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: 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.