Written by Mike Mignola and John Arcudi
Illustrated by Guy DavisMonsters overrunning the American southwest, a volcano in Houston burning in the night, and a group of outcasts with a prophetic leader; prove to be great threats to a struggling bureau.
* Introducing a pivotal new character!
* Learn the origin of the Hyperborean shaman!
B.P.R.D. remains one of the most underrated books in the industry – I’m the only one at MC that reads it – and the team of Mignola, Arcudi and Davis continue chugging along with this new mini titled “Gods.”
Find out what I thought after the jump.
This issue pulled a “Lost.” How exactly? Let’s look at it.
The second season of “Lost” began with Jack descending into the hatch and what happened when he met Desmond, while the very next episode told the tale of two other characters and what they did leading up to the same moment the first episode ended. It’s a classic storytelling device, telling two parallel stories that build to the same crescendo.
It’s exciting because you get to see the two most important aspects of the story that are running on parallel tracks, but it’s also frustrating because the first episode ended on a cliffhanger and you want to see where it goes from there instead of backtracking and building up another aspect of the story.
In the case of “Lost,” I found it quite frustrating. In regards to this issue however, I think Mike Mignola and John Arcudi pulled it off very well.
Given that the two stories in this book were quite separated – the last issue was new character Fenix being introduced as well as the new set of Bedouin travelers roaming the southern half of the USA, but ending with the arrival of our boy Abe Sapien, while this one is how Abe Sapien got there from BPRD HQ – it made more sense to expand on the “how Abe got there” part of the story. That it also allowed Mignola and Arcudi to confront the growing Devon/Abe rift made the story all the more important, and the execution of it was near perfection – I loved Kate’s intensity, I loved Abe’s response, and, well, I continue to strongly dislike Devon.
I’m really enjoying where this book is going, and I love the way Mignola and Arcudi still have ample opportunity to build up the mythology behind the story. The development of the Hyperborean Shaman’s and their relationship to their current problems is exciting, although it’s power will continue to build as we start seeing what exactly Fenix is and what she could mean to the story.
Mignola and Arcudi are a ridiculously great writing team, and their grasp on these characters is perfect. I enjoy the living hell out of the ebbs and flows of their interpersonal relationships, and as things in the world get worse, their relationships strain under the pressure.
Guy Davis…I mean what else can be said about this guy. His storytelling abilities as an artist is nothing short of top notch, his monster work is unparalleled (the showdown between the Hyperborean shaman and the monster in the flashback was incredible), and he truly has a style unlike anyone else out there. While Mignola and Arcudi are excellent at developing the characters and relationships and mythology, Davis does a hell of a job of giving this book a visual identity all to its own.
B.P.R.D., no matter what words shows up after it, is one of my absolute favorite books on the market. This mini-series so far has been pushing the book in exciting directions, and I’m really excited to see where it goes from here. Don’t make the same mistake my fellow MC writers are making – read this damn book!
Final Verdict: 9.0 – Buy
