Book Review: B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth Vol. 1: New World by Mike Mignola et al.

B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth Vol. 1: New World by Mike Mignola et al.

Having finally defeated the Plague of Frogs, the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense has gone public in a big way. They've even been commandeered by the United Nations, which is a very mixed blessing. Sure they have more funding, but instead of choosing what occurrences they will investigate, they now have to investigate everything, everywhere. The agents are stretched out across the globe investigating every subterranean monster that pops up as well as every freak volcano that erupts where it shouldn't (sorry, readers from Houston, but your city is wiped out).

Dr. Kate Corrigan is left in charge of the B.P.R.D. and tries her best to keep the team together. Abe Sapien is off investigating the Pacific Northwest, where he discovers a monster that has been stripping small towns of their populations. Out in the woods, he finds an old friend who helps unravel the mystery and explain the unthinkable horror that has descended upon them.

The book mostly follows Abe's exploits, though the internal dramas at the Headquarters are followed as a b-story, presumably setting up future story arcs and conflicts. The horror is delivered both on the psychological level and on the visual level, with Cthulhu-esque monsters prowling around the globe. I'm ready to see more of the gang picking up the pieces in the aftermath of near-world destruction by the frogs. Send more quick!