To promote the film “Hellboy 2: The Golden Army,” a sequel to Guillermo del Toro’s 2004 adaptation of Mike Mignola’s comic book series, Universal has produced several shorts obviously intended as viral video-bait. In the various clips, the demonic anti-hero Hellboy (Ron Perlman) dishes with James Lipton of Bravo’s “Inside the Actor’s Studio,” high fives with Zachary Levi of NBC’S “Chuck,” shames the “Ghost Hunters” of the Sci-Fi Network, and pets a kitty in a public-service announcement clearly patterned on “The More You Know” spots familiar to NBC viewers.

Given many viewers’ unfamiliarity with Mr. Mignola’s hellish creation, the spots could help introduce the culty comic book character to a more mainstream audience via assorted synergistic channels. (NBC Universal is the parent company of Bravo, Sci-Fi, and yes, NBC and Universal.) Given that the first “Hellboy” movie only grossed $60 million in the U.S., studio marketers need to court a broader audience for the sequel. With moviegoers’ current vogue for superhuman heroes — “Hancock,” “The Incredible Hulk,” and “Iron Man” are all huge hits, and “Dark Knight” hasn’t even swooped in yet — the timing may be right.

Check out a sampling of the ads below: