Who Is Hellboy And Why Should You Care?

There's no doubt that by right now you've probably seen the latest trailer for the new Hellboy flick floating around the world wide web. "It's bloody!" we said. "It's darker than those other Hellboy movies!" They mentioned. It's true, and yes it looks awesome.


The new movie, directed by The Descent director Neil Marshall, is taking the character back to his darker origins, and Stranger Things's David Harbour is taking over from Ron Perlman because the crimson hero himself. In general, it looks like a wild ride.


Nevertheless who is Hellboy, and how should you care that he's making his big-screen return with a new film this April? The half-demon, blood-red character is instantly recognizable, even in the event you don't usually read comics or follow action flicks, nevertheless it's understandable if you're not quite sure what to think about him or his decidedly hellish universe.


no reason to Google around. We've got you covered on all of the essentials about the Horned One.


Who is Hellboy?


Hellboy is the half-demon hero protagonist of a comic series created by Mike Mignola. The character has since inspired tons of comic books and three films in all — and he's made appearances in video games, too.


The character made his comic debut in 1993 however wasn't seen on the big screen up until 2004, once Guillermo del Toro kickstarted his popularity with the starting of an action-packed film franchise. Marshall's 2019 Hellboy reboot has nothing to do with del Toro's previous two films; as an alternative, the tone of the forthcoming film has been described as darker and more imbued with the horror elements from the comics.


OK, so what else do really you've got to know about the character?


His birth name isn't Hellboy. It's actually Anung Un Rama, which means "and upon his brow is set a crown of flame." That doesn't have the same ring to it, though. Place on Earth to a witch named Sarah and the demon Azzael, a duke of Hell, Hellboy's right hand was removed at birth and replaced with a relic: The correct Hand of Doom, tied to the Hellboy series' antagonists, the Ogdru Jahad — something akin to the Eldritch abominations of the Cthulhu Mythos.


Luckily, the Nazis didn't get their chance to make use of Hellboy, as the Allies got to him first. With Hellboy on their side, the Bureau for Paranormal Studies and Defense (BPRD) was created. Right now, this is where his story really begins.


Lead by Professor Trevor Bruttenholm, who took Hellboy in and raised him as if he were his own child, the company acted as a bastion of safety for the half-demon hellspawn as he started working because the protector of humanity — against bad guys like the Nazis, and whoever else seeks to destroy that good thing we've got going here on Earth.


needless to say, demons don't exactly grow up the same way human beings do. Because of this, Hellboy matured physically a lot faster than his mind did — so he is a bit of a loose cannon once it comes to certain situations, however that's piece of what makes him relatable and entertaining.


Hellboy is exceedingly powerful (due to his demonic abilities) and can heal himself as soon as injured. He is a snarky, one-liner-spouting guy who loves to have fun, though he just wants to feel usual some days, also. While he's not in danger of taking crap from anyone, he's also empathetic and feels for others, thanks to his human upbringing. Think of him as something like a more demonic and stronger Deadpool. Fun, right?


Who are some of Hellboy's allies?


Hellboy has hobnobbed with a few characters over the years, although two critical names to be mindful are Abe Sapien and Liz Sherman, both of whom were heavily featured in the previous Hellboy film adaptations and comics. Far because the new film goes, it doesn't look like they'll be appearing, yet they're exceptionally essential parts of the universe just the same. Here are some of Hellboy's compatriots that you've got to know about.


Abe Sapien


Abraham Sapien, place on Earth Langdon Everett Caul, takes his name from "Ichthyo sapien," or the species designation given to him by his colleagues, mixed with former president Abraham Lincoln. He mirrors a "fish man," though he wasn't place on Earth that way.


Dabbling in the occult with the eccentric corporation called the Oannes Society resulted in him being turned into the amphibious creature soon after an arcane ritual went wrong. He retained no memory of his past life and was given his new name upon joining the Bureau for Paranormal Statistics and Defense. As soon as he was destined to be vivisected, the benevolent Hellboy alternatively saved him, right after which Abe joined the BPRD as a field agent.


Liz Sherman


Elizabeth "Liz" Sherman is a human woman with pyrokinetic powers and another field agent working with the BPRD. She's been grappling with her powers since she was 11, going for now as to destroy an entire city block, and also her parents and younger brother. She grew up as piece of the Bureau, and joined forces with Hellboy and the rest of the team to help protect the world from other supernatural threats.


She becomes something of a younger sibling figure to Hellboy right after he was the one to successfully pull her out of a dark depression she noticed herself in, right after she imagined herself to be a danger to those around her. She and Hellboy are quite close, as a result.


Professor Trevor Bruttenholm


Professor Trevor Bruttenholm was a crucial member of the British Paranormal Society and advisor to Franklin Delano Roosevelt — yes, the president. Once the Allies happened upon Hellboy and wrestled him away from the Nazis, he was placed under the care of Bruttenholm. The English language academic raised Hellboy as if he were his own son, and did a fine job of doing so. He was the father the half-demon never had, and as such he was a crucial positive force in Hellboy's life all of the way through his adolescence.


So why should I care about Hellboy?


Well, we can't tell you what to watch, certainly. However if you are a fan of snark, humor, action, and the supernatural, Hellboy is a series that you're going desire to sink your teeth into. He is a no-nonsense demon slayer who acts like more of a rebellious teen and he gets himself into some particularly unthinkable situations. If you are a fan of big-budget comic movie flicks and want a new fandom to get into, Hellboy is a good choice. There's plenty to read, watch, and explore, and it'd be kinda weird in case you mentioned you weren't really into the story of a big, horned demon dude. Just look at the guy.


Where can I check out Hellboy's adventures?


First, you could wish to watch both of the Guillermo del Toro-directed movies, Hellboy and Hellboy II: The Golden Army. Hellboy is based on the graphic novel Hellboy: Seed of Destruction, and its sequel compiles a collection of ideas culled from the entirety of the Hellboy lore.


there really are over 15 years worth of comics that you could delve into, with over 20 trade paperbacks in print and several others on the way. Nevertheless an excellent beginning point is undoubtedly Seed of Destruction, which finds the half-demon spending most of his childhood and teenage years under the watchful eye of Army scientists and his adoptive dad Trevor Bruttenholm. It inspired the opening Guillermo del Toro film, and won a few honors, including Eisner honors for "Best Writer/Artist" and "Best Graphic Album: Reprint."


As soon as you've torn through that, check out Hellboy: Wake the Devil, which finds Hellboy and the BPRD searching for a vampire scouted by Hitler himself while in World War II. It was used because the basis for the animated film Hellboy: Blood and Iron, which is absolutely worth viewing as well.


Then, before you know it, it'll be time to jump into the 2019 flick later this year. You've got a ton of comics to pore over first, though. Diving into a new fandom isn't easy, although this is a foolproof way to prepare with a modicum of knowledge about the character you're going to fall in love with.