Hellboy

So yesterday, I was working on a post about Guillermo del Toro.  I left it unfinished.  Today, our James Bojaciuk informed me he's already working on a del Toro project.  So I'm leaving that draft unfinished, and allowing him to pick from it what he wishes to incorporate into his own project and discard the rest.  But since I'm already on del Toro, and since I am overdue for posting a Horror Crossover Encyclopedia related promotional post, I'm covering Hellboy instead, which, as you'll read, has it's own connections to del Toro.



Though I usually only cover film and television series in these HCE promotional posts, here, I'm going to discuss Hellboy of print and screen.

ANNO DRACULA (SERIES BY KIM NEWMAN)

Release Date: 1992 - 2013 (so far) [Setting is 1888 -1991 (so far)]

Series: Anno Dracula

Horror Crosses: Dracula (novel); Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; Invisible Man (novel); The Island of Doctor Moreau; The Vampyre; Varney the Vampire; The Soft Whisper of the Dead; They Thirst; Hotel Transylvania; The Black Castle; The Vampire Tapestry; Stephen King Universe; Carmilla; Good Lady Ducayne; The Tomb of Sarah; Ken’s Mystery; The Mysterious Stranger (story); The True Story of a Vampire; Carnacki Ghost Finder; Black Sabbath; The Picture of Dorian Gray; Interview with a Vampire (Anne Rice Vampire Lestat series); The Werewolves of London (Brian Stableford); Count Yorga; The Fearless Vampire Killers; Brides of Dracula; Vampire Circus; Dracula (Universal); Dark Shadows; El Vampiro; Black Sunday; Martin (George A. Romero film); Kolchak the Night Stalker; Blacula; Nosferatu; Kiss of the Vampire; Mr. Vampire; Blood of the Vampire; Daughters of Darkness; Dracula (Hammer); Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos; Averoigne; Grave of the Vampire/Seed of Terror; Hellraiser; Alraune; The Black Cat (film); Lemora: A Child’s Tale of the Supernatural; The Vampire Thrills; Faustine; Near Dark; Forever Knight; Fright Night; The House of Dracula (novel by R. Chetwynd-Hayes); Anak Pontianak; Necroscope; Revelations in Black; The Dragon Waiting; The Bloody Pit of Horror/The Crimson Executioner; The Playgirls and the Vampire; The Niece of the Vampire/Fangs of the Vampire; The Phantom of the Opera; Incense for the Damned/Bloodsuckers; Addams Family (television); Frankenstein (Universal); The Monkey’s Paw; Three Mothers trilogy; Toby Dammit; The Exorcist; Cave of the Living Dead; The Golem (1920 film); The Old Dark House; Cat People; Black Magic (film); Spirits of the Dead; Les Vampires; The Awful Doctor Orloff; A Bucket of Blood; Those Who Hunt By Night/Immortal Blood/Traveling with the Dead; The Hunger; Fevre Dream; Empire of Fear; Dr. Blood’s Coffin; The Vampire’s Ghost; The Horrible Sexy Vampire; Mark of the Vampire; Vampire (1979); Vampyr - Der Traum des Allan Gray; El Hombre Lobo; Curse of the Undead; Circus of Horrors; The Horror Chamber of Dr. Faustus; Twice Bitten/Vampire Hookers; The Lost Boys; Deathmaster; Velvet Vampire; I, Vampire; Nancy Baker’s Vampire Stories; Sunglasses After Dark; Vamps (Vertigo Comics); Blade; Scooby-Doo; Hellboy; Nocturna; Rosemary’s Baby; American Psycho; Lost Souls; Elvira; Rosemary’s Baby; The Films of Tarantino and Rodriguez; Light at the End; Andy Warhol’s Dracula/Blood for Dracula; Geek Maggot Bingo; Daughter of Darkness; Nightmare in Blood; Madhouse; Vampire Junction/Vanitas; Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Shadowman; Werewolf of London; Little Shop of Horrors; Texas Chainsaw Massacre; The Howling; Gremlins; Suckers: Bleeding London Dry; Desire the Vampire/I Desire; The Creature Commandos; The Vampire (1957); The Vampire (Sydney Horler)

Non-Horror Crosses: Too numerous to list.

The Story: In 1888, during the events of Bram Stoker’s novel, events diverge and Dracula marries Queen Victoria, causing a major alteration in the socio-political world for the next 125 years and beyond.

