Hellboy

Hellboy
Hellboy by Mike Mignola
Publication information
Publisher	Dark Horse Comics
First appearance	Dime Press #4 (March 1993) – first Hellboy prototype appearance, cover only San Diego Comic Con Comics #2 (August 1993) – first full Hellboy appearance, black and white only Next Men #21 (December 1993) – first appearance in a regularly published title, first color appearance
Created by	Mike Mignola
In-story information
Alter ego	Anung un Rama
Species	Cambion (half-human, half-demon)
Team affiliations	B.P.R.D.
Partnerships	Abe Sapien Liz Sherman Johann Kraus
Notable aliases	World Destroyer, Great Beast, Beast of the Apocalypse, Right Hand of Doom, Son of the Fallen One, Brother Red, Big Red, Red Monkey, Big Red Man, Red, Man-Beast, Mane, One Hell of a Superhero, The Guy That's Going to Bring About the End of the World, Lonely Hero, Agent Hellboy, H.B.
Abilities	Half-demonic physiology (inherited from his father) Superhuman strength, endurance, stamina, durability, and longevity Accelerated healing Innate capability to comprehend magical languages Immunity to fire and lightning Right Hand of Doom (which serves as the key to the End of the World) Extensive knowledge of the supernatural and paranormal Expert investigator Skilled hand-to-hand combatant Decently skilled marksman Equipped with various items meant to repel supernatural threats

Hellboy is a superhero created by Mike Mignola and appearing in comic books published by Dark Horse Comics. The character first appeared in San Diego Comic-Con Comics #2 (August 1993), and has since appeared in various miniseries, one-shots and intercompany crossovers. The character has been adapted into four live-action films: Hellboy (2004) and its sequel The Golden Army (2008), a 2019 reboot film, and The Crooked Man, another reboot scheduled to release in 2024. The character also appeared in two straight-to-DVD animated films and three video games – Dogs of the Night (2000), The Science of Evil (2004) and Web of Wyrd (2023).

A well-meaning Cambion (or half-Demon) whose true name is Anung Un Rama ("and upon his brow is set a crown of flame"), Hellboy was summoned from Hell to Earth as a baby by Nazi occultists (spawning his hatred for the Third Reich). He appeared in the ruins of an old church in the Outer Hebrides in front of a team assembled by the Allied Forces; among them, Professor Trevor Bruttenholm, who formed the United States Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (B.P.R.D.). In time, Hellboy grew to be a large, muscular, red-skinned ape/monkey-like man with a tail, horns (which he files off, leaving behind circular stumps on his forehead that resemble goggles), cloven hooves, and an oversized right hand made of stone (the "Right Hand of Doom"). He has been described as smelling of dry-roasted peanuts. Although a bit gruff, he shows none of the malevolence thought to be intrinsic to classical demons and has an ironic sense of humor. This is said to be because of his upbringing under Professor Bruttenholm, who raised him as a normal boy.

Hellboy works for the B.P.R.D., an international non-governmental agency, and for himself, against dark forces including Nazis and witches, in a series of tales that have their roots in folklore, pulp magazines, vintage adventure, Lovecraftian horror and horror fiction. In earlier stories, he is identified as the "World's Greatest Paranormal Investigator".