Broken Frontier

Following hot on the heels of news that Hellboy creator Mike Mignola will be making an exclusive UK weekend long appearance at The Birmingham International Comics Show (BICS 2007) comes confirmation that Duncan Fegredo, the artist on Hellboy: Darkness Calls, will also be attending the much anticipated event on October 13-14th.
 
Leicester born Fegredo recently commented on his delight at both illustrating Hellboy: Darkness Calls and his own return to Birmingham for BICS 2007.
 
“It's a good time to be a Hellboy fan - Mike Mignola is shepherding an array of new Hellboy related titles onto comic book shelves across the land, including the long awaited Hellboy: Darkness Calls. The BICS is your only chance in the UK to meet both its creator and artist together!
 
“Okay, I appear at the UK cons regularly, but it has been many years since Mike has made an appearance on these shores. Who knows when he will do so again?  Anyway, the last show was fun with a great variety of writers and artists both mainstream and independent, this year is shaping up to be even better... Do you want to miss out?”
 
If the advance interest fans are showing is any indication, then missing out is on no one’s agenda!
 
Fegredo also spoke enthusiastically of his creative relationship with Hellboy’s creator.
 
“As both a fan of Mike's work and a professional artist I couldn't be happier. I hesitate to gush overly as it'd embarrass Mike! I get to play in Hellboy's rich and textured world and even to expand it to areas we haven't visited yet, meet old friends and enemies, and make new ones too. As a fan that's exciting, as a pro it's enriching.
 
“Whilst Mike has a very definite idea of his creation and how he wishes the tale to be told he is open to anything I can bring to it, which is great. What is even better is that should Mike want something handling differently he only has to ask and I'll do my utmost to achieve his vision. These aren't abstract editorial changes that have no real bearing on events but actual meaningful changes that affect the emotion and atmosphere of the way the story is told.
 
“I really feel my work is evolving on Hellboy and that is incredibly satisfying. I think it's down to the deceptively simple manifesto of ‘living up to Hellboy’, I want Mike to be happy with the book. I figure if Mike is happy then the fans will be happy, and with the reaction to the first issue it seems that they are... And they haven't seen anything yet!”
 
Fans of Duncan Fegredo can also purchase at least two more titles featuring the artist in time to have him sign them at BICS 2007 this October.
 
“Apart from Darkness Calls there is the imminent release of Intersections, my arty book with Sean Phillips. You can order it from Amazon. If that whets your whistle for more you could do worse than to check out my book Stuff, literally stuffed full of drawings culled from years of sketchbooks. You can see a sampling at my website, or if you are the impulsive sort buy, buy, buy!”
 
Amusingly, the artist has no need to go for the hard sell, as he happily let slip, and thus announced, his own plans for the foreseeable future.
 
 “I can't imagine I'll be revealing new projects at the BICS as I aim to be working with Mike on Hellboy for three more series. I think that'll keep me going for some time yet.”
 
Along with scheduled signings and hosted talk events BICS 2007 is looking into screening the Hellboy live-action and animation films. As always there will be quizzes and fancy dress competitions, prize give-aways and surprises galore.
 
Hellboy at BICS 2007 will appeal to comic book fans, movie buffs, horror aficionados, and followers of fantasy. What is more, thanks to its silver screen success, Hellboy is well known to the mainstream public and just as superbly accessible to the bloke on the street!