After taking readers on an epic journey by means of the historical past of Mike Mignola’s Hellboy universe in The Sword of Hyperborea, author Rob Williams has reteamed with Mignola, artist Laurence Campbell, and letterer Clem Robins (with coloring by Lee Loughridge) to inform a haunting seaside story in Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: The Ghost Ships of Labrador #1.
That includes Hellboy and Abe Sapien investigating the disappearance of a B.P.R.D. agent (and her trusty canine) and the sudden look of supernatural sailors within the coastal neighborhood of Crimson Bay, Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: The Ghost Ships of Labrador #1 is now out there from Darkish Horse Comics, and we caught up with Rob Williams to debate the frightful enjoyable awaiting readers within the two-part standalone Hellboy story!
You may learn our full Q&A with Rob beneath, and we additionally take a look on the eerie cowl artwork and paranormal preview pages from Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: The Ghost Ships of Labrador #1.
For all the most recent on Hellboy comedian books, together with all the opposite nice new releases from Darkish Horse Comics, go to them at: www.darkhorse.com
Thanks for taking the time to reply questions for us, Rob, and congratulations on Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: The Ghost Ships of Labrador #1! How did you become involved with co-writing this story with Mike Mignola (whom you additionally labored with on The Sword of Hyperborea)? Was this an concept that had been swimming below the floor for some time?
Rob Williams: Thanks. Engaged on The Sword of Hyperborea with Mike and Laurence was an actual deal with. I’d been studying the Hellboy and B.P.R.D. books for years, so to get to contribute a bit in that universe was large enjoyable and we ended up with a e-book I feel Laurence and I had been actually proud of. Off the again of that, Laurence and I pitched a Hellboy two-parter, which was Ghost Ships of Labrador. Then Laurence went off to do his Eisner-winning The One Hand for Picture. So this one took a short while to come back round. However whereas Sword of Hyperborea was a part of Hellboy’s world, that is Hellboy (and Abe Sapien). So, yeah, this can be a actual thrill for us.
How do you and Mike Mignola creatively collaborate on a narrative? Is there numerous communication forwards and backwards as you write out the scenes?
Rob Williams: Contemplating Mike’s historical past within the trade and with the Hellboy world, he’s extremely beneficiant letting us play inside sure confines. On the primary subject of Sword of Hyperborea, Mike stated he had a plot in thoughts for Gall Dennar, after which it was as much as me to place flesh on these bones. For essentially the most half it’s a case of my operating issues previous the Hellboy editorial group, with Mike clearly having the ultimate say on sure/no. I’ve learn numerous Hellboy and B.P.R.D. comics over time. I hope I’ve the tone down, the voices, and many others. That helps an important deal. You’re very conscious of the standard of the work that’s gone earlier than on this world. It’s important to convey your A sport.
Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: The Ghost Ships of Labrador is a two-part story that includes Hellboy and Abe Sapien (in addition to B.P.R.D. discipline agent Agatha Blunt and her trusty canine Elba) on the case and able to rumble with no matter supernatural forces come their method. How a lot enjoyable was it so that you can play within the sandbox of Mignola’s Hellboy universe on this standalone story?
Rob Williams: Enormously so. Someplace alongside the road I examine how historical ghost ships are generally seen off the coast of Labrador, Newfoundland. These are the seas the place Basque whaling ships would come throughout the Atlantic looking for revenue. So: numerous blood in these waters. We’re telling the story of how sooner or later a number of of these ghost ships pull into harbour in a small city and take the place over, forcing the residents out. Initially the B.P.R.D. sends in an agent—Agatha Blunt and her loyal canine Elba. However when Agatha and Elba don’t return, Hellboy and Abe Sapien arrive to unravel the thriller. Why are the ghosts doing one thing that ghosts often don’t do? Invading…
Your prose pairs splendidly with the ghostly, foreboding illustrations by Laurence Campbell, skilled coloring by Lee Loughridge, and spot-on lettering by Clem Robins. What was it prefer to collaborate with Laurence, Lee, and Clem to convey this phantasmal story to life?
