Hellboy: Emerald Hell

[St August]

anyone else pick up Tom Piccirilli's new novel yet?
I snapped mine up at the comic shop last week, but just started reading it last night.
so far, an interesting set up, great atmospherics and I just got to meet the crazy one-eyed crone on the cover. this looks to be another solid entry into the Hellboy line!

[Pumpkin King]

Sounds good! I will pick it up this weekend I think.

[Ninth Hispana]

Just finished it, a good read. Reminded me in some passages of ''Wade Wellman'' and ''Ashton Smith''. Well done....

[mattmanw54301]

I'm still working on 'On Earth As It Is In Hell'. Then I will snap this one up!!!

[Bailzzararco]

I ordered my copy today! I can't wait to get it. Funny thing happened today, well, sort of funny. I was browsing Goodwill and found another one of his novels. I saw the name and recognized it. It was just very peculiar that this happened shortly after ordering his newest book. I never heard of him before.

[Brisco]

My LCS never got it in, surprisingly, but I just picked it up at Borders. I haven't started it yet, but being the superficial person that I am, I'm not afraid to start by judging it by its cover! In short, I don't much like it. I'm not talking about the illustration (although it's not one of Mike's best, it's still pretty spectacular); I'm talking about the design. When so (relatively) few Hellboy products these days boast actual Mignola artwork, why relegate it to such a small portion of the available cover space? I don't like that giant vertical Hellboy logo, and I don't like that there are three different fonts (one of them in two sizes and colors) on the cover. It all appears pretty messy, and the most important part (the Mignola art) gets diminished.

I like the trade paperback size, but overall I definitely preferred the much simpler design of the Pocketbooks mass market editions. Plus, those felt more appropriate as they felt pulpier. (And believe me, I mean "pulpy" in a good way... a very good way!)

But that's just the cover. I can't wait to dive into the book itself and I'm sure that will prove a richer experience. But I do hope DH uses a cleaner design on the next one!

Brisco

[Erwin Heinek]

I have to agree with Brisco about the cover.

As for the story, I really enjoyed it. Mr. Piccirilli nailed the blend of humour and wierdness found in the best Hellboy short stories. And yet HB was very much not the focus of the tale. As so often happens, Hellboy finds events around him spiralling out of control, often finding other threats along the way which are only tangentially connected to the main problem. This combines with well fleshed out supporting characters and detailed locations to make EMERALD HELL a fun addition to the Hellboy universe.

[Neil Hill]

I'm about halfway through the novel currently, and loving it! Tom has a unique voice for this character that, although not entirely unique, is presented in an offbeat context that really strikes my fancy.

[THE REAL kirk]

I have only been reading it for a short bit and while I am enjoying the story, Mr Piccirilli doesn't seem, to me, to have a great grasp of the Hellboy character. Indeed some of the situations so far are spot on but I find some of the dialogue non-Hellboy. For instance, can anyone really imagine Hellboy saying, "Okay, pal, settle down, don't get apoplectic." ? "Apoplectic?" I don't see Hellboy using a word like that. But I am, as I said, still on the beginning steps on this book so I'll see how Tom handles him further on.

I do agree on the cover, a bit cramped. Perhaps it is the new design motif we can look forward to on the rest of the Hellboy novels that come out? I actually doubt that as they don't seem able to stick with one design at Dark Horse (see previous novels-prose and graphic. Would be nice to have them all similar (in size as well!). So I imagine the next one, Oddest Jobs, will be back to a full cover of Mignola art work.

[Todd H]

For instance, can anyone really imagine Hellboy saying, "Okay, pal, settle down, don't get apoplectic." ? "Apoplectic?" I don't see Hellboy using a word like that.


I'm not gonna lie...I had to google it.

My copy should be on my doorstep when I get home from work this evening. I'm looking forward to tearing into it.

[THE REAL kirk]

I'm not gonna lie...I had to google it.


You ain't alone, brother. I went straight for the dictionary! Maybe later in the story we find that Hellboy was given a "Word-a-Day" calendar by Abe!

[D'ohboy]

You ain't alone, brother. I went straight for the dictionary! Maybe later in the story we find that Hellboy was given a "Word-a-Day" calendar by Abe!

