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lowcountry-gothic · 1 year

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Yokai: The Art of Shigeru Mizuki. Published 10/31/2023 by Drawn & Quarterly.

Shigeru Mizuki is no stranger to the supernatural and its portents. Kitaro and Tono Monogatari reimagined the obscure folktales of his youth, bringing them to life with whimsy. Mizuki the cartoonist certainly left an indelible mark on comics as world literature. Mizuki the fine artist, on the other hand, rounds out the full scope of his fascination with the otherworldly and fantastic, bringing these worlds to life in robust color.

Yokai: The Art of Shigeru Mizuki showcases his expertise of not only folklore, but celebrates him as a naturalist. Elements of Mizuki’s lush compositions—flora, fauna, and everything in between—showcase his mastery of form and love for nature. These popular renderings of a disappearing, rural Japan are his contribution to the preservation of a cultural heritage that would have otherwise been forgotten. The grotesque realism central to his body of work is offset by the ingenuity of his fancy for the macabre. Pieces in this deluxe, full-color edition call to mind the playful pop-sensibility of Maurice Sendak informed by the technical prowess of traditionalists like Dürer and Doré. And like any other Mizuki classic, each oeuvre is a unique snapshot of spirit, human or otherwise, in constant transition.

Yokai: The Art of Shigeru Mizuki includes supplementary writing by acclaimed Mizuki scholar and translator Zack Davisson.

#art #shigeru mizuki #folklore #japan #yokai #akaname #ichimoku-nyudo #ogome #tsurara-onna #hoyau-kamui #ho-onade #tenome #amabie #garappa #kappa #seko #shudan-borei #shirime

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theimpossiblescheme · 1 year

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You’ve met the multitalented Rocketta and her pixie protégé Mab... now time to meet more of Dominique’s Travelling Circus’s Jellicle performers (just in time for their spotlight for @bombawife‘s OC week)!

Madrigal used to be a milliner’s cat, and she’ll tell anyone who will listen. Her wealthy human and his wife made hats for some of the finest ladies and the finest occasions in the country, and she had a front row seat to all of it, perched on the windowsill as he worked or on the clerk’s desk as his colorful customers shopped. Unfortunately, after the milliner’s untimely death, Madrigal found herself in need of a new home after his wife became too distracted with grief to take care of her. That’s when one of the human dancers of Dominique’s swooped in, picking up the slack to take care of her and becoming her new favorite human... even inspiring her to begin a new life as a circus dancer herself.

Luneris is the circus’s official diving cat... or at least, that’s what she fancies herself. As a queen who’s always loved the water, she formed a curiously close bond with the seals, dolphins, and sea birds of various zoos before even finding Dominique’s in her wanderings. And despite her proud and sometimes self-serious nature, she’s a strict believer in folklore and fairy tales; if she had it her way, she would become the world’s first “mer-cat”. With such talent and dedication to her odd passion and such a combination of wild whimsy and stern practicality, no one in the world would dare to tell her she’s wrong.

Aubergine knew she was destined for a life onstage somehow and took the initiative when she smuggled herself inside one of the stagehands’ suitcases. Unable to turn her back out onto the street, they gave her a new home alongside the circus’s troupe of feline clowns--Bonzo, Buttons, Barnaby, and Beans--who were always looking for anyone willing to take a pie to the face. With her incredible flexibility and comic timing, as well as her ability to sneak in and out of the iceboxes without getting caught, she proved an eager and endlessly energetic ray of light both in and out of the ring.

Tumbletrix--or simply Trixie--is Spike and Carbucketty’s baby sister, forever full of mischief, energy, and the desire to experience as much as she can. Her arrival at the circus came quite by accident--after hitching a ride on an outgoing boxcar, she found herself in a strange city surrounded by strange cats. Missing her family very much, she stayed with Rocketta for a while and found herself quickly enmeshed in life at Dominique’s with the other cats... and enjoying herself more than she ever thought. By the time her family found her, Trixie had come to think of the circus as a second home, surrounding herself with new dear friends and even making a name for herself there as an acrobat. Now, she splits her time evenly between her two families, dancing at the Jellicle Ball and cartwheeling over an adoring audience with equal joy.