Notes: This is a divergent timeline, but not a parallel universe. In my theory, a parallel universe is created at the dawn of time at the same time as the main universe and other parallel universes. They may evolve similarly, but they are separate. Meanwhile, each universe has a main timeline, and at each moment, there are an infinite number of divergent timelines created off of the main timeline. When thinking of divergent timelines, try picturing a fork in the road. Both paths lead in different directions, but they both start at the same point, and once were the same road. The Anno Dracula timeline has shown to be an alternate timeline of the main Horror Universe in several other entries in this reference guide. Because it’s a divergent timeline, the above horror crosses, though depicted in an alternate manner, should still count for inclusions in the Horror Universe. Some of the above crossed series are already in, and the others are brought in via this crossover series despite being an alternate timeline series. For the record, the complete Anno Dracula series (thus far) consists of Anno Dracula, the Bloody Red Baron: Anno Dracula 1918, Judgement of Tears: Anno Dracula 1959 (aka Dracula Cha Cha Cha), Coppola’s Dracula (from the Mammoth Book of Dracula), Castle in the Desert: Anno Dracula 1977, Andy Warhol’s Dracula: Anno Dracula 1978 - 1979 (from the Mammoth Book of Vampires), Who Dares Wins: Anno Dracula 1980, The Other Side of Midnight (from Vampire Sextette), You are the Wind Beneath My Wings: Anno Dracula 1984) and Johnny Alucard.

ATOMIC ROBO # 2 “ATOMIC ROBO VS. RASPUTIN” (RED 5 COMICS)

Release Date: November 1, 2007 (Setting is 1924)

Series: Atomic Robo

Horror Crosses: Hellboy (comics)

The Story: Thomas Edison uses his psychophone to summon the ghost of Rasputin in order to send him after Atomic Robo.

Notes: Though Rasputin is based on a real historical figure who has also become part of folklore, this is the particular version of Rasputin who fought Hellboy. Thomas Edison has been portrayed in fiction both within and outside the Horror Universe as a hero and a villain. Perhaps he suffered from multiple personality disorder.

THE DEVIL’S BACKBONE (FILM)

Release Date: April 20, 2001 (Setting is 1939)

The Story: A ghost story at an orphanage during the Spanish Civil War.

Notes: Guillermo del Toro has said that all of his works have made up one larger movie. However, since some of his works are part of other franchises, I don’t consider his works as one series for Horror Universe purposes. The Devil’s Backbone is in the Horror Universe due to a later connection to Hellboy. This film has been referenced as fictional or paid homage to several times, including in The Holiday and the Simpsons Treehouse of Horror.

ALISON DARE, LITTLE MISS ADVENTURES (GRAPHIC NOVEL BY J. TORRES AND J. BONE)

Release Date: 2002 (Setting is 1944)

Series: Alison Dare

Horror Crosses: Hellboy (Comics)

Non-Horror Crosses: Indiana Jones; Tintin

The Story: Alison returns to school and has adventures that would rival Indiana Jones or Lara Croft.

Notes: Alison Dare is the child adventurer of a series of young adult graphic novels. Tintin briefly appears in cameo and a picture of Indiana Jones appears. In Alison’s mom’s museum are the Ark of the Covenant, Sankara Stones (from Raiders of the Lost Ark and Temple of Doom), the broken ear statue (from Tintin and the Broken Ear), and the Right Hand of Doom. The Right Hand of Doom is Hellboy’s right hand, but this is prior to Hellboy’s birth. However, the Hellboy mythos indicate that there have been previous demons who wielded the power of the Right Hand of Doom.

PAN’S LABYRINTH (FILM)

Release Date: December 29, 2006 (Setting is 1944)

Horror Crosses: The Devil’s Backbone; Hellboy; Mimic

The Story: A girl finds a portal into a magical garden.

Notes: Characters from the Devil’s Backbone appear in this film, making this an indirect sequel. The labyrinth is the same pattern as the magic blood maze used to raise Rasputin in Hellboy. The fairies of this story make the same sound as the Judas Breed insects of the film Miic. The fairies are insects until someone believes in them. Perhaps the Judas Breed would have been fairies if someone had believed. Pan’s Labyrinth, The Devil’s Backbone, Hellboy, and Mimic are all Guillermo del Toro films.

WAR OF THE UNDEAD # 1 - 3 (IDW)

Release Date: January 1 - April 1, 2007 (Set in April 1945, following Hitler’s death)

Horror Crosses: Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde; Invisible Man (Universal); Dracula (IDW); Frankenstein (IDW); Hellboy (Comics); Fiend without a Face

Non-Horror Crosses: Spider-Man; Forbidden Planet

The Story: Nazis are trying to raise Hitler to lead an army of the undead.

Notes: The story opens with Jekyll a captive of the Nazis who want his secret formula. They also had a scientist with the secret of invisibility but he escaped and died of exposure. Griffin died in 1898 (per League of Extraordinary Gentlemen), but there have been stories that feature Geoffrey Radcliffe (from the sequel) posing as Griffin. It may be that it was Radcliffe that they had captured. I doubt claims of his death in this story though. The Dracula of this story would be the IDW version, brought in by this story. IDW also published Spike vs. Dracula, but that is the Dracula of the Buffy series, who is not the same. LIkewise this is the IDW Frankenstein being brought in here. Both Dracula and Frankenstein fit into the Nazi plot. There is also a gorilla with a brain visible in a glass dome, a reference to Hellboy. One of the brain monsters from the Fiend Without a Face also appears. Another monster is an SS officer made of bugs, perhaps referencing Spider-man’s foe Swarm. Finally, Robby the Robot appears. Robby is from one of the possible future timelines of the Horror Universe. Despite that, Robby tends to show up several times in the 20th century, likely thanks to time travellers.

