‘HELLBOY’ JOINS THE AWARD-WINNING VS. SYSTEM™ WITH THE PREMIERE OF UPPER DECK ENTERTAINMENT’S ‘ESSENTIAL COLLECTION’

The Demonic Comic Icon Makes His Trading Card Game Debut in Early 2007

CARLSBAD, Ca. – May 9, 2006 – The comic industry’s "Greatest Paranormal Investigator" makes his trading card game debut as Upper Deck Entertainment (UDE) – in association with Dark Horse Comics – today announces plans to add Hellboy to UDE’s Vs. System superhero portfolio. Based on Mike Mignola’s best-selling comic book mini-series "Hellboy," the set will premiere as the first release of UDE’s new Essential Collection, which features highly competitive decks themed around some of today’s most notable comic icons.

The new Hellboy-themed Essential Collection will be available on store shelves in early 2007.

"The ‘Hellboy’ saga is one of the most innovative and entertaining comics of all time," said Dan Bojanowski, UDE brand manager for Vs. System. "The dark storylines and vivid artistry make ‘Hellboy’ a natural addition to the Vs. System, which has previously only covered traditional ‘4-color’ comic book characters."

The set will chronicle the dark hero’s supernatural adventures as he battles Nazis, hollow earth explorers, sorcerers and werewolves with the likes of Abe Sapien, Liz Sherman, armed with his Right Hand of Doom. As part of the award-winning Vs. System’s stable of characters, Hellboy will face off against some of the comic industry’s greatest superheroes.

The set is comprised of two 60-card decks, two different Hellboy-themed Endurance Trackers, 5 foil cards from the set, one rulebook and one lithograph, of which 100 will be hand-signed by "Hellboy" creator Mignola and will then be randomly inserted into the finished product. The set will also feature original artwork by Mignola and additional top artists, and favorite fan images from Hellboy graphic novels. Each Essential Collection will contain two UDeck plastic storage cases packaged in a larger collector box.

The Vs. System game engine represents epic Super HeroÔ battles in a TCG format and is designed and developed specifically to support Super HeroesÔ in one-on-one competition. The Vs. System retains its excitement in multiplayer play and is designed to support Sealed Pack and Booster Draft formats.

Hellboy is a creature summoned in the final months of World War II by a fictional version of Grigori Rasputin, who has been commissioned by the Nazis to change the tide of the war. Hellboy appeared in a fireball in a ruined church in East Bromwich, England – he proved to not be a devil, but a little boy-like creature with red skin, horns, a tail and a large stone right hand. Raised by the U.S. Government, Hellboy became the primary agent for the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense (B.P.R.D.) and was tasked in combating occult threats.

Dark Horse Comics – one the largest American independent comic publishers – debuted "Hellboy" in 1993, and since has won critical acclaim in the industry.

For more information on the Hellboy Essential Collection and Upper Deck Entertainment products, Internet users can log onto www.upperdeckentertainment.com.