#The first three are loosely based on chorus Tecklenburg cats and the last is on Jo Lucy Rackham's turn covering Carbucketty in the Asia tour #so I'm double-dipping a bit into tomorrow's theme but what the hell. XD #cats the musical #cats oc week #cats tecklenburg #chorus cats #swing cats #character aesthetics #my aesthetics

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homestuckexamination · 2 years

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I like "Clockwork" for Time. That sounds neat and rolls off the tongue. I can't think of anything fancy for the Hope bubble Jake was doing. OverJoyed maybe???? I'm trying to think of terms from the comic that would help spring off of. Tally-Ho is also viable just out of sheer whimsy. 😛

I mean, "Hope Bubbled" may just be it honestly. X3

#HSE #Fanon #Time #Hope #ask #Aspect

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remembering-the-future · 6 months

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October 16 2023 at 06:59PM

Title: Unveiling the Hilariously Misguided Prophecy of a Historical Discovery Greetings, fellow history enthusiasts! Today, we embark on a journey through time to explore a prophecy that foretold a groundbreaking historical discovery. Brace yourselves, for this tale is filled with hilariously inaccurate predictions and a touch of whimsy. Join me as we delve into the depths of this comically misguided prophecy! Our story begins with an eccentric seer, who, despite their questionable track record, had gained a reputation for making outlandish predictions. This time, they claimed to have foreseen an extraordinary archaeological find that would rewrite the history books. Little did they know that their prophecy would be a delightful blend of imagination and sheer inaccuracy. According to the seer's prophecy, a team of intrepid archaeologists would stumble upon an ancient civilization known as the "Giggletons." Yes, you read that correctly, the Giggletons! This civilization, as described by the seer, was said to have thrived in a land far, far away, known as "Lollipopia." Apparently, the Giggletons were a race of beings with rainbow-colored hair, who communicated through a series of contagious giggles. The prophecy further claimed that the Giggletons were the inventors of the world's first-ever "Tickle Machine." This contraption, according to the seer, was capable of inducing uncontrollable laughter in anyone who dared to step inside. It was believed that the Giggletons used this device as a form of entertainment and even as a means of resolving conflicts. Can you imagine tickle-induced diplomacy? Furthermore, the prophecy suggested that the Giggletons possessed a secret treasure, which they guarded with great fervor. This treasure, the seer claimed, was a collection of magical rubber chickens that could grant wishes. Yes, you heard that right, magical rubber chickens! It was believed that these whimsical fowl possessed the power to make dreams come true, as long as you squeezed them in just the right way. Alas, as time went on, the prophecy proved to be nothing more than a whimsical flight of fancy. No evidence of the Giggletons, Lollipopia, or their legendary Tickle Machine has ever been found. The magical rubber chickens, it seems, remain confined to the realm of children's imaginations. While the prophecy may have missed the mark by a wide margin, it serves as a reminder that even in the realm of history, a touch of humor and whimsy can find its way into our imaginations. So, let us cherish the power of laughter, even if it doesn't come from ancient civilizations or magical rubber chickens. And there you have it, dear readers, the tale of a hilariously misguided prophecy that promised a historical discovery filled with laughter and whimsy. Remember, history is not always as serious as it seems, and sometimes the most entertaining stories are the ones that never actually happened. Until next time, keep exploring, keep laughing, and keep imagining the unimaginable!

#Remember

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pathsofoak · 1 year

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I was looking for a fancy synonym of "impulsive choice" on OneLook Thesaurus and I just screenshotted the whole page because I couldn't pick which ones are the most ridiculous:

ID in alt text but all one-hundred words are under the cut as well

I did not find what I was looking for.

