By JV Tanjuatco
Oh boy, all hell is breaking loose yet again with the movie reboot of Hellboy (coming out this April 11!). Original director Guillermo del Toro and actor Ron Perlman may be gone but this new R-rated version is in the hands of talent who have experience with the fantasy/horror genre. It stars David Harbour (Stranger Things) as the titular character and is directed by Neil Marshall (Game of Thrones) with creator Mike Mignola executive producing. Hellboy has a cult following yet his fans have always been intensely dedicated. What is it about these supernatural monsters that attract readers? Let’s delve into what draws people to HB and a few other monstrous heroes.
Hellboy
He’s considered Mankind’s first line of defense against the forces of darkness – use a monster to defeat a monster but for HB, it’s just another day on the job. Despite all the horror trappings, it’s Hellboy’s blue-collar irreverent mentality that readers find amusing. He’s a working stiff who ends the end of the world on a regular basis and sees the absurdity in the monsters he faces despite being a monster himself. In addition to that, Mike Mignola’s thick black abstract style really sets the midnight mood.
Swamp Thing
DC’s muck monster became popular under critically acclaimed writer Alan Moore in the 80s. Since then many excellent writers such as Grant Morrison, Mark Millar, Scott Snyder and Tom King have been able to use Swampy for some dark and horrific stories (most of them involving gruesome body horror). Which is ironic, considering that Swamp Thing is a benevolent character that is a guardian for all of nature in the DC Universe. It’s probably because he’s got a nasty temper and shows no mercy to those he considers a threat. What he does to his enemies is pure horror.
Ghost Rider
It’s all in there in the design. He looks incredibly badass! With his blazing skull, leather outfit, and fiery blazing motorbike, you can practically hear the heavy metal music! His weapons are just as cool as well – mystical burning chain that can become throwing stars, hellfire, and Penance Stare that makes sinners feel the pain they’ve inflicted on others. His best stories have an edgy Grindhouse feel to them where he struggles to become a weapon of mass destruction of Hell. He’s arguably Marvel’s most popular supernatural hero (though Blade might argue with that).
Spawn
At the height of his popularity, comic book writer/artist Todd McFarlane jumped ship from Marvel and went indie with Spawn. Like Ghost Rider, Spawn is a former human turned demon that rebels against the Devil. His costume is a mishmash of Spider-Man, Batman, Venom, and Ghost Rider but McFarlane’s fans ate it all up just the same. During the 90s, Spawn was a huge top ten bestseller thanks to McFarlane’s cartoony yet highly detailed storytelling. Fans also enjoyed the way McFarlane drew all of Spawn’s enemies – all exaggerated body proportions and filled with energy.
The Demon
He’s the granddaddy of all Satanic superheroes (the backstory of Ghost Rider, Hellboy and Spawn owe a huge debt to this Jack Kirby creation). Jason Blood is merged with a demon named Etrigan who struggles to break curse. At the same time, he uses the demon to fight evil. The Demon isn’t exactly malevolent himself because Blood has some influence over him. He’s more like someone who enjoys anarchy and loves to spread it around. The struggle of where the man begins and the demon ends has always been the most intriguing part of the character.
Blade
The half-man/half-vampire hunter was an obscure Marvel hero from the 70s who fought Dracula. It was only when the character got his own movies that he got his due. The character was updated for the 90s – decked out in black leather and his weapons were upgraded from simple swords and wooden stakes. The first Blade movie predated the whole black leather and guns trend that The Matrix started. This all led to a greater interest in the character in the comics. As of right now, Blade is now full-fledged member of the Avengers! Will this lead to the character making an appearance in a future Avengers film? Anything is possible after the Infinity Saga ends!
The Spectre
He’s the Ghost Rider of the DC Universe. He serves as their Spirit of Vengeance and has god-like powers. Readers get a visceral thrill from seeing him exact horrific justice on murderous criminals. His brand of justice is basically “letting the punishment fit the crime” and it’s completely terrifying. In one chilling story, an evil mannequin maker animates mannequins to kill people, the Spectre turns him into a living mannequin who is unable to move and is burnt to death by unassuming garbage men. Disturbing stuff.
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