Book Review: Abe Sapien Vol. 9 by M. Mignola et al.

Abe Sapien Volume 9: Lost Lives and Other Stories written by Mike Mignola, Scott Allie, and John Arcudi, art by Michael Avon Oeming, Juan Ferreyra, Kevin Nowlan, Alise Gluskova, Santiago Caruso, Mark Nelson, and Dave Stewart

Another volume of stories about Abe Sapien, an agent for the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense! Here's a story-by-story rundown...

The Land of the Dead--Abe Sapien goes to investigate some lost divers in Mexico. They discovered a cave that mirrors the myths of the Mayan afterlife. The cave is partially flooded. Four divers went down but only one came back. Abe swims down and finds some abominable creatures to fight. The story is an interesting blend of mythology and horror. It suits Abe's skills as a "fish man" but still has the dark and foreboding underworld. The art is from Mignola and has his signature dark and eerie style.

Witchcraft & Demonology--Abe Sapien is wrapping up a night briefing Professor Bruttenholm at his apartment. As the Professor goes to bed, Abe comes across a tome written by Gustav Strobl called Witchcraft and Demonology. Bruttenholm dismisses Strobl and his work as fake, though the B.P.R.D. did confiscate all the copies printed in the 1950s. When Bruttenholm leaves, another person shows up and tells Strobl's story, that he was a Satanist in the 1800s who was reincarnated in World War I, when he wrote the book to pay back Satan for returning him to life. The story gets weirder and more disturbing as it goes along. This was a little too seriously occultish for me to enjoy.

The Ogopogo--A dead body on a Canadian lake draws Hellboy and Abe to investigate. The lake is famous since it's the home of Ogopogo, a sea serpent that the old natives used to worship and make non-human sacrifices to. The locals are happy to make a little money off tourists. A dead body is not so great for business, much less if the monster of the lake is guilty. Not all the locals are happy for the outside interference. The story is an interesting "monster of the week" yarn.

Subconscious--Abe writes a letter to Hellboy after Hellboy gives him advice to try to fit in with the other B.P.R.D. agents. Abe struggles with changing himself to suit others or being more honest about himself or finding some other place where it will be easier to fit in. The story is short and poignant.

Lost Lives--Abe is having a hard time after finding out he was a Civil War scientist named Everett Langdon Caul who was transformed into a fish man and stored in the basement of a Washington, D.C., hospital. He's doing the research part of the Bureau's mission. Field agents Roger the Homunculus and Agent Vaughn try to talk him into going back into the field. Abe is becoming more detached from other people, which is not a good thing as the story shows. It ends with a good bit of creepy horror but does not resolve Abe's situation.

Icthyo Sapien--The more monstrous version of Abe reflects on his previous life as Caul, leading to a story from Caul's adventures in England with the Oannes Club. The club is something of an ocean cult and is looking for pre-human ancestors, leading to a specimen not unlike the current Abe. It's a weird story that doesn't so much fill in holes of Abe's past as it gives more atmosphere and shows Caul's growing obsession with subterranean creatures.

This set of stories is interesting, but mostly for Hellboy/B.P.R.D. fans. Abe is an interesting character with a very different story arc from Hellboy.

Recommended for Hellboy fans.

Book Review: Abe Sapien Dark and Terrible Volume 1 by M. Mignola et al.

Abe Sapien Dark and Terrible Volume 1 story by Mike Mignola, Scott Allie, and John Arcudi, art by Sebastian Fiumara and Max Fiumara, colors by Dave Stewart, and letters by Clem Robins

Abe Sapien has woken from his coma in the middle of the B.P. R.D. Hell on Earth storyline. He's less human-looking than before and has left the Bureau. The United States (and indeed, the rest of the world) has turned into an apocalyptic landscape. Abe wanders around trying to understand more about himself and his role in what's going on, if any. He goes to the Salton Sea where a water-themed elder god arose and to Rosario, Texas, where he took the bullet that put him in the coma. Meanwhile, Gustav Strobl is also wandering the United States looking for answers about Abe's role, though he clear has sinister motives and is upset that he does not have the mystical control that he once had before. He only takes up a quarter of the narrative, most of the focus is on Abe.

The story is very bleak. Abe has given up on the Bureau and the bigger mission of saving the world. He does help people along the way. But the aid is fairly minimal and some people are beyond help. Abe is not very successful in finding information though he is starting to remember his life as Langdon Caul. Caul lived during the American Civil War and transformed into Abe when he found some underwater relic. I found the stories hard to read (this volume is about 400 pages) with the ongoing dismal tone and the lack of progress on any front.

Not recommended.

