And We're Back

I've been away for a while, because A: I didn't have a whole lot of new material to give you all and B: I saw the movie about three weeks ago and was told at the screening that there was an embargo on all UK reviews till the week of release (so from tomorrow I'll be able to rave about the movie, even though most of you already saw it too...).

So, after such a big break, here's a bunch of e-goodies to get your mitts on:

Huge Mike Mignola Interview

IGN have posted this interview  with Hellboy's creator, Mike Mignola, where he talks about the movie (obviously) and about bringing Hellboy's story within the comics to an end. I have to put my hand up and say I've never read any of the comics, but I would so like to get my hands on those fancy Hellboy: Volumes 1 & 2. They're pretty.

Q&A With Double Twenty

So thebruce (ARG legend that he is) scored an interview with Matt Wolf and Tania Thiele. I won't say anything more than to tell everyone to just head over there now and check it out, since it's a damn good read and several players get name checked (including me! wooo! must... not... self-inflate... ego...) and I think that this level of interaction and feedback from the PM's has made this game all the more special.

Thanks again, Matt, Tania and all of Double Twenty!

Two Days To Go!

And here's three more ecstatic reviews (as if we needed further convincing) from some lucky people who got to see it in Austin.

 

UPDATED: Here's Harry Knowles' review - you already know it's good.

Any Other Brits Out There?

Empire just joined forces with BFI Southbank to bring us Movie-Con, which is the first incarnation of our own Comic-Con (albeit about a month later than you American guys) - all the details are in the linked story on Empire's website, I'll be booking my tickets to see the advance screening of HB2 a couple days earlier than release (again though, that's still over a month after most of you guys...), if anyone else is from good 'ol Blighty, drop me a message in the comments and maybe I'll see you there!

See Anna Walton & Luke Goss Transform Into Nuala & Nuada

We're almost there! Here's another behind-the-scenes vid, as interesting and entertaining as ever:

Lexi!!

A new picture has appeared over at the HETFET gallery that should come as a relief to all of us;

GDT found Lexi!!

Even More Interviews

So here're another couple of interviews, one with GDT and another with Selma Blair. There's also this, which is a pretty entertaining report on the screening that was the ultimate prize for the HETFET/TSD game, with photos! Maaaaaan I wish I'd been there!

Hellboy Goes Viral Crazy

OK - so the game was also viral by it's very nature, but I love seeing him pop up in all these different places. I'm British, so while I'm familiar with most of the shows (Chuck is awesome, I'm a film geek so I know all about The Actors Studio, and we have our own Gladiators and Ghost Hunters), I've no idea what show he's auditioning for. But it's funny. So watch it.

Chuck Vs. Hellboy (Round 2)



Hellboy Goes Inside The Actors Studio Again



Hellboy's PSA



Hellboy Meets The Ghost Hunters



Hellboy's Audition

Interviews & Comic Books

Only one week left! So here's some more bits and pieces.

First up, Newsarama scored interviews with Ron Perlman and Doug Jones, both of which are of an easily digestible size - also, I had never realised that Doug has appeared in every one of del Toro's movies since Mimic...

And over at IGN Comics, there's a Hellboy: The Crooked Man No.1 review, which is apparently a very strong first issue of a new arc in the Hellboy series.

Hellboy Vs. The Gladiators!

AICN found another one of these hilarious little clips - and we're to expect more, which makes me very happy!



And for those of you in or near Austin, here are the details on the Fantastic Fest being presented in association with AICN, if I had the chance I'd love to spend the week at this event - and to top it all off they're holding a free screening of HB2 with Guillermo, Mike and Doug all in attendance. Doesn't get much better than that.

AICN Are Giving Away Tickets To A Preview Screening In Chicago!

If any of you guys hail from Chicago - then get on over to Aint It Cool News and tell Capone exactly why you love del Toro (note the specific instructions he sets out), if you're one of the first, you get a ticket to see the movie!

I'll keep you posted on details for the Austin screening that he mentions too, since the one they held for The Incredible Hulk was goddamn amazing.

CBR Review HB2

Another day, another glowing review, this time from Comic Book Resources.

You'll also find 7 clips from the movie over at www.shocktillyoudrop.com.

9 days to go!

Red Goes Inside The Actors Studio

I really love this stuff - in the same vein as Chuck & Red, here's Red explaining his method acting:

Newsarama Review HB2

Newsarama are a comic book specialist website, and they've given HB2 a slightly tamer review than there has been up to now - mostly because they claim the movie strays away from the tone Mignola established in the comics and a little more towards del Toro's fantastical leanings. That said, they are generally very positive about every element within the film, particularly Johann.

RIP Michael Turner

I just heard that legendary comic book artist Michael Turner has lost his long-running battle with cancer, passing away on June 27th. 

I know this isn't strictly Hellboy related, but I'm absolutely gutted by this news, and I imagine most comic book fans will be - so that's why I'm sharing it with you guys here.

I moved to London about a year and a half ago with only what I could carry on my back and in my hands, and with barely any money - this meant no TV and no DVD player and, as a film student, that's like chopping my limbs off. Pretty quickly I realised I needed a new entertainment outlet, something that wouldn't cost too much but would capture the imagination. I found comics not long after that. I enjoyed them all well and good, but they only started becoming something actually magical when I found a trade paper-back of the first volume of Fathom.

Now obviously I picked this up initially because I'm a sucker for unrealistically attractive illustrated women - but as I kept reading I found I fell in love with that world. I remember scoffing at the idea of a super-heroine whose super power was that she could manipulate water. I don't remember at what point I took back any criticisms, but I do know that I was in for the long haul about five pages into that book. Reading it felt like watching a movie, a very, very cool movie, and the incredibly beautiful art only made it so much easier on the eyes. Then I read the foreword by Marc Silvestri (maybe it was the afterword, I don't know - alls I know is I only read the blurb stuff after I've read the actual book), where he recounts how Turner got his start in the industry, saying he couldn't draw for shit and that it wasn't until he told him to go away and draw a building from reference that he saw any promise in him.

I was so taken by his story, and by Turner's work, that I thought 'well, why couldn't I do that?'. As a film student, the idea of illustration had simply just never occurred to me. So I start drawing Aspen, using the Fathom comics as reference.

Yeah, my first one was shit, but I felt actually very proud of it, so proud that I decided to try something bigger and better. And it continued, I drew more and more, all the while going out of my way to track down various Turner works in the comic book store and online, wherever I could. I eventually found his other creator-owned series, Soulfire:

It blends fantasy and sci-fi incredibly well, and I'd thoroughly recommend it to all the people interested in Hellboy's universe as they share a few common themes. The core series has had several spin-offs, some dealing with the more fantastical origins of that universe, some dealing with the more sci-fi future - all are very strong. Tragically, the first volume of the core series has been left incomplete for years, as Turner became critically ill and unable to finish the follow-up to his masterpiece.

After a while, I began to make my way in London and found myself able to move into a better flat and to finally get that TV and DVD player. I found I'd amassed a hefty collection of comic books in those initial 10 months or so (which were predominantly Marvel books, and most of those were predominantly Civil War related) - wanting space and a little extra cash, I auctioned them off on eBay.

All except for everything I had by Michael Turner (plus my copy of Absolute Sandman Vol. 1 by Neil Gaiman, no way I'm ever gettin' rid of that).

His art inspired me, some guy who never even really appreciated art in the first place (and in fact had a negative view of the whole thing after seeing all of that Tracy Emin and Damian Hirst crap, plus going through a ridiculous relationship with a 'fine art' student now ex-girlfriend), to pick up a pencil and actually fall in love with the possibilities it provides.

It's been a while since I last picked up the pencil. I think it's time again.

Rest in peace, Michael Turner. You will be missed.