Hellboy in Hell

[Angilas-Man]

I've tried to write this post several times over the past few days, but just haven't managed to sum up my feelings on the first two issues of Hellboy in Hell - at least to my satisfaction. I remember typing the phrase "feels like the summation of everything Mignola's been working to as a storyteller," and maybe that's what I'm trying to say. It reminds me a bit of some of the stories collected in the Screw-On Head hardcover, wild plunges into the mind of Mignola (and perhaps his greatest stories).

[Jason Abbadon]

Haha, that is awesome. spoilers:

If HB did kill Satan off panel, and in such a vague way, I think it's a pretty interesting and unique end to one of the most popular villains of all time. Only Mignola would do something so unexpected. Almost like he's saying "Satan? Yeah, he exists in my world, but there are much bigger fish to fry...and in the meantime, here's more Masterpiece Puppet Theater." Love it.

end of spoilers

IF he did though...it seems that would further ensnare him into his doom-bringer destiny which he has always fought against.

A question taht will, prahaps go unanswered: the ring with the fly in it...could that fly be the demon from Box Full Of Evil?

[UnravThreads]

A question taht will, prahaps go unanswered: the ring with the fly in it...could that fly be the demon from Box Full Of Evil?

Can't remember that story, but I believe it's to do with the very last Hellboy series, The Fury.

[Kees_L]

Can't remember that story, but I believe it's to do with the very last Hellboy series, The Fury.

Hellboy: The Wild Hunt, to be precise.
The part where at a bridge-way Hellboy confronts some sort of Guardian-monster with horns coming from his eyesockets, a little demon tells him about some Duke and Knight in Hell, who commands thirty-one legions of spirits and who gets his power from the Kings and Princes of Hell. The ring the monster has, a ring from the Order Of the Fly, signifies this power.
So when Hellboy cuts the demon off from this power, by smashing the ring, the monster minion falls to nothing.

The demon Ualac in Hellboy: Box Full of Evil entering the world in the shape of a fly is just a joke or funny metaphore in context to the story (a fly is a 'Vanitas', signifying how death comes to everything, like something puny and pesky nothing can get rid of) but what does seem significant is what Astaroth tells Hellboy at the end of the story, namely how a seat would be reserved in Hell, in Pandemonium, in 'the House of the Fly'.

Whereas the point to Box Full of Evil as a whole seems to be how mortals like the Count and Countess Guarino or Igor Bromhead would crave wealth and immortality and power and how similarly demons or darkly entities would crave power, the kind of power Hellboy would have actually attached to him or to his destiny, for as long as the Right Hand of Doom would sit fastened to his person.

Which also explains or signals how or why Hellboy's person both as destiny doesn't confine itself to the mortal world but more rather transcends it, since so many dwelling outside of the mortal realm like Dagda or Rasputin or Hecate or Astaroth or Sir Edward or Mochlomi would be feeling knowledgable to it, as if any mere mortals could hardly become privy to most or any of what Hellboy would stand for, because any such would be hidden as proving part to but fables and lore, like some 'Secret History of the World'.

[Middenway]

A preview for the third issue can be found here.

[Man-Thing]

Come to think of it, has it ever been stated which demon is Hellboy's father? If the demon in the preview is who he says he is, would that cast a clue on the father's identity?

[Kees_L]

Come to think of it, has it ever been stated which demon is Hellboy's father? If the demon in the preview is who he says he is, would that cast a clue on the father's identity?

Yes, Hellboy's father (besides his adoptive father) is known and named, both in Hellboy: The Chained Coffin as in Hellboy: the Wild Hunt. Also his title is known.

Should I just spill it on here, or will you check the comic books more rather?

[Middenway]

Azzael. In The Wild Hunt.

[Kees_L]

Yup, that's his name.
And he carries the title of Grand Duke to the Order or House of the Flies.

Which for a title would be different than "Satan", which would appear to be more rather a strictly Christian term or title, as such mythologically not a very early or most accurate title per se. And since mr Mike has mentioned more than once in interviews that he would wish to keep religion out of things, it might well be that Satan specifically would not be a thing to the narrative.
Although obviously demons would be really demons and Hell would be really Hell. And Hellboy as a comics character would himself be made as 'looking like the devil' as from the start.

[Ebon Phantom]

Looks great. Didn't imagine that Astaroth would be Hellboy's uncle.

[gdeo]

Okay Hellions!!! I know that I've said this before with the previous issues...but DAMN if issue#3 isn't the craziest ,mindblowing,frickin' awesome issue yet!
I just read this and kept on saying out loud..."NO WAY!!!" seriously!
This issue will once again sell out i'm pretty sure.
I'm not hyping it just because I'm the MOD here...I'm telling you because I'm a FAN!!!
Mignola knocks it out of the park,AGAIN!!! Stewart's colors add to the atmosphere of the setting. And we still have #4 and #5 on the horizon?..my head hurts!
Enjoy it come Wednesday,my friends!

[Middenway]

#5 is long way off though. Hopefully it'll come along in the second half of the year.

[Zevious Zoquis]

Mignola's artwork is just utterly magical. I was reading a story in the 4th LE volume last night and I suddenly found myself just going over the images on the page again and again and drinking it in. His style is so simple on the one hand but so compelling and lush on the other. I really enjoy the work of most of the artists who contribute to the various Mignola franchises but theres definitely something special about the work of the man himself. Can't wait to get lost in HBiH #3...

[Middenway]

I know what you mean. With each new issue of Hellboy in Hell I find I read them twice immediately, just to really drink in those amazing visuals. The eventual library edition for this series will be an incredible thing to behold.

[Middenway]

USA Today talks to Mike Mignola about Hellboy in Hell. Some spoilers for issue 3.