ATOMIC ROBO/NEOZOIC # 1 “THE KING OF ALL BOMBS” (RED 5 COMICS)

Release Date: May 1, 2008 (Set in 1961)

Series: Atomic Robo

Horror Crosses: Hellboy (comics)

Non-Horror Crosses: Captain America

The Story: Atomic Robo must stop a Soviet mad scientist from blowing up the world.

Notes: Atomic Robo has a painting of Hellboy and Captain America’s shield.

HELLBOY (FILM)

Release Date: 2004 (See Notes on Setting)

Series: Hellboy (film)

Horror Crosses: Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos; Devil’s Backbone; Shambler in the Stars; Ghostbusters; Constantine

Non-Horror Crosses: Pan’s Labyrinth; Pacific Rim

The Story: Hellboy takes on Rasputin.

Notes: De vermis Mysteriis appears, providing a link to Lovecraft and Robert Bloch’s The Shambler in the Stars. That brings in the Hellboy films, both the live action and animated. The film has a contemporary setting, but should be placed in the start of Hellboy’s story in the comics, which was in 1993. Though this crossover only brings in the films, the Hellboy comic book crosses with Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, thus bringing in the Hellboy comic. Having both the films and comics in the same reality could be an issue, but I don’t think they are totally incompatible. Likely they are both adventures of the same Hellboy, and occasional inconsistencies could be overlooked with my often used scapegoat excuse about different perspectives. Rasputin was a real historical figure, who like Cagliostro, has been fictionalized to become a powerful evil sorcerer of the Horror Universe. The Jar Babies from the Devil’s Backbone are on display in the BPRD trophy room. The maze of blood that revives Rasputin is the same pattern as Pan’s Labyrinth. In the prologue, the nazis open a portal to the crystal prison of Ogdru Jahad. In Pacific Rim, when entering the other dimension, Gypsy Danger sees the crystal prison. Pacific Rim takes place in a divergent timeline of the Horror Universe. Sammael is identified as a Class Five Entity, based on a system from Ghostbusters. The Spear of Destiny seen in this film also appears in Constantine. The Hellblazer comics have established that the Constantine film takes place in an alternate reality. This film is followed by Hellboy II: The Golden Army and Hellboy 3 (in development at this writing). This film has been referenced as fictional and paid homage to numerous times in other films and on television. It has also been spoofed in The Supermarket.

HELLBOY: ODDEST JOBS “IN CUPBOARDS AND BOOKSHELVES” (SHORT STORY BY GARY A. BRAUNBECK)

Release Date: July 8, 2008 (Setting unknown, but during the time when he is working with the BPRD)

Series: Hellboy (comics)

Horror Crosses: Gary A. Braunbeck’s Cedar Hill

The Story: Hellboy takes a case in Cedar Hill, Ohio.

Notes: Cedar Hill is the setting for several of Braunbeck’s horror novels, and this story brings that series into the Horror Universe.

GHOST AND THE SHADOW (DARK HORSE COMICS)

Release Date: December 1995 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Ghost; The Shadow

The Story: When a statute containing a tulpa is sent to Arcadia, the Shadow is released from cryo-freeze and works with the Ghost to stop the creature from being released.

Notes: The Ghost is in due to a cross with Hellboy. The Shadow has numerous appearances in the Horror Universe.

GHOST/HELLBOY (DARK HORSE COMICS)

Release Date: June 1997 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Ghost; Hellboy (comics)

The Story: Hellboy travels to Arcadia, home of the Ghost, and is involved in the events of a fifty-seven year old mob double-murder.

Notes: This cross brings in the Ghost. Hellboy (comics and movies) are brought in through crosses with Lovecraft.

MIMIC (FILM)

Release Date: August 22, 1997 (Contemporary Setting)

The Story: An entomologist discovers a new kind of insect.

Notes: Hellboy was involved in these events behind the scenes as seen in Unnatural Selection. The Judas Breed of this film make the same sound as the fairies from Pan’s Labyrinth. In Pan’s Labyrinth, the fairies are insects until someone believes in them. Both are Guillermo del Toro films. Perhaps if no one ever believes, the insects become the Judas Breed. This film is followed by MImic 2 and Mimic: Sentinel. This film has been referenced as fictional and paid homage to numerous times in other films and on television.

PAINKILLER JANE/HELLBOY (EVENT COMICS)

Release Date: August 1998 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Painkiller Jane; Hellboy (comics)

The Story: The two modern heroes team-up.

Notes: Hellboy is in through crosses with Lovecraft. Painkiller Jane has also teamed with Vampirella.

BATMAN/HELLBOY/STARMAN (DC AND DARK HORSE COMICS)

Release Date: January - February 1999 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Batman (Modern Age/Post Crisis); Hellboy (comics); Starman (Jack Knight)

Horror Crosses: Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos

The Story: Batman, Hellboy, and Starman must team up against a Neo-Nazi cult trying to raise a Lovecraftian Elder God.

