Hellboy Animated: Blood & Iron
Comic book creator Mike Mignola's superb characters and situations translated well in a live action adaptation a few years ago and they also have done well in animation with this second production.
If you've not heard about "Hellboy," the concept is very good: a professor who specializes in the paranormal is able to rescue and adopt a baby demon whom the Nazis were planning to use to win World War II. Instead of being a force for evil, Hellboy, as he is called, works for the United States government battling supernatural threats to us.
In this production Hellboy and company wind up investigating a haunted house bought by a Trump-like developer and find out there is much more to it than just a publicity stunt. Hellboy is once again asked to live out his "true" role as a demon and his answer of "no" sets up a tremendous battle.
What I like about these animated productions is the fact that Mignola is actively involved in them. They clearly have his fingerprints on them. The animation directors and designers have found a way to bring much of Mignola's artistic sensibilities to the look of the films as well. This is important, as Mignola is one of the great stylists of today's comic book artists.
The vocal performances from the cast of the live action film Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, and John Hurt also add to these productions a great deal.
The DVD features a lot of extras including an animated Hellboy short subject, several making of features and a mini-Hellboy comic.
This is great stuff.
For more information,
log onto www.anchorbay
entertainment.com.
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