Mike Mignola looks back at 2015... and ahead to 2016

[Kees_L]

I wish I could say more, but I can't. Arcudi didn't leave suddenly it was something that Mike and Co knew for some time. The sudden warp ups and ends are more to do with story structural planning. You know, sometimes some pieces fit better now then what was planned.

Mr. Arcudi leaving hasn't been raising questions with me all that much. Like I feel no problems with accepting he'll have been bringing to the table whatever he could with any possible resolve or ringing through evermore, since that's what writing can do, even with him leaving at a certain point.

And the planning I feel to get also. Like mr Mike explaining how he felt the story matter coming to a point where he should decide to be going to 'the endgame' before to himself all else would feel like lingering.

And I think that as a reader I should just sit back and enjoy it all. Although the thought of knowing in advance that Hellboy has only two more stops to make, seems to make it harder for me to oversee B.P.R.D. or Abe and such current titles as laying out whatever more plot points, with apparently "the Endgame" as proving upon it all so impendingly.
Or like an Ashley Strode story starting with Hellboy already done - that would be weirding me out.

I mean to see Hellboy sort of falling away as a title amid the rest seems like a first really and sudden at that.
But if that's what I as a reader will have to be coming to terms with then I'm just gonna have to I guess. I've always liked how straight up or non-repetitive Mignola's writing seems, so I shouldn't fuss over it now an ending would appear in sight. So yeah.

[timbolton]

Am I remembering wrongly that Mike has said in interviews (or at least at conventions) that Hellboy's story is in three stages (or parts) and that Hellboy in Hell is the middle part?
Add to that all the stuff Edward Grey discussed with various people at the start of Hellboy in Hell that there is stuff Grey will now have to pay for and HB has to do - I can't see everything HB related being wrapped up in two and not going forward from Hellboy in Hell... so my guess is we will see HB minus "in Hell" after the two issues - probably bringing in the army of Hell to kick off against all the stuff going on in BPRD right now.

If not, I'll just cry...

[Kees_L]

Am I remembering wrongly that Mike has said in interviews (or at least at conventions) that Hellboy's story is in three stages (or parts) and that Hellboy in Hell is the middle part?
Add to that all the stuff Edward Grey discussed with various people at the start of Hellboy in Hell that there is stuff Grey will now have to pay for and HB has to do - I can't see everything HB related being wrapped up in two and not going forward from Hellboy in Hell... so my guess is we will see HB minus "in Hell" after the two issues - probably bringing in the army of Hell to kick off against all the stuff going on in BPRD right now.

If not, I'll just cry...

I'm kinda figuring - since there was talk of more 'Witchfinder' that Hellboy's boney sickly state and Edward Grey's plight might just be to combine - in a Alice after Mabh type of sense...

I dunno but, lately I've been seeing something masky and shadowy like potentially be to come husking over, if that could mean anything. Either that or I'm going misty-eyed on the whole thing. No lump in my throat however, or maybe I lost it already .

[middenway]

Am I remembering wrongly that Mike has said in interviews (or at least at conventions) that Hellboy's story is in three stages (or parts) and that Hellboy in Hell is the middle part?

He has referred to everything in Hellboy up to the end of The Island as the first chapter of Hellboy's life. The Duncan Fegredo arcs are the second chapter. The third chapter began with Hellboy in Hell, but that doesn't mean it ends there. And I don't remember if he even specified that it was three chapters, but even if he did, plans can and do change.

[Kees_L]

He has referred to everything in Hellboy up to the end of The Island as the first chapter of Hellboy's life. The Duncan Fegredo arcs are the second chapter. The third chapter began with Hellboy in Hell, but that doesn't mean it ends there. And I don't remember if he even specified that it was three chapters, but even if he did, plans can and do change.

Myeah, that sounds more sensible. I think the announcement wouldn't have been made if Hellboy wouldn't actually be to finish at #10 'full stop'.

Which has me dumbfounded at how in my reading I'd have been taking foremostly Mignola's own drawn Hellboy In Hell interiors as leading for my perspective onto all titles as still running on in current continuity (so besides the flashbacks or LoJo and such). But I said that already and I'll be working that out once I can.

[Joker]

He has referred to everything in Hellboy up to the end of The Island as the first chapter of Hellboy's life. The Duncan Fegredo arcs are the second chapter. The third chapter began with Hellboy in Hell, but that doesn't mean it ends there. And I don't remember if he even specified that it was three chapters, but even if he did, plans can and do change.

As indicated by abruptly ending "in Hell" with #10.

[jackstar]

I'm pretty sure issue #10 is not meant to be the end of Hellboy comics in the current time period and that BPRD and others would carry the narrative forward only. Pretty sure the Hell storyline just came to a natural conclusion with events in the other books. I'm sure well get more post Hell stories with big red by other artists with Mike writing.