| "Hellboy II: The Golden Army" is due out | | | | sanctuary after their plane crashed into |
| July 2008, a full 7 months from now. | | | | the ocean. |
| What's a fan to do while waiting for | | | | Slaying dragons, fighting mystical |
| Guillermo Del Toro's sequel to his first | | | | demons and becoming pawns in a centuries |
| movie about the nether region's favorite | | | | old love affair are the overlying themes |
| son with a human heart. | | | | of Hellboy Sword of Stones. The demon |
| Luckily, Del Toro collaborated with Mike | | | | world is inhabited by fantastic lores of |
| Mignola (creator of Hellboy comics), IDT | | | | Japanese myths. The movie creators |
| Entertainment and others on two animated | | | | could probably have spent most of the |
| films, "Hellboy Sword of Storms" (2006) | | | | storyline within this world and would |
| and "Hellboy Blood & Iron" (2007). | | | | have made a memorable film. |
| Unless you're a reader of Mignola's | | | | Their decision to separate Hellboy from |
| Hellboy comics, these two films are | | | | Abe and Liz tho' is workable. For the |
| worth buying or renting to delve into | | | | non-comic book readers, this is the |
| the world as protected by Hellboy, Liz | | | | first time we get a feel of Liz's |
| Sherman, Abe Sapien, and the rest of | | | | awesome power as a pyro as she was |
| BPRD (Bureau of Paranormal Research | | | | forced to confront the dragon on the |
| Department), a top secret agency created | | | | island. We also get a macho-er Abe |
| by the US government to "bump back" | | | | Sapien. In the cartoons, Abe is a |
| against things that bump in the night. | | | | frontline fighter, not simply a scout, |
| The two films take on very different | | | | though he ends up getting beat up quite |
| tones, one of the fantastic, the other | | | | a bit. Not the Abe Sapien I remember in |
| of the gothic. The DVDs contain extras | | | | Hellboy the movie. |
| where the creators discussed the making | | | | Hellboy Blood & Iron |
| the films and the decision-making behind | | | | In "Blood & Iron", Hellboy and the BPRD |
| any deviation from the comic books. | | | | were assigned to investigate a haunted |
| Hellboy Sword of Stones | | | | house which was recently purchased by an |
| In "Sword of Stones", Hellboy was | | | | entrepreneuring mogul who planned to use |
| investigating an assignment in Japan | | | | the house for a ghost-chasing TV reality |
| when he magically transported to a demon | | | | show. It so turned out that the mogul |
| world of Japanese mythos as he touched | | | | had imported a set of artifacts from a |
| an artifact, the Sword of Stones. This | | | | legendary Hungarian countess known to be |
| sword was used to banish the demon | | | | a vampire in her days but thought to |
| brothers, Thunder and Lightning, who | | | | have been vanquished by a young |
| were trying to make a comeback in order | | | | Professor Broom, one of BPRD's ranking |
| to wake up sleeping dragons to help them | | | | officials and Hellboy's boss. |
| conquer the world. But before they | | | | True to many vampire films, "Blood & |
| could do so, the Sword of Stones must | | | | Iron" took us through an intricate |
| be broken to set them free. | | | | gothic story of vengeance and obsession. |
| Practically dumbfounded by the | | | | There were loose strings between the |
| teleportation, Hellboy, at the advice of | | | | countess, her servant who was a former |
| the first creature he met - a mysterious | | | | village priest, and Professor Broom. |
| talking fox, travelled eastward as he | | | | In an artistic decision to weave the |
| attempted his way back home. He | | | | backdrop between the countess and |
| encountered and fought fascinating | | | | Professor Broom with the events at |
| creatures such as a group of flying head | | | | BPRD's mission, the creators chose to |
| demons, a harp-playing spider queen, a | | | | show a series of flashbacks as Hellboy |
| toad demon, and other ghouls. | | | | and his crew began their investigation. |
| Meanwhile, back on earth, Abe Sapien and | | | | As expected, Professor Broom confronted |
| Liz Sherman contended with the | | | | the countess, but not before the |
| precursors to the coming of the demon | | | | countess was able to send Hellboy to her |
| brothers. Some of the dragons already | | | | goddess, Hecates. It was Hecates who |
| began stirring and nearby countrysides | | | | transformed the countess into a vampire |
| were terrorized. Abe's and Liz's | | | | and she wanted Hellboy to join her or |
| airplane was downed by a lightning bolt | | | | kill him if he refused. Of course, |
| as they flew to Japan in order to | | | | Hellboy refused and as he made his way |
| investigate Hellboy's sudden | | | | back to the mansion, Hecates chased him |
| disappearance. They fought one of the | | | | for a final, bonecrushing showdown. |
| dragons in an island where they took | | | | |