Take a Look Inside Hellboy Creator Mike Mignola’s Next Creepy Universe

Hellboy creator Mike Mignola has done a great many things since he formally retired from the world of his most legendary creation a few years ago (even some actual Hellboy here and there). But it’s always fascinating to see when the writer/artist tries his hand at something new—and his next big step is a new universe of creepy tales.

Announced this past April, io9 has your first look inside Bowling With Corpses and Other Strange Tales From Lands Unknown, a new anthology penned and illustrated by Mignola, with colors from his longstanding collaborator Dave Stewart and letters by Clem Robins. The anthology marks the debut of Mignola’s new imprint at Dark Horse, Curious Objects, and the beginning of the titular “Lands Unknown” universe—a new project with Our Bones Dust creator and likewise frequent Mignola collaborator, Ben Stenbeck.

“For years I’d wanted to adapt this old Italian folktale about a kid who bowls with a bunch of dead guys—but I wanted it to be a very loose adaptation and didn’t want to be specific to Italy, so I ended up creating a whole world to do just this one story” Mignola said in a statement provided to io9. “The world creating pretty much took over and was the most fun I’ve had in ages—A creation myth, history, maps, etc. Pretty soon it was clear that there was a lot of room for other stories—so much room that I invited long-time collaborator (and artistic genius) Ben Stenbeck to help me flesh out the world and come up with his own stories set in the world. I have no idea how big this thing will actually be.”

“This first book, a collection of short stories, feels like a teaser for the world. I know Ben has some huge ideas and as I write this I’m halfway through a second book, a full length graphic novel, with a third book all plotted and ready to go,” Mignola added. “I never imagined I’d start a big project after Hellboy but apparently I have.”

Click through for a first look at what Mignola calls his first big post-Hellboy project—Bowling With Corpses is set to hit bookstore shelves from January 21, 2025, arriving in comic book stores the day after. For more from Stenbeck before “Lands Unknown” kicks off, Our Bones Dust hits bookstores today, June 25!