Mike Mignola's Hellboy is one of the most enduringly popular comic characters of recent times. As part of the B.P.R.D (Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense), Hellboy and his comrades have investigated and combated some of the world's deadliest supernatural villains. Since the release of the Hellboy films (in 2004 and 2008), the character has achieved mainstream popularity along with the respect he was always given by the comic book community.