Hellboy Animated

The Comic Page as Art

In my other blog, I examine how Mike Mignola and other artists use the comic page to make a statement that's more than the sum of its panels.  It's not much but if you're a Mignola fan it may be worth checking out.

Treasures to Be Found!

Hi folks, long time no comment.

Why?  Because nothing's happening in the Hellboy animated universe.  At least, I haven't heard of anything.  But as the Hellboy Animated movies pop up in various streaming formats people have found their way to this blog.  Sadly, they only find a cobwebbed site featuring an old, yet incredibly cute, holiday greeting.

So two things:  First, if you've recently watched the Hellboy Animated stuff go back to the early archives of this blog.  I'm paying to keep this thing open because so many people told me it was a great resource.  Certainly the early stuff was.   I don't have the time to go back and police the comments of spambots so reader beware.  Lots of good stuff, you just have to dig.

Second, I'm PAYING FOR THIS THING!  How'd that happen?  Well the execs at Film Roman Studios had me put the blog on MY credit card and then reimbursed me.  Once.  But if I quit paying, what happens to the blog?  It fractures like a Tron bike hitting the wall and dissolves to random bits and bytes.   But the payment allows me the creation of another blog so I'll do just that.   This one will be about whatever creative activity I'm up to.  Like the Hellboy Animated Blog it'll be a view into the creative process, just a little more random in subject matter.  I could be my process or my thoughts on the work of others.

Here's a link, bookmark if you're interested.

Happy digging!

--Tad

Merry Chrismakawanzukkah!

I hope you and your family find joy in your holiday celebrations.  Thank you to all fans who've been so nice at the conventions I've hit.  And thank you to the pros who've said such good things.  I hope we're all busier next year.

Best to you all,

Tad

Amazed I Remember

My password, that is. Yes it's been a long, long time since I've posted. Why? Because I've had nothing to post about further animated adventures of Hellboy. I still don't. (Sorry if I got your hopes up for a nanosecond there.) But I wanted to tell you the state of HBA before moving onto other things - more on those in a bit.

With the advent of Guillermo's second trip into the Hellboy world and a couple of screenings on Cartoon Network, sales of the animated DVDs shot up. Hellboy II: The Golden Army open very well at the box office but was trounced by Batman as expected. But Hollywood is a weird place that deals with shifting expectations so that when it fell, passions cooled a bit. Last I checked, it hasn't bounced back; audiences are choosing to see The Dark Knight again rather than catching a film they didn't see in its opening week. So it's not like there's a huge push to launch new secondary projects like a third Hellboy Animated film. Even if Guillermo's movie started regaining ground, I think the current management at Starz would be satisfied with increased sales of the existing DVD rather than putting money into a new one.

For those who've asked be at cons, no, I will not be posting the script to The Phantom Claw. Who knows what the future will bring. Once rights revert, maybe we'll pitch a Hellboy/BPRD series to Cartoon Network and we'll plunder some of the unused stuff. That would be a ways off if ever.

So let's call this the penultimate post. I'll check in once more when I have a new blog going. I really do enjoy sharing the creative process and people seem to like it. I'm currently poking around outside the animation field since the industry is so unsteady but have yet to find the dream gig that will pay the bills. The down time has let me experiment more with comics. Check out the back up story in THE PERHAPANAUTS #3 which I had fun illustrating. While you're at it, check out the rest of the comic too by Todd Dezago and Craig Rousseau. Lots of fun with a weird team of paranormal investigators. Sounds like something right up your alley. I've also created my own comic, EMMARYN, which I am currently pitching to various publishers. It's much lighter than Hellboy but overlaps some of the same folklore territory. Check out the page below and give it a click.

So thank you again for your support. This blog will remain up in the forseeable future as a reference. Tell your friends.

Looking forward to sharing again.

Tad Stones

Doesn't Anyone Dust Around Here?

Just a quick note. No work is being done on the third Hellboy Animated film, although there is some talk of doing very short projects for the internet. With Guillermo del Toro's HELLBOY II: The Golden Army getting rave reviews from Universal execs, we should hope for a big launch for the movie. If enough excitement builds, who knows what will happen on the animated front?

BTW, if I deleted your post as I scoured the thick crust of spam that had accumulated here, I'm very sorry. In the meantime, visit Hellboy.com and its forum over at CBR.

--Tad

Comic Shop Surprise

I don't buy a lot of comics each week but I like the Wednesday ritual.  Warner Brothers Animation has moved to Burbank which arguably makes it the animation hub of the world, home to Nickleodeon Studios, Cartoon Network Studios, Disney, Warners, Starz Film Roman and a host of smaller producers.  That makes Wednesday at House of Secrets a nice visit with industry friends, no matter what's coming out.

Anyway, outside of Mark Waid's FLASH, I figured there'd be slim pickings.  I was thinking of picking up another Fables TPB when I saw Mike's new novel on the racks.

This is the special Previews edition with a sketchbook filled with Mike's thumbnails in the back.  That's a reason to check your Local Comic Shop instead of the local monster bookstore.

The You Tube interview is here.

Emmy Nom and San Diego Panel

Last week, Hellboy: Sword of Storms was nominated for a prime time Emmy for an animated production of an hour or more.  It really is great to be nominated and a win would be nearly unbelievable at this point.  But here's hoping! 

