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B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth
B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth, Vol. 4: The Devil's Engine & The Long Death
Agent Johann, the ectoplasmic man, leads a special task force through the monster-filled Northwest woods in order to hunt down and kill the man he blames for leaving him a disembodied spirit. In the Southwest, agent Devon and the psychic crust punk Fenix form an uneasy alliance in order to escape a horde of giant bat-faced monsters.
176 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 18, 2012
4 people are currently reading
264 people want to read
About the author
Mike Mignola
1,864 books2,529 followersMike Mignola was born September 16, 1960 in Berkeley, California and grew up in nearby Oakland. His fascination with ghosts and monsters began at an early age (he doesn't remember why) and reading Dracula at age 13 introduced him to Victorian literature and folklore from which he has never recovered.
In 1982, hoping to find a way to draw monsters for a living, he moved to New York City and began working for Marvel Comics, first as a (very terrible) inker and then as an artist on comics like Rocket Raccoon, Alpha Flight and The Hulk. By the late 80s he had begun to develop his signature style (thin lines, clunky shapes and lots of black) and moved onto higher profile commercial projects like Cosmic Odyssey (1988) and Gotham by Gaslight (1989) for DC Comics, and the not-so-commercial Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser (1990) for Marvel. In 1992, he drew the comic book adaptation of the film Bram Stoker's Dracula for Topps Comics.
In 1993, Mike moved to Dark Horse comics and created Hellboy, a half-demon occult detective who may or may not be the Beast of the Apocalypse. While the first story line (Seed of Destruction, 1994) was co-written by John Byrne, Mike has continued writing the series himself. There are, at this moment, 13 Hellboy graphic novel collections (with more on the way), several spin-off titles (B.P.R.D., Lobster Johnson, Abe Sapien and Witchfinder), three anthologies of prose stories, several novels, two animated films and two live-action films staring Ron Perlman. Hellboy has earned numerous comic industry awards and is published in a great many countries.
Mike also created the award-winning comic book The Amazing Screw-on Head and has co-written two novels (Baltimore, or, the Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire and Joe Golem and the Drowning City) with best-selling author Christopher Golden.
Mike worked (very briefly) with Francis Ford Coppola on his film Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992), was a production designer on the Disney film Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) and was visual consultant to director Guillermo del Toro on Blade II (2002), Hellboy (2004) and Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008). He lives somewhere in Southern California with his wife, daughter, a lot of books and a cat.
In 1982, hoping to find a way to draw monsters for a living, he moved to New York City and began working for Marvel Comics, first as a (very terrible) inker and then as an artist on comics like Rocket Raccoon, Alpha Flight and The Hulk. By the late 80s he had begun to develop his signature style (thin lines, clunky shapes and lots of black) and moved onto higher profile commercial projects like Cosmic Odyssey (1988) and Gotham by Gaslight (1989) for DC Comics, and the not-so-commercial Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser (1990) for Marvel. In 1992, he drew the comic book adaptation of the film Bram Stoker's Dracula for Topps Comics.
In 1993, Mike moved to Dark Horse comics and created Hellboy, a half-demon occult detective who may or may not be the Beast of the Apocalypse. While the first story line (Seed of Destruction, 1994) was co-written by John Byrne, Mike has continued writing the series himself. There are, at this moment, 13 Hellboy graphic novel collections (with more on the way), several spin-off titles (B.P.R.D., Lobster Johnson, Abe Sapien and Witchfinder), three anthologies of prose stories, several novels, two animated films and two live-action films staring Ron Perlman. Hellboy has earned numerous comic industry awards and is published in a great many countries.
Mike also created the award-winning comic book The Amazing Screw-on Head and has co-written two novels (Baltimore, or, the Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire and Joe Golem and the Drowning City) with best-selling author Christopher Golden.
Mike worked (very briefly) with Francis Ford Coppola on his film Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992), was a production designer on the Disney film Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) and was visual consultant to director Guillermo del Toro on Blade II (2002), Hellboy (2004) and Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008). He lives somewhere in Southern California with his wife, daughter, a lot of books and a cat.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
January 15, 2018
Holy crap, what a fantastic volume! Action-packed to the gills, full of terror, suspense and gore, this was a brilliant book, and one of the best in the series so far. Daimio and Darryl the Wendigo finally see their storylines come to a conclusion, and thanks to James Harren's stunning artwork, it was an absolutely gut-wrenching scene. Meanwhile, Devon and Fenix are on the run from monsters, trying to get to Colorado and the BPRD headquarters. I don't think I like Devon as much as I did in the olden days of B.P.R.D., Vol. 6: The Universal Machine, but it was nevertheless a thrilling story arc. I'm really interested to see where Fenix's storyline is headed, and the scenes from the mysterious ZinCo corporation are ominous as usual — I'm getting a strong Wolfram & Hart vibe from those guys...
