Personal History
Mike Mignola is an artist who has contributed material to many comic companies in the past, including Marvel, DC, Image, Topps and Dark Horse. He is most widely recognized as the creator of the independent cult hit, Hellboy.
Professional History
Hellboy[edit source] Prior to 1994 Mignola's career had been spent doing work-for-hire illustration for corporate publishers. That year, Dark Horse Comics released Hellboy: Seed of Destruction, Mignola's creator-owned project. Though he wrote the story himself, it was scripted by John Byrne. The next Hellboy story, The Wolves of Saint August, was completely written and drawn by Mignola. Since then all Hellboy stories have been written solely by Mignola with the exception of They That Go Down to the Sea in Ships, which was co-written by Joshua Dysart.
Makoma (2006) was the first Hellboy story not drawn by Mignola, featuring the art of Richard Corben. Corben would return to draw many flashback stories for the series. Other artists have also had a hand in drawing flashback stories including Jason Shawn Alexander, Kevin Nowlan and Scott Hampton. In 2007, following after 2005's The Island, British artist Duncan Fegredo took over art duties on the ongoing story arc of Hellboy from Darkness Calls onwards.
Mike Mignola returned as the full-time artist for Hellboy in 2012 for the series' conclusion, Hellboy in Hell.[16]
Abe Sapien[edit source] In 1998 the first Hellboy spinoff, Abe Sapien, was launched. It was not written by Mike Mignola, but it did feature his Hellboy short story "Heads" as a back-up. Abe Sapien did not take off properly until a decade later in 2008's The Drowning. Since then it has had several short stories and beginning in 2013 it became an ongoing series with Scott Allie as the lead writer with Mignola.[17]
Lobster Johnson[edit source] Lobster Johnson was the next spinoff, debuting as a back-up feature in 1999's Box Full of Evil. The series got its own title later in 2007's Lobster Johnson: The Iron Prometheus. It returned again with the miniseries The Burning Hand in 2012, followed by various short stories.
B.P.R.D.[edit source] B.P.R.D. was the third spinoff, but it was the first one which was conceived to be more than just a one-off side story, but rather a series of stories.[18] It began with 2002's Hollow Earth, which continued on from Hellboy: Conqueror Worm. Beyond that followed a series of short stories designed to explore what the B.P.R.D. series could be. 2004's Plague of Frogs was the story that solidified what the series was, and would set the direction for future books to come, so much so that the first major story cycle is collected in omnibus editions titled B.P.R.D.: Plague of Frogs. A vast majority of the stories in this era were co-written with John Arcudi and drawn by Guy Davis.
B.P.R.D.: Hell on Earth is the main series continuing after the catastrophic events at the conclusion of the Plague of Frogs cycle. Guy Davis left the series in 2011 with the conclusion of Hell on Earth: Gods. Tyler Crook became the new ongoing artist beginning with Hell on Earth: Monsters, but he is joined by several regular artists, most notably James Harren and Laurence Campbell.
Continuing where Hell on Earth left off, The Devil You Know is written by Mike Mignola and Scott Allie with Laurence Campbell serving as the regular artist.
Sir Edward Grey, Witchfinder[edit source] Sir Edward Grey, Witchfinder (more commonly known simply as "Witchfinder") began with a teaser story in 2008's MySpace Dark Horse Presents #16, followed by a full miniseries in 2009. It follows the stories of the occult investigator, Sir Edward, agent of Queen Victoria.
Frankenstein[edit source] The Frankenstein began with Frankenstein Underground in 2015. Set in 1956, this miniseries follows Frankenstein (in the Hellboy Universe, the Frankenstein monster takes his father's name) as he ventures into the Pellucidar-like Hollow Earth. This also canonized Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. The series was further expanded in 2020 with Frankenstein Undone, a direct sequel to Shelley's novel.
Spinoff miniseries[edit source] Numerous spinoffs have been published that are set in the Hellboy universe:
Sledgehammer 44: Set in World War II, this series is about the Epimetheus Vril Energy Suit created by Doctor Helena Gallargas. Frankenstein Underground: Set in 1956, this series follows the Frankenstein monster as he ventures into the Pellucidar-like Hollow Earth. Rise of the Black Flame: Set in 1923, this series explores how Raimund Diestel became the Black Flame. The Visitor: How & Why He Stayed: This series follows the life of an alien visitor set to kill the infant Hellboy in 1944. Rasputin: The Voice of the Dragon: Set in 1941, this series follows Trevor Bruttenholm as he becomes an agent for the allied forces in World war II. Koshchei the Deathless: Hellboy and Koshchei sit in a pub in Hell and chat. The Outerverse[edit source] Baltimore began with a 2007 illustrated novel, and continued as a comic book series. It was created by Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden.
Like Baltimore, Joe Golem: Occult Detective began as an illustrated prose novel (2012's Joe Golem and the Drowning City) and later continued as a comic book series. It was created by Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden and exists in a shared universe with Baltimore called "The Outerverse".[19]
Notes
- No special notes.
Trivia
- No trivia.
See Also
Work History
Official Website
Links and References
Mike Mignola article on Wikipedia
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