C'mon guys, Stan Lee taught me that word when I was six.:D

I'm about two chapters from finishing, btw.

[chiaroscuros]

I'm not afraid to start by judging it by its cover! In short, I don't much like it. I'm not talking about the illustration (although it's not one of Mike's best, it's still pretty spectacular); I'm talking about the design.

complain and ye shall receive! ;)
michael

http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryPiece.asp?Piece=357211&GSub=55831

p.s. I totally disagree about it being average. I love when he starts pulling out the ink washes. And this one is top notch!

[Todd H]

Wow. That's gorgeous. I'd love to make an offer on it but I'm sure I'd be laughed at :D

[chiaroscuros]

Wow. That's gorgeous. I'd love to make an offer on it but I'm sure I'd be laughed at :D

Any cover at Mignola's table with hellboy on it is going to be at least $3-4k (his inkwash covers are usually quite a bit higher). In the secondary market, it is going to be at least $5k (especially if you are trying to talk someone out of their recent purchase).

The only good news is that speculators that try to immediately flip a high priced piece tend to hit a glass ceiling. Most people know what it sold for and don't want to pay twice as much a week later.

This auction will be an interesting test of that theory...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=300202000518&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=020

Mike had it for sale for $3200 last year and it is being offered for sale at $3500 on ebay this year (it was probably bought at wonder con a week ago). Did anyone notice what price mike had on it this year when it sold?

If it goes for $5k, then my glass ceiling concept is out the window. If it doesn't sell at all (or gets sold for the asking price), that is a good sign...

No Mignola-flation!

Okay, that sounds wrong....

[Tad]

I can't analyze it in designery, compositional terms but I really like the cover. I like the big Hellboy logo and gradated red against the green focuses the eye and really sells the mood. Feels like a novel.

[Todd H]

I can't analyze it in designery, compositional terms but I really like the cover. I like the big Hellboy logo and gradated red against the green focuses the eye and really sells the mood. Feels like a novel.


I have the book sitting here on my desk staring at me and I have to agree Tad. I really like this cover.

[Tom Piccirilli]

Thanks for the conversation and positive nods, folks, much appreciated.

As for "apoplectic"--c'mon, HB is 60+ years old, even he can use a couple of eight dollar words on occasion.

As for me, I love the cover, especially the radiant green feel of it. Also really appreciate the fact that Mike brought to life one of my granny witch characters with such skill and beauty.

[Erwin Heinek]

Welcome to the madhouse. :evilsmile

As for "apoplectic"--c'mon, HB is 60+ years old, even he can use a couple of eight dollar words on occasion.

I actually thought Hellboy's casual blasphemies were more out of character. And I was waiting for him to take John Lament to task for calling him "son" since Lament is easily half his age.

[THE REAL kirk]

Thanks for the conversation and positive nods, folks, much appreciated.

As for "apoplectic"--c'mon, HB is 60+ years old, even he can use a couple of eight dollar words on occasion.

As for me, I love the cover, especially the radiant green feel of it. Also really appreciate the fact that Mike brought to life one of my granny witch characters with such skill and beauty.

Tom, thanks for piping up at our little rounded corner of the internet circus. If nothing else, you have increased my vocabulary. Otherwise, I am enjoying the read. I will save my final praises for when I finish the book.

As for the cover, I will easily agree that the green/red play off each other quite well but the picture is the thing. A nice red Hellboy logo across the top would have sufficed. Now if ALL of the novels had the same motif, I wouldn't mind so much. But for a one off it is...odd.

[Tad]

Different publisher, different marketing. Changing trade dress is the bane of all people infected with any sort of collector mentality. We want our series printed at the same size with matching bindings and the same art direction. But a publisher looks at a product and, rather than be restricted to the decisions made by somebody else at a different company, asks himself what design would make the most striking presentation on the shelf or best draw those who are intrigued by the upcoming movie.

[Asa]

I picked up this book today, I like the art work on the cover, Different but yet the same. In my world Hellboy is an sophisticated educated man/demon who speaks many different languages including Icelandic, so yes he would know and use "Apoplectic" in his english language.:D

[Bailzzararco]

I was supposed to get my copy in the mail today, but it wasn't here. I was very disappointed. The book I am reading currently is pretty confusing.