April 23, 2019
Two fantastic stories. Johann heads a team to go after Daimlo. Harren draws a balls out, knock-down, gory fight to perfection. Zinco's up to general badness. Fenix and Devon are lost in the desert running away from some giant bat creatures. I really dig Tyler Crook's art in here. For once, Devon isn't a whiny pansy.
February 1, 2013
“The Long Death” was definitely my favourite of the two 3-issue stories collected in this volume. Johann leads a team of agents to British Columbia to investigate a spate of bloody killings carried out by a were-jaguar and former BPRD colleague, Daimio. But Johann goes prepared to stop Daimio’s bloody rampage once and for all.
As good as the story is, the artist James Harren deserves special mention for his outstanding work, drawing what is one of the goriest BPRD stories I’ve read in a good while. He draws the Wendigo amazingly too, giving him this profound sadness in his silent panels, and the Wendigo’s close-up expression on his face before fighting the were-jaguar? Extraordinary. The background art is beautiful too, he really captures the stillness and eeriness of the snowy woods at night perfectly.There is a massive fight between Wendigo and were-jaguar in this story that I didn’t expect to be as epic as it was but Harren does a marvellous job with the action. The characters move on the page and I loved how Wendigo’s movements seemed believable despite his figure being wholly unreal.
Not that “The Devil’s Engine” is bad, it just isn’t as inspired as “The Long Death”. In this one Agent Devon is escorting Fenix and her dog, Bruiser, back to BPRD HQ but finds trouble when their train derails and some kind of spider monsters chase them in the middle of a desert. It’s a testament to Mike Mignola and John Arcudi’s storytelling abilities that they’re able to take 2 characters, Johann Krauss and Agent Devon, who, when the series started out, were solely background characters but are now the leads of a book - and you care about them as much as you would if it were Hellboy and Abe in their roles. Johann especially is becoming more and more likeable.
Duncan Fegredo who draws the covers for all the issues has to be mentioned. He is simply the best. Each one of those covers blew me away. He takes Mignola and his team’s outlandish monster creations and turns them into things of utter beauty. That first cover of “The Long Death” where Johann is walking in the woods is wonderful as is the cover of the second issue to ”The Devil’s Engine” with the careening lorry with the monstrosity atop it, and when Dave Stewart’s colouring them? Comic book nirvana. I wish these two would draw everything Mignola wrote, they are an unbeatable artistic duo.
This is an excellent fourth volume in the “Hell on Earth” series proving that Mignola only gets better with age. I don’t know where it’s going but Mike Mignola’s creating a helluva comics tapestry with all of his books that are swelling literally into the dozens and seem to overlap in the most brilliant ways. I re-read “BPRD, Volume 6: The Universal Machine” recently because I love that book but it turned out to be fortuitous as the Wendigo character in Abe’s story from that book reappears for the first time since then in “The Long Death”. Also, if you want to get the most out of this story, check out “BPRD, Volume 8: Killing Ground” to find out who this Daimio chap is and how he came to be a were-jaguar. You can still enjoy this book without reading either book but “The Universal Machine” is seriously one of the best books Mignola’s ever written so it’s well worth checking out. Nobody else is doing monster comics this good - can’t wait to read more in this brilliant series!
As good as the story is, the artist James Harren deserves special mention for his outstanding work, drawing what is one of the goriest BPRD stories I’ve read in a good while. He draws the Wendigo amazingly too, giving him this profound sadness in his silent panels, and the Wendigo’s close-up expression on his face before fighting the were-jaguar? Extraordinary. The background art is beautiful too, he really captures the stillness and eeriness of the snowy woods at night perfectly.There is a massive fight between Wendigo and were-jaguar in this story that I didn’t expect to be as epic as it was but Harren does a marvellous job with the action. The characters move on the page and I loved how Wendigo’s movements seemed believable despite his figure being wholly unreal.
