of Angels #1-5
Miss Truesdale and the Fall of HyperboreaMiss Truesdale and the Fall of Hyperborea #1-4
The British Paranormal Society: Time out of MindThe British Paranormal Society: Time out of Mind #1-4
Rise of the Black FlameRise of the Black Flame #1-5
House of Lost Horizons: A Sarah Jewel MysteryHellboy Winter Special (2019) #1 [2/3]

House of Lost Horizons: A Sarah Jewel Mystery #1-5
Lobster Johnson Omnibus vol.1Dark Horse Presents (2011) #9 [1/10]

Hellboy Winter Special (2018) #1 [3/3]

Lobster Johnson: A Scent of Lotus #1-2

Lobster Johnson: Caput Mortuum #1

Lobster Johnson: Get the Lobster! #1-5

Lobster Johnson: Satan Smells a Rat #1

Lobster Johnson: The Burning Hand #1-5

Lobster Johnson: The Prayer of Neferu #1
Lobster Johnson Omnibus vol.2Hellboy: Box Full of Evil #1 [2/2]

Lobster Johnson: A Chain Forged in Life #1

Lobster Johnson: Garden of Bones #1

Lobster Johnson: Mangekyō #1

Lobster Johnson: The Forgotten Man #1

Lobster Johnson: The Glass Mantis #1

Lobster Johnson: The Iron Prometheus #1-5

Lobster Johnson: The Metal Monsters of Midtown #1-3

Lobster Johnson: The Pirate’s Ghost #1-3

Collected Edition TitleCollects…
Lobster Johnson vol.1Lobster Johnson: The Iron Prometheus #1-5
Lobster Johnson vol.2Lobster Johnson: The Burning Hand #1-5
Lobster Johnson vol.3Dark Horse Presents (2011) #9 [1/10]

Lobster Johnson: A Scent of Lotus #1-2

Lobster Johnson: Caput Mortuum #1

Lobster Johnson: Satan Smells a Rat #1

Lobster Johnson: The Prayer of Neferu #1
Lobster Johnson vol.4Lobster Johnson: Get the Lobster! #1-5
Lobster Johnson vol.5Lobster Johnson: The Metal Monsters of Midtown #1-3

Lobster Johnson: The Pirate’s Ghost #1-3
Lobster Johnson vol.6Lobster Johnson: A Chain Forged in Life #1

Lobster Johnson: Garden of Bones #1

Lobster Johnson: Mangekyō #1

Lobster Johnson: The Forgotten Man #1

Lobster Johnson: The Glass Mantis #1
Hellboy Universe Essentials: Lobster JohnsonLobster Johnson: The Burning Hand #1-5
Crimson LotusCrimson Lotus #1-5
Hellboy Universe: The Secret Histories OmnibusHellboy Winter Special (2017) #1 [2/3]

Rasputin: Voice of the Dragon #1-5

Sledgehammer 44 #1-2

Sledgehammer 44: The Lightning War #1-3

The Visitor: How & Why He Stayed #1-5
Rasputin: Voice of the DragonRasputin: Voice of the Dragon #1-5
Sledgehammer 44Sledgehammer 44 #1-2

Sledgehammer 44: The Lightning War #1-3
The Visitor: How & Why He StayedThe Visitor: How & Why He Stayed #1-5
BPRD 1946-1948 OmnibusBPRD: 1946 #1-5

BPRD: 1947 #1-5

BPRD: 1948 #1-5

Free Comic Book Day – Hellboy (2008) #1 [2/3]

MySpace Dark Horse Presents #23 [1/4]
BPRD vol.9: 1946BPRD: 1946 #1-5

Free Comic Book Day – Hellboy (2008) #1 [2/3]
BPRD vol.13: 1947BPRD: 1947 #1-5

MySpace Dark Horse Presents #23 [1/4]
BPRD: 1948BPRD: 1948 #1-5
Young Hellboy: The Hidden LandYoung Hellboy: The Hidden Land #1-4
Young Hellboy: Assault on Castle DeathYoung Hellboy: Assault on Castle Death #1-4
Hellboy: The Midnight CircusHellboy: The Midnight Circus
BPRD: Vampire (2013)BPRD: Vampire #1-5
BPRD: Vampire (2019)BPRD: Vampire #1-5

Hellboy Winter Special (2018) #1 [2/3]

Collected Edition TitleIncludes…
Abe Sapien: The Drowning and Other Stories Omnibus“The Calm Before The Storm”
Hellboy vol.4: The Right Hand of DoomDark Horse Presents Annual 1999 [5/7]
Hellboy Library Edition vol.2Dark Horse Presents Annual 1999 [5/7]
Hellboy: The Complete Short StoriesDark Horse Presents Annual 1999 [5/7]
Hellboy Universe Essentials: HellboyDark Horse Presents Annual 1999 [5/7]
Hellboy: The Complete Short Stories vol.1Hellboy: The Midnight Circus

Reading Order ©OmniverseComicsGuide 2023

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