1. whim 2. whimsey 3. whim-wham 4. whimsy 5. whimsicality 6. whimsiness 7. figary 8. flam 9. crincum-crancum 10. whimling 11. Dizard 12. rumgumption 13. zany 14. flippancy 15. meeja 16. cutup 17. jobby jabber 18. witwanton 19. gelotology 20. levity 21. dizzard 22. diarrhea of the mouth 23. farcicalness 24. gewgaw 25. Hooray Henry 26. clowning 27. franion 28. Billy Barlow 29. myn 30. ribble-rabble 31. earbasher 32. gimcrack 33. roister-doister 34. toyer 35. wacky 36. silly 37. jabbernowl 38. sauciness 39. funster 40. flippantness 41. clownage 42. risibleness 43. wagster 44. jackpudding 45. clownery 46. full-mouth 47. gobbledegook 48. waggery 49. Jack Pudding 50. menz 51. bourd 52. gelotologist 53. balductum 54. jibber jabber 55. funny man 56. class clown 57. blatherskite 58. ridiculosity 59. Jabbers 60. ludicrosity 61. zanyism 62. puck 63. dry humour 64. blatteroon 65. wit-cracker 66. jibbering 67. babble-word 68. blah 69. gallows humour 70. humourist 71. edubabble 72. jibberish 73. humorousness 74. twaddle 75. galimatias 76. bourder 77. modest proposal 78. quippishness 79. balderdash 80. droller 81. Black Humour 82. drollist 83. droll 84. blooter 85. Crimble 86. joculator 87. comicalness 88. bigheadedness 89. gobbledygook 90. bunkum 91. humorsomeness 92. Merry Andrew 93. fandangle 94. balatron 95. blathering 96. buffoonism 97. big-headedness 98. blatter 99. jabberment 100. wiseass

#writing

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weirdozjunkary · 3 years

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Can.... can he actually do that?

@a-rae-of-sunshine

#art #fanart #doodle #whimsy the faerie #fancy the shop keeper #comic #shitpost #oc #honestly fancy you should’ve know the loophole

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alatismeni-theitsa · 3 years

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anti LO anon opinions

(1) also any tension of minthe's death is undercut by how simple/cartoony the art is cause "why are you running?' would be so scary if the art was drawn like a real terrifying moment, but because its so simple everyone just thought of the old vine, which made a serious moment of a major character's DEATH be boiled down to a stupid joke. it miss the beat on every turn.

(2) why ppl always make Aphrodite huge tits when that was not a thing in Ancient Greece? No single statue or depiction of Aphrodite has bodies like that and ir was not desired by the Ancients. Just sayin

(3) On webtoons twitter there was a poll which webtoon family describes you and ypur siblings and most votes was for lore olympus. So lets se what amazing siblings friendships we have: girl and f#ckin talkless horse, two siblings that arent arpund for their younger sister bc of their father that probly hate them,three brothers that have good relationship until we find out that one had an affair with brothers wife and fighting over that older brother wants to punish his brothers girl for something

(4) ok but also that panel of persephone you posted once AGAIN showed her in a completely different shade of pink? its now most washed out pastel? how has it been going on over three years at this point and STILL none of the colors are consistent, especially for the lead characters?!

(5) LO is underwhelming. The beginning was stronger in at least visuals w/ using all the bonuses being Featured as to offer, like all the free space to go as detailed as you want and use of music to help set a mood, now it will just make simple panels really large to give the false impression of a long episode, when current art is now basic and lacking in fanciful whimsy like it once had. It's not fair comics on Canvas work their butts off with limited space while she can ride off mediocre output.

#anti LO #lo critical #lore olympus critical #anti lore olympus

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kolbisneat · 3 years

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MONTHLY MEDIA: March 2021

Hey March was a weird month what with all the pandemic anniversaries and such but here we are. It’s March. Goodbye March.

……….FILM……….

Attack the Block (2011) After about 20 minutes my partner asked if this was basically a British episode of Goosebumps and....she’s not wrong? I liked it back when it came out but it’s aged really well. Tight script and casual class politics along with the very good space stuff.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) It turns out I’d remembered so little of this movie that it was essentially a fresh viewing. The artistry and ambition still holds up today plus a noir set in L.A. is always good time. But then you add cartoon hijinks and it’s all just that much better.

