Happy Hellboy Day! Today, Saturday March 22nd, marks the official celebration of the 20th anniversary of Mike Mignola’s Hellboy comic series, published by Dark Horse Comics. Various festivities have been scheduled worldwide to celebrate the occasion, and lots of excellent articles and interviews have been popping up online throughout the week leading up to the big day. Since Hellboy is one of my all-time favorite characters and comic book series, I wanted to take a few minutes to personally pay tribute to him and his legacy.
Starting out as a sketch for a comic convention in 1991, before appearing on the cover of Dime Press #4 and San Diego Comic-Con Comics #2 in 1993, then as a guest in John Byrne’s Next Men #21, and a four-page mini for Comic Buyer’s Guide, Hellboy’s look evolved before a proper coming out in Hellboy: Seed of Destruction. There was no stopping Hellboy from there. Twenty years of Hellboy comics, various spinoff series, animated features, video games, and two live-action films later, Hellboy remains more popular and beloved by fans than ever.
So how has Hellboy managed to stay at the top of his game for so long? There’s just something special about the character that people relate to. A demon summoned by Nazis, Hellboy is an outsider who resists his destiny to bring about destruction, instead choosing to help mankind. I believe the man behind Hellboy, creator Mike Mignola, has everything to do with Hellboy’s appeal. Mr. Mignola is an incredible talent (and a very kind, polite gentleman whom I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many times throughout the years). From his distinct, instantly recognizable art style; to his knack for weaving humor…
…And tragedy into his compelling stories (along with nods to classic literature and mythology from around the world), Mike Mignola has retained control of his creator-owned characters. Sure, he lets other creators come in to play in his world, but the quality never suffers. It’s clear that Mr. Mignola cares deeply about his creations and their integrity. Hellboy is everything I love about creator-owned comics. While other titles come and go from my pull list, Hellboy (and all other Mignola books for that matter) have remained a constant for as long as I can remember. With Mr. Mignola back on art duties, as well as writing, the current saga of his iconic creation is still going strong in the pages of Hellboy in Hell.
So take some time today to celebrate Hellboy. Look for an event near you. Maybe check out Dark Horse’s excellent Hellboy sale. Look for the absolutely gorgeous Hellboy the First 20 Years art book at your LCS. Go back and reread your Hellboy comics (they get better every time). Watch the animated or live-action films. Eat some pancakes or drink rum with skeletons. Here’s to 20 years of Hellboy! I hope we get 20 more.
Comics, and Stuff, and Things 