Book Review: Abe Sapien Vol. 8 by M. Mignola et al.

Abe Sapien Volume 8: The Desolate Shore written by Mike Mignola and Scott Allie, art by Max Fiumara and Sebastian Fiumara, and colors by Dave Stewart

A bunch of Abe Sapien short stories, though they are part of a continuing story...

Regressions--Abe travels to Trevor Bruttenholm's home in the wastes of New York City and discovers some research tapes. Bruttenholm interviewed Abe and also did regression therapy on him to speak to Abe's previous lives. He hears about the events that transformed Caul into Abe and it's not pleasant information. If that wasn't bad enough, an enemy, Gustav Strobl, is following Abe through New York and causes problems too. The story is fairly dark and downlifting, but interesting for the background it provides.

Dark and Terrible Deep--Abe travels to an ancient city where he discovers yet more about his horrible past life. He also finds he has a destiny for this world which is unclear. His pursuer from the previous story goes to Saint-Sebastien where he is transformed into a creature just like Abe. The story follows a lot of elder god horror convolutions.

The Garden (III)--Abe tries to retreat from reality to a fairy realm but the lone fairy there reminds him of his greater purpose in his own world. He reluctantly heads back to the devastated America.

The Desolate Shore--Abe comes ashore the same time and the same place as Strobl, who is also a "fish man." Strobl wants to be the founder of the new race of men and fights Abe to ensure that does not happen.

The story has a lot of reminiscences and similarities to Hellboy's struggles with who he is and why he exists. The story comes to a resolution with this graphic novel, though I missed all the middle stuff! Too bad the library didn't have earlier volumes. I will have to hunt around to read the story in the right order.

Recommended, but read the lead up volumes to this first! Don't make my mistake!!

Book Review: Sir Edward Grey Witchfinder Omnibus Vol. 1 by M. Mignola et al.

Sir Edward Grey Witchfinder Omnibus Volume 1 written by Mike Mignola, John Arcudi, Kim Newman, Maura McHugh, and Scott Allie, art by Ben Stenbeck, John Severin, Tyler Crook, and Patric Reynolds

In an interesting expansion of his Hellboy universe, Mike Mignola creates a Victorian-era supernatural investigator named Sir Edward Grey. Grey deals with a lot of problems and monsters similar to what Hellboy faces over a hundred years later. Grey is much more scholarly and reserved than Hellboy, giving him a different approach. Six stories fill this volume...

Murderous Intent--Three English witches want to kill Queen Victoria in 1879. Edward Grey has been appointed by Her Majesty to investigate occult occurrences, so it's his job to stop them. The story is very short and explains why he's called "Witchfinder." The art by Mignola is his classic style which I enjoy a lot.

In the Service of Angels--Investigating some truly bizarre deaths, Sir Edward comes in contact with some of the Mignolaverse mythology. An expedition in Egypt uncovered a subterranean passageway that might lead to Hyperborea, the ancient lost civilization that lived inside of the Earth. The members of the expedition have been dying off, the last few in London. They brought some strange bones back with them. The bones belonged to some demon-type being that has been hunting them on their return to England. The Heliopic Brotherhood of Ra (a weird pseudo-religious, pseudo-scientific cult) is also interested in the bones and wants Edward to hand them over. The plot is a slow-burn horror that reveals more of the bleak truth as it moves along. The art is gray and dismal, following the tone of the story and the environment of late 1800s England.

Lost and Gone Forever--Grey pursues a fellow Englishman to Utah in 1880. The trail disappears in a small town that's lost its Christian church and any sense of morals. Grey is pulled out of town by Morg, who has another bigger problem to deal with. A lot of local natives are following a young white woman who claims to be in touch with their gods and is using them for some unexplained purpose. Their investigation turns up some weird details. The sinister character of the story is well matched with a washed-out color palate. The art is more focused on the horror than the Old West, making the area more bleak and desolate, like the situation for the characters.

Beware the Ape--Back in London, Grey is called in to to confront Jerome Bagsby, a gentleman who, while at his club, beat another man for an archeological treasure. Bagsby denies responsibility and puts the blame on an ape in his home. Being weird fiction, this explanation turns out to be true as Grey confronts the beast. The story is very short but does the job.

The Mysteries of Unland--The town of Hallam has been reclaimed from English swamplands by industrialist Sir Horace Poole. He is trying to get approval for his health elixir made from the local waters. One of the queen's men has died mysteriously while inspecting the elixir-works to see if it meets royal approval (which would certainly boost sales). Grey is sent, though he thinks it is a common enough case. Poole is ill, so Grey is led around by underlings, including the local constable who does not seem very competent. Grey is ready to leave when his hotel room is attacked by giant eels who tell him to go back to London. Since the case does seem to have a supernatural element, Grey stays. The story moves methodically, building up the revelations and the horror as it goes. The art isn't as good as the other stories but the creepy eel people are very creepy.