The New York Times Presents: Framing Britney Spears (2021) So we watched the ep on Britney Spears and...it didn’t really seem to cover all that much. It kept feeling like it was about to start and then after an hour and a half of that it just sorta wraps with a small legal victory. I know this isn’t fiction so I’m not expecting a happy ending, but I don’t know what it wanted to say.

CBS presents Oprah with Meghan and Harry (2021) I mean I don’t think anything said or shared was surprising anyone. Though I appreciate Oprah not letting either of them sidestep a question. Either answer or say you won’t; none of this fancy poetry.

……….TELEVISION……….

Great British Bake Off (Episode 9.01 to 9.04) This is our first season without Mary Berry, Sue, and Mel and it’s a real shift! But despite all the new faces, it still feels very much like the good-natured GBBO I’ve come to love. Great stuff.

City of Ghosts (Episode 1.01 to 1.06) I hope all that I’m seeing about this means that Netflix will greenlight another season and more television like this. The artistry is fantastic, the concept allows for both whimsy and poignancy, and it’s casually funny in a way that I can’t fully describe. Great stuff.

WandaVision (Episode 1.09) So this didn’t quite stick the landing for me. I figured there’d be some blasts and magic and zooming around in the sky, but I also assumed we’d get some resolution (maybe even consequences) for what Wanda did to the town. Sure, she’s not the villain and it wasn’t intentional, but the show appeared to be built around this theme of denial and acceptance yet abandoned that in the end. But I will give it this: it really has sold me on the relationship between Wanda and Vision.

The Night Manager (Episode 1.05 to 1.06) You know I think I’ve been so primed by Bond films and action set pieces that, while I won’t spoil the ending, I was pleasantly surprised by how it wrapped up. It was a nice change of pace.

The Bachelor (Episode 25.09 to 25.12) What a season. It was a mess, sure, but I also think it was the uncomfortable mix of stagnation and progress. The show needs to evolve and I feel like the finale and aftershow really highlighted that the change has to happen. Maybe it’s starting to happen already or in future seasons it’ll change whether production likes it or not.

……….READING……….

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir (Complete) Really fantastic read and such an effortless blend of science fiction and...necromantic fantasy! Dark and gross and light and funny all at the same time. 100% recommend and am very excited for the next entry despite this feeling whole and complete on its own.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (Complete) I want to work my way through the series (or at least the original 14 written by Baum) so we gotta start at the beginning! There’s such a light air about the book that everyone kinda just rolls with everything. Sentient objects and talking animals and lots of murder are just met with a “Great! on to the next adventure!” and I love it.

The Marvelous Land of Oz by L. Frank Baum (Complete) It’s really great that the second book has a lot of the same core components (human child meets a bunch of wacky sidekicks while on a very small adventure) yet casually expands the mythos and world. It even builds on the plot established by the first book (the main conflict revolving around Scarecrow being overthrown as leader of Oz ever since the Wizard disappeared). Great stuff.

Ozma of Oz by L. Frank Baum (Complete) Bringing back Dorothy and it’s really a merging of characters from book 1 and 2. If anything, this series is shaping up to be about making friends and the genial conflict resolution is really heartwarming. Now i’m keen to watch Return to Oz.

Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz by L. Frank Baum (Complete) This might just be me but I find a mostly human cast (outside of Jim the Cab Horse) to be far less interesting than the diverse adventuring parties of the first three books. Lots of fun stuff in here and playing fast and loose with the world-building works well; highlight the fun parts of a land made of wood and then continue on to the next location! Great stuff.

