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Hellboy

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This article is about the fictional comic book character. For other uses, see Hellboy (disambiguation).
Hellboy
Hellboy
Hellboy, by Mike Mignola.
Publication information
PublisherDark Horse Comics
First appearanceSan Diego Comic-Con Comics #2 (Aug. 1993)
Created byMike Mignola
In-story information
Alter egoAnung un Rama
Place of originScotland
Team affiliationsB.P.R.D.
Notable aliasesWorld Destroyer, Great Beast, Beast of the Apocalypse, Right Hand of Doom, Son of the Fallen One, Brother Red, Red
AbilitiesSuper Strength, Super Endurance
Healing Factor
Longevity
Extensive Knowledge of the Supernatural
Invulnerability Right Hand of Doom
Communicates with Distraught Corpses
Immunity to Fire

Hellboy is a comic book superhero created by writer-artist Mike Mignola. He has appeared in a number of eponymous miniseries and one-shots, as well as some crossovers.

A demon whose true name is Anung Un Rama (the Beast of the Apocalypse), Hellboy was brought to Earth as an infant by Nazi occultists. He was discovered by the Allied Forces; amongst them, Professor Trevor Bruttenholm, who formed the United States Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD). In time Hellboy grew to be a large, red-skinned demon with a tail, horns (which he files off, leaving behind the signature circular stumps on his forehead, not to make his appearance more "normal" as some have theorized, but to better pass through doors),[citation needed] cloven hooves for feet, and an oversized right hand made of stone. He has been described as smelling of dry-roasted peanuts. Although a bit gruff, he shows none of the malevolence thought to be intrinsic to demons, and works with other strange creatures in the BPRD. This is said to be because of his upbringing under Professor Bruttenholm, who raised him as a normal boy.

Hellboy fights for the BPRD, an international non-governmental agency, and himself against dark forces including Nazis and Baba Yaga, in a series of tales that have their roots in folklore, pulp magazines, vintage adventure, and horror fiction. In earlier stories, he is identified as the "World's Greatest Paranormal Investigator."

The comics were adapted into a 2004 film starring Ron Perlman, a 2008 film sequel, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, and two straight-to-DVD animated films, Hellboy: Sword of Storms and Hellboy: Blood and Iron.

Fictional character biography

Hellboy is a creature, summoned in the final months of World War II by Grigori Rasputin on Tarmagant Island, off the coast of Scotland, having been commissioned by the Nazis to change the tide of war ("Project Ragna Rok"). He appears in a fireball in a ruined church in East Bromwich, England, on December 23, 1944. Proving not to be a devil, in the traditional sense, but a devil-like creature with red skin, horns, a tail, and a disproportionately large right hand made of red stone, he is dubbed "Hellboy" by Professor Trevor "Broom" Bruttenholm.[1]

Taken by the United States armed forces to an Air Force base in New Mexico, Hellboy is raised by the United States Army and by the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD), a federal agency dedicated to combating occult threats.

As an adult, Hellboy becomes the primary agent for the BPRD, alongside other human and quasi-human agents that include Kate Corrigan, a professor of folklore at New York University; Abe Sapien, an amphibian humanoid (Ichthyo sapien); Liz Sherman, a young pyrokinetic; Roger, an unusually large homunculus; Johann Kraus, the spirit of a medium kept in a containment suit; and Captain Ben Daimio, a special operations man with occult experiences. The latter two have not met Hellboy due to Hellboy's resignation from the Bureau.

During a visit to Bromwich Church (the place of his "birth"), Hellboy learns he had been conceived 300 years ago by a witch, Sarah Hughes, and a demon Prince of Sheol. At this time, Hellboy had not existed as a baby in the "real" world; the prince's "favorite son" was considered to be "a power waiting to be born." Hellboy's "mother" also had children: a nun and a priest who would later haunt the church, dying in an attempt to stop the demon from claiming Hughes in her coffin. This origin indicates that Hellboy is, in fact, half-human.

A later, but possibly unreliable account gives the name of the demon as Azzael, and of the witch as Sarah Hughes. The spirit of Morgana le Fay claims that Hughes was her descendant; if this is true, it means that Hellboy is the last living heir to Arthur Pendragon and the rightful king of England.[2] Hellboy has since drawn the sword Excalibur, claiming his position, albeit without much conviction.

Hellboy was granted "honorary human" status by the United Nations in 1952, and is known as the "world's greatest paranormal investigator". As such, he interacts regularly with humans, primarily law enforcement officials, the military, and various "scholars of the weird", most of whom are not presented as overtly reacting to his strange appearance. This differs from the film adaptations, which depict Hellboy as living at the BPRD with a dozen cats and limited access to the outside world, and considered simply an urban legend by the general populace, until he reveals himself to the world in the second film.

Much like other comic book superheroes such as Batman, Wolverine, Daredevil, and Spawn, Hellboy is constantly tormented by the knowledge of his past. In one issue, he says of his past, "I like not knowing. I've gotten by for fifty-two years without knowing. I sleep good not knowing."

Powers & Abilities

Hellboy's most obvious powers are his great strength, healing factor, and endurance.

  • Endurance & Healing Factor: Hellboy has a high degree of resilience to injury. He can withstand powerful blows that would severely injure or kill a human. He survived being shot many times in the chest with an MG 42 machine gun before destroying the gun.[3] He has survived being impaled through the chest with a sword, drowning, severe werewolf mauling, being beaten unconscious with heavy iron tongs, falling from extreme heights, being crushed by boulders, and more. In the film version it is stated that Hellboy is immune to all forms of fire and burns, including Liz Shermans flames and electocution.
  • Weaknesses: Despite his ability to quickly recover from seemingly mortal wounds, he is far from invulnerable, and can be easily injured or bloodied by conventional weapons. It is revealed to the Baba Yaga by the dead Russian nobility that Hellboy may not be slayed even through supernatural means and that he appears to be as deathless as her warrior, Koshchei the Deathless.[4]
  • Longevity: Hellboy ages very differently from humans. In the story Pancakes he is two years old but appears to be somewhere between 6-10 human years old. In Nature of the Beast, set in 1954, the ten-year-old Hellboy appears fully grown. His rapid physical maturation is in contrast to his actual rate of aging however, which seems to be much slower than humans. Throughout the sixty-year span of the comics he does not age beyond the plateau of physical maturity. This mystical aging process is similar to the other demons and supernatural beings that populate Hellboy's world. The lifespan of a Demon or Half-demon (Hellboy's mother was a supposedly a human witch) are left undefined within the comics, and seem to range from decades old to many thousands of years old.
  • Equipment & Weapons: In addition to his natural physical abilities, Hellboy carries a variety of items in his utility belt and jacket that can be used against various supernatural forces. He has been known to carry holy relics, horseshoes, various herbs, and grenades. Though he commonly carries an oversized revolver, Hellboy freely admits to being a lousy shot and often fights hand-to-hand, preferring to use short-ranged physical weapons like swords, spears, and his massive stone fist over mechanized weapons.

Hellboy's ultimate power lays dormant within his giant, stone hand. (See below)

Right Hand of Doom

Hellboy's right hand, referred to as the "Right Hand of Doom", consists of a large forearm and hand that seems to be made from red stone. The Hand is dexterous enough to catch a fly, but its large size causes Hellboy to prefer his normal-sized left hand to operate weapons and devices. The Hand is effectively invulnerable and feels no pain, serving much like a sledgehammer when used to punch an enemy.

As revealed in the graphic novel collection Strange Places, the Right Hand of Doom was formerly the right hand of one of the "greater spirits" that watched over the burgeoning Earth, and the hand the spirit used to create the dragon Ogdru Jahad. With that same hand, he bound the dragon, but then his fellow spirits turned upon him for his deeds, and destroyed him utterly – save for his right hand, which was kept and preserved by many races throughout history, including the first race of man. As the hand which created and bound the Ogdru Jahad, it is also the key which will "loose and command" them; in other words, it is a catalyst that will bring about Ragnarok. The comic books themselves never mention how the Right Hand of Doom would actually perform these tasks; it is only ever announced that this is the case and that someone or something intends to do it with or without Hellboy's consent. The film shows it working like a key; being turned twice in a special obelisk secured by Rasputin would release the Ogdru Jahad. It is made clear that it is not even necessary for the arm to be attached to Hellboy at all; even on its own it would perform its tasks. It has been suggested that if Hellboy dies while the Hand is attached to him, it would become useless. He has thus come to the conclusion that the only way to prevent it falling into the wrong hands is to keep and protect it.

Publication history

See also: List of Hellboy comics

Before Hellboy was published independently at Dark Horse Comics, the concept was initially pitched to a board of directors for DC Comics, who loved it, but did not like the idea of it involving "hell".[5]

The early stories were conceived and drawn by Mignola with a script written by John Byrne and some later stories have been crafted by creators other than Mignola, including Christopher Golden, Guy Davis, Ryan Sook, and Duncan Fegredo. The increasing commitments from the Hellboy franchise meant that the 2008 one-shot In the Chapel of Moloch was the first Hellboy comic Mignola had provided the script and art for since The Island in 2005.[6]

Great Salt Lake Comic-Con Pamphlet

The character name "Hellboy" was included in a drawing by Mike Mignola of a demon character in a black and white illustration. It is shown wearing a belt buckle bearing the name "Hellboy," but that is as close as it comes to having any relation to the final character design. This image appeared in the pamphlet in 1991, therefore making it the first published mention of the Hellboy name.

Dime Press

A prototype incarnation of Hellboy appeared on the cover of Dime Press #4 (1993), an obscure Italian fanzine, with "Hellboy" written at the bottom of the cover. The character shown was still in a draft stage, and although close to the final design of Hellboy, it had gray skin and an outfit not common to the character.

San Diego Comic-Con Comics

Mike Mignola's Hellboy by Mike Mignola and John Byrne featured the character's first full appearance, and was a four-page black-and-white story that had an approximately 1,500 book print run. It was published by Dark Horse Comics in San Diego Comic-Con Comics #2 (August 1993) for distribution at the San Diego Comic-Con fan convention held in San Diego, California.[7]

Hellboy travels to an American ghost town, where he encounters a mangy mutt that transforms into Anubis, the Ancient Egyptian god of mummification.[8]

The story was collected in the trade paperback Hellboy: Seed of Destruction.[9]

Nextmen

Hellboy makes a guest appearance in John Byrne's Nextmen #21; this is the first American appearance in a full color cameo.

Seed of Destruction

Main article: Hellboy: Seed of Destruction

Hellboy: Seed of Destruction (four issues, March–June 1994) by Mike Mignola and John Byrne was the first comic book mini-series dedicated to the character Hellboy.

In the story, Hellboy is confronted by Grigori Rasputin and begins to find out what he is doing on Earth and who summoned him there. His purpose will be to command the powers that Rasputin is about to unleash upon the world. Hellboy denies this version of his destiny and refuses to be controlled. Attempting to release the Ogdru Jahad, Rasputin is killed, harpooned through the chest by Abe Sapien under the control of the ghost of Elihu Cavendish.

The trade paperback collection was awarded two Eisner Awards and was, in part, the basis for the first Hellboy motion picture.

Comics Buyer's Guide

Mike Mignola's Hellboy: World's Greatest Paranormal Investigator by Mike Mignola and John Byrne featured the character's next solo appearance. It was published by Dark Horse Comics in a special four-page mini-comic for distribution in Comics Buyer's Guide #1,070 (May 20, 1994).[10]

In the story Hellboy battles with the disembodied head of Nazi scientist Herman von Klempt and his puppet henchman Brutus the Gorilla to rescue a captive girl from the doctor's transference of nutrient fluids process.[8]

The story was collected in the trade paperback Hellboy: Seed of Destruction.[9]

Celebrate Diversity

Hi, My Name is Hellboy by Mike Mignola was a one-page panel ad that related the characters fictional origins. It was published by Diamond Comic Distributors in catalog supplement Celebrate Diversity collector's edition (October 1994).[11] The ad was collected in the trade paperback The Art of Hellboy.