"Hellboy" is nominated for an Emmy
Starz Media's "Hellboy: Sword of Storms" has been nominated for an Emmy.

Starz Media's Hellboy: Sword of Storms was nominated by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming One Hour or More). Hellboy: Sword of Storms is in the running along with Cartoon Network's Good Wilt Hunting (Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends) and Where's Lazlo?, as well as Discovery Channel's Secrets of the Deep.

Saturday memberships at the San Diego Comic Con are sold out!  But if you already have your ticket and find yourself too tired and numb to move, feel free to flop down in a chair at my only panel appearance.

Saturday, July 28
6:30-7:30 The Animation Production Process— What goes into bringing an animated script to screen? Producers Stephanie Graziano (X-Men: The Animated Series), Tad Stones (Hellboy Animated: Sword of Storms), and Greg Weisman (Spectacular Spider- Man) take you behind the scenes and into the trenches. Moderated by Shannon Muir (Invader Zim), author of Gardner's Guide to Writing and Producing Animation from GGC, and currently project management coordinator at Animation World Network. Room 3

Mike Mignola will be at his Hot Chocolate Booth for most of the weekend but his only panel appearance is Saturday afternoon.

Saturday, July 28
2:30-3:30 Storytelling with and Without Pictures— Authors of prose and comics discuss how they write differently for different media—or do they? Find out with authors David Morrell (Captain America: The Chosen), Christopher Golden (The Myth Hunters, Talent), Mike Mignola (Baltimore, Or, The Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire, Hellboy), Richard Morgan (TH1TRE3N, Black Widow), Tad Williams (Shadowplay, Aquaman), Barbara Hambly (Renfield: Slave of Dracula, Garden of Emptiness), Orson Scott Card (Ender’s Game, Ultimate Iron Man), and Mike Carey (The Devil You Know, Lucifer). Moderated by Maryelizabeth Hart of Mysterious Galaxy. Room 1AB

Drink lots of water and get some rest! -- Tad

Check Out the Old Stuff

No news on another movie so you needn't ask. But for those of you who found this blog late in the game, check out the earliest posts documenting the thought process behind Hellboy. I think it's an interesting document.

One of those early posts showed alternate designs for Hellboy. Tom Nelson, who returned to storyboard some of our strongest sequences submitted a Hellboy who looked like a boxer. I just saw this version of his design painted by Bill Dely and couldn't resist posting it.

I'll be at San Diego Comic Con and on an animation panel on Saturday evening. Feel free to say "hi."

--Tad

Thank You, Everybody

Thanks for your support of the animated Hellboy.  Contrary to some rumors you may have heard, there is no Hellboy TV series planned.  For now, it's just the two DVD movies.  Thanks for searching out this site and telling your buds about the big red guy.

For updates on Guillermo's Hellboy movie, currently in production, the best place to go is DelToroFilms.  Mr. G checks in from time to time with his usual barrage of cinematic enthusiasm.  For the comics, you need go no farther than The Hellboy Zone of Dark Horse Comics.  Big, big things coming this year.

A special thanks to the rabid fans at Variant Edition.com  and The Comics Factory in Pasadena, CA who always make me feel like a superstar.  I also appreciate the support of Peter, Bry and all the comic geek speakers at CGS.  Y'know, if you're not listening to comic podcasts, you're missing half the fun of reading comics.

The Hellboy crew is now spread out working on such varied shows at Slacker Cats, Ben 10, The Batman and the new Spider-man series.  I expect you'll see quality work in all those productions.  As for Hellboy Animated, the future rests on sales and the whims of Hollywood.  I really have run out of things to post and there's no point in just filling space.  So for now, I'm out.  I'll see you at the conventions and on the board at Hellboy.com.

It's all been Hellishly Good fun.  -- Tad

Countdown

No, not to Final Crisis in the DC universe but a countdown to the release of Hellboy: Blood and Iron.  Although Mike and I have talked so much about it that there may be nothing new for you to hear, we'll still be popping up on podcasts and in magazine interviews.  Late Next Week the video podcast, VARIANT EDITON, will be going to Hell by airing interviews from New York Comic Con and reviewing the new movie.  These guys are huge Hellboy fans and it's always fun to talk to them.  To the left are only the hosts of an ever expanding crew.  I'm excited that they're devoting an episode to Hellboy.  How could they not with the new Hellboy arc, DARKNESS CALLS, underway with fantastic artwork by Duncan Fegredo?  Check out this preview. That issue just came out and the new issue of BPRD is just around the corner. 

For those in the San Fernando Valley and surrounding areas, Mike Mignola, composer Christopher Drake, writer Kevin Hopps and myself will be doing another signing at DARK DELICACIES BOOKSTORE in Burbank.  I believe you have to buy the DVD there to get an autograph but they also have presigned cards by Doug Jones.  The signing will be on June 16, not sure of the time.  I'll let you know.  It's a great bookstore of horror and fantasy.  Mike is sure to drop more money on rare books again.  Until the next time, enjoy your comics and DVDs!  (I'm just about to crack open my PAN'S LABYRINTH, director's edition.  Sweet!)  -- Tad