One of the coolest projects Dark Horse has lined up for 2001 is a one-of-a-kind vinyl figure of Hellboy (vinyl is the finished material, but the figure looks just like a highly-detailed hard sculpt would). This figure is based not on Mike Mignola's classic depiction of his demonic paranormal investigator, but on a pin-up of Hellboy done by master Japanese illustrator Katsuya Terada for the Japanese edition of Hellboy: The Right Hand of Doom. If you're a die-hard fan of Mignola's work, don't despair -- this figure is incredible! It's not often that fans of a character get to see their favorite hero re-imagined in the vision of a world-class artist, and Mr. Terada has done an amazing job of bringing to life elements of Hellboy that Mignola has previously shrouded in shadow and mystery. For instance, we had no idea that Hellboy has a slit in the back of his pants -- reinforced with two buttons -- for his tail to fit through! It makes all the sense in the world now, but it wasn't until we saw the sculpture of Mr. Terada's portrait of Hellboy that we realized tail-friendly pants might be one of Hellboy's every-day concerns.

Dark Horse's Vice President of Product Development, David Scroggy, believes the co-branded release of the Hellboy vinyl statue may be the first of its kind -- a collectible created between two internationally-known companies (Dark Horse and Koto, Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of Kotobukiya Co., Japan, known by their brand name ArtFX), planned for simultaneous release in Japan, North America, and the United Kingdom.

It's a thrill and an honor to be working with Mr. Terada on this project, and it's rare that we get a chance to interview top Japanese creators for the Dark Horse website. With that in mind, it's our pleasure to present this short interview with the acclaimed Mr. Terada. Special thanks go to Yumi Hoashi, Vice President of Business Development for Koto, Inc., for her help in securing and translating this interview.

Ivana Fanboy: When did you first learn of Hellboy and how did you react? Did you instantly appreciate Mike Mignola's work?

Katsuya Terada: I first learned of Hellboy when I saw an original English-language issue of Hellboy. I was struck by Mike Mignola's skill the first time I saw it.

IF: When you were preparing to do the initial pin-up of Hellboy for Shogakukan's release of Hellboy: The Right Hand of Doom, what other artists or materials did you turn to for inspiration?

KT: I didn't draw inspiration from anything else -- just my impression of the original Hellboy.

IF: How did you choose to have Hellboy fighting a giant monster in the pin-up? Were you looking to place Hellboy in a very difficult situation, or did you simply want to draw something fun and exciting? KT: Hellboy looks as if he is fighting a wicked existence, but it can also be interpreted to mean that he is resisting the darkness that is sleeping within him. This is an extremely interesting setting, and the monster that rises out of the ground in this picture also symbolizes Hellboy's internal demons. If I put it this way, it sounds impressive, but really the crucial point is that I wanted to put Hellboy in a situation where he looks powerful and dynamic.

IF: Are there "signature" elements of your style evident in the Hellboy pin-up? If you think there are, please describe them.

KT: Probably the muscles. And how the muscles are used in the combat.

IF: Have you had other artwork of yours adapted into sculptures? If so, how does the Hellboy vinyl figure compare?

KT: Yes, other works of mine have been the basis for sculptures. I've also created my own original sculpts from some of my art. The sculptor who was used for the Hellboy piece is young and has great promise for the future. His work is rough, in some regards, but I think it represents the power in the illustration very well. It was a great experience, first of all having the luck of being able to draw a favorite character by a favorite artist, and then seeing it become three-dimensional.

The Hellboy vinyl figure will be packaged in the same format for all markets, with text featured in both English and Japanese, adding to the exotic aesthetic of this project. Look for the Hellboy vinyl figure starting May23, 2001 for the retail price of $59.99.