Over his long, long career, Hellboy has starred in some weird and wild stories. He’s gone toe-to-to with Grigori Rasputin himself; teamed with three luchador bros to fight monsters in Mexico; and even dealt with the fallout of the Nazi space program. But of all the many journeys and adventures Hellboy has undertaken, few have felt as charming and compelling as Hellboy in Love.
As you might have inferred by the title, Hellboy in Love sees the big guy grapple with the greatest foe of all (romance) as we track his relationship with archaeologist Anastasia Bransfield between 1979 and 1981. Already series creator Mike Mignola, writer/regular collaborator Christopher Golden, and a handful of artists have released three Hellboy in Love titles: Goblin Night, Shadow Theater, and The Key to It All. But since a proper love story never truly ends, Mignola and Golden have now teamed up with artist Alex Nieto for Hellboy in Love: The Art of Fire.
The two-issue story is a direct continuation of Hellboy in Love, and sees the lovebirds “trek to Iceland for evidence of a seemingly impossible network of occultists.” But Hellboy and Anastasia quickly discover a “fresh dig site [that] holds answers that come at a steep — and risky — price.” If you loved the first three Hellboy in Love stories, this one stokes the same needs for supernatural action and big themes like finding love in a world where that’s not the easiest prospect.
Hellboy in Love: The Art of Fire #1 debuts this week (August 6). In the lead-up, we spoke with Nieto via email about his immersion into the “Hellboy-verse.” We also touched on his fave Hellboy stories, working with Mignola and Golden, and if he’d come back for more stories, among other topics and tidbits.
Courtesy of Dark Horse Comics.
AIPT: How much of a Hellboy fan were you before this project? Do you have a favorite story?
Alex Nieto: I’ve been a fan of Mignola since college. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every Hellboy or other character story I’ve read. If I had to choose one, it would be Hellboy in Hell. For me, it’s a perfect series, Mignola and Dave Stewart at their finest.
I’m looking forward to reading their new work; it’s taking a while to arrive in Spain.
AIPT: What was it like working with two legends in Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden? Did that collaboration play out like you’d imagined?
AN: I had no idea what the job would be like except that I would adapt to everything they told me. Now I can say that both of them and the editors have been wonderful. They’ve given me a huge amount of creative freedom, they’ve been understanding with changes I’ve made to pages I’d already submitted because I wanted to improve them, and I’ve always felt a positive, team-based attitude. I’m very grateful.
Courtesy of Dark Horse Comics.
AIPT: How did you prepare for “entering” the Hellboy-verse for the very first time?
AN: I’d been drawing characters in my spare time for years, but when I officially got down to it, I collapsed. Little by little, I found the tone and finish I wanted. Even so, I almost completely reworked the first issue; it was very stiff, and I was starting to apply both the ink and the color differently in the second. In fact, I think by the second issue I’d established a kind of method for maintaining a consistent style that I’m happy with, though always with an eye toward improvement.
AIPT: Why are the Hellboy in Love stories so special and/or unique? Does it feel different from other, more “standard” Hellboy stories?
AN: I find them very interesting for exploring the more human side of someone who loves another. In this story, there’s also a feeling of guilt that Hellboy feels he might be harming Anastasia’s life, which I find very interesting to explore.
Plus, there are mummies and cool monsters — what more do we need?
Courtesy of Dark Horse Comics.
AIPT: How much freedom are you given with a Hellboy story? Did you feel like you got a chance to do something new or novel with this character and his big, bold universe?
AN: The truth is that, while you obviously have to respect the character, I felt completely free with Mignola and Christopher. They made it clear to me that I could do it my way, and I was also able to add the colors myself, which is important to me since I always think of the final art in color. As an artist, you couldn’t ask for more.
AIPT: Do you have a favorite moment from issue #1 or #2? Maybe something that speaks to the large message or heart of this story?
AN: From the first issue, I’m most impressed by the first few pages. They aren’t the most fun to draw, but I like the way the characters are given more complexity, and I think there’s a lot of truth in that couple’s conversation.
From the second issue, I’m most impressed by the action that takes place in the second half. I had a great time drawing it.
Courtesy of Dark Horse Comics.
AIPT: How would you describe the relationship between Hellboy and Anastasia Bransfield? What makes it so fun/appealing to draw one of their stories?
AN: Well, I think it’s a very beautiful relationship, selfless on both sides and in which they care for each other. Hellboy, being who he is, shows vulnerability with her, and there are very real moments in this story.
AIPT: Can you talk about your design for Hellboy in this title? He just feels more graceful and lithe and also a perfect balance between being young but also old enough.
AN: Well, continuing with a series that Matt Smith, whom I admire a lot, was drawing, I wanted to get away from his style because otherwise it would be very clumsy on my part. So I tried to influence myself and apply how I draw other characters without taking into account that it was Hellboy, so as not to fall into what first comes to mind when I think of him, in terms of drawing style, ink, etc.
Courtesy of Dark Horse Comics.
AIPT: If you could do another Hellboy title/project, would you and what might your dream Hellboy story look like?
AN: The truth is, I’d really like to continue exploring this story. I also have something in mind that I’ll try to do, but it’s a secret for now!
AIPT: Is there anything else we should know about you, Hellboy, comics, art, etc.?
AN: I can’t think of anything! I hope you like this comic; it’s been a dream come true for me. Thank you so much!
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