Rob Williams: As you’d count on from the Mignolaverse, the creatives on present are among the greatest in comics. Lee’s colored Laurence earlier than on a few my scripts: Previous Haunts from AWA and even going again to a Punisher Max we did collectively a decade or extra again. They work nice collectively. And Clem’s been one of many most interesting letterers in comics endlessly. He lettered Unfollow, a e-book I did for Vertigo. Laurence and I’ve labored collectively numerous instances over time. He is so good at temper and tone and bringing the spooky to life. However greater than something he is only a good storyteller.
The haunted coastal city of Crimson Bay jogs my memory of the doomed seaside neighborhood of Antonio Bay in John Carpenter’s The Fog. Did the atmospheric setting of that movie (or some other films or tales) affect you when you had been writing The Ghost Ships of Labrador?
Rob Williams: I suppose you possibly can’t go to haunted coastal cities on the higher East Coast with out bumping into Stephen King ideas in some unspecified time in the future or one other. The Fog, to a level. However whereas it feels like an odd touchstone I suppose one thing like Native Hero too – one among my favorite movies. There’s one thing about tales of small coastal cities a good distance from anyplace.. Extra shipwrecks than individuals, as our script says. There’s a level of Moby Dick in there too, as you’ll see.
The stunning conclusion to the primary subject already has me eagerly awaiting the second subject of Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: The Ghost Ships of Labrador, which is slated to hang-out cabinets in January. What are you able to tease in regards to the ghostly horrors that await readers within the second half of this scary seaside story?
Rob Williams: No spoilers right here, sir! However there’s a twist on the finish of subject one which exhibits the story Hellboy and Abe are investigating isn’t all that it initially appears. After which subject two turns into an odd, eerie rescue mission, of types. One that might see Hellboy imprisoned for eternity if he can’t be freed. There’s a spectacular Double Web page Unfold in #2 from Laurence and Lee which is well worth the admission worth alone.
Along with Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: The Ghost Ships of Labrador #1 now setting sail from Darkish Horse Comics, what different initiatives do you’ve got arising that you just’re excited for readers to expertise?
Rob Williams: I’ve just lately been writing a horror Choose Dredd story for 2000 AD referred to as And To the Sea Return that additionally has an aquatic bent, funnily sufficient. Clearly there was one thing within the water after I was arising with each tales. That’s going to be collected in a GN subsequent 12 months from Insurrection and accommodates unbelievable artwork by Henry Flint. One other of my latest Choose Dredd collections Rend and Tear with Tooth & Claw is out in February, I feel. That collects two longform tales I did with Scalped’s R.M. Guéra and is a really stunning e-book. And a film I wrote the screenplay for, Recreation, is out in UK cinemas in November. It’s from Invada Movies and is a folks horror-tinged thriller set towards the backdrop of the rave scene within the early ’90s. We’re at present doing a screening Q&A tour round UK movie festivals with it and it’s happening nice.
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Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: The Ghost Ships of Labrador #1: A city overrun by ghosts can be sufficient of an issue, however Hellboy has a good greater drawback on his arms when a fellow B.P.R.D. agent disappears amongst the paranormal chaos.
• Rob Williams and Laurence Campbell return to the Hellboy universe!
• First of a two-part standalone Hellboy story.
Creators
Writers: Mike Mignola, Rob Williams
Artist: Laurence Campbell
Colorist: Lee Loughridge
Cowl Artist: Laurence Campbell
Variant Cowl Artist: Matt Smith
Style: Horror, Fantasy, Occult & Supernatural
Publication Date: November 12, 2025
Format: FC, 32 pages; Miniseries
Value: $4.99
Age vary: 16+
Cowl by Laurence Campbell with Lee Loughridge:
Variant Cowl by Matt Smith:
