Hellboy Animated

"Hellboy Animated" are original straight-to-DVD animated films based upon the comic book character. Both films, ' and ', received the signature of Mike Mignola and Guillermo del Toro. A third film is being planned but hasn't been greenlit yet. [ [http://hellboyanimated.typepad.com/hellboy_animated/2006/11/i_need_mignola_.html Hellboy Animated: I Need Mignola to Storyboard for Me ] ]

Cast

Ron Perlman, who played Hellboy in the live-action movie, also provides the voice of the character in the animated version. Selma Blair and John Hurt also reprise their roles from the film of Liz Sherman and Professor Trevor Bruttenholm, respectively. The voice of Abe Sapien is Doug Jones, who played Abe in prosthetic work in the live-action movies, but did not provide the voice for the first movie which was previously done by David Hyde Pierce, he however voiced the character in the second movie. Kate Corrigan is voiced by Peri Gilpin.

Music is by Christopher Drake.

Films

"Sword of Storms"

In "Sword of Storms", Hellboy and Kate Corrigan are dispatched to Japan to solve the mystery of a professor possessed by the Japanese demons Thunder and Lightning. The demons wish to get their hands on a powerful haunted sword, which will free them, and allow them to unleash their brothers and destroy the world. While Hellboy is sent into an alternate dimension, facing Youkai on the way, his B.P.R.D. teammates, Abe Sapien and Liz Sherman, try to stop one of the Dragons on the first wave of the coming chaos.

"Blood and Iron"

"Hellboy: Blood and Iron" deals with Professor Trevor Bruttenholm's experience with a vampiress (the blood countess) in 1934 and the present day. Hellboy also faces off against Hecate. The DVD for this also includes a bonus short called "Hellboy: Iron Shoes".

"The Phantom Claw"

Info yet to be unveiled, other than the debut of Lobster Johnson. It will primarily feature Hellboy and Kate. Rumour has it that Liz and Abe will not be appearing (At least as main characters), because the cast will include more "big-name" villains such as Rasputin, Herman Von Klempt and his Kriegaffe and Roderick Zinco. Fact|date=April 2007

All work on The Phantom Claw has since been put on hold and further production will only continue if the previous animated features DVD sales rise.

On March 19, 2008, a message was posted on the "Hellboy Animated" site by producer Tad Stones stating that no work is being done on this film. However, Stones also wrote that some smaller animated projects may be done for internet release, and hinted that the release of "" may affect the future of the animated film series.

Comics

As with the DC animated universe's spin-off comic books, Dark Horse are releasing a number of volumes under the "Hellboy Animated" range. These will continue the adventures of the animated characters.

*" Hellboy Animated":
** "The Black Wedding" (80 pages, January 2007, ISBN 1-59307-700-9) [ [http://www.darkhorse.com/profile/profile.php?sku=14-227 Dark Horse Comics > Profile > Hellboy Animated Volume 1: The Black Wedding ] ] contains:
*** "The Black Wedding" (written by Jim Pascoe with art by Rick Lacy)
*** "Pyramid of Death" (written by Tad Stones with art by Fabio Laguna)
** "Judgment Bell"' (80 pages, June 2007, ISBN 1-59307-799-8) [ [http://www.darkhorse.com/profile/profile.php?sku=14-228 Dark Horse Comics > Profile > Hellboy Animated Volume 2: Judgment Bell ] ] contains:
*** "The Judgment Bell" (written by Jim Pascoe with art by Rick Lacy)
*** Unspecified (written by Tad Stones)
** "The Menagerie"' (80 pages, December 2007, ISBN 1-59307-861-7) [ [http://www.darkhorse.com/profile/profile.php?sku=14-411 Dark Horse Comics > Profile > Hellboy Animated Volume 3: The Menagerie TPB ] ] contains:
*** "The Menagerie" (written by Jason Hall with art by Rick Lacy)
*** "Small Victories" (written by Nate Piekos with art by Fabio Laguna)

Merchandise

Gentle Giant, famed for its statues, has been given the license for the Hellboy Animated action figures. A first-look Hellboy figure shrinkwrapped to a copy of the Blood and Iron DVD was released as a Best Buy exclusive.Fact|date=June 2007

References

External links

* [http://www.gotohellboy.com/ Official "Hellboy Animated" site]
* [http://hellboyanimated.typepad.com/ Official "Hellboy Animated" production blog]
*imdb title|id=0810895|title=Hellboy: Sword of Storms
*imdb title|id=0817910|title=Hellboy: Blood and Iron