Welcome to Mignolaversity, Multiversity Comics’ dedicated column for all things Mike Mignola. Since its December, we’re doing a series of retrospective interviews to say goodbye to 2022. In case you’ve missed any of the others, here they are:
• Discussing the Outerverse with Christopher Golden and Bridgit Connell
• Discussing “Our Encounters with Evil” with Warwick Johnson-Cadwell
• Discussing “Leonide the Vampyr” with Rachele Aragno
• Discussing “Frankenstein: New World” with Christopher Golden and Thomas Sniegoski
Today we’re talking to the man himself, Mike Mignola, about the seventeen stories he worked on this year. (And before you ask, no, we did not get to discuss the recently announced Hellboy: Web of Wyrd game as this interview was conducted before it was announced. Sorry!) As with all the other interviews, this interview contains some spoilers.
Part of the reason I like to do these retrospective interviews is because in pre-release interviews I often have to talk around the most interesting parts of the stories to avoid spoilers. I’m specifically thinking back to earlier this year when “Radio Spaceman: Mission to Numa 4” came out, and my favourite character ended up being Dr. Azee. Thankfully, we can discuss her now that our readers have finally met her. Where did this character come from? What was it that made you go, “Ah, Radio Spaceman needs a vampire space archaeologist companion!”?
Written by Mike Mignola; art by Greg Hinkle; colors by Dave Stewart; letters by Clem Robins
Mike Mignola: Dr. Azee—she did start out as just a damsel in distress. She was an archeologist because I needed somebody to know what was going on with all the carvings and the backstory of the vampire—and that was going to be her whole deal till I realized that I didn’t have enough story to fill out the second issue. That’s when I suddenly realized she was a vampire so she could duke it out with the vampire queen. Hopefully the readers didn’t see that coming because I sure didn’t see it coming. And it worked out because “Vampire Space Archeologist” is funnier than just “Space Archeologist.”
I’m hoping to return to her and Radio Spaceman before too long—whenever it works with Greg Hinkle’s schedule.
There was another unexpected favourite character that popped up in a new series—Old Sandroni from “Leonide the Vampyr.” By the end of ‘Miracle at The Crow’s Head’ I thought he was all set up to pursue Leonide like Baltimore pursued Haigus. And then ‘A Christmas for Crows’ came along and turned those expectations on their head so wonderfully. And it works precisely because you and Rachele Aragno so carefully guided our expectations. So I wonder what came to you first, the character or his tale’s end, because he almost seems reverse engineered from his ending.
Written by Mike Mignola; art by Rachele Aragno; colors by Dave Stewart; letters by Clem Robins
Mike: Yeah, I liked him. And there was a whole lot more I was planning for him to do. After the first story I got excited and plotted a longer arc of stories. I knew we were going to do at least two comics and the last few pages for the second story (‘A Christmas for Crows’) was originally going to tease the next story—but then I got nervous about where things were going. I didn’t love the stuff I’d come up with for the future comics and had no idea how people would respond to the first two issues—so I didn’t want to tease something that might not happen. Instead I chose to use those last couple pages to give him a nice ending. There is still more to do with Leonide herself and Sandroni was already dead so seeing him return in some other form (ghosts are always good) is always a possibility.
This year was the twentieth anniversary of “The Amazing Screw-on Head,” which Dark Horse celebrated by rereleasing the story in a special library edition. This also included the abandoned story “Axorr, Slayer of Demons.” In the book, you describe it as a “strange unfinished thing I really like,” and I’m happy to see it find a home here. I think there’s something fascinating about letting something go, rather than forcing it into a shape that isn’t quite right.
Continued belowMike: Yeah—poor Axorr. I really was happy with what I’d drawn, but at some point realized that it would have worked much better (at least as a humor thing) if it was much shorter. The artist part of me got carried away with that and didn’t really check in on the writer part of me till we were nineteen pages in. I wouldn’t be surprised if Axorr resurfaces again one of these days because the idea of a skeleton waking up and turning instantly into a giant so he can fight a giant monster. . . I just think that’s funny.
