Today marks the release of the second of three chapters of the Cameron Stewart-plotted Ashley Strode-centric arc – does it live up to the high water mark that was “Exorcism” back in 2012? Keep reading to find out!
Written by Mike Mignola, Cameron Stewart, and Chris Roberson
Illustrated by Mike NortonMissing children and rumors of devil worship have led BPRD exorcist Ashley Strode to a rural near ghost town, where not everyone is ready to banish the town’s demons.
As discussed last month, it is a bit of a bummer that this arc is not a Cameron Stewart solo joint, the way that “Exorcism” was, but I am trying to put that behind me and focus on what we do have in front of us: An Ashley Strode comic, and the first one in nearly four years. That alone is reason to celebrate.
Unfortunately, unlike last issue, we don’t get to see Strode do as much bad-assery this time around. Last issue seemed to be a series of vignettes showing why she is so awesome; this one involves her mostly talking to herself and traversing through a seemingly empty house. While there is still plenty to like about this issue, we get precious little time with Strode, and so it seems a little silly to spend almost 1/3 of that time with her by herself, narrating the scene to the reader.
This is a clear instance where John Arcudi’s presence is really missed. Arcudi had a way of taking issues like this and making them transcend the somewhat banal descriptions. Arcudi was also never afraid to let the art speak for itself, and not over-stuff the issue with words. While Strode is walking through the house observing the scene, aside from things like commenting on the smell, or maybe an exclamation here or there, there is no need for her to be talking at all.
Mike Norton’s art is evocative and clear, and doesn’t need, frankly, to be blocked by unnecessary word balloons. If Strode was commenting on what she saw, that would be one thing, but we’re just hearing her internal monologue, and none of it is particularly profound, sadly. Until we get deep into the issue, there’s almost no reason for Strode to say much, and yet, just about every panel has her saying something.
I’ve made this observation before about Mignolaverse books, but this yet another example of Dave Stewart’s coloring bringing an artist’s work instantly into the Mignola feel. Norton is an artist that I would never say is particularly similar to the other Mignolaverse mainstays, but his work here fits right in. Sure, his Strode is a little different than Stewart’s, but the tone of the book is perfectly in line with what we’ve seen from her story in the past.
The extra shame in all that superfluous dialogue is that Norton does wonders with Strode’s facial expressions. Without reading the dialogue, you can see that the place stinks terribly, or that she’s startled by the appearance of a possum, or that she’s hesitant to go down the steps to the basement. For the first half of the issue, where Strode is the only character we’re spending time with, Norton makes the most of the limited visuals and gives us a really nuanced take on her walk through the house.
The second half of the issue picks up the pace a little bit, as it gives Strode a time to do her thing a little more. Like last issue, we see her straddling two realms of reality, and finally getting some answers (sort of) about all the lost children. I really enjoy the scenes of Strode holding the rosary in her hand on Earth, while she’s holding a flaming sword in some ethereal plane – it gives the B.P.R.D. a different type of supernatural connection that, especially outside of Hellboy adventures, we haven’t seen too much of as of late.
I mentioned that Strode got some answers, but the book is still leaving the actual fate of the children somewhat up for debate. The issue ends with Strode approaching a shack in the backyard – perhaps more answers will be revealed in there. But for now, aside from ‘both me and my father abducted and killed kids,’ there isn’t really much to say about what really happened at the Coupland residence. Now, I don’t need horrific play by play, but the details sort of matter. Obviously, lots of innocent children were murdered, but what was the supernatural element? Hopefully, the aforementioned shack provides some answers.
This review might seem like it is overly negative, and that’s a bit unfair – I enjoyed this issue, but found it to be the quintessential second act story. Nothing really happens, except for a tidying up of the first act and an establishment of the third. Strode is a character that had been kept on the shelf for so long, waiting for Stewart’s availability, only for them to dust her off and then lose Stewart’s availability anyway. The expectations were high here and, so far, the reality has been decidedly less so.
Final Verdict: 5.5 – This might read much better as part of the eventual trade paperback, but right now, this issue was less than what we’ve come to expect from “B.P.R.D.”
