Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: 1952 #2 Review


Should this mini-series rear its head on your pull-list? Read on to find out.

The official description from Dark Horse:

Alex Maleev returns to Dark Horse!

In Brazil, Hellboy and a small group of BPRD agents investigate gruesome and bizarre murders happening in the shadows of a sixteenth-century Portuguese fortress, but what they uncover is more terrifying than they imagined.

“Alex and Hellboy are a match made in heaven. Alex is one of the truly great comic book artists of this generation and the Mignola universe is going to show a whole different side to his genius.”—Brian Michael Bendis

Hellboy and the B.P.R.D. 1952 2_Preview CoverThe first field assignment for everyone’s favorite red monkey continues in earnest, as a sharp creative team stealthily applies suspense and growth to an established property. In short: this is a quality yarn that both fanboys and fangirls need, they just didn’t know it yet.

Whenever I see a B.P.R.D. title with author credits for Mike Mignola and John Arcudi, plenty of horror enthusiasts and I know that we’re in for a treat. Not only is the original undercurrent of the franchise present and accounted for, but its modern evolution holds up nicely in the warm light of today. From Hellboy to the agents around him and the deepening mystery plaguing this county, there’s a lot of juice to squeeze and trust me every single bit of it is worth it.

What exists beyond the timely execution of the written word, is the visual interpretation of the embedded intent. And Alex Maleev is a near perfect vehicle for this comic book adventure, as each pencil stroke cascades into a brilliant crescendo. Panels and the various renditions speak volumes about the quality workmanship behind them, so much so that when the colors by Dave Stewart bubble to the surface there’s literally no room for complaints.

Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: 1952 #2 is entertainment at its best. The creative team is just firing on all cylinders, as they present an impressive package with enough credibility to make my job easy. Sure there are imperfections but these fail to stick as this title comes highly recommended.

OUR RATING
9
  • + A compelling cast.
  • + Outstanding visuals.
  • + Hellboy does what he does.
  • + Sturdy B.P.R.D. story arc at play.

S#!T Talking Central