Tuesday, March 25, 2008

BPRD: better than Hellboy !??


Writers-Mike Mignola (hellboy,baltimore) and John Arcudi (the mask) Art-Guy Davis (baker street,sandman mystery theatere) published by Dark Horse
Since this read off started i've been making a strong effort to get caught up on BPRD.and in that time BPRD:1946 came out as well as the abe sapien mini series,this has got me really pumped to find out more about abe's past.for those that don't know:the merchandising megalith known as Hellboy works for the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD) and is on a spiritual journey to find himself right now and this series follows the adventures of the squad back home as they fight a plague that transforms peeps into frog monsters!! (how's that for a run on sentence,hmmh? i READ COMICS so for sooome reason i think it's ok to be functionally illiterate....i dunno) the cast of characters in this book is phenomenal and very layered.we are told very little of these characters and only learn about them little by little along with the other characters.the art by michigans own Guy Davis is great and moody,the design of the monsters,villans,and equipment of the BPRD is kick-ass and very practical.(i'm constantly distracted from the book by the impecable design on the bprd standard issue carbine...ill) ohhh....right the plot.A really awesome nazi villan from WWII returns to call up some elder gods with unexpected consequences and the team loses a fantastic assest and amazing friend in The Black Flame.Abe also continues to delve deeper into his lost past involving a paranormal adventuring society at the turn of the century in Garden of Souls. and things really come to a head in Killing Ground. we learn more of capt.daimos past and are left terrified for his future, and my jaw crashes through the floor is astonishment of these fine sirs storytelling abilities. get up on BPRD:1946 asap! it's only three issues in and is the story of the BPRD's first mission,without any specially trained agents(hellboy's just a wittle baby in '46) With art by Paul Azaceta (potter's field)
you could read this without reading any other hellboy/bprd....the ensemble cast of the modern day series is totally worth the read.is BPRD actually better then Hellboy? i don't now about BETTER but i certainly get more excited about a new BPRD ish then i do about a new hellboy ish.maybe it's that they are more characters in BPRD and i feel like i really know them, or it could just be the design of the shotguns.
---BPRD-the black flame: 4.5 outta five appropriately cooked eggs over easy
---BPRD-garden of souls: this one goes to eleven
---BPRD-killing ground : 4 outta 5 toes NOT poking out da hole in yo sock
---BPRD-1946 (so far) : 4 outta 5 beers NOT chadwicked (an awesome relief!)

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