Delicious in Dungeon Vol. 9 by Ryoko Kui (Complete) It feels like everything is starting to come together and wrap up and I’m totally here for a story that knows what it wants to do. And while there doesn’t seem to be as much room cooking with the overarching plot that is driving the story, it never feels like it’s moved away from the heart of the characters and for that I can’t recommend it enough. Excellent world-building, excellent cast, and really great humor.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The IDW Collection Volume 9 by Kevin Eastman, Tom Waltz, Mateus Santolouco, Dave Wachter, Pablo Tunica, Sophie Campbell, and many more! (Complete) The human/secret agent stuff will always be boring to me (even if they’re hunting the turtles) cause that’s not what I want in a comic. I don’t want Batman hunting burglars, I want bright colourful villains for our bright and colorful heroes. Luckily we get into a pocket dimension for a toad god and his relatives during the second half of the volume. Overall, still my favourite ooze series.

……….AUDIO……….

Musicalsplaining (Podcast) Great host dynamics and hot dang I love a good musical.

……….GAMING……….

Neverland: A Fantasy Role-Playing Setting (Andrews McMeel Publishing) The group has taken a break from the infected giant colony to sort out some Pirate drama! Further session breakdowns are over here on Reddit!

Dungeons & Designers (Podcast) I had the rare chance to play in a D&D campaign instead of run it and it’s even up online! They also air the sessions through their podcast!

And that’s it! As always, let me know anything you think I should check out and thanks for reading.

Happy Wednesday.

#Monthly Media #Kolbisneat #Andrew Kolb

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bad-rper · 3 years

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Cichol: 𝟎𝟕. 𝐒𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐍

what does your muse fear ?

As far as tangible fears go, he has a fear of being blown away in a hurricane. Sounds a bit irrational when you forget he is a stickman. Thus turbulent storms can set him off ease and he'll begin to mewl comically.

More existential, he dreads the thought of losing control. The complete loss of the self. Though he does take some pleasures that mitigate the responsibilities of being oneself, he is apprehensive of anything that consumes him in a false reality. Hallucinogens, dementia, illusions.

And the most rational fear is someone's hands in his head. Very avoidant of more invasive oracles and can never be truly comfortable around those who master divination and void magic.

what do they worry about ?

He is concerned of the condition of his responsibilities, but that's another question further down this list. Though hard to call that worrying since worry arises when one cannot take action. Taking action is his One Job.

Otherwise, the loss of immortality sometimes creeps on him. In no way is he afraid of dying but worries about aging. Knowing most things begin to lose their senses in their twilight hours brings him restlessness.

what restricts them ?

The realities of life and himself. He is a very practical man with no fanciful aspirations or long-term whimsies. He has a job in a single location that he must do to to earn coin to live. So he is literally restricted in both his hours of freedom and his travel distance, very rarely venturing much outside Stormwind City, let alone the Kingdom.

what exactly keeps them bound to reality ?

That work ethic that anchors him. Gives him a purpose in a long life where one can often forget the point to living. A reason to get up and get moving. It is not the most noble or romantic of reasons but the most stable.

For this and a variety of reasons, he considers people offering to ‘whisk him away’ or supplying him with overabundant handouts as an outright insult.

what are their responsibilities ?

The continued safety of Saeteth Duskthorn and Duskthorn Deliveries. Though he is hired to ensure their physical well-being, he’s taken on to looking out for anything that would harm either, acting as an advisor. Naturally, this has also extended to looking out for Saeteth’s children who’ve cropped up, as it would ultimately come back to the business.

Other than that, he’s largely free. No man or woman in his romantic life. No children nor pets. His unglamorous lifestyle affords him a small apartment space with a laissez-faire landlord, so no interference there either. So plenty of responsibilities but not many emotional ones.

do they have any obligations ? maybe to work ? another person ?

Fuck I just answered this. Yes, yes, kind of.

do they have a set routine ?

One he’s allowed to amend at his leisure--providing Saeteth doesn’t explicitly need him during that time and he can take the cut in pay for any hours lost. Wake up, wash, dress, head to work, sit on his roost, shoot shit with Saeteth for a bit, run the routes with him, sit at the building some more, repeat or divert as needed, get off work, head back home.

Used to be more of a potential to go to a tavern after work but everyone has vanished since they believe the world is ending.

what does the word ‘ law ‘ mean to them ?

Order. The ever-present suggestion that both protects and binds us.

