The problem with this story isn't that its absurdly bad, but that I expected more out of this writer. Mignola is one of the most original and engaging writers of modern comics, yet this is a boring uninventive story. All I can really say is that this comic is just disposable entertainment in all the worst ways.

To wrap this up, I do recommend that you read this book, but with the caveat that it serves better as a fun intro to the character than a watershed book that will forever define him.