[Bailzzararco]

I finally got my copy, and I like it a lot. I am only sorry that it looks like I am getting close to the end of the story, and then what will I have to read?....When is the next novel coming out?

[Asa]

I finally got my copy, and I like it a lot. I am only sorry that it looks like I am getting close to the end of the story, and then what will I have to read?....When is the next novel coming out?

That is always the way I feel after reading the novels, I need more, more, and more,. :D

[Bailzzararco]

..so, what IS Pinky Violence? Never heard of that, before.

[Jr. Wormwood]

Not so big on the huge logo and the size of the book. Just an excuse to sell it for twice as much as it should be. My couple of pennies...

Now concerning the book itself, I really enjoyed it! I honestly wasn't getting into it at first, as it seemed like HB was just kinda thrown in to make it a Hellboy book. As if Tom had this story already laying around and tweaked it to allow for room for Big Red. But as I continued reading, I really began to appreciate it for all of those same reasons. It's a much tighter scope than what's come before in that it takes place in fairly close quarters geographically speaking - no globe trotting here, which gives it a nice bit of claustrophobia. Also, it was nice to see HB's butt-kicking taken down a notch in preference for drama and dialogue.

And I seem to recall Hellboy using a big word or two here and there over the years. Remember him quoting Moby Dick in The Island? I personally love it when our favorite demon gets all cerebral.

Cheers, Tom!

[Tom Piccirilli]

Bailz: Pinky violence is a kind of Japanese exploitation action film that usually deals with high school girl gangs going up against a) other girl gangs b) boy gangs c) the Yakuza. Violent, fun & sexy stuff from the early 70s.

Jr: Thanks for the kind words. I tried to write a different kind of HB story, much narrower in scope and leaving behind the usual HB expectations. No BPRD, none of the usual secondary characters. I was following the feel of the HB short stories from THE CHAINED COFFIN as an example. HB on his own, in an unfamiliar place, dealing with both magical menaces and his own personal quandaries. Thanks for noting the focus on drama and dialogue--I really wanted to hear HB. He's such an intriguing protagonist and I just wanted to hear him talk for a bit between all the whoopass.

[Jr. Wormwood]

Excellent, Tom. So nice to have the creators chime in on this board!

I've often entertained the idea of writing a HB story, and I usually put the pen down before I even begin. Seems like such a daunting task, even if no one else would ever read it.

[fred]

Hello Tom,

I really enjoyed your book. You came up with a cool story filled with nice characters (the Ferris brothers were quite entertaining).

I only have one complain: why did you use "emerald hell" so often? It's written at least 6 or 7 times in the book... It's a nice title for the novel though.

Thanks for the fun.

Fred

[E. Spears]

I liked it a lot. It's the first of the Hellboy novels I've read. It was throughoughly bitchin'.

I think it's funny how much of a wuss Hellboy was when it came to eating wacky food. I'd totally eat turtle eggs.

[Tom Piccirilli]

Hey Fred:

The term "Emerald Hell" is in there five times, as I recall. I used it that often because I liked calling the deep dark depths of the swampland by that slightly poetic phrasing. Gave it a certain kind of atmosphere and rhythm.

Hi Cure:

That's greatly for the compliments. I thought having Hellboy balk at eating catfish and turtle's eggs and other funky foods kind of funny, especially as a running gag. And the emphasis on food allowed me get in the fact that HB digs pancakes, a fun nod back to one of Mike's shorter pieces.

[Hellmistress]

I just finished it, and loved it. I didn't have a problem with the Big Red Guy using the odd long word - he's blue collar, but he's been around a while as well as hanging out with Professor Bruttenholm ...

It was incredibly evocative, the dialogue was pitch-perfect and I could almost hear those bull 'gators roaring in the swamp. Jester has to be one of my most favourite villains yet. The dichotomy of his faith and the surety of his rightous wrath was wonderfully portrayed, and I haven't enjoyed an HB novel so much since Bones of Giants.

HM

[Neil Hill]

Glad to see you here, Tim! Always fun to see the authors show up here to bask in the adulation, answer perplexing questions, or defend their positions on certain subjects if need be (sorry, Chris Golden).

I'm only halfway through Emerald Hell, but I find it to be- along with Unnatural Selection- one of my favorites of the Hellboy novels! You really seem to 'get' Hellboy, Tim, and your story is compelling and layered enough to keep this fans interest piqued with the turn of each page. Thank you!

[Bailzzararco]

Hey Fred:

The term "Emerald Hell" is in there five times, as I recall. I used it that often because I liked calling the deep dark depths of the swampland by that slightly poetic phrasing. Gave it a certain kind of atmosphere and rhythm.

Hi Cure:

That's greatly for the compliments. I thought having Hellboy balk at eating catfish and turtle's eggs and other funky foods kind of funny, especially as a running gag. And the emphasis on food allowed me get in the fact that HB digs pancakes, a fun nod back to one of Mike's shorter pieces.

Speaking of which, is there really any such thing as briarberry pie? I can't say I ever heard of that, and I live in Florida, which is just a hop skip and a jump away from Georgia. I figured you could have just made that up, though there are plenty of barely edible foods to pick from if you visit the most rural parts of Georgia; I'd include in that list moon pies and pickled pig's feet in that category, too. Geeze, the things that pass for food for some folks. I'd only eat turtle eggs if I didn't know what they were.

[Tom Piccirilli]

Hi Mistress:

Thanks greatly for the generous comments on the book, glad you found it evocative and dug Jester's character. The villain is always the hero of his own story, and I had a good time trying to make such a bizarre feller seem sympathetic and righteous when playing by his own rules.

Hey Neil:

My pal Tim Lebbon wrote UNNATURAL SELECTION, and I, that is me, Tom Piccirilli, wrote EMERALD HELL. Thanks for the kind words on both our books though, much appreciated!

Yo Bail:

I have no idea if there's such a thing as briarberry pie, and I'm not sure I'd know what it would look like if somebody hurled one into my face. Part of the fun is making up stuff that at least sounds reasonable and hiding it within truths. I mean, come on, I still can't believe people eat pigs' feet.

[Neil Hill]

Hey Neil:

My pal Tim Lebbon wrote UNNATURAL SELECTION, and I, that is me, Tom Piccirilli, wrote EMERALD HELL. Thanks for the kind words on both our books though, much appreciated!

Oh, I definitely know who wrote what, my friend. I was just stating that both of these books are my favorites of the novels released thus far. ;)

[Jr. Wormwood]

Ugh. My grandfather used to try to get me to eat pickled pig's feet with him when I was a youngun. Never could do it.

Kinda makes me shudder (shutter?) just thinking about it...

[THE REAL kirk]

Oh, I definitely know who wrote what, my friend. I was just stating that both of these books are my favorites of the novels released thus far. ;)

I think he was referring to the fact that you called him "Tim" in your post, Nick. ;)

[THE REAL kirk]

Ok, I finished it today. It took me right to edge of my lunch hour to get in the last few words but I did it.

And it was great.

I really liked this book. Some of the Hellboy books are simply "OK" with most of my interest being primarily concerned with when Hellboy is going to show up again. A few are really great and I will go on record that "Emerald Hell" is one of them. Maybe it was the smaller scale (as noted by others here), maybe it was the interesting way that Hellboy and Jester played against each other, or maybe it was the fact that we got to discover things right alongside Hellboy. He didn't go into this with a wealth of experience and knowledge that we got to play catch-up on. We stumbled right along through the emerald hell with him, always a bit unsure what was coming our way and how to deal with it. And in the end, Hellboy took a turn I didn't see coming but I enjoyed it all the more for that reason. There are threads in this story about revenge and redemtion that I found echoed some of the elements touched on by Mike in his comics. The end of this story was very rewarding (a vanishing trait in a lot of fiction I read) and it made the journey a more pleasing memory.

Now, on to this bit about the dialog that seems to reverberate in many others' posts (I'm not getting any back up on this here board!) ;) ...
I will stand by my original statement that the word "apoplectic" would not be a word Hellboy would use in casual conversation. Yeah, he is quite old, has traveled the world, had a very learned doctor for a father, and has a friend who is a mental marvel. But this same established demon didn't know what a skiff was. Nor had he ever eaten catfish - or seemed to have ever heard anyone else entertain such an idea. Seems a bit contrary to me. So as to this big debate I end with this exchange I pull from memory...

Hellboy: "Meyers, you're a talker. What a good, strong word for 'need'."
Agent Meyers: "I don't know, 'need' is a pretty strong word."
Hellboy: "Nah, too needy."
-----from the cutting room floor-----
Hellboy taps his pen against his horn-stump, thinking for a moment.
Hellboy: "Yes! Meyers, how do you spell, 'desideratum'?"

Anyway you want to write it, Tom, it is your book and I want to thank you for a great read and a fantatstic Hellboy story. If you write another (and many of us hope you do), I'll be right there at the front of the line to get a copy.

[Bailzzararco]

Ugh. My grandfather used to try to get me to eat pickled pig's feet with him when I was a youngun. Never could do it.

Kinda makes me shudder (shutter?) just thinking about it...
I don't think I have ever seen anyone eat one, I just see them on the shelves at Winn Dixie and obviously there is enough of a demand for them that they would stock them at all, but then there are some other culinary abominations that seem even less appetizing, like tripe for example, and I also once found a can of pig's brains. No, not kidding. Pig's brains in a can, and they didn't even try to disguise it by calling it something else.

[Todd H]

I'm only about half way through the book right now and I have to say I love what I've read so far. I was a little iffy up until the point where the Ferris boys were introduced. The description of Marcie and the gators and....well I don't want to spoil anything. You grabbed hold of me at that point and have yet to let go.

I'm in the minority with Dragon Pool being my favorite novel thus far (hey it's got a lot of Abe action) but I have a feeling Emerald Hell is going to come in a close second. I'm hoping to finish it up tonight.

[Bailzzararco]

I'm only about half way through the book right now and I have to say I love what I've read so far. I was a little iffy up until the point where the Ferris boys were introduced. The description of Marcie and the gators and....well I don't want to spoil anything. You grabbed hold of me at that point and have yet to let go.

I'm in the minority with Dragon Pool being my favorite novel thus far (hey it's got a lot of Abe action) but I have a feeling Emerald Hell is going to come in a close second. I'm hoping to finish it up tonight.

I read only a little bit in the evenings to stretch it out myself. I didn't want to finish it. Now that you mention it, I was wondering when any of the other familiar characters would come up in Emerald Hell while I was reading it. But then after all was said and done I didn't feel it lacked for that. I also appreciated the gratuitous use of the word "iffin".

[Todd H]

This book officially just became my favorite Hellboy novel.

A question though: Did you spend any time in the swamps while preparing to write this? Your description of the sites and sounds is quite amazing. It really pulls you in...which is something a lot of author's seem to forget these days.

I'd really like to see you churn out another HB novel. Good stuff.

[Tom Piccirilli]

Hi Kirk:

You're making me apoplectic, man! :p Thanks for the nod that EH is one of the better HB novels out there, I appreciate it. And yeah, maybe it's a contradiction that HB knows a big word here and not some others there, but that's what makes him so interesting. He's a rather conflicted and conradictory character. Besides, I was going for a few laughs. Thanks for noting that some of the themes of revenge and redempion echo Mike's, since I tried to dig deeply into his work (especially his earlier work) to get to some basic emotions and tenets of HB's.

Hiya Bail:

Ain't nuthin' gratuitous about "iffin" at all, bud! That word was 100% necessary!

Hey Belly:

I've never actually been down south, much less to the swamplands, but I did a lot of literary and film research, meaning I read a ton of novels and watched a lot of movies set in the south and in the bayous.

And I'd love to get a chance to write another HB book. Let the Dark Horse powers that be know!

[Neil Hill]

I think he was referring to the fact that you called him "Tim" in your post, Nick. ;)

Don't you just hate it when that happens? :eek: Think one thing, see another, and then type something entirely other than that. Oh well...