The “Mignolaverse” will continue to grow this coming winter with a pair of miniseries and a one-shot focusing on some of the unsavory characters Hellboy has encountered — namely Rasputin, Krampus and Koshchei the Deathless.
“We didn’t set out to publish three stories about bad guys for the holidays, it just worked out that way—and, really, at least one of these guys isn’t ALL bad,” Mignola said in a press release. “It’s been a real pleasure working with Chris Roberson and Christopher Mitten again to flesh out more of the history of the Hellboy world—focusing on Rasputin before the arrival of Hellboy. You just knew there had to be more to say about that guy. Just like I’ve always known there was a lot more to say about Koshchei the Deathless, who I’ve loved since Hellboy: Darkness Calls. Now thanks to the great Ben Stenbeck, we get his full, odd, and tragic life story. And then what is there to say about the Krampus? This grim little Christmas story has been gathering dust for years on my mental shelf, apparently just waiting for the right artist to come along and ask to draw it. I just never imagined that the right artist would be Adam Hughes!”
Rasputin: Voice of the Dragon
Dark Horse Comics will publish the first issue of Rasputin: Voice of the Dragon by Chris Roberson, Christopher Mitten, Dave Stewart on Nov. 29, the first of a five-part miniseries. Mike Huddleston (above) and Mignola (below) will provide covers. Here’s what to expect:
A conspiracy involving the Third Reich and a dead member of a sinister secret society sets Professor Bruttenholm on his first mission—to find the man who’d soon bring Hellboy to earth. The mad Russian sorcerer Rasputin had been thought dead since 1916, when a group of noblemen sought to end his influence over the tsar. Now Rasputin works with the most twisted members of Hitler’s inner circle, and he’s about to cross paths with the man who’ll go on to found the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense.
Hellboy: Krampusnacht
Mike Mignola and Adam Hughes will collaborate on Hellboy: Krampusnacht, which features Hellboy taking on the legendary Krampus. It arrives on Dec. 20, just in time to save Christmas. Hughes provides the main cover (above) and you can see Mignola’s variant below.
Koshchei the Deathless
Mignola teams up with artist Ben Stenbeck and Dave Stewart to flesh out the story behind Baba Yaga’s slave. “Now Koshchei relives every horrible act on his road to immortality and beyond, with none other than Hellboy himself—in Hell. Mignola returns to Hell and to the bizarre folklore that’s filled some of his greatest books, reuniting with one of his favorite collaborators, Ben Stenbeck.” The six-issue miniseries kicks off Jan. 10.