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    GVN Talking Comics Interview: Thomas E. Sniegoski on ‘Young Hellboy #1’

    Promotional graphic for a comics interview with writer Thomas E. Sniegoski, featuring covers of "Young Hellboy: Thrilling Sky Adventures #1" and a photo of the writer.

    The team of Mignola, Sniegoski, and Rousseau is bringing back a fan favorite. Young Hellboy returns, and this time the sky’s the limit. Dark Horse Comics is kicking off a brand‑new chapter with Young Hellboy: Thrilling Sky Adventures #1, a high‑flying pulp romp that taps straight into the character’s sense of wonder, danger, and mischievous charm. Writer Thomas E. Sniegoski returns to the red‑skinned adventurer’s early years with a story that blends monster mayhem, retro‑serial flair, and the kind of heart longtime Hellboy fans know well. We sat down with Sniegoski to talk about crafting this latest airborne escapade, the joy of writing young HB, and what readers can expect when the engines roar to life. So, let’s welcome Writer Thomas E. Sniegoski to GVN Talking Comics.

    GVN: Thanks for visiting again, Thomas. When we last chatted (back in 2024), we were discussing Graphic Audio’s presentation of ‘Hellboy And The BPRD: The Goddess of Manhattan.’ So, it seems right that we are discussing a NEW Hellboy collaboration with Mike and Craig Rousseau: Issue#1 of Young Hellboy in Thrilling Sky Adventures. So, let’s jump right in.

    TOM: Let’s do this!

    A New Hellboy Project

    GVN: When Mike approached you with this project, what excited you most about returning to Young Hellboy for Thrilling Sky Adventures, and how did the initial concept for this new arc take shape between you, Mike, and Craig?

    TOM: There is definitely excitement whenever Mike approaches with a new project idea. We had talked about doing more with Scarlett Santiago, the Sky Devil, who we first met in Young Hellboy: The Hidden Land, and this new series was the perfect opportunity. In this one, we wanted to lean into her Pulp adventure roots, show the reader one of her thrilling stories BEFORE she became possessed by the spirit of a giant ape god!

    Comic book cover of "Young Hellboy #1" featuring Young Hellboy, a woman in a red mask and aviator goggles, and a shadowy figure in the background, with bold title text.

    Scarlett Sandiego

    GVN: You’ve worked with Mike Mignola before, but every Hellboy project has its own flavor. How did the two of you shape the tone and direction of this particular story, as well as decide to focus on the comic adventures of Scarlett Sandiego?

    TOM: I think the tones of these series are matched to the creative teams. Mike has a sense of how these stories should look, and feel and he matches the creative teams to give him what he thinks the story needs to work. Like I mentioned, we had wanted to do a Sky Devil adventure, and also wanted to somehow include Young Hellboy, so we took advantage of the fact that Hellboy got a great big stack of comics, and pulps in the second Young Hellboy adventure, Assault on Castle Death.

    Craig Rousseau

    GVN: Craig’s art brings a pulpy, kinetic energy to the book. How did his visual style influence Mike and your scripting, pacing, or character moments in Issue #1?

    TOM: Having worked with Craig on the previous two Young Hellboy adventures, we knew exactly what Craig was capable of and tried to come up with a story that would match with his exciting capabilities. The story needed to be fun, and exciting so we plotted accordingly and we think he pulled it off big time!

    Comic book cover titled "Young Hellboy: Thrilling Sky Adventures" features Hellboy reading under a blanket and a masked figure sneaking near police cars at night.

    Classic Pulp

    GVN: Thrilling Sky Adventures leans into classic pulp, aviation serials, and high‑flying spectacle. What storytelling traditions or inspirations were you channeling while writing this issue?

    TOM: Whenever I get a chance to work on one of these pulpy ideas I’m always channeling my favorites–Doc Savage, The Phantom, The Shadow, The Spider, Lobster Johnson and even Mike and my creation, Grim Death. All these characters and their stories float around inside my brain creating this amazing stew of ideas. I just need a great big ladle to dish my story out of the pot! HA!

    Writing for Young Hellboy

    GVN: Writing a younger version of such an iconic character is tricky. What’s your approach to balancing his innocence, humor, and emerging heroism?

    TOM: When writing Hellboy’s younger incarnation I always try to remember where this character is going–where he’ll end up–and then try to imagine the experiences that he’ll need in life to become the character that he will eventually become.

    Comic page showing a red-skinned character with horns talking to a brown dog in a kitchen, holding a cereal box, with comic books and dialogue about cereal and "Santa Claus. A large dog growls; a masked woman with a gun fights guards; a red demon eats celery and narrates; comic book panel layout. A comic page shows a cityscape, a person entering a building, a uniformed man reacting to a crash, and a red-faced demon figure appearing with a bright light. A police officer shines a flashlight and confronts a man in a robe, who then shoots at him. The officer screams, and a mask is revealed in the flashlight beam. A group of armed men prepare at a rural building at night; a masked figure attacks, shooting at them while they talk and hold lanterns.

    What Fans Can Expect

    GVN: Without spoiling too much, Issue #1 introduces some wild new faces and threats. What can you share about building fresh mythology within the Hellboy universe?

    TOM: I don’t want to give too much away, but this is just a fun, over the top pulp adventure story. I wanted to keep it vaguely familiar, but also fresh. One of the coolest things (amongst a plethora of cool things!) is that I got to develop a character that Mike had drawn many, many years ago that had no identity. I saw the drawing and asked Mike about him, and Mike said that he really didn’t know anything. It was just a drawing of a character that might have been influenced by The Phantom. That was it. I had always remembered that drawing, and thought The Ghost Leopard would make a cool addition to this latest Young Hellboy adventure.

    In  the Next Issues

    GVN: Thanks again, Thomas. In closing, for fans jumping into Thrilling Sky Adventures, what should they look forward to as the series unfolds—bigger stakes, deeper lore, or even stranger sky‑bound surprises?

    TOM: This one really allowed me to cut loose! I got to indulge myself in all sorts of pulpy goodness. It’s got gangsters, lost plateaus, ancient civilizations, mad scientists, insect people, powerful animal gods working their magic on the world–and of course Young Hellboy!

    Dark Horse Comics Young Hellboy: Thrilling Sky Adventures #1 is another reminder of how much heart, humor, and high‑octane imagination Thomas E. Sniegoski brings to the character’s early years. It’s a story built for longtime Hellboy fans and new readers alike, and talking with Sniegoski only reinforces how much joy he pours into every page. Big thanks to Thomas for taking the time to chat with us, and be sure to grab the issue now that it has hit the stands—you won’t want to miss this latest sky‑bound adventure.

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