B.P.R.D., Vol. 2: The Soul of Venice & Other Stories

When I got the BPRD series, I took them to work and shared them with those of my co-workers who read Hellboy and BPRD. Everyone liked them. Of course, I like them, too.

I became aware of the BRPD books because of Hellboy -- the movies and the Hellboy comics. So, I purchased the first BRPD, liked it, and am slowly but surely buying up all of them. It would be nice if movies could be made of these volumes, like the Hellboy books have been made into movies. I encourage anyone who reads and enjoys the Hellboy genre to read the BRPD books, too.

What do three accused witches, a train blown up by a Nazi saboteur, the patron goddess of love and waterways, plush toy monsters, and zombies have in common? The answers can be found in this second B.P.R.D. collection of stories. B.P.R.D. stands for the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense, a secret U.S. agency that protects the world from supernatural threats. It is a spin-off title from Mike Magnolia's popular Hellboy comic book series, and details the adventures of the agency's other "special" operatives. The team includes Abe Sapien, a blue-skinned gill-man with a mysterious past; Liz Sherman, a neurotic pyrokinetic; Johann Kraus, a German psychic whose body was destroyed while his spirit was visiting the astral plane; and Roger the Homunculus, a medieval golem with tremendous strength and a child-like personality. This collection has a completely different flavor from the previous one. Instead of one main story and a few back-up features it showcases five individual stories written and drawn by five different creative teams. The Soul of Venice is written by Miles Gunther and Michael Avon Oeming and drawn by Michael Avon Oeming. Something is fouling up the canals of Venice, and the entire team is called in to solve the problem. This story is the most Mignola-esque, as it features all manner of strange creatures and a special appearance from a demon tied to the Hellboy mythos. Oeming's drawing style is very blocky, mirroring Mignola's artwork. Dark Waters, by writer Brian Augustyn and artist Guy Davis, features Abe Sapien and Roger the Homunculus. They are visiting a New England town that has just literally dug a dark secret from its past. This is my favorite entry. There are red herrings, strange monsters, and theological debates all rolled together into a nice little story. The Night Train, written by Geoff Johns and Scott Kolins and drawn by Scott Kolins and Dave Stewart, features Liz Sherman and Roger the Homunculus. These two characters have an up-and-down history together, and this story explores those issues while also incorporating a mini Lobster Johnson adventure. The art for this story is very different from the usual dark style one would expect. I liked the contrast, and actually think the use of color enhanced the feeling of otherworldliness. There's Something Under My Bed, by writer Joe Harris and penciller Adam Pollina, features Abe Sapien versus toy monsters that have somehow sprung to life and are terrorizing little children. This is a nice little story that makes you wonder what exactly makes a monster. I didn't like the art in this one so much, the figures looked too lanky and their faces looked too unfamiliar. Another Day at the Office, written by Mike Mignola and drawn by Cameron Stewart, is a special piece written just for this collection. It features Abe Sapien once again, this time partnered with Johann Kraus. This story seemed way too rushed to make any sense or have any impact. It's just the guys fight

This is the third outing for the BPRD without Hellboy. This is the first collection with one long story arc rather than a grouping of short stories. As creator Mike Mignola describes in the afterword, he and his editor at Dark Horse Comics were considering doing a regular line of comics, similar to the Hellboy series. In order to achieve this, Mignola used this series to tie off loose ends. The return of Sadu-Hem and the frog monsters from Hellboy: Seed of Destruction. Rasputin's threat of vengeance and the fulfillment of the prophecy in Hellboy: Wake the Devil. And most importantly the origin of Abe Sapien. The artwork by Guy Davis. His figure drawing immitates Mignola's, but there are almost no solid blacks. The backgrounds and colors are significantly more detailed than Mignola's, so it's a bit different of an esthetic. But when taken on its own it's still very good. His action is fluid, his characters are easily distinguished from each other. There's a background in alomst every panel (just figures with no background is a personal pet peeve of mine). The only thing that holds this book back is the dialogue. They're too self-aware of the surreality of the frog monsters, the Sadu-Hem fungus creature. There are moments where it feels like the characters don't take their own world seriously. It breaks the fantasy of the story. Aside from that it's a very good story. The characters are all used well. The artwork is very good. The monsters are all creepy. And, though we find out more about Abraham Sapien, the answers we get just lead to more questions. Exactly what a good comics' story should be.

Like the previous BPRD book (and the Hellboy books), this is a collection of stories. Abe Sapien, Elizabeth, Roger and Johann must continue to fight the forces of darkness, and their own inner demons, without Hellboy by their side. In The Soul of Venice, the team journeys to the title city where the waters have gone bad and worse. An interesting look into some of the characters. In Dark Waters the team is called when a New England town finds the bodies of witches at the bottom of a pond they have drained. The team must fight the supernatural, mud worms and fanaticism. Night Train spans decades and includes Lobster Johnson and a train destined for the Manhattan Project. Roger must do some real soul searching. There's Something Under My Bed has the team investigating a pattern of child abductions. You may not look at your toys the same way again. Finally, in Another Day At The Office (a short story), Abe and Johann look into a town beset by zombies. Just another day in the offices of the BPRD. A nice collection of stories, but not one appropriate for someone unfamiliar with the characters. Past demons are stirred up and a knowledge of earlier Hellboy stories is a necessity. The artwork is typical of the Hellboy/BPRD stories of the past and is, in my opinion, nothing to write home about. Still, it is a nice collection of eeriness for fans of the genre. Check it out.