Change has come swiftly to the "Mignolaverse" the Dark Horse Comics-published titles connecting the worlds of Hellboy and his expanding cast of paranormal pals. Following this morning's news that longtime "B.P.R.D." writer John Arcudi would be stepping down from his post, the publisher announced a wave of new projects set in the past -- and a new wave of collaborators joining creator Mike Mignola to tell the stories.

As announced on EW.com, "Aliens" writer Chris Roberson will team with Mignola to craft the scripts for several releases under the "Hellboy & The B.P.R.D." banner, and rounding out the team will be acclaimed artist Paolo Rivera. Fresh off a run on Valiant titles like the incoming "Book of Death," the frequent comics painter will be adopting a classic pencil-and-ink style to meld with Hellboy's world by teaming with his own father -- inker Joe Rivera -- on the project.

And while many of the agents of the B.P.R.D. join the team after monster-fueled tragedy strike their lives, Rivera explained to CBR that his enlistment into the Mignolaverse was a much easier affair. "Mike Mignola accepted my friend request!" the artist joked. "Seriously -- we just got to talking. And who doesn't love Hellboy? My Dad is a big fan, too, so that helped seal the deal as well."

Picking up after a planned series of one-shots set in 1953, the ongoing adventures of Mignola, Roberson and Rivera's "Hellboy & The B.P.R.D." will continue exploring the hero's development as a neophyte agent investigating monsters, demons and more. "Hellboy is learning the ropes, simple as that. He still has the same personality we're used to, the same reactions, but he isn't jaded yet. He also isn't fully aware of what larger schemes he may be a part of... or just what he'll be up against.

"Period pieces are always a challenge, but the knowledge gained is always worth the effort," Rivera said of the piece. "I really enjoyed the five-issue '1952' series, so it's a pleasure to pick things up where they left off. (And 1953 is the year my Dad was born, so I'll have to ask him what he remembers.)"

While he's traveled across the action comics landscape with his work, Rivera is a relatively new fan of Hellboy -- though he became a quick study of the way Mignola designed the character. "I've been familiar with the character since I first saw him in Wizard some 20 years ago, but I didn't really dig into the books until around 2003. A friend of mine had a number of trades and I just devoured them all in about a day or two. The last trade I have is 'The Wild Hunt,' so this project has been a great excuse to catch up!" he said.

"I've painted Hellboy in a number of commissions, but this will be my first time drawing him. I expect my Dad to use a lot of ink! And I can't wait to see what [colorist] Dave Stewart does -- he's a huge part of what gives Hellboy such a classic look."

While the series won't launch until February 2016, Rivera has already started working on the series characters. "I just started doing some studies to get the feel right, so I haven't quite settled on a look," he said. "Obviously, Mignola's the biggest influence on me, but I really love what Duncan Fegredo has done as well. I think the toughest part for me will be making Hellboy look younger. I think of him as such a weathered tough guy -- it will be interesting to see him a little more unsure of himself but also a little more excited to be in the field."

On the story front, the artist is looking forward to teaming with scripter Roberson, who he's only ever provided covers for in the past. "I love the 'fences' theme that Chris has woven into the story. B.P.R.D. is all about the borders between incongruous worlds -- and the unavoidable conflicts at that tenuous threshold. They are the last line of defense, and that fact is made quite clear when they visit a quaint, suburban neighborhood. I also like the way Chris reveals Hellboy's bizarre brand of fame, something that he's still learning to deal with, especially because people's reactions to him can be so varied."

And with creepy suburbs around the corner, readers may be expecting another round of otherworldly monsters on the horizon, though Rivera is keeping things close to the vest at this stage. "I'm not sure what I can reveal about the particular monstrosities in this story, but I can assure you that you'll see at least one before the first issue is finished," he said. "The monsters of the Mignolaverse are always the most fun to draw, especially in the context of what is essentially a police procedural. The workaday aspects of investigating a mystery is a great context for revealing the more savage aspects underlying daily life."

Overall, the artist said that he recognizes the pressure of stepping into a series with such a strong artistic legacy, but he's not letting that idea give him any nerves. "I try not to think about it too much. I always have a healthy amount of fear at the beginning of every project, but I've found that if I just take things a panel and a page at a time, the larger picture will reveal itself. What I love most about the franchise is how it's been cared for and curated over the past two decades. If there's a bad Hellboy story out there, I've yet to read it -- I couldn't feel more honored to be part of that legacy."

The new volume of "Hellboy & The B.P.R.D." arrives in February from Dark Horse.