C2E2: Hellboy Original Graphic Novel, All-Ages Comics Announced

While there's no news yet on a third Hellboy movie, much to the chagrin of series star Ron Perlman, Dark Horse Comics this weekend announced two new Hellboy comics at the Chicago Comics and Entertainment Expo (C2E2). The first, titled Hellboy: The Midnight Circus, is a graphic novel by creator Mike Mignola and frequent collaborator Duncan Fegredo. In the 56-page graphic novel, a young Hellboy runs away from the B.P.R.D., only to stumble upon a weird and fantastical circus and the few demons from hell who inhabit it. "This one owes a lot to Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes (pretty much my favorite circus story of all time), but even more to Pinocchio—especially all the spooky, disturbing bits Disney left out. And the work Duncan is doing here is just flat-out amazing," said Mignola. "Growing up is tough enough, even when you don't know the weight of the world rests on the future of your yet-diminutive shoulders. Mike has woven a tale of coming of age for the young Hellboy made all the more poignant for knowing his future. Wonderful, magical, terrifying, this is epic Hellboy on a smaller stage," Duncan Fegredo added. Hellboy: The Midnight Circus arrives in a hardcover format similar to the previously-released Hellboy: House of the Living Dead (by Mignola and Richard Corben). This new tale arrives on shelves on October 23 for $14.99.

In the second title, the Eisner-winning creative team behind Tiny Titans, Superman Family Adventures and Aw Yeah Comics bring their unique storytelling style to the Hellboy universe in the first all-ages Hellboy series, Itty Bitty Hellboy. "Given the recent developments in Hellboy's life—falling in love, discovering that he's the rightful king of England, having his heart torn out and dropped into hell—this is clearly the next logical step in his evolution," said Mignola. And we can do no better in explaining the project than Dark Horse did themselves, so we'll leave them to it: A ghost named Rasputin has been spotted. And Hellboy and the B.P.R.D. are going to find out what's he up to. Who is Hellboy, anyway? Why does he have such a big hand, and what is it used for? Who's weirder, he or his friends? What is the B.P.R.D.? And what does chicken soup have to do with all of it? All this and more will be answered in the debut issue, where BIG things happen to Itty Bitty Hellboy! "Itty Bitty HELLBOY! WOW! Such awesomeness! I haven't screamed so much AW YEAH SHOUTOUTS in all my life! It is truly an honor to be the next creative team to add to the HELLBOY saga! I have been a fan of Mike Mignola since Hellboy's early days at Dark Horse LEGENDS! It's true. Can't wait! Itty Bitty has never been so HUGE! AW YEAH HELLBOY!" said Art Baltazar, famous cartoonist. "We get to work on HELLBOY? HELL YEAH!" exclaimed Franco Aureliani. "One of the most iconic characters in all of comics, and we get to bring our own style and story to it! Truly a dream come true! We're big fans! Itty Bitty Hellboy is going to be a lot of fun . . . and we get to actually say HELL(BOY)!" Itty Bitty Hellboy #1 arrives on shelves August 28.