Review by Ian Keogh

Hellsing begins as eccentric and becomes bonkers. It’s an ultra-violent action thriller joyfully scrambling together vampires, Nazis and a couple of organisations protecting humanity from the supernatural divided along religious lines. What’s more Kohta Hirano mixes his art styles. The default is neat black and white cartooning slathered in black ink for a gothic look, but Hirano will switch to other styles if it takes his fancy, often in the same panel.

This is a very attractively designed hardcover package, but truth be told, although he has a strong concept, over what was originally serialised as Hellsing 1-4, Kohta is only warming up. The introduction point is the visually distinctive Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, current head of The Royal Order of Protestant Knights. She seems to be the star turn, but rapidly gives way to Alucard, an immensely wily and powerful vampire who nonetheless recognises her authority. Shortly thereafter he has need of an ally, and policewoman Seras Victoria will die from her injuries if she doesn’t also become a vampire. The Nazis are the primary antagonists, but only really come to prominence toward the end here as Alucard starts to hunt them down in South America.

The catholic reflection of Hellsing is Iscariot, and they’re introduced before the Nazis in the form of immortal enforcer Alexander Anderson, able to regenerate his body from the most appalling injuries. Despite having the same aim of ridding the world of supernatural threats, Hellsing and Iscariot are far from seeing eye to eye, although will work together in dire circumstances.

When it comes to his writing Kohta transmits as a hyperactive youngster, hanging new ideas on the existing framework as they occur to him, and revelling in the pulp possibilities, but he’s the opposite as an artist. Despite the art switching styles, he’s incredibly disciplined, taking a real joy in detail, most often apparent in clothing and technology. There’s a finger on the zeitgeist pulse in stylish evocation of slaughter, as Alucard may be the protagonist, but he’s no hero in the traditional sense.

Still stylish and alluring, this is only the beginning and there’s far more to come as the main story really kicks off in Deluxe Edition 2.