A new 5-part arc for B.P.R.D. has begun. Does the opening chapter for Lake of Fire continue the greatness of this monster-infested series? It’s definitely the most interesting issue I’ve read.

Here’s the official description from Dark Horse:

As Liz Sherman fights for her life in a Utah hospital, the B.P.R.D. sends a recon team into the no-man’s land that used to be New York City, and the young psychic Fenix encounters a monster-worshiping cult at the Salton Sea.

There’s no denying that B.P.R.D. is one of the most unique science fiction comics on the stands right now. The atmosphere, the tone, the characters…they all add up to one compelling story after another. Wasteland is over, Lake of Fire has begun. Interestingly, it focuses on the events happening around the characters than on them specifically. The opening is utterly fantastic, how I picture next year’s GODZILLA movie beginning…with a dead giant monster collapsed on top of a house. This is definitely an issue newcomers will want to take advantage of.

The writing team of Mike Mignola and John Arcudi craft a pretty engaging read from the very first panel to the final page. The story is divided into three plot points. We have Fenix waking up and running into a very crazed woman, Liz whom is recovering, and the government trying to decide what to do about not letting New York get destroyed like England. I like how the comic manages to establish all these plot points nicely. Of course, while there is plenty of (great) dialogue, there’s also some really cool monster scenes.

Tyler Crook’s art is pretty solid throughout. Sometimes the faces can look off, but the creepy/unique looking monsters make up for that. I’ve also begun to notice the use of very simple backgrounds. It really gives that ominous feeling. The cover is pretty good, featuring one awesome Biollante-looking creature.

Overall, Lake of Fire is off to a great start. The story is engaging from start to finish, I think this could be the best B.P.R.D. arc in awhile.

4/5

My name is Daniel (@Destroyer_199), the main guy for comic reviews here at Unleash the Fanboy. I was born in 1995 in the Big Apple, spent my formative years in Staten Island, and currently reside in the awesome state that is New Jersey.