Not that “The Devil’s Engine” is bad, it just isn’t as inspired as “The Long Death”. In this one Agent Devon is escorting Fenix and her dog, Bruiser, back to BPRD HQ but finds trouble when their train derails and some kind of spider monsters chase them in the middle of a desert. It’s a testament to Mike Mignola and John Arcudi’s storytelling abilities that they’re able to take 2 characters, Johann Krauss and Agent Devon, who, when the series started out, were solely background characters but are now the leads of a book - and you care about them as much as you would if it were Hellboy and Abe in their roles. Johann especially is becoming more and more likeable.
Duncan Fegredo who draws the covers for all the issues has to be mentioned. He is simply the best. Each one of those covers blew me away. He takes Mignola and his team’s outlandish monster creations and turns them into things of utter beauty. That first cover of “The Long Death” where Johann is walking in the woods is wonderful as is the cover of the second issue to ”The Devil’s Engine” with the careening lorry with the monstrosity atop it, and when Dave Stewart’s colouring them? Comic book nirvana. I wish these two would draw everything Mignola wrote, they are an unbeatable artistic duo.
This is an excellent fourth volume in the “Hell on Earth” series proving that Mignola only gets better with age. I don’t know where it’s going but Mike Mignola’s creating a helluva comics tapestry with all of his books that are swelling literally into the dozens and seem to overlap in the most brilliant ways. I re-read “BPRD, Volume 6: The Universal Machine” recently because I love that book but it turned out to be fortuitous as the Wendigo character in Abe’s story from that book reappears for the first time since then in “The Long Death”. Also, if you want to get the most out of this story, check out “BPRD, Volume 8: Killing Ground” to find out who this Daimio chap is and how he came to be a were-jaguar. You can still enjoy this book without reading either book but “The Universal Machine” is seriously one of the best books Mignola’s ever written so it’s well worth checking out. Nobody else is doing monster comics this good - can’t wait to read more in this brilliant series!
September 9, 2024
This is a gory volume of this series. If you're squeamish, you might want to give it a pass. I'm not a big fan of gore, so I've probably rated it lower than it deserves to be.
Regarding the series Hell on Earth, it is pretty dark. I bought a bundle that included a ton of B.P.R.D. volumes, so I've been reading a lot of these over the past month. I think reading a lot of these over a short period of time can be a bit depressing. I would probably enjoy this more if I spaced out my reading of these volumes.
Regarding the series Hell on Earth, it is pretty dark. I bought a bundle that included a ton of B.P.R.D. volumes, so I've been reading a lot of these over the past month. I think reading a lot of these over a short period of time can be a bit depressing. I would probably enjoy this more if I spaced out my reading of these volumes.
October 25, 2022
The fourth TPB of the B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth series contains two different stories. The first explores agent Devon and the psychic crust punk Fenix, as they form an uneasy alliance to survive. Although the first story, harrowly depicts the post-apocalyptic world the earth has become, it lacks depth and I really couldn't bring myself to like any of the characters.
The gem of this TPB is, undoubtedly, the second story titled "The Long Death". Not only is the story written well, James Harren totally smashes it in the artwork department as well. Nuanced and poignant, the story brings closure to one of the conflicted, yet beloved, character of the series, as readers cannot help but feel sad as the story ends.
The gem of this TPB is, undoubtedly, the second story titled "The Long Death". Not only is the story written well, James Harren totally smashes it in the artwork department as well. Nuanced and poignant, the story brings closure to one of the conflicted, yet beloved, character of the series, as readers cannot help but feel sad as the story ends.
April 30, 2018
We got two stories here – let’s go!
1#. High on action, far less attention is given to dialogue and proper plot development. In fact, there are far more rivers of blood and entrails and then streams of spoken verbiage within. Granted, I haven’t read anything from this Hell on Earth arc for some time but, that doesn’t change the fact that it basically reduces to a giant slugfest more than anything.
If blood ‘n’ guts are your cup of tea – you’ll dig it. The squeamish will have to look elsewhere. :/
2#. The next internally contained story, Devil’s Engine features a far more equal distributional ratio of words to action. Decently written dialogue imbues a back and forth effect, richoeting across the sand encrusted landscape while our squabling duo (trio if you include the mutt) evade the apocalyptic beasts at each and every turn.
Ending in visual and audial mediocrity – I can’t give this anything more than a single thