Media Mania: Book Tie-ins to High-Interest Movies, TV Shows, and More
Joy Fleishhacker -- School Library Journal, 7/1/2008 12:07:00 PM
Hellboy II
Hellboy II: The Golden Army (PG-13), a live-action supernatural thriller featuring a protagonist based on Mike Mignola’s comic-book character, rampages into theatres on July 11, 2008. Released by Universal Pictures, this sequel to Hellboy (2004) is once again directed by Guillermo del Toro with Ron Perlman returning in the title role. While the first film took more of a pulp-fiction approach, the story for Hellboy II, developed jointly by Mignola and del Toro, relies heavily on folk and fairy tale elements.
The ancient truce between humankind and the invisible realm of magical creatures is breached by a dark prince (Luke Goss) who is determined to awaken an army of indestructible soldiers. Fear spreads throughout New York City as fantastical and terrible monsters materialize out of nowhere. This is a job for Hellboy and his fellow “freaks” from the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD): his pyrokinetic girlfriend, Liz Sherman (Selma Blair); empathic aquatic-being, Abe Sapien (Doug Jones); and newcomer Johann Krauss (voiced by Seth McFarlane), an ectoplasm expert whose gaseous form is contained within a special suit. Teens can catch a preview at the official Web site.
Hellboy 101
Mignola’s out-of-the-ordinary hero first debuted in 1993 in San Diego Comic-Con Comics #2, followed soon after by Hellboy: Seed of Destruction, a four-issue Dark Horse comic-book series that details the character’s origins, defines his strengths and weaknesses, and establishes his role as the World’s Greatest Paranormal Investigator. Published as a single volume in 1994, this graphic novel inspired the 2004 feature film.
Hellboy, an infant demon brought to Earth for evil purposes by Nazi occultists in 1944, was rescued, adopted, and raised by a kindhearted a paranormal expert, Trevor Bruttenholm (“Broom”). Now an adult with fire-glow skin, horns (which he keeps filed down), and an oversize hard-as-stone fist (the famed “Right Hand of Doom”), Hellboy is often brusque, but displays none of the malevolence commonly associated with demons. Starring in adventures spanning from the 1940s to the present day, he works with other members of the BPRD to probe paranormal phenomenon and protect humanity from supernatural foes.
Combining the hardboiled attitude of 1940s film noir gumshoes with the stamina of a super-charged superhero, Hellboy sports a loose-fitting trench coat and narrates his escapades with understated nonchalance and sarcastic one-line zingers. Mignola’s crisp-lined art, with its striking balance of deep shadows and crystalline colors, has plenty of attitude and the dramatic depth necessary to support his epic tales.
Fans can find out more at the Official Hellboy Web site.
Hellboy Animated
Hellboy’s paranormal adventures are also depicted in Hellboy: Sword of Storms (2006) and Hellboy:Blood and Iron (2007), two direct-to-DVD animated movies produced by Starz Media with stories co-written by Mignola and animation veteran Tad Stones. Many actors from Hellboy, including Perlman, reprised their roles by providing vocals. More information is available at the “Hellboy Animated” Web site.
Hellboy Books from Dark Horse
Based on del Toro’s Hellboy II screenplay, Robert Greenberger’s movie novelization, written in traditional fiction format, sizzles with fast-paced prose. Descriptive language vividly details the explosive action and depicts the unusual cast of characters, while snappy dialog echoes the comic’s wry tone and gallows humor. With a cover adorned by a close-up film photo of the scowling Hellboy, this book is a real attention-grabber.
Hellboy II: The Art of the Movie offers a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film and the creation of its otherworldly creatures. The final shooting script is supplemented with artwork by Mignola and a crew of talented illustrators. Full-color film stills mix with concept art, costume and scenery sketches, storyboards, and photos of models and maquettes. Commentary from the artists appears throughout, along with pages from del Toro’s diary, demonstrating how raw ideas evolve into sophisticated on-screen images.
Librarians interested in acquiring a selection of Hellboy graphic novels may want to start with Seed of Destruction (1994). The latest Hellboy GN, Darkness Calls (May 2008), plunges deep into Russian folklore as the horned hero takes on the ferocious witch Baba Yaga. Appropriately, this volume includes an introduction by fantasy maven Jane Yolen, who calls Mignola her more “talented twin.”
The Black Wedding (2007), the first in a spin-off graphic-novel series inspired by the animated films, is referred to by co-creator Tad Stones as “a comic based on a cartoon based on a comic, an alternate universe of Hellboy.” The Hellboy mythos is indeed adhered to, but the art is purposefully designed to look different from Mignola’s work. These standalone adventures are scaled down in both visual and narrative complexity, and will catch the eye of younger or less-sophisticated GN fans.
For the scoop on Hellboy books, visit the Dark Horse Web site.
Pub Info
GREENBERGER, Robert. Hellboy II: The Golden Army. Dark Horse. 2008. pap. $6.99. ISBN 978-1-59307-954-3.
HELLBOY II: THE ART OF THE MOVIE. Screenplay by Guillermo del Toro. Dark Horse. 2008. pap. $24.95. ISBN 978-1-59307-964-2.
MIGNOLA, Mike & John Byrne. Hellboy Volume 1: Seed of Destruction. art by Mike Mignola. colored by Mark Chiarello. 3rd ed. Dark Horse. 2003. pap. $17.95. ISBN 978-1-59307-094-6.
MIGNOLA, Mike. Hellboy Volume 8: Darkness Calls. art by Duncan Fegredo. colored by Dave Stewart. Dark Horse. 2008. pap. $19.95. ISBN 978-1-59307-896-6.
PASCOE, Jim. Hellboy Animated Volume 1: The Black Wedding. art by Rick Lacy. colors by Dan Jackson. Dark Horse. 2007. pap. $6.95. ISBN 978-1-59307-700-6.
