The Visitor: How and Why He Stayed #4

The penultimate issue of Dark Horse's five-issue mini-series offers a further look into the life of the mysterious Visitor. Set decades after the first issue, Hellboy has grown into the hero that the alien always hoped he could be. However, he and the B.P.R.D. still need his unseen help from time to time with anonymous tips and even taking down a cult leader when needed.

Much of The Visitor: How and Why He Stayed #4 focuses on the Visitor's life away from Hellboy and the life he made with his wife Ruby. Although the issue is a celebration of the pair's life together, in spite of what society of the times thought of them, there is melancholy feel in this issue as Ruby's memory slips.

The comfort that the Visitor can provide, by altering his physical appearance to be what his wife needs is both tender and heart-breaking. Ruby's death is a blow, but one that he is prepared for. With that "distraction" gone, I'm assuming our Visitor will turn his attention back to Hellboy in the final issue as we'll see if his decision to spare the child and remain on Earth was the right one. Worth a look.

[Dark Horse, $3.99]