Gary Gianni discusses his new Hellboy graphic novel, co-written by Mike Mignola.
This month sees the release of another such story, the original graphic novelHellboy: Into the Silent Sea.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: What was it like working with Mike Mignola on his most iconic character?
Credit: Dark Horse Comics
How does your take on Hellboy and his world differ from Mikes?
I see him as a pulpy character more than a horror icon.
A bit of that noir luster is removed, because now were talking about mid-19th century here.
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What were your influences for this story?
I think we were looking at some things we loved.
Ive always had sort of a love for the sea.
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You see that quite often in literature.
Its the fun of the Hellboy character; you’re able to mash up all of these things.
It gives us a chance to play with all this stuff that we love.
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Thats another thing about Hellboy, the romance.
I dont just mean the love life, but the romantic hero.
Theres that influence as well.
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Why does he get restrained so easily?
Its part of the conflict, I think.
At times, Hellboy is a witness, he bears witness, even in this story.
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Theres a judgment or a moral to these stories that Hellboy is witnessing.
Youll notice that so many of Mikes stories have sort of melancholy endings to them.
This particular story has all the classic conventions that make a good Hellboy story.
I think hes a character much in the vein of someone like Sherlock Holmes, for example.
Its a little too mysterious for me to unravel.
Is there any single element or scene of the comic you enjoyed the most?
Another aspect of Hellboys stories that I really like is the heart.
Theres always a warmth, something there that I think touches us on a poignant level.
Aside from all the monsters and the action, I like the subtlety of the story.
