Clive Barker's Hellraiser Collected Best II

By Stefan Isaksson

Clive Barker's Hellraiser Collected Best II
John Bolton, Larry Washowski, Dave Dorman, et al
Checker Book Publishing Group
191 pages
ISBN: 0971024979

Okay, so I admit it: I’m a sucker for Hellraiser.

I’ve seen all the movies tons of times, according to me Clive Barker is the best author in the history of the world, I’m a collector of all the official action figures, I’ll buy a replica of the Lament Configuration as soon as I can afford it, and I’ve even serious plans about hanging chains from the ceiling of my apartment.

In other words; Hellraiser + Stefan = True.

All this means that I’m probably unable to be very objective when I review a Hellraiser comic. Or? Well, since I’m a great fan of the series I assume I think in a way that closely resembles that of other fans, and to all of you I can only say: Clive Barker’s Hellraiser Collected Best II is a definite must for all of you who prefer hanging out with Pinhead and his fellow Cenobites. As is the case of all anthologies, not all contributions are equally good, but the greater majority of all the writers and artists who contribute to the collection should be very proud of what they’ve managed to produce.

Because it’s truly an amazing collection. The story Razing Hell (pts. 1-3) is especially good, which uses the Hellraiser legend in a both creative and exciting way, and I had a constant smile on my lips as I read it. Other stories worth mentioning are The Blood of a Poet, which takes place in Europe after the First World War, and The Pleasures of Deception, where a young artist is inspired by the Cenobites into creating very macabre pieces of art.

These days, most horror movies are nothing but stupid histories mixed with fake boobs, lousy dialogues, and boring nü-metal music, and thus, being a horror buff it’s very refreshing to partake in the Hellraiser legend, even though it’s “only” through a comic. I still prefer books to comics, but Hellraiser Collected Best II is truly a pleasure to experience, and I can honestly recommend it to all you Cenobites out there.