The following is an interview with writer Thomas E. Sniegoski on the recent release of the audiobook, Hellboy and the B.P.R.D: The Goddess of Manhattan, through GraphicAudio. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Sniegoski about his shared creative process in working with Christopher Golden to explore Hellboy in the auditory medium, whether this latest installment will provide a solid jumping-in point for new listeners, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the release of Hellboy and the B.P.R.D: The Goddess of Manhattan! What can you share with us about the premise of this new entry in the world of Hellboy?
Thomas E. Sniegoski: Well, the story is set in the early 1990s, and it finds Hellboy, Liz Sherman, and Abe Sapian drawn to a bizarre case that only gets more bizarre in New York City. A strange community of human-like creatures has been living beneath Manhattan for more than sixty years, and now something is stalking and killing them one by one–someone who claims to be the ancient goddess Sem-Karul. As Hellboy, Liz, and Abe investigate, they learn that this case is even more complex than they originally believed, finding a connection with other cases and stories that have taken place in the Hellboy universe.
BD: What can you tell us about your shared creative process in working with longtime colleague and frequent Hellboy writer Christopher Golden to bring this latest story to life, especially for an auditory medium?
TES: Oh, jeez. It’s like falling off a bike! HA! Chris and I have worked together for many, many years and have a kind of shorthand with our process. After asking me to participate in the writing of this audiobook, he gave me a simple outline which I then went through and came up with all sorts of questions. We then go through these questions, find our answers, fix the outline, and then we get to work. He takes particular chapters, and I take the others. It’s amazing how seamless the whole thing turns out.
BD: With each new installment within the Hellboy universe, do you find that it becomes second nature to give voice to these characters and their respective journeys?
TES: I find that the more you immerse yourself in this world, and the characters that inhabit it, you become more inclined to know how they think and how they would respond in a given situation. You start to hear their voices as they interact with each other and the world. It’s very cool.
BD: Do you feel that this new audiobook would serve as a solid jumping-on point for new listeners who may have missed the two prior stories?
TES: Yeah, I do. I think anybody who isn’t familiar with Hellboy and the amazing cast of characters could easily listen to this and get a good sense of what Hellboy is all about, and likely come away a really big fan, seeking out all sorts of other Hellboy goodness. And we would welcome them to our very special club. HA.
BD: Are there any other projects that you would like to highlight to our readers?
TES: Hmmmmm. Well, I would like to mention the other two audiobooks that have a cool and subtle connection to Goddess of Manhattan, also written by the amazing Christopher Golden– Hellboy: A Plague of Wasps and Lobster Johnson: The Proteus Club. If folks listen to these two adventures, they’ll find a really cool connection to the stuff going on in Goddess of Manhattan. Also, fans of Hellboy and his creator Mike Mignola should be on the lookout for Grim Death & Bill the Electrocuted Criminal–a new dramatic podcast produced by Echoverse based on the novel written by Mike and I. It’s going to lead into a whole new slew of Grim Death goodness.
BD: Lastly, what would you like to tell fans who want to learn more about Hellboy and the B.P.R.D: The Goddess of Manhattan?
TES: You know what? There’s really nothing more to say. They need to go and listen to Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: The Goddess of Manhattan and bask in the awesomeness of this audiobook. They can thank me later.