Wake the Devil

Main article: Hellboy: Wake the Devil

Hellboy: Wake the Devil (five issues, June–October 1996) by Mike Mignola was the second comic book miniseries to feature the character Hellboy.

In the story, Hellboy meets the goddess Hecate. Addressed as "Anung Un Rama", he is told that his arrival on Earth signals its end. At the climax of the story, Hellboy is swallowed by Hecate in the form of an iron maiden and some kind of otherworldly conflict ensues, in which he is told that his right hand is a key to open the pit. Again Hellboy refuses, this time breaking off his newly re-grown horns causing the eclipse of the moon to disappear.

Box Full of Evil

Main article: Hellboy: Box Full of Evil

Hellboy: Box Full of Evil (two issues, August–September, 1999) by Mike Mignola, Matthew Dow Smith, and Ryan Sook was written to bring a final end to the "Beast of the Apocalypse" story-arc.

In the story, Igor Bromhead gains power over a demon, Ualac, by using that demon's name. Hellboy is also bound by his name, "Anung Un Rama", and the Crown of the Apocalypse, which he wears but is invisible to him, is taken. In taking the crown, Ualac is changed into a much more powerful demon. Hellboy finds out that "Anung Un Rama" is a literal translation of "...and upon his brow is set a crown of fire..." — and as Ualac has seized the crown, this is no longer who he is. As this is no longer his name, he is no longer bound, and thus able to defeat Ualac. The crown is kept for Hellboy by Astaroth, in Pandemonium, the capital city of Hell; and a seat is reserved for the former in the House of the Fly.

Collected editions

Most of the Hellboy comics have been collected as trade paperback volumes.

  1. Hellboy: Seed of Destruction (October 1994) – Art by Mike Mignola. Script by John Byrne. Collects Hellboy: Seed of Destruction #1-4, San Diego Comic-Con Comics #2. ISBN 1-56971-316-2.
  2. Hellboy: Wake the Devil (May 1997) – Written by Mike Mignola. Colors by James Sinclair. Separations by Dave Stewart. Letters by Pat Brosseau. Collects Hellboy: Wake the Devil #1-5. ISBN 1-56971-226-3.
  3. Hellboy: The Chained Coffin and Others (August 1998) – Written by Mike Mignola. Colors by Dave Stewart. Letters by Pat Brosseau. Collects Dark Horse Presents #100-2, Hellboy Christmas Special, Hellboy: Almost Colossus #1-2, Hellboy: The Corpse and the Iron Shoes, Hellboy: The Wolves of Saint August. ISBN 978-1-59307-091-5.
  4. Hellboy: The Right Hand of Doom (April 2000) – Written by Mike Mignola. Colors by Dave Stewart. Letters by Pat Brosseau. Collects Abe Sapien: Drums of the Dead; Dark Horse Presents #151, Annual 1998, Annual 1999; Gary Gianni's The MonsterMen; Hellboy: Box Full of Evil #1-2. ISBN 978-1-59307-093-9.
  5. Hellboy: Conqueror Worm (February 2002) – Written by Mike Mignola. Colors by Dave Stewart. Letters by Pat Brosseau. Collects Hellboy: Conqueror Worm #1-4. ISBN 1-56971-699-4.
  6. Hellboy: Strange Places (April 2006) – Written by Mike Mignola. Collects Hellboy: The Island #1-2, Hellboy: The Third Wish #1-2. ISBN 978-1-59307-475-3.
  7. Hellboy: The Troll Witch and Others (November 2007) – Written by Mike Mignola. Collects The Dark Horse Book of Hauntings, The Dark Horse Book of Monsters, The Dark Horse Book of the Dead, The Dark Horse Book of Witchcraft, Hellboy Premiere Edition, Hellboy: Makoma #1-2. ISBN 978-1-59307-860-7.
  8. Hellboy: Darkness Calls (May 2008) – Story and cover by Mike Mignola. Art by Duncan Fegredo. Collects Hellboy: Darkness Calls #1-6. ISBN 978-1-59307-896-6.
  9. Hellboy: The Wild Hunt (March 2010) – Story and cover by Mike Mignola. Art by Duncan Fegredo. Colors by Dave Stewart. Collects Hellboy: The Wild Hunt #1-8. ISBN 978-1-59582-431-8.
  10. Hellboy: The Crooked Man and Others (June 2010) – Story and cover by Mike Mignola, Joshua Dysart. Art by Richard Corben, Jason Shawn Alexander, Duncan Fegredo. Colors by Dave Stewart. Collects Hellboy: Free Comic Book Day, Hellboy: In the Chapel of Moloch, Hellboy: The Crooked Man #1-3, Hellboy: They That Go Down to the Sea in Ships. ISBN 978-1-59582-477-6.
  11. Hellboy: The Bride of Hell and Others (October 2011) – Story and cover by Mike Mignola. Art by Mignola, Richard Corben, Kevin Nowlan, Scott Hampton. Colors by Nowlan, Dave Stewart. ISBN 978-1595827401.

Library Editions

  • Hellboy: Library Edition Volume I (May 2008) – Collects Seed of Destruction and Wake the Devil. ISBN 978-1593079109.
  • Hellboy: Library Edition Volume II (October 2008) – Collects The Chained Coffin and Others and The Right Hand of Doom. ISBN 978-1593079895.
  • Hellboy: Library Edition Volume III (September 2009) – Collects Conqueror Worm and Strange Places. ISBN 978-1595823526.
  • Hellboy: Library Edition Volume IV (July 2011) – Collects The Troll Witch and Others and The Crooked Man and Others. ISBN 978-1595826589.[12]
  • Hellboy: Library Edition Volume V (no release date) – Expected to collect Darkness Calls and The Wild Hunt.[13]

Other trade paperbacks

  • Hellboy: Weird Tales, Volume 1 (February 2003) – Cover by Mike Mignola. Collects Hellboy: Weird Tales #1-4. ISBN 978-1-56971-622-9.
  • Hellboy: Weird Tales, Volume 2 (October 2004) – Cover by Mike Mignola. Collects Hellboy: Weird Tales #5-8. ISBN 978-1-56971-953-4.
  • Hellboy Junior (January 2004) – Written by Mike Mignola, Bill Wray, et al. Collects Hellboy Junior Halloween Special, Hellboy Junior #1-2, plus original material. ISBN 978-1-56971-862-9.
  • Ghost/Hellboy Special (June 1997) – Written by Mike Mignola. Collects Ghost/Hellboy #1-2. ISBN 978-1-56971-273-3.
  • Savage Dragon/Hellboy (2002) – Cover by Mike Mignola. Collects Savage Dragon #34-35.
  • The Art of Hellboy (March 2003) – Written by Mike Mignola. Dark Horse Books. ISBN 1-56971-910-1.
  • Hellboy: The Companion (May 2008) – Written by Steve Weiner, Jason Hall. Dark Horse Books. ISBN 978-1-59307-655-9.
  • Hellboy: Mask and Monsters (October 2010) – Written by Mike Mignola, James Robinson, Scott Benefiel, Jasen Rodriguez. Collects Batman/Hellboy/Starman #1-2, Ghost/Hellboy #1-2. Dark Horse Books. ISBN 1-59582-567-3.

In other media

Film

Hellboy

Main article: Hellboy (film)

Guillermo del Toro co-wrote and directed a film adaptation titled Hellboy in 2004, sharing the credit with the original screenwriter Peter Briggs following Writers Guild of America arbitration.[14] Del Toro, a fan of Mike Mignola's work, had previously written the preface to Hellboy: Conqueror Worm.

The film starred Ron Perlman as Hellboy (the favorite of both del Toro and Mignola for the role), Selma Blair as Liz Sherman, Rupert Evans as FBI Special Agent John Myers (a character created for the film), John Hurt as Professor Trevor Bruttenholm, Doug Jones as Abe Sapien (voiced by an uncredited David Hyde Pierce), Karel Roden as Grigori Rasputin, and Jeffrey Tambor as FBI Senior Special Agent Tom Manning. The film received generally positive reviews, and a fair performance at the box office. However, the film debuted in theaters while The Passion of the Christ was still playing, and, according to del Toro's DVD commentary, some theaters would re-title the film on their signs, or outright refuse to play it to avoid running a "devil" movie against Passion.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Main article: Hellboy II: The Golden Army

A sequel, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, was shot in Budapest by Guillermo del Toro, and features the returning talents of Perlman and Blair.[15] Jones also returned not only in the role as Abe Sapien (undubbed this time), but in two other roles: The Angel of Death and The Chamberlain.[16] Revolution Studios had planned on making the film (which Columbia Pictures was to distribute), but the studio went out of business before filming. Universal Studios then picked it up. The plot is a shift to more folklore rather than action, with heavy European overtones. The character of Johann Krauss was added to the team, voiced by Seth MacFarlane. The character Roger the Homunculus was not, but he was written into the plot as a very prominent character in early drafts of the script (Roger can be seen as a lifeless statue in the background BPRD hallway shot in both the first and second films). The character of Agent Myers from the first film does not return, his absence being explained by Liz remarking that Hellboy had him transferred to Antarctica out of jealousy. On November 11, 2008, Hellboy II: The Golden Army was released on DVD.

Hellboy III

A third movie is in the conception stages, set to focus on the combat between Hellboy and a brainwashed Archangel that had been held captive by Nazis since World War II.[citation needed] There will also be the return of Rasputin and Kroenen, and the debut of Roderick Zinco.[citation needed] New B.P.R.D Agents include Lobster Johnson and possibly Roger the Homunculus. The prophecy of Hellboy becoming the Beast of the Apocalypse will be fulfilled, and additionally, Hellboy will have to learn to be a father of twins.[citation needed]

Guillermo del Toro has reported that it is highly unlikely he will making Hellboy III: "by the time I get to it and by the time we got Ron [Perlman] back, he'll be a HellMAN and in a wheelchair," del Toro joked to a reporter. [17]

Animation

Main article: Hellboy Animated

On November 9, 2005, IDT Entertainment issued a press release [18] announcing that the company had licensed the rights to develop "animated content for television and home entertainment" based on the Hellboy comic. Ron Perlman (Hellboy), Selma Blair (Liz Sherman), Doug Jones (Abe Sapien), and John Hurt (Professor Trevor 'Broom' Bruttenholm) have all voiced their respective characters. Actress Peri Gilpin joined the cast as Professor Kate Corrigan.

The first two 75-minute animated movies, Sword of Storms and Blood and Iron, were aired on Cartoon Network before being released on DVD. The first one aired October 28, 2006, and the second aired March 17, 2007.

Both stories have much more in common with the comic book Hellboy rather than the film - Abe Sapien is not psychic, for example, Hellboy and Liz are just friends, and the artwork and color palette is derived very closely from Mignola's original artwork. The DVD of Sword of Storms was released on February 6, 2007; it contains documentary material commentary and a Hellboy comic, Phantom Limbs.

After the initial release, some stores included exclusive giveaways with copies of the Hellboy Animated: Blood and Iron DVD:

A "Hellboy 2 Pak" limited edition DVD set was released July 1, 2008, that contained both films and a 7" figure.

A third animated Hellboy film, The Phantom Claw, has been put on hold. Tad Stones, director and writer of the direct-to-video movies, says the film will star Lobster Johnson and will have some familiar characters, but Abe and Liz will not be in the film (at least not as main characters).

Novels and anthologies

Christopher Golden has written several novels about the character, the first two of which, The Lost Army and The Bones of Giants, are part of the official Hellboy story canon. The events of both these novels are listed in the comic's official timeline featured in Hellboy: The Companion. In particular, the Golden-penned character of Anastasia Bransfield was also described in the companion, despite having never actually appeared in a comic.

Video games

A Hellboy video game called Hellboy: Dogs of the Night/Hellboy: Asylum Seeker was released for the PC and the PlayStation, by Cryo Interactive/DreamCatcher Interactive Inc. It has no relation to the movie series.

On April 6, 2005, Hellboy movie director Guillermo del Toro announced on his official site[19] that he had made a deal with developer Konami to create a new Hellboy videogame based on the movie version of the character and his world, featuring new monsters, new villains, and a new storyline. Herman von Klempt and his war ape Kriegaffe #10 are slated to make appearances.

On May 9, 2006, it was revealed that the Hellboy game would appear in the summer of 2007, on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PlayStation Portable. The game was released in North America on June 24, 2008 with the name Hellboy: The Science of Evil. It is developed by Krome Studios, and published by Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. As well as single player campaign where the player gets to play as Hellboy the game also features co-op play, featuring the characters Abe Sapien , Liz Sherman, and Lobster Johnson.

A Hellboy video game called Hellboy II: The Golden Army - Tooth Fairy Terror was released for the iPhone by Tuesday Creative on January 14, 2009.

Role-playing game

The Hellboy Sourcebook and Role Playing Game, based on the GURPS role-playing game system, was published by Steve Jackson Games in August 2002.

HeroClix

Hellboy is featured in WizKids' Indy HeroClix line with several different booster packs. He also has his own HeroClix/HorrorClix cross-line collector's set called Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.

Card game

Hellboy was also part of Upper Deck's VS System card game as the first non-Marvel Comics or DC Comics character.[20]

Video slot game

Hellboy has also been adapted to be a Video Slot and released on the Microgaming online casino platform.[21]

  • Hellboy appears as a "borrowed character" in author Kim Newman’s Anno Dracula series, specifically in the novella Andy Warhol's Dracula (2004) where he joins the ranks of Blade, Shaft, Travis Bickle, the Punisher, Paul Kersey, Scooby-Doo, and Shaggy in hunting down Johnny Pop, a vampire drug dealer.[22]
  • In Frank Miller's Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, a tourist is wearing a Hellboy t-shirt. A hooker in Old Town is seen with a Hellboy tattoo.
  • Hellboy makes a one-panel cameo appearance during a hallucination sequence in Frank Miller's Sin City: Hell and Back.
  • Hellboy made a cameo as a trick or treater in the last page of the Sam & Max story "Belly of the Beast".
  • Hellboy also appears in an issue of Eric Powell's Eisner Award-winning series The Goon.[23]
  • Hellboy made a one-panel cameo appearance, along with several other borrowed characters, in the Shi/Cyblade crossover The Battle for Independents from Image Comics.
  • Hellboy appeared in Madman Comics #5 (January 1995).
  • Abe Sapien, a popular character from Hellboy, appears in John Byrne's Babe 2 #2.
  • In Kevin Smith's film Dogma (1999), one of the Stygian Triplets is seen wearing a Hellboy t-shirt.
  • In one of the ending themes for Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei, the animation and graphic style is the same one used in the Hellboy comic books.
  • A large poster of Hellboy appears in a comic shop in the 2010 movie Kick-Ass.[24]
  • Hellboy makes somewhat of a cameo in the fifth volume of Requiem Chevalier Vampire, as a number of servants bear a striking resemblance to him.[25]

Awards

The miniseries Hellboy: Conqueror Worm won a 2002 Eisner Award for "Best Limited Series", while The Art of Hellboy won an Eisner in 2004 for "Best Comics-Related Book". Mignola won a 2000 Harvey Award for "Best Artist", based on Hellboy: Box Full of Evil. Hellboy: Darkness Calls won a 2007 Eagle Award for "Favourite Colour Comicbook — American".

The character Hellboy was nominated for "Favourite Comics Character" at the 2004 and 2005 Eagle Awards. Other Eagle Award nominations include "Favourite Comics Story published during 2007" for Hellboy: Darkness Calls, and "Favourite Comics Hero".

Acclaimed comics writer Alan Moore (V for Vendetta, Watchmen) listed Hellboy on his recommendations page, particularly Wake the Devil (Vol. 2), calling it "the skillful cutting and the setting of the stone that we can see Mignola's sharp contemporary sensibilities at work".[26]

In March 2009, the Dark Horse Comics character, Hellboy, won two categories in the fan voted Project Fanboy Awards for 2008: "Best Indy Hero" and "Best Indy Character".[27]

See also

References

  1. ^ Hellboy. (2004)
  2. ^ Hellboy: The Wild Hunt #6
  3. ^ The Lost Army
  4. ^ Hellboy: Darkness Calls
  5. ^ "Hellboy II: The Golden Army". Bam! Kapow!. Retrieved 2011-02-12.
  6. ^ "Going to the Chapel: Mignola Returns to Drawing Hellboy". Comic Book Resources. October 27, 2008.
  7. ^ "San Diego Comic Con Comics #2". Hellboy.com. Retrieved 2009-02-21. [dead link]
  8. ^ a b Mignola, Mike (2004). Hellboy: Seed of Destruction. Dark Horse Comics. ISBN 978-1-59307-094-6.
  9. ^ a b "Hellboy: Seed of Destruction". Dark Horse Comics. Retrieved 2009-02-21.
  10. ^ "Mike Mignola's Hellboy: World's Greatest Paranormal Investigator". Hellboy.com. Retrieved 2009-02-21. [dead link]
  11. ^ "Celebrate Diversity (Collector's Edition)". Hellboy.com. Retrieved 2009-02-21. [dead link]
  12. ^ "Dark Horse solicitations, May 2011". Newsarama.
  13. ^ "Scott Allie Comments on Hellboy's Library Vols. 4, 5 and 6 Content". Twitter. December 20, 2010.
  14. ^ Peter Briggs interview - TVNZ's 'Good Morning' on YouTube
  15. ^ "Universal Pictures Picks Up Hellboy 2". [dead link]
  16. ^ "Start Date for Hellboy 2 Confirmed". IGN. March 20, 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-02.
  17. ^ http://www.shocktillyoudrop.com/news/topnews.php?id=19724
  18. ^ "IDT Entertainment Licenses Animation Rights to Hellboy From Revolution Studios". IDT Corporation. November 9, 2005.
  19. ^ "Del Toro Films - Guillermo Del Toro Fansite".
  20. ^ Arune Singh (May 10, 2006). "Hellboy Joins Upper Deck's "Vs" Gaming System". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved July 9, 2011.
  21. ^ "Online Casino Players Are Expecting the Hellboy Video Slot to Blaze a Trail in Casino Entertainment for 2010". Microgaming. January 13, 2010.
  22. ^ Graeme McMillan (December 26, 2008). "Just How Is Everything Connected?". io9. Retrieved July 8, 2011.
  23. ^ Joey Esposito (January 20, 2010). "The Goon Goes Digital + Buzzard Gets a Series". Crave Online. Retrieved July 9, 2011.
  24. ^ Ryan K Lindsay (May 3, 2010). "Kick-Ass - Movie Review". The Weekly Crisis. Retrieved July 8, 2011.
  25. ^ Template:Fr Laurent Deneuve. "Dragon Blitz". ActuSF. Retrieved July 8, 2011.
  26. ^ Alan Moore Recommends[dead link]
  27. ^ "Project Fanboy Award Winners".
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