NEW YORK COMIC CON: HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY

NEW YORK -- Writer/director Guillermo del Toro and cast members Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones and Luke Goss appeared at New York Comic Con on Saturday to promote Hellboy II: The Golden Army.

Following are highlights:

* Director Guillermo del Toro introduced the cast members, Hellboy creator Mike Mignola and Dark Horse's Mike Richardson.

Del Toro showed a sizzle reel that was prepared for distributors, describing it as a three-minute expanded version of the longer trailer.

* Del Toro revealed the voice of Johann will be done by Seth MacFarlane, the creator of Family Guy.

* Del Toro said the budget of the first film was $66 million -- after rebate -- and he wanted the sequel to be two or three times bigger. He said he had to use an $85 million budget and make it look larger.

* Jones said the filming of the sequel felt "like family."

"It was great to be back," Blair said.

* Mignola noted there were a couple of times he didn't even think a sequel would be made.

* Goss said he hasn't done a movie with del Toro that hasn't pushed the limits of physicality and costuming. He said there was a lot of time to get ready.

* Perlman said the make was "a tiny price to pay" for being part of Hellboy. "Sometimes I got a little bit impatient and sometimes I lost my temper a little bit, but I'm happiest when it's hard," he said.

* Mignola said the sequel is "so much bigger."

* Asked if he'll ever do a film with tons of makeup, Jones said he stars in My Name is Jerry where he gets to play a middle-aged, white guy.

There are many actors who can do things without makeup, there are few actors who can do things with makeup," del Toro said.

* Del Toro said he should know "very soon" about his involvement in The Hobbit. "I hope to get to do it," he said.

* Del Toro said he hates lazy CGI and prefers to take animatronics and puppetry to their limits.

* Asked about Silver Surfer, Jones said he doesn't have any information that hasn't been on the Internet. "I signed a three-picture two deal so they have the option of two more films if they want to use me, which I hope they do," he said. "I would love a Silver Surfer screen."