Comic Review: Hellboy and the BPRD 1956 #1

Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: 1956 #1 by Chris Roberson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I wasn't going to review this. I was thinking I probably stick up enough stuff here as it is. However, as I saw a bunch of Mignolaverse stuff in my feed, I might as well. Anyway, you already bought the ticket, so you get the ride.

For starters, I love the idea of this- carrying Hellboy into the 50s, Cold War and the Soviets, seems like a perfect continuation for this series. This volume throws in the BPRD and a few concurrent stories. That could be a tangled mess, but at the same time, sometimes Hellboy doesn't have enough story, so I am intrigued.

I have seen some comments on Roberson this week, and this is co-credited to Mignola and Roberson, though I suspect it's more the latter. The dialogue is probably the weakest part. it just feels "loose". I can't put it in better words than that. It just feels a bit casual than what I usually expect from a Hellboy comic.

Interestingly, they split up the art three ways, which seems like a bad idea on paper, but is more than fine. All three provide great Hellboy style illustrations. Dave Johnson's covers have been fantastic, really providing a fine balance of the past and the uniqueness of the future of the series. Mike Norton is spot on, Yishan Li really adds some suspense to the proceedings, and yes, Michael Avon Oeming really fits the Hellboy universe well. His art adds a degree of exaggeration that might not be everyone's cup of tea, but some people might prefer. In any case, it fits like a puzzle piece, and does not distract.

It's an interesting start, and there's enough here that I will keep checking out, though the comments I have read all week on my feed about the 195x-verse seem to be all true.



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