Notes: Anything that crosses with Lovecraft gets solidly placed in the Horror Universe. Because of this, the Hellboy comics and movies are in the Horror Universe. This Batman should be Bruce Wayne Junior for Horror Universe purposes. He’s a bit more grim and gritty than his father in the role. (Ironically, BJ was also the 1960s Robin, who was pretty lighthearted and full of bad puns. But an incident with the Joker as told in John Byrne’s Generations explains his new attitude.) This also brings in the modern age Jack Knight Starman series. Interestingly, that Starman series by James Robinson kept the same writer throughout and had a beginning and an ending. And though it took place in the DC Universe, which operated under the comic book time where the entire 75 plus years of DC Comics stories happened in the past 5 - 12 years only, the internal Starman timeline had time moving at the same pace as the real world. Jack’s annual visits with his deceased brother happened annually. The Starman series tied into the entire Starman legacy, as well as Phantom Lady, the Shade, the Black Pirate, and the golden age Justice Society of America. I have no problem with bringing in the JSA and these other characters, keeping in mind that that doesn’t mean that every single appearance is canon in the Horror Universe. Basically, the rule for DC and Marvel super-heroes is that if they get included due to a crossover with a horror series, then only their first appearance and/or origin story gets in as canon, and then whatever stories show up in this guide. The DC and Marvel Universes have very complex mythos regarding their superheroes that don’t work in the Horror Universe. However, they can exist if they had very limited adventures, only operating occasionally, and mostly against more supernatural threats. On the other hand, with super-heroes who are already designed as horror/supernatural characters, such as Hellboy, Vampirella, Doctor Strange, or the Demon, I have no problem including all of their stories that didn’t involve crossovers with other characters, and crossovers with other supernatural/horror characters. While Starman is not a horror character, I feel because of the nature of how his story is told, this story can bring in the entire Jack Knight storyline as told by James Robinson, but not all DC Starman stories.

WIZARD ½: BUFFY/ANGEL “CITY OF DESPAIR” (WIZARD MAGAZINE AND DARK HORSE COMICS)

Release Date: November 29, 2000 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Angel

Horror Crosses: Hellboy; Predator

Non-Horror Crosses: Star Wars

The Story: Buffy and Angel are pulled to another dimension to participate in gladiator games against other warriors also abducted, including Hellboy, Darth Vader and a Predator.

Notes: This webcomic is part of the official expanded Buffy Universe. Hellboy is of course another famed monster hunter in the Horror Universe. This crossover brings the Predator film series into the Horror Universe, as well as its official Dark Horse Comics stories. This crossover also places the Star Wars Galaxy as existing as part of the Horror Universe. All the characters involved had series by Dark Horse Comics, making this crossover more valid.

BONEYARD # 1 - 28 (NBM)

Release Date: 2001 - 2009 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Boneyard

Horror Crosses: Frankenstein (Boneyard); Creature from the Black Lagoon; The Raven; The Screwtape Letters; Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Dracula (novel); Evil Dead; Frankenstein (novel); The Wolf Man; Zatanna; Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos; Friday the 13th; Hellboy (comics); King Ghidorah; Mothra; Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!

Non-Horror Crosses: The Tempest

The Story: Michael Paris inherits a graveyard inhabited by friendly monsters. Hilarity and adventure ensue.

Notes: One of the inhabitants is Brutus, who is a creature of the Frankenstein model. Brutus’ wife is a Gill-Woman named Nessie. Edgar is a raven who claims to have been the inspiration for Edgar Allan Poe’s story. The Boneyard has its own elected official, Mayor Wormwood. Mayor Wormwood is supposed to be Satan, but this Satan is kind of an idiot. I’ve stated elsewhere in this guide that not all appearances of the devil are the same guy. The name carries weight, and so it seems that many lesser demons may pose as the top dog. In the Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis, Wormwood is a poor excuse for a demon who is eaten by his uncle. But of course, what happens when a demon dies? They return to Hell. So this may be the same Wormwood. The vampire named Abby seems to be of the vampiric variety seen on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Remember that in the Horror Universe, there are several strains of the “vampire virus”, which create varying types of vampires with different traits, strengths and weaknesses. Abby refers to Michael as her “Renfield”. That could be a pop culture reference, but considering the number of other horror crosses, and that Dracula is real in the Horror Universe, I’m inclined to count it. There are “Xandorian” demons which I believe to be an intentional misspelling of Kandorian demons from the Evil Dead series. Somebody refers to the original Dr. Frankenstein. That same person makes a reference to that guy with the stick which may be Larry Talbot, whose cane is famous. At a bar is Zatanna Zatara and a Gill-Man. An Old One appears, who is friendly! His name is Haz’aroth, which may be an intentional misspelling of Azathoth, but I’m not sure Azathoth would be so nice. Perhaps he’s a nicer guy around other monsters. Abby is hired by the government to stop a slasher at a summer camp called Camp Waterlake. Though the slasher turns out to really be Lilith, she has taken the form of Jason Voorhees. This isn’t the first time Camp Crystal Lake has changed its name. In the film series, it did so to try to avoid the bad reputation it has gained. When Abby has to attend a banquet for supernatural beings, she takes Michael as her date. The waiter is Ariel from Shakespeare’s the Tempest. Hellboy is in attendance. So are King Ghidorah and Mothra. The Space Kook is also there. Though the Space Kook was just a man in a mask in Scooby Doo, Where Are You!, most of those villains took on the identities of figures from legends and folklore. So this must be the real Space Kook that inspired the man in the mask who was exposed by Mystery, Inc.

