Hellboy

Real Name: Hellboy; formerly Anung Un Rama (see comments)

Identity/Class: Demon / human hybrid

Occupation: Paranormal investigator

Affiliations: former agent of the BPRD (Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense), Abe Sapien, Liz Sherman, Roger the Homunculus; Savage Dragon; Goon; Batman; Starman, Ghost, Painkiller Jane; Madman; Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Enemies: Rasputin, Hitler

Known Relatives: Catherine Tanner-Tremaine (mother, deceased), unnamed maternal grandparents (deceased), two unnamed siblings (strictly half-siblings, sharing the same mother, deceased), Professor Trevor Bruttenholm (foster father, surname often Anglicised to Broom)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Mobile

formerly BPRD Headquarters, Fairfield, CT

First Appearance: San Diego Comic-Con Comics #2 (promo appearance in black and white);
John Byrne's Next Men #21 (Dark Horse, first full appearance and in colour)

Powers/Abilities: Hellboy possesses both superhuman strength and superhuman resistance to damage. His right hand is encased in a mystic artifact, a stone glove known as The Right Hand of Doom. At one point in time Hellboy also possessed an invisible crown of flame that marked his birthright in the ranks of Hell. He gave it up.

History: Hellboy was technically concieved in 1853, the year that his human mother mated with a demon. However life on Earth began for Hellboy on December 23rd,1944, the day he was summoned from the pits of hell by a group of Nazis. Unfortunately for them however, another ceremony being performed in Scotland diverted the young demon's point of arrival to a small Scottish island in Allied territory. Hellboy grew up to work for the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense based in Fairfield, CT, travelling the world as an occult investigator and paranormal detective, and battling creatures of myth and folklore. He recently quit the Bureau and struck out on his own.

His demon father intended Hellboy to be a force for evil in the world, and encased his son's hand in The Right Hand of Doom, a stone glove with terrible powers. Hellboy denies the power of the gloved hand, which is capable of bringing about the end of the world. For a time, Hellboy was a heavy smoker, consuming as much as nine packs a day. He has had one girlfriend, a professor. They dated from 1976 to 1981, teaming up once more in 1986.

Fuller profile to follow.

Comments: Created by Mike Mignola, with input from John Byrne.

The Torch of Liberty was present at his arrival in this dimension.

Hellboy is played by Ron Perlman in the movies based on the comic. Perlman also voices the character for the cartoon movies.

Thanks to Josh Geren for additional information about this character, and to Richard Lopez for informing me of his appearance in Next Men which predates him having his own strip. Thanks to Pekka Pekuri for informing me of Hellboy's very first appearance: "Hellboy's first appearance is San Diego Comic-Con Comics #2, published in black and white. A lot of people claim that John Byrne's Next Men #21 is the first appearance, not true. This is his first color appearance. Next Men #21 came out a few months after San Diego. If you want to be technical, there is an Italian comic called Dime Press, the 1993 issue (released 8 months or so Before San Diego) has a pin-up of Hellboy but he looks completely different. He's white and his features are very different. This is the first true appearance of a character having the name Hellboy".

'Steele Marsh' adds the following information: "In "A Box full of Evil" Hellboy loses his true name, Anung Un Rama, to another demon; effectively, his real name is now Hellboy, and that holds no power over him."

CLARIFICATIONS: Not to be confused with

Any Additions/Corrections? Please let me know.

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