Hellboy Universe newcomer Tiernen Trevallion makes his debut next week with not one but two stories in “Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: Her Fatal Hour and The Sending,” written by Mike Mignola. He was kind enough to answer a few questions about how he came to work on the stories and how they developed.
There are some mild spoilers to follow, so if you’re sensitive to that sort of thing, maybe hold off on reading this one till after you’ve picked up the issue.
Her Fatal Hour and The Sending”
Cover by Mike Mignola
with Dave Stewart
Tiernen Trevallion: I’m pretty certain Mike [Mignola] wasn’t aware of my work until I gently prodded him on Facebook. We messaged occasionally, as he was interested in some of the work I was posting, and at some point last year he asked if I’d like to do a Hellboy comic.
‘Her Fatal Hour’ and ‘The Sending’ both feel like stories made for readers with an established appreciation of “Hellboy.” While reading them, I couldn’t help thinking that a Hellboy fan would love to draw these, so obviously I have to ask, are you a Hellboy fan? What’s your history with the character?
TT: I am indeed a Hellboy / Mike Mignola fan. I’m not certain of when I first became aware of the character, but the first book I bought was “Hellboy: The Chained Coffin and Others.” Mike’s work is partly responsible for my continuing to pursue comics work, and while my work doesn’t exactly emulate his style, I’ve always attempted to create a similar atmosphere. Like with all great artists, there is an apparent effortless language to Mike’s storytelling, which is only achieved by years of honing those skills. One day I might start to get it right!
‘Her Fatal Hour’ has so much fun stuff in it―puppets in a Hellboy story is always a good sign, and a transforming monster is always welcome too, but you got to draw Hellboy fighting while wearing a bathrobe! How did this bizarre detail happen? Did it come from Mike Mignola or you?
TT: YES! I don’t know where that came from, I’d like to think Mike put that in there for me, as it suits my irreverent sense of humor. But we didn’t really discuss much before the script was done, so that’s on Mike. I really wanted to have that on the cover, but Mike wanted us to hold off for a big reveal in the story. . . I had the palette picked out for Hellboy’s floral ladies’ kimono/bathrobe, and swinging an axe. . . BOOM!
‘The Sending’ sees the return of Harry Middleton, who readers will know from “Hellboy: Darkness Calls” and from Hellboy’s time in the U.K. in “Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: 1953,” a trip Hellboy would later consider among the happiest experiences of his life. Middleton isn’t just another B.P.R.D. agent, he’s someone Hellboy cares about and has learnt a lot from. How did you approach drawing this relationship dynamic?
TT: I have to confess that until this story, I wasn’t that familiar with the character. Though I have a packed shelf of Hellboy and Mignola books, there are, I’m sad to say, some gaps. The relationship does come off the pages of a script, and of course I caught up with some of the story. I enjoyed drawing Harry, and I hope I did the character justice.
I got to read a digital preview of these stories, and I couldn’t help but notice this comic has more pages than the average “Hellboy” comic. Was it the plan from the beginning that this would be an extra-long issue, or was it something that grew in the telling?
TT: That’s true. In fact, the original contract stated a shorter book. I’ve no idea how or why that came about, I guess it’s what Mike decided he wanted in order to tell the stories.
Continued belowFor you, what was the highlight of drawing these stories?
TT: Without wishing to sound too sycophantic, all of it. Being asked by the creator of one of my favorite comic book characters to be part of that world, to have my work colored by the mighty Dave Stewart, to draw Hellboy in a ladies’ dressing gown whamming the heck out of a demon in a little cottage in France.
And your cover for “Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: Her Fatal Hour and The Sending” is also available as an 17 x 11.5 inch print, right?
TT: I’m selling a limited run of prints of the cover. These are high quality Giclée art prints, signed and numbered, and each comes with an A5 sketch.
If you’re interested in a print, please contact Tiernen Trevallion via direct message on his Facebook page or email him at tiernen@tiernentrevallion.co.uk
Look for “Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: Her Fatal Hour and The Sending” in comic shops Wednesday next week (December 2).
Written by Mike Mignola
Illustrated by Tiernen Trevallion
Colored by Dave Stewart
Lettered by Clem RobinsGone, but not forgotten!
Years after Hellboy’s ill-fated tangle with the Beast of Vargu, the Romani women who helped him need that debt repaid. Claimed by a demon in a romance gone wrong, the younger woman reaches out to Hellboy through the power of a familiar old puppet, and a supernatural confrontation full of magic and mayhem ensures! In a second short story, Hellboy goes head to head with a phantom who is looking for an object completely unknown to the living people the ghost is terrorizing.
Master of horror Mike Mignola is joined by artist extraordinaire Tiernen Trevallion and award-winning colorist Dave Stewart to bring you the follow-up to smash Hellboy hit “The Beast of Vargu.”