BLADE II (FILM)

Release Date: March 21, 2002 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Blade (film)

Horror Crosses: Hellboy; Cronos

The Story: Vampires ask Blade to help when a more advanced vampire breed begins to dominate.

Notes: In the comics, Blade was introduced in Tomb of Dracula with a similar origin but without the vampiric features. After the films came out, Marvel added the elements of the film version to the comics character. Thus, it allows for me to place both versions as the same character in the same timeline. Blade III is a problem, though. In Blade III, Blade meets the characters from Tomb of Dracula for the first time in the present. So, for that one installment , we will have to play the divergent timeline game. Blade’s new gadget guy, Scud, wears a BPRD t-shirt. Though Hellboy is real in their reality, likely he only knows of Hellboy as the popular urban legend and comic book. Eli Damaskinos, the elder vampire who recruits Blade in this film, seems to be of the same type of vampire as seen in Cronos. Throughout the Horror Universe, there are many types of vampire strains, and this film is a great demonstration of that. This film, Hellboy, and Cronos are all from Guillermo del Toro, who has said that all his works are part of a larger story. This film follows Blade and is followed by Blade: Trinity. This film is referenced as fictional and paid homage to numerous times in other films and on television.

ELDRITCH BLUE: LOVE AND SEX IN THE CTHULHU MYTHOS “STACKED ACTORS” (SHORT STORY BY PETER A. WORTHY)

Release Date: 2004 (Setting begins on October 17, 2004)

Series: Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos

Horror Crosses: Hellboy; Wolf Man

Non-Horror Crosses: Sandman Mystery Theatre

The Story: Group 13 agents Xavier Albert Wilmarth and Alison Engels investigate the Shan, who love to enslave people and torture them for sadistic pleasure.

Notes: The Shan come from the Cthulhu Mythos. The Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense is mentioned, which is who Hellboy works for. Lawrence Talbot is mentioned as a former agent of both Delta Green and G13. Larry Talbot is of course the Wolf Man. Wesley Dodds is also said to be a former G13 member. Wesley Dodds was the golden age hero called the Sandman from DC Comics, but considering the date and tone of this story, I am assuming that the version being referred to here is the Vertigo version from Sandman Mystery Theatre, which is more fitting for the Horror Universe.

HELLBOY II PROMO (COMMERCIAL)

Release Date: June 2007 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Hellboy (film)

Non-Horror Crosses: Chuck

The Story: Chuck and Hellboy hang out playing video games and talking the spy business.

Notes: This was part of a series of advertisements for the upcoming Hellboy II film. Normally, commercials are not counted but in this case, the actors stay in character, they don’t make any references to their own fictionality, and the script is not written like a promo but more like a mini-episode.

HELLBOY: ODDEST JOBS “FEET OF SCIRON” (SHORT STORY BY RHYS HUGHES)

Release Date: July 8, 2008 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Hellboy (comics)

Horror Crosses: Carnacki Ghost Finder; Ghost Finders; Island of Doctor Moreau; Prince Zaleski

Non-Horror Crosses: Sherlock Holmes; Around the World in 80 Days; Engelbrecht; Journey to the Center of the Earth; Pellucidar; The Works of Philip Jose Farmer

The Story: Hellboy recruits the aid of a supernatural porn star to perform a sex act that would open a portal, allowing Hellboy to stop a planet on a collision course with Earth, which was caused by Martin Carnacki of the Carnacki Institute. Meanwhile, Abe and Liz are exploring underground tunnels.

Notes: The Carnacki Institute was founded by Thomas Carnacki. This story predates Green’s Ghost Finders series, but from a Horror Universe perspective, there’s no conflicts between this version and that version. Hellboy and his porn star ally discuss real historical figures who most people think are fictional because their biographers were too good as storytellers. The list is Carnacki, Sherlock Holmes, Phileas Fogg, Dr. Moreau, Prince Saleski, and Engelbrecht. The tunnels Abe and Liz are exploring are the same from Journey to the Center of the Earth. The tunnels lead to Pellucidar where they find Philip Jose Farmer at the 20 million mile river, placing Riverworld in Pellucidar at Earth’s core.

HELLBOY: ODDEST JOBS “SALAMANDER BLUES” (SHORT STORY BY BRIAN KEENE)

Release Date: July 8, 2008 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Hellboy (comics)

Horror Crosses: Brian Keene’s Labyrinth

The Story: An adventure that takes place while Hellboy is not working for the BPRD.

Notes: Hellboy references the Black Lodge organization from Brian Keene’s interconnected works.

HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY (FILM)

Release Date: July 11, 2008 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Hellboy (film)

Horror Crosses: Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos; At the Mountains of Madness (film); Bethmoora

Non-Horror Crosses: Pan’s Labyrinth; The King of Elfland’s Daughter; The Blue Lenses

The Story: From a mystical realm connected to our own comes a prince who wishes to incite a war.

Notes: The other realm has magical creatures that previously appeared in Pan’s Labyrinth. Some of the creatures seen in this film are planned to appear in the upcoming At the Mountains of Madness film by Del Toro, based on Lovecraft’s story. There may be other connections in that film to other Del Toro works, as the filmmaker is well known for linking his works. Bethmoora is mentioned. Glamours appear, from Lord Dunsany’s The King of Elfland’s Daughter. The Schufftein Glasses in this film come from The Blue Lenses by Daphne du Maurier. A theater marquee advertises “See You Next Wednesday”. This does not count as a crossover, just as “I’ll be back” does not link the films of Arnold Schwarzenegger. This film follows Hellboy and is followed by Hellboy II: The Golden Army - Zinco Epilogue. This film has been referenced as fictional and paid homage to numerous times in other films and on television.

HACK/SLASH # 28 “SOMETHING’S FISHY” (DEVIL’S DUE)

Release Date: December 2, 2009 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Hack/Slash

Horror Crosses: Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos; Frankenstein (Mary Shelley); Hellboy; Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Godzilla

Non-Horror Crosses: Archie (See Notes)

The Story: In her continuing quest to recreate reality, the entity known as Mary Shelley Lovecraft tries to alter the town of Haverhill, transforming it from the typical slice of Americana to a Lovecraftian horror story.

Notes: Mary Shelley Lovecraft is a recurring foe of Cassie. She is an otherworldly entity that sees everything as fictional and can traverse through alternate realities. She is obsessed with rewriting reality. Her name is chosen for the inference to Mary Shelley and H.P. Lovecraft. In this story, she turns Deep Ones (from Lovecraft’s Shadow over Innsmouth) into creatures like the original Frankenstein Monster. Mary mentions that with all the monster hunters running around, she is lucky not to have run into that red devil boy with the horns, a reference to Hellboy. She also compares Cassie to the more popular Summers girl, meaning Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Mary also brags that she is Cthulhu, Frankenstein, and Godzilla all rolled into one. The town of Haverhill is a parody of Riverdale, and indeed the characters of the town are all parodies of Archie and his supporting cast. Cassie has been here in a previous story. However, since this is a parody, I’m choosing not to use this to bring in Archie. However, in reverse, Riverdale was actually based on the real town of Haverhill, Massachusetts. Since there are no indications that the comic book or cartoon versions of Archie exist in the Horror Universe, there’s no reason not to believe that this version from this story isn’t the Horror Universe counterpart of Archie and his gang.

BEASTS OF BURDEN/HELLBOY (DARK HORSE COMICS)

Release Date: October 27, 2010 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Beasts of Burden; Hellboy (Comics)

The Story: Hellboy comes to Burden Hill and assists the investigative team of the Wise Dog Society.

Notes: This story brings in Beasts of Burden, which is about a group of talking dogs and one talking cat who investigate the paranormal in Burden Hill. They aren’t like cartoon animals who everyone accepts as talking animals, but rather animals who can talk, explained due to the occult.

CRIMINAL MACABRE/THE GOON: WHEN FREAKS COLLIDE # 1 (DARK HORSE COMICS)

Release Date: July 1, 2011 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Criminal Macabre/Cal McDonald; The Goon

Horror Crosses: Hellboy (comics)

The Story: Cal meets the Goon and they team up.

Notes: It’s not made clear if the Goon came from an alternate reality or not in this story. Hellboy shows up at the end, and Cal recognizes him and indicates they have met before, thus confirming that Cal and Hellboy are from the same reality. The Goon is a man who finds himself constantly fighting criminals, monsters, and other weird threats. This story adds him to the Horror Multiverse, but his existence in the Horror Universe main timeline is in question.

UNNATURAL SELECTION (NOVEL BY TIM LEBBON)

Release Date: November 5, 2011 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Hellboy

Horror Crosses: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1970s); Jaws (Film); Mimic

The Story: When mythical creatures begin to appear around the globe, Hellboy and his team must investigate.

Notes: In the story, Hellboy is said to have been involved in the events of the 1970s version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, the film version of Jaws, and Mimic. The 1950s original Body Snatchers is in the Horror Universe through several crossovers, but this story confirms that the 1970s remake is also in. It must have been a second invasion attempt. The film the Faculty implies itself to be a sequel of sorts to both Body Snatchers and the Puppet Master, implying that both Body Snatchers and the Puppet Master were the same race. The inclusion of Jaws is for the film series, but not the novel.

THE PRESIDENT’S VAMPIRE (NOVEL BY CHRISTOPHER FARNSWORTH)

Release Date: March 27, 2012 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Nathaniel Cade

Horror Crosses: Body Snatchers

The Story: Cade must stop the rise of an ancient evil.