The Burial of Katharine Baker--A short story about Henry Hood, a "witchfinder" from the 17th century. Katharine Baker was accused of witchcraft after ever other family's crops failed except hers. Also, she visits her boyfriend in a graveyard...the boyfriend who died several month ago! When Henry Hood hangs her, her family comes to give her a good burial. Another group shows up claiming to be her family, causing a lot of consternation and a chance for Hood to show off his skills. The story was interesting but very short.

Overall, I found the stories entertaining. Grey is an interesting character but sometimes he seems like he's more "along for the ride" than figuring things out on his own. The horror has a good variety and the different locations are used creatively.

Recommended--highly for Hellboy/Mignola fans.

Book Review: B.P.R.D. The Devil You Know Vol. 3 by M. Mignola et al.

B.P.R.D. The Devil You Know Volume 3: Ragna Rok story by Mike Mignola and Scott Allie, art by Christopher Mitten, Laurence Campbell, and Mike Mignola, and colors by Dave Stewart

The big finale is here as Rasputin returns to bring about the destruction of mankind's Earth. Hellboy, Abe Sapien, and Liz Sherman stay behind in what's left of New York City to fight him while the remnants of humanity flee to caves. The hope is to preserve humanity in some way. That all depends on Hellboy--will he fulfill his destiny as the world ender or will he fight against Rasputin? The answer is pretty obvious given the long history of Hellboy (and the even longer history of hero stories). Even so, the story leads to a satisfying conclusion for the characters. I was worried with the last issue that the creators had run out of ideas. What they really have done is run to the end.

Highly recommended for Hellboy fans. It won't be nearly as satisfying for casual readers.

Book Review: B.P.R.D. The Devil You Know Vol. 2 by M. Mignola et al.

B.P.R.D. The Devil You Know Volume 2: Pandemonium story by Mike Mignola and Scott Allie, art by Sebastian Fiumara and Laurence Campbell, and Colors by Dave Stewart

Hellboy is literally back from the grave as the B.P.R.D. heads to New York City. That's where the little Russian girl/demon Varvara is gathering remnants of humanity in the hopes of recreating Pandemonium. Pandemonium was the capital in Hell, though Hell has been mostly emptied out after Hellboy killed Satan back in his Hellboy in Hell days. Hellboy has a slow boot-up as the heroes gather to take down Varvara. She has brought along Hellboy's old enemies Kroenen and Von Klempt, hinting at the arrival of another long dead and forgotten character.

This book starts with a couple of pages of Mignola's art as Hellboy is summoned back out of Hell (where he seemed to be taking it easy). Hellboy's unease as he leaves the afterlife is only hinted at. He's reluctant to get back into field work though he's in full swing by the end of this five-issue story arc. While it is fun to see Hellboy back, it's also a little disappointing, like a movie franchise that keeps going after they have a great ending to their story. Bringing back the old enemy only reinforces my impression that they've run out of ideas. Maybe they can pull it together for the finale.

Mildly recommended.

Book Review: B.P.R.D. The Devil You Know Vol. 1 by M. Mignola et al.

B.P.R.D. The Devil You Know Volume 1: Messiah story by Mike Mignola and Scott Allie, art by Laurence Campbell, and Colors by Dave Stewart

In the aftermath of the Hell on Earth series, the remnants of the B.P.R.D. are still fighting off the remnants of the Ogdru Hem that went inert when their mother, the Ogdru Jahad, was defeated. The agents are checking the various Ogdru Hem to make sure they are dead. Creepy supernatural activity still happens around the inert, gigantic bodies. If that wasn't bad enough, creepy Russian girl Varvara is gathering people from across the world to New York City. She sends out dreams summoning them. When they get there, the people are expecting a heaven on earth, though Varvara seems bent on establishing the opposite. Didn't the B.P.R.D. just stop that?

The story is interesting but a little convoluted. I haven't read the Hell on Earth series, so I was surprised by some of the revelations (like major characters who had died) and confused by some of the new characters (who were established in the previous series I assume). My befuddlement is comparable to skipping two or three seasons of a television show and then jumping back in. I may tough it out anyway since the ending establishes the return of a central character hinted at by the title. I go on to Volume 2 soonest!

Mildly recommended--this is not a good jumping on point, especially if you are just starting the B.P.R.D. (which is the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense)!