Hellboy - big red guy, cigar-chomping, protects humanity from the hordes of the supernatural. If you haven’t read Mike Mignola’s brilliant, scary, funny, wildly imaginative series of comics and graphic novels, you’ve probably seen the movie starring Ron Perlman and directed by Guillermo del Toro.

I’ve been invited to contribute to a collection of short stories to coincide with the release of the movie sequel this summer. Hellboy: Oddest Jobs will be published on July 25 by Dark Horse and will also feature contributions from Garth Nix, China Mieville, Joe R Lansdale and others.

My story, Straight No Chaser, involves Hellboy on a quest through the zombie jazz, soul and blues clubs of London. Even the dead deserve a nightlife, right?

Personally, I found writing the story a blast. Hellboy is a great character and a testament to Mike Mignola’s unique imagination. You can pre-order the book here.