For him, it is a tool to bring about his preferred ends, be that governance/law enforcement literally or enforcing structure himself. Though he prefers not having to get officials or tins involved and would rather take things into his own hands.

unfortunately this beautiful planet can create strain and stress, so does your muse stress easily ?

He’s on Azeroth, what beautiful planet are you talking about.

No, he’s very carefree and, when he has a care, he usually has things under control. Plus his one job, while a high-tension one, he performs with confidence and delight.

Really makes that fatigue under his bright eyes more out of place.

do they struggle with anxiety or similar issues ? if so, how do they deal ?

Alright, so yes, he has episodes. But you’d have to find him when he skitters away to know just how anti-good his coping mechanisms are.

To drink them away would be doing yoga or meditation for others.

saturn is the planet of reality, which is hard to face. does your muse face their issues head on, or do they tend to live in their own little world ?

For him, issues should be dealt with, even if his ways of doing so are roundabout--though often that is the best way for him to tackle them. It allows for greater moments of reprieve to indulge in fantasies, to escape things that cannot be dealt with.

But these years he keeps himself all too busy.

#moonbaki #Cichol Yewberry #ask #long post

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oosteven-universe · 3 years

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Wonder Girl #1

Wonder Girl #1 DC Comics 2021 Written & Illustrated by Joëlle Jones Coloured by Jordie Bellaire Lettered by Clayton Cowles The story of Yara Flor starts here! Raised in the far off land of Boise, Idaho, Yara Flor has always felt something was missing from her life-and now she is headed to Brazil to find it. Little does she know her arrival will set off a series of events that will change the world of Wonder Woman forever. Her return has been prophesied, and with that prophecy comes the undivided attention of benevolent gods from pantheons beyond. Danger lurks around every corner-but is this young hero ready for her journey? Find out in a debut issue you absolutely cannot miss! I wasn’t sure I was going to read this one, I mean how many Wonder Girls do we really need to have? Then this one came out with a blank cover and of course I had to have it and after seeing the interiors I knew I had to read this. I’m glad I did too because the story is pretty amazing as well. Joëlle is such an amazingly talented woman and had I realised she was doing this at the onset it would’ve been a pure no-brainer to pick up. I am in love with the way that this is being told. The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented exceptionally well. The character development is utterly amazing and how we see the dialogue, the character interaction and how they act and react to the situations and circumstances they encounter serve to really flesh them out like real people. Plus there’s a large cast of characters in this issue so to feel like we understand who they are and what their motivations are is incredibly well achieved. The pacing is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing the story and the characters draws us in spectacularly well. I am very much enjoying how we see this being structured and how we see the layers within the story begin to emerge and take shape. How we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as how it moves the story forward is achieved exceptionally well. There are so many elements to this that feel natural, normal as if everything we see is in the exact spot and moment it should be in is extraordinary to experience. The interiors here are mindbogglingly gorgeous to behold. The linework is exquisitely laid down and how we see the varying weights and techniques being utilised to create this level and quality in the attention to detail is mind numbing. We do see some backgrounds being utilised but it’s the composition within the panels that is extremely impressive to me and how this provides the depth perception, a sense of scale and the overall sense of size and scope to the story. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a masters eye for storytelling. The colour work is divine. How we see the various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work shows an innate understanding of how colour works most effectively. There are a few moving parts in this that encompass most of the Wonder Woman world and that they all manage to tie into one another and the bigger picture as a whole in a way that is surprising, unique and unexpected. I love, love, love the way we see this unfolding before our eyes and how it all seems to emanate from one singular event, or person or goddess, whichever one suits your fancy. I think it is high time that the Greek Gods stopped playing nice even to their beloved Amazons and showed us how jealousy and envy can cause them to do things that suit their whimsy even if its not exactly nice. This is the best debut issue of a character’s own title that I have seen in quite some time now from DC. This is so smartly and intelligently crafted, written and gorgeously illustrated book that brings us a fascinating new character whom I am hoping will end up working with Bea Bonilla da Costa strengthening that women of colour are the most badass women in the superhero community.