Mike: The Outerverse is so much Chris Golden’s thing. I am thrilled that it grew out of “Baltimore” and “Joe Golem”—so it sort of all started with me, but now it’s pretty much all Chris. I’m just excited to see how it’s growing and very happy just to sit back and watch.
Then let’s dive into the Hellboy Universe. We saw it expand into some very interesting territory this year through the spinoffs “The Sword of Hyperborea,” “Castle Full of Blackbirds,” and “The British Paranormal Society,” which explore lesser-known or entirely new characters. Yet all retain some essential qualities that make them still feel like a part of the Hellboy Universe. When these new series evolve through other writers like Rob Williams, Chris Roberson, and Angela Slatter, how do you balance your involvement so that that essential spark of your universe is still there, while also letting these writers have the freedom to explore something new?
Mike: These days I sort of feel that I’ve set up the Hellboy world, and established enough of the mythology and history—now others can come in and play with what’s there and find ways to build on it. In some cases (like “Castle Full of Blackbirds”) I had an idea where something might go. But I’m also happy to have writers come to me (like Chris and Rob) with ideas of their own. I love bouncing ideas around with all these guys but more and more I like just sitting back and watching where things go.
Mike: Chris Golden and Tom are friends and have worked together for years so I know they bounce ideas back and forth—but I think I’m still the middle-man between the other writers. And I think I’m still the one guy who knows all the magic invisible strings that hold all this mess together.
“Koshchei in Hell” and “Frankenstein: New World” both take place beyond the end of the world in “B.P.R.D.: The Devil You Know,” and both explore the transformations that have occurred. Hell is no longer a place of damnation, but a place where one may find peace or even salvation. And the New World populated with Abe Sapien’s descendants is not the horror we were presented with all the way back in “Hellboy: Conqueror Worm.” You found a way to make the end of the world into something beautiful. But clearly you’re not done just quite yet. What excites you about exploring this New World and transformed Hell?
Mike: I just can’t seem to leave this world alone. Even when I say “Well now, that’s done,” a second later that little voice in the back of my head says, “Yeah, but what if. . .” and then we’re off and running again. I’ll have a whole lot more to say about Hell and where it’s going before too long. I’ve got a bunch of pages sitting in a drawer here that I just can’t talk about yet.
Continued belowI know you can’t talk about anything upcoming at the moment (though I’d sure love to see those pages), so instead I’m curious about anything this year that may have caught you by surprise in any of your work. Did a character or plotline take a turn you weren’t expecting or did something come together in a particularly satisfying way?
Mike: Both “Leonide the Vampyr” and “Radio Spaceman” were surprises in that they happened so fast—especially “Leonide.” I responded almost instantly to Rachele’s little vampire drawings. I think it was only a matter of a few minutes from the time Rachele asked if I’d write something to me having the first story. And then maybe an hour or so before I had the second story. That was something.
And “Radio Spaceman” was never going to be a comic at all—it was just a couple drawings and a funny name. Then one day I thought of an old man in a room full of robots (or zombies or whatever they are) sitting at computer keyboards, and the old man says, “Power up, radio’s on, launch,” and I knew it had to be a comic. I just loved that moment so much. Sometimes it’s like that. And, of course, there is still the ongoing surprise that I get away with all this stuff, that this world (or rather now these WORLDS) just continue to grow. Everything has just grown so far beyond anything I ever could have imagined way back when this all started. I’m constantly surprised at what I get away with and I know how lucky I am.
Mike Mignola is currently raising money for World Central Kitchen by auctioning original art. The current batch of sketches up for bidding are all vampires, though if you check in every three or four days, there will be new pieces.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this series of retrospective interviews. Before we wrap up for the year, here’s a look at Ben Stenbeck’s cover for “Koshchei in Hell” #4 coming in April. Happy holidays!
KOSHCHEI IN HELL #4 (of 4)
Written by Mike Mignola
Illustrated by Ben Stenbeck
Colored by Dave Stewart
Lettered by Clem RobinsOn sale April 5, 2023
Full color, 32 pages
$3.99
MiniseriesKoshchei’s sojourn through Hell intensifies! After being betrayed by Hell’s last demon, an exhausted Koshchei is ready to give up. . . But someone from his distant past appears to help him answer for his crimes and, in doing so, prepare him for his next phase of existence.
