In a narrative that’s been years within the making, writer-artist Matt Smith is bringing this yr’s Hellboy Winter Special to Iceland. Focused on the Yule Cat, a folktale that Icelanders have informed tales about since the 1800s, Smith absolutely makes use of this novel yuletide monster within the new particular, which is due out on December 6 from Dark Horse Comics.
Hellboy is clearly no slouch in the case of preventing monsters, particularly in the case of the annual Winter Special. Still, one thing as beastly because the Yule Cat might be an excessive amount of even for him (seemingly given the wily, unpredictable nature of an enormous snow cat). Ultimately, although, it makes for a enjoyable one-shot, particularly as a result of the Yule Cat is so underrepresented in fashionable popular culture/media.
Listen to the latest episode of our weekly comics podcast!
To get a greater understanding of this compelling vacation story, I bought to ask Smith a number of questions. We dug into the folklore of the Yule Cat, mentioned his ideas on Hellboy historical past, and I even requested him who would win in a struggle: Krampus or Yule Cat. You simply is likely to be stunned by his reply!
Courtesy Dark Horse
Courtesy Dark Horse
AIPT: To begin, how lengthy has the Winter Special been within the works? I’m at all times fascinated once I study vacation specials that really feel so icy and chilly are typically created within the useless warmth of summer season!
Matt Smith: It’s been within the works for a number of years. It began out not being for a problem in any respect however as a approach to put together for my first Hellboy outing, Long Night at Goloski Station. So that goes again to no less than early 2019. Mike had contacted me to ask if I’d be interested by engaged on a Hellboy brief and I used to be so fast to say sure, I hadn’t thought of whether or not I may truly pull it off.
To calm my nerves, I drummed up a unfastened story thought and began sketching pages, roughing in unfastened dialogue as I went. It was a enjoyable approach to see if I may place Hellboy in scenes and in motion. When I confirmed these to Mike, he stunned me by saying one thing alongside the strains of, “Finish that up, and let’s run it somewhere.” It then sat on the again burner, as shortly after I started working with him and Christopher Golden on Bones of Giants and Hellboy in Love, however I by no means forgot about it.
Courtesy of Dark Horse Comics.
AIPT: Hellboy historical past is huge. Did it take some work to determine that 1990 was the fitting time to set this story?
MS: The story connects to Bones of Giants, so my first thought was to place it within the fast winter following, which might have been 1989. A fast look-up jogged my memory that’s when the occasions of A Christmas Underground take place. I may have ended the difficulty with him getting a name to move to England however I appreciated the concept higher of giving it its personal yr.
1990 was shut sufficient to me to really feel just like the occasions of Bones may nonetheless resonate in Hellboy’s life and the world up north. I don’t state it explicitly within the ebook, however why is the Yule Cat of Folklore again in motion, stalking the countryside and streets of Reykjavik? Could it have one thing to do with forces unleashed in Sweden in 1988? I don’t assume it’s vital for the story to say it concretely a method or one other, solely the cat is aware of for certain.
Courtesy of Dark Horse Comics.
AIPT: The Yule Cat is basically unknown to Americans, no less than ones I do know. Have you wished to make use of this fantasy in a narrative for some time?
MS: Iceland, extra particularly the old “Family Sagas,” have been on the coronary heart of my working in comics from the beginning. Barbarian Lord was meant to be a tribute to the grim, unvarnished tone of them and I simply love the historical past, folklore, and naturally the landscapes of the nation on the whole. It appeared pure that Hellboy would discover his means there in some unspecified time in the future.
Given the incredible vary of its historical past and folklore, there have been all types of tales he may get into in Iceland, however I needed to decide on one—largely. (I discovered a means to usher in a pair extra components) You actually can’t go improper with a large cat, although. I believe that’s universally interesting/horrifying.
Courtesy of Dark Horse Comics.
AIPT: The particular ties into a number of Hellboy tales. Were these at all times meant to be touched upon or added as you began outlining issues?
MS: The connection to Bones of Giants was central from the beginning when it was only a sketching train that nobody was going to see. When Mike first noticed the sketch pages and thought perhaps they might run in a group of some sort, his one concern was it referenced Bones of Giants, the novel, which hadn’t been tailored to comics but. The world of Hellboy comics exists in itself and doesn’t are inclined to immediately reference occasions informed in different types of media. The answer would have been some form of textual content preface to the brief story. Luckily, the way in which issues turned out, I started working on the Bones adaptation earlier than coming again round to the Yule Cat story. The different connections got here after sitting right down to work out a script and work out the place it sat in Hellboy’s life.
Courtesy of Dark Horse Comics.
AIPT: Was there something you discovered stunning when recreating Iceland places?
MS: Well, I had all these sweeping Icelandic vistas in thoughts however then additionally determined to have it snowing in the course of the story. I actually wished the wintery feeling to return by way of. I rapidly realized these have been a bit of contradictory, given visibility in dangerous climate, however tried to work out a compromise. Chris O’Halloran will get the credit score for making it work, his colours on this are unbelievably good. Thank you, Chris. For Reykjavik, I attempted my greatest to set it again in 1990.
I’d know modifications in Boston from 1990 to 2023 and so I hoped to not get it overly improper. For one factor, I discovered a pleasant group of Icelanders on-line to ask about sure sorts of streetlights and what yr they got here into town. Does these items actually have an effect on a narrative? I don’t know, however I really feel like a little bit of due diligence is warranted.
Courtesy of Dark Horse Comics.
AIPT: As an skilled on the Yule Cat, who would win in a struggle, Krampus or Yule Cat?
MS: Ha! Krampus is a troublesome fella and an actual imply piece of labor, I’ll give him that. But a giant cat is an evolutionarily honed apex predator and doesn’t have time to scare and punish. It hunts, and it eats. There is little doubt in my thoughts how that will all go down. One factor for absolute certain, Hellboy is fortunate they didn’t group up for some form of nightmare Skeletor/Panthor situation.
Join the AIPT Patreon
Want to take our relationship to the following stage? Become a patron today to achieve access to unique perks, similar to:
- ❌ Remove all advertisements on the web site
- 💬 Join our Discord neighborhood, the place we chat concerning the latest information and releases from every little thing we cowl on AIPT
- 📗 Access to our month-to-month ebook membership
- 📦 Get a bodily commerce paperback shipped to you each month
- 💥 And extra!