#Comic Books #Comics Reviews #DC Comics

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aion-rsa · 3 years

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How Neil Gaiman’s Uncredited Hellboy II Fairy Tale Enhanced its Story

https://ift.tt/3bb4L5A

While Neil Gaiman has been one of the most revered writers in the world of comics for decades, his live-action CV has grown in recent years as he fields an increasing number of adaptations of his own works. Interestingly, the author has revealed how an uncredited contribution to director Guillermo del Toro’s 2008 sequel, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, was his first substantive foray into the world of film and television writing. It’s a contribution that, in retrospect, helped shape the film’s mythology-heavy plot.

In a testimonial that appears in the new documentary, Mike Mignola: Drawing Monsters, centered on the impact of the eponymous Hellboy comic book creator, Gaiman makes the surprising disclosure that he was tapped by del Toro to script the sequel’s animated prologue. With the film having taken as a stylistic divergence from its darkly-toned 2004 predecessor towards a more colorful fairy tale aesthetic, Gaiman was tasked with giving the segment a more authentic sense of fantastical whimsy, which was better placed in the hands of a writer the caliber of Gaiman. However, the reveal of said contribution (via EW) was, up until now, a secret to the general public.

“Not a lot of people know this, but my only little Hellboy thing, uncredited, is that back in 2007,” divulges Gaiman. “I was in Budapest where they were filming Hellboy 2 and I got to hang out on set and just watch the filming and learn. None of which I thought at the time was incredibly useful and all of which, when I became a showrunner a decade later, became incredibly useful.”

The sequel segment, a title-appropriate golden-hued animated prologue, takes an approach similar to The Princess Bride, starting with a live-action flashback to Christmas of 1955 following Hellboy as a child being read a fairy tale by his adopted father, Trevor Bruttenholm, played by the late, great John Hurt, reprising the role of the character killed in the first film. As Bruttenholm reads the story, young Hellboy stares off into a stove fire, which becomes a kind of hellish Punch and Judy in which the tale—about elven king Balor’s regretful move to create the titular gilded automaton army to turn the tide in a war against humanity—plays out in surreal form with figures resembling wooden marionettes; a tale interrupted by the naturally inquisitive child’s questions to its reader, thereby making Hellboy into our proverbial Fred Savage.

As Gaiman continues, “Guillermo del Toro at some point in there handed me the script for Hellboy 2 and said, ‘Can you make the fairy tale that it opens up with sound more like a fairy tale? I’ve written a fairy tale, but can you just can you do the language? And so, I got to do a rewrite on that opening fairy story in Hellboy 2 and it gives me an enormous amount of pleasure to know that I sort of cracked in. I’m in there in some way, you can hear little turns of phrase.”

Of course, with del Toro having written the script himself, the story was essentially laid out, but the director felt that the segment was still missing an intangible element that the more philological Gaiman could provide. The refined fairy tale was nevertheless crucial to The Golden Army, not only because it explains the titular titans, but due to the way it effectively sets the film’s fairy tale tone; a measure made necessary after the decision—despite the film being a sequel—to jump cold into a storyline that was completely removed from the first film’s established mythology of demons, secret monster subcultures and supernatural-powered Nazis. Consequently, with an overwhelming array of exposition to get out of the way, a fanciful, but nevertheless pithy prologue can do the narrative heavy lifting, allowing the film to unfold in a more natural, engaging manner.

Naturally, the cinematic comparison that the Hellboy II prologue immediately evokes is 2001’s The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, which—at the slight risk of standing behind popular opinion—is perhaps the most effective piece of exposition in the history of cinema, and something for which screenwriters Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens can consider an enormous achievement in its own right. The segment, famously read by Cate Blanchett’s Galadriel, covers an intimidating range of J.R.R. Tolkien’s extensive lore, which is effectively curated and condensed into a seven-minute story (which was even shorter for the theatrical version,) that conveys to viewers—notably the majority unfamiliar with the massive Tolkien mythos—in a conveniently distilled form everything they need to know to enjoy the film and its two follow-ups.