Notes: Cade mentions having been involved in the events of Body Snatchers. Incidentally, the Doctor (Who?) was also involved in those events behind the scenes. Since neither’s involvement has been fully detailed, one must wonder if the two have met. As previously stated, Hellboy was also involved in a body snatcher invasion, but while Cade and the Doctor were involved in the original one, Hellboy was involved in the events of the 1970s film.

CABIN IN THE WOODS (FILM)

Release Date: April 13, 2012 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Cabin in the Woods

Horror Crosses: Alien; Half-Life; Evil Dead; Poltergeist; Frankenstein (Universal); Child’s Play; Creature from the Black Lagoon; Corpse Bride; Killer Klowns from Outer Space; Stephen King Universe; Killjoy; Devil’s Rejects; Clownhouse; Drive Thru; Funhouse; Amusement; Circus of Fear; Clown Camp; Demonic Toys; Demons; Night of the Demons; Supernatural; Charmed; Gremlins; Ghoulies; Creeps; Troll; Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; Frankenstein (novel); Dr. Giggles; The Human Centipede; House on Haunted Hill; The Dead Pit; Buffy the Vampire Slayer; The Strangers; Underworld; Attack of the 50 Foot Woman; Troll Hunter; Anaconda; Python; Mega Snake; Snakes on a Plane; Resident Evil; Hellraiser; Cannibal Holocaust; Creepshow; Legend of Sleepy Hollow; Attack of the Jack-O-Lanterns; Pumpkinhead; Frankenfish; The Mummy! Or a Tale of the Twenty-Second Century; The Mummy (Universal); The Hills Have Eyes; Wrong Turn; Chernobyl Diaries; 28 Days Later; Signal; the Works of Quentin Tarantino; Left 4 Dead; Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos; Re-Animator (film); Siren; The Exorcist; The Exorcism of Emily Rose; Reptilicus; Jurassic Park; Abominable Bigfoot; The Legend of Boggy Creek; Ape Canyon; Curse of Bigfoot; Night of the Bloody Apes; Wendigo; Night Beasts; Night of the Scarecrow; Scarecrows; Husk; Scarecrow Gone Wild; The Scarecrows Walk at Midnight; The Town that Dreaded Sundown; The Craft; Witches of Eastwick; Hocus Pocus; Jack Frost; Hellboy (film); Rumplestiltskin; Leprechaun; Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters; Gingerbread Man; The Vampyre; Dracula (novel); Nosferatu; The Wolf Man; An American Werewolf in London; The Howling; Wolf; Texas Chainsaw Massacre; Friday the 13th; Night of the Living Dead; Return of the Living Dead; F.E.A.R.; The Blob; Feast; Horrors of the Wendigo; Frostbiter; Ghost; Bram Stoker’s Dracula (film); The Cyclops; Cyclops Giant; Nightbreed; Leeches!; Attack of the Giant Leeches; Rows of Teeth; The Birds; Killing Birds; Birdemic: Shock and Terror; Silent Hill; Attack of the Killer Lane Gnomes; Alligator; Lake Placid; Them!; Legion of Fire: Killer Ants!; Ants; Empire of the Ants; King Kong; Centipede Horror; The Giant Claw; The Ring; Attack of the Giant Gila Monster; The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms; Tarantula; Eight Legged Freaks; Jaws; Frogs; Lord of Darkness; House of the Dead; The Grudge; Chopping Mall; BlinkyTM; The Kraken; Kraken: Tentacles of the Deep; Octopus; The Beast; Deep Rising; It Came From Beneath the Sea; Tentacles; Eye of the Beast; Mega Shark; Giant Octopus; Castle Freak; Tokyo Gore Police; Septic; Mutants; Ogre; Blood Pool; Legend of the Ogre; Killing Floor; Little Shop of Horrors; The Breed; Hatchet; Phantasm; See No Evil; Thinner; Monster House; Attila; Dead Snow; Frankenstein’s Army; Manhunt; The Monster in the Closet; Killer Eyes; Demomata; CSP-682; Parasite Eve 2; Dead Space; Night of the Lepus; Creature from the Haunted Sea; Tremors; Hostel; The Collection; The Butcher; Dead Rising; My Bloody Valentine; The Exterminator; Willard; War of the Worlds; Signs; Lollipop Chainsaw; Ghost Ship; Curse of the Pirates; Jolly Roger; Lead Soldiers; Vampire Vikings; The Witch; Blair Witch Project; The Village; The Thing; Vampire Breath; Goosebumps; Angel; King Cobra

Non-Horror Crosses: Harry Potter; Wizard of Oz; Great Expectations; Batman; Labyrinth; Land of the Giants; The Wrath of Paul Bunyan; Dreamscape; Last of the Mohicans; Blood Meridian; Scalps; Savage Sam; Sin City; Kevin Spencer; We Need to Talk About Kevin; Jacob’s Ladder; Doctor Who; Black Swan; Pan’s Labyrinth; Nutcracker; Blade Hunter; The Chronicles of Narnia; Time Bandits; The Princess and the Frog; Pirates of the Caribbean; Futurama; The Incredible Shrinking Man; Pee-Wee’s Playhouse; Red Planet; Terminator; Zathura; Hardware; Robot Wars; Bacterial Contamination; Firefly; Clash of the Titans; Team Fortress; Man from Planet X; Starship Troopers; Silence of the Lambs/Hannibal; Twisted Metal

The Story: A group of teens head out for a weekend in a cabin in the woods, not knowing that they have been chosen as sacrifices to an ancient deity in order to save the world from his wrath.

Notes: This film exposes the secret truth behind modern horror. Behind it all is a secret organization, chosen to sacrifice youth to ancient gods. All of the above named crossovers have been linked in this film, and revealed to be part of this secret conspiracy. Most of the crossovers above come from the monsters and artifacts contained in the facility. While some of the monsters and artifacts are clearly from certain films above, many are based on certain types of horror films, in which case I included the more well-known of these film types. I recommend the well-researched Cabin in the Woods Wiki for a more detailed listing of the monsters and their inspirations. Note that I included in the above crossovers some monsters that only appeared in the official novelization and the official Universal Theme Park attraction tie-in. With this film, I break one of my major rules of crossover connecting. Though some of the crosses are direct crosses, like Evil Dead and Left 4 Dead, most of them are only connected because the films represent the more well-known films of the trope from which a certain monster comes. Normally, I would not count something that is “like something from”, but there is dialogue within the film that makes me break my rule. In one scene, referring to the monsters, security officer Daniel Truman says “They’re like something from a nightmare.” Lin, a head scientist, responds, “No, they’re something nightmares are from.” She goes on to explain that these monsters are the creations of the Ancient Ones, having been around since the beginning, and different cultures have told stories that interpret them in different ways. Thus, in the instance of this film, “like” is enough because of the author’s intent. And thus my love/hate relationship with Joss Whedon, for expanding the Horror Universe dramatically but making me do a lot of work to write this entry. Note that this film ends with the start of an apocalypse, so the end must veer into a divergent timeline. We must presume in the main Horror Universe, the virgin shot the fool. And if you haven’t seen the movie, that last sentence probably seems very bizarre. This film has been referenced as fictional in South Park, The Cinema Snob, Scary Movie 5, and Doc of the Dead. It is also paid homage to in Red Dawn when Chris Hemsworth and his friends once more wind up in a cabin in the woods. The film has also been spoofed in Robot Chicken and Scary Movie 5.

RISE OF THE GUARDIANS (ANIMATED FILM)

Release Date: November 21, 2012 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Rise of the Guardians

Horror Crosses: Hellboy (film)

The Story: The greatest holiday icons unite to save the world’s children from the Boogeyman.

Notes: This film is a sequel to the book series. The original books take place 300 years prior to the events of the film, circa 1712. The tooth fairies live in a house just like the fairy houses from Hellboy II. Guillermo del Toro is the producer of this film. Holiday characters are like fairy tales and other legendary figures of folklore. Many different versions exist within the Horror Universe, and I like to think they are all valid. I propose that these characters really exist in a pocket dimension that interacts with the main Horror Universe. The holiday figures themselves may be tulpas, explaining why they seem different in different eras, in different parts of the world, and around different people.

BODY BAGS # 1 - 4 “FATHER’S DAY” (DARK HORSE COMICS)

Release Date: September 1, 1996 - January 1, 1997 (Set in the futuristic May 2014!)

Series: Body Bags

Horror Crosses: Hellboy (comics)

Non-Horror Crosses: Sin City

The Story: In Terminus, Georgia, there are lots of bounty hunters and the competition is not friendly.

Notes: This takes place in a divergent timeline where in 2014 kids are still listening to music on cassettes but the government has cyborg soldiers. Hellboy and Abe are seen disguised in an airport scene. Also seen are characters from Sin City, which means Sin City (though probably not it’s real name) is a real city in the America of the Horror Universe.

PACIFIC RIM (FILM)

Release Date: July 12, 2013 (Setting is the 2020s)

Series: Pacific Rim

Horror Crosses: Hellboy (film); Godzilla (2014); Godzilla (original)

Non-Horror Crosses: Portal; Doctor Who

The Story: A portal opens that sends giant monsters from their dimension to ours over a period of time, a few at a time. The humans fight back by creating giant robots.

Notes: Pacific Rim takes place in a divergent timeline. Even though the main story is set in our near future, the monsters are said to have started to show up in 2013. When Gypsy Danger travels to the monster dimension, the Crystal Prison from Hellboy is seen. In flashbacks to the early days of the war against the monsters, Godzilla’s roar is heard, lining up with the 2014 Godzilla film. The GLaDOS operating system in this film is from the Portal video games. Some argue that the drift technology in this film is a crossover with Doctor Who. Others say it’s not. I’m including it and letting the reader decide. The Serizawa Scale is used to determine the size of the monsters (called kaiju). Serizawa was the scientist in the original Godzilla film. One of his family was also an expert in the 2014 film. The 2014 film references that the original events from 1954 also happened. It seems that the Pacific Rim timeline may have diverged during the events of the original Godzilla film.