Hellboy: Masks and Monsters

By Mike Mignola

Joker is being chased by helicopter as he runs over a roof. Batman's chasing him by foot, and Joker creates an explosion. Later, Bruce is speaking with Starman before he goes to lecture for a benefit for Wayne Enterprises. He's interrupted by a Nazi group their to kidnap him, and Batman helps back Starman up.

The Nazis escape with Starman, and Batman sees Commish Gordon when he answers the Bat signal, but clarifies of HB having been the one to flag him. HB greets Batman, then relays of BPRD sending him, since the Nazis seem to be using a type of magic he was familiar with. Batman is ofc, resistant to teaming up, but HB knew his stuff when it comes to supernatural elements, so why they needed Starman could be to bring the extra science they required to succeed with whatever their plan was. HB and Batman begin interviewing peeps, they finally reaching the airfield the Nazis are using, and beat up the 1st wave easily.

The plan with Starman takes off though, as HB handles more Nazis, Batman gets knocked from his line attached to the plane by another Nazi. The 2 regroup, but HB is going on alone, since Joker was tormenting rich kids,s o would help HB later on, Starman's son, Jack appearing and wanting to tag. Batman sends them off, and by the time they reach San Diablo, HB learns the nazi who had kidnapped Starman was Ludwig Dantz's son, Otto. When they jump from the plane, Jack uses his pop's technology, a rod to help them land, but it also signals the Nazis of their presence, the 2 being met by gunfire whilst falling, and after they land.

After defeating them, they bring 1 with them for directions. The crazy Nazi also reveals why Starman is needed, they wanting to modify one of his experiments, so they can draw from a particular star, a certain Lovecraftian god. Suggor Yogeroth is slowly being drawn to a large beam the Nazis set up, using the god's power as it grew. HB knocks out the Naxi, and he and Jack game plan on how they'd stop the transferring and get Starman.

Otto hears of the duo's raid, and is unconcerned, since Suggor Yogeroth would be complete within the hr. HB comes in time to stop Otto from offing Starman, he carrying the man out. When they stop, HB gives Starman a dose which counters what the nazis had given him. During his time drugged, he'd been aware, but couldn't control his bod.

Starman knew the nazis had him use some incorrect wiring, so Jack had a shot at disabling it. So, whilst Jack goes after the device, HB blocks other attacks. This bit of teamwork saves them, and Batman is in time to give them a ride home. Arcadia 1939, a mob boss kills a fool in a tub, but can still hear him mocking him, so he sends his cronies out and they bring the doc, who he has cast a spell to send him to hell, which after, the boss happily doesn't hear the man laughing anymore, but doc can, which doesn't bother the boss.

They shoot the doc, but when the trio walk to the street, they're gunned down by rivals. Present day, HB is with a psychic, Jo as they're investigating another shooting. She senses an angry, female ghost in connection to the shot up bad fellas. As she's targeting another bad guy, HB intervenes and lunges at her, but goes through her, she then visited by a masked fool calling himself Peace, and targeting HB as her enemy.

Meanwhile, HB is checking out the skelly he'd fallen beside, the lady returning and shooting HB up. What truly has him incapacitated is when she sticks her hands in his chest, she after his hand. Jo updates the incoming BPRD agents of having lost HB, and the ghost in the house, but he'd asked to be given an hr, and hold up the cops. Ghost has brought HB to Peace, and when he comes to, angrily wonders who she's chatting with, they teaming up to trap the creature, since its invisibility to HB turned her suspicions.

Despite this, Peace temporarily overpowers them, but Ghost shoots, and HB gets released in time to punch Alal the Destroyer in the face, and then reminds him his true ID is doc Izzo, he coming back to himself, and the mask falling. Before dumbass Izzo is coaxed by the mask to put it on again, Ghost shoots him in the head, HB offers his card if she ever wishes to chat, and when he meets Jo, she confirms Ghost may still be mad, but is now more hurt, which made sense to HB. Crazy side-story! I'll be glad to continue!