Re Doug Bradley
True he is Clive’s old chum, but so is Nicholas Vince (The Chatterer, author of Look See- a story which provides an alternate bio for the Chatterer and was included with Screamin’s first Chatterer midel, Vince has also written several stories for the comic.)
Re- Channard
IIRC Channard had photos and records on Spenser. Though it was Kirsty who found them and reminded the Cenobites of their past, it’s clear that Channard had been planning the same. He defeated Pinhead so easily, because he had spent decades studying Hell. Once transformed into a Cenobite, he was able to fashion weapons that were very effective against them, and to blast Pinhead with a mystical energy that transformed him back into a human. Channard actually says “I’m taking over.”. It’s clearly his plan to defeat Pinhead and become the new lead Cenobite. Judging from the events in H3, Channard didn’t actually return Pinhead to humanity. He seperated Pinhead and Spenser. Leviathan first refashioned Pinhead into a part of a stone pillar, then created the Pillar Of Souls sculpture to heal him and test him. IMHO Leviathan judged Channard unworthy of replacing Pinhead. Pinhead was a strong leader, but he was also a high priest wholly obedient to the will of his god. Channard may have been an expert in mental torture, but he had too much of an ego. He wanted to rule hell, not serve in it. My guess on why Spenser was chosen- He was used to an ordered life, having been in the military so long. Sickened by the incompetence of his leaders and seeking something to cut through the numbness and make him feel again, he was perfect choice. As Leviathan’s favored son, he serves a perfect master. As the pope of the labyrinth, his life is filled with a sacred purpose.
Re Cannon
Clive has written favorably of the Hellraiser comic on several occasions. Considering what he’s said about the film NightBreed (‘Those studio bastards completely screwed my film. They edited it into crap. Then, they had an ad campaign that made it look like another hockey mask and chainsaw slasher film. And they won’t let me re-edit it or release all the footage. Bastards.’), I’m guessing he actually liked the comic. As I’ve said, his pal Nicholas Vince has written for the comic several times.
Differences Between The Comics And The Films- Non Spoilers
LeMarchand’s boxes are far from the only puzzles that serve as Lament Configurations. There are similar puzzles made in different styles by other artists. There are also jigsaws (sounds cheesy, but it ain’t) and a crossword (Neil Gaiman’s Hellraiser story Wordsworth). One story, Songs Of Metal And Flesh, is about a gifted musician who begins to feel that music itself is a puzzle.
The mission of the Cenobites is not just to inflict pain or pleasure, but to impose order on the universe.
The Cenobite’s have pets. These come in all shapes and sizes. They used to be human.
A man named Isadore Klauski escaped from Hell and wrote the occult classic Of Hell, warning others and describing his experiences. He was recaptured and learned he had been allowed to escape. Leviathan had wanted him to write the book, so that it would lure in others.
LeMarchand’s life is quite different from the one shown in H4. Though he began as a toymaker, he had visions of wondrous mehcanisms. None of the metals he attempted were suitable. He heard rumors of a material of perfect order. A chunk of an unidentifiable stone was anonymously mailed to him. The instructions said it must first be boiled in human fat. LeMarchand unhesitatingly killed and butchered his apprentice. He went on to become a mass murderer and make dozens of puzzles.
After a few years, the folks at the comic felt the need for a positive force to oppose Leviathan. Clive created Morte Mamme, the goddess of death and rebirth. Blessed with new abilities and bearing sacred weapons, the Harrowers would journey into Hell to free souls. Once freed, these souls would be reborn through the godess. First, a restoration to their human state and 24 hours to settle earthly affairs. Then, a transformation into something new (a book, a kangaroo, a clown).
The Harrower stories that appeared in Hellraiser (better paper and inks, marked for mature readers) ranged from good to great. Then, some moron at Marvel decided that they should have their own series- on newsprint, with three color inks, and it should be comics code authority approved. They ran the concept into the ground. Hell became a placed filled with giant filing cabinets. Each soul was locked in its private Hell within a cabinet. Morte Mamme would provide the Harrowers with a numbered key and send them on a mission to free that soul. Awful. Horrible. Worse than it sounds. But at least the writers were able to completely screw up the characters before it was cancelled.
The Pinhead comic explained that Pinhead was part Spenser and part ancient spirit. IIRC They had planned to use this concept in H3 (IIRC the director said ‘Spenser wasn’t transformed so much as he was absorbed.’).
Other than the hideous (I know we agree not to speak of Highlander 2. But, just this once, I will. The Harrowers series is that awful and it mangles a good concept and characters just as badly) Harrowers series, I consider the comics canon. I consider H1, H2, and parts of H4 cannon (the H4 Philipe LeMarchand and the comics’ Philipe are totally different, but both are great stories. The comic Philipe had no known children. But, he very well could have any number of illegitimate kids whose descendants have Philipe’s engineering genius and strive to undo his evil). I thought H3 sucked. It ignored all the rules established in the first two films. It ignored the ideas introduced in the comics (by comparison, Predator 2 is almost entirely based on the ideas introduced in Dark Horse comics).
As somebody already said, the comics have a marvellous internal consistency. The writing and art are generally of excellent quality. After several years, Clive was pleased with the comics and happy to create Morte Mamme and the Harrowers. After several films, Clive wanted nothing to do with the movies.
RE H5 and H6
I still can’t believe I didn’t know about these. It’s just wrong. How could it have happened? How can they have been out for years without my knowing? This is not the way reality should be. I feel like I’ve opened the door and found that the world has twisted itself into a shape that should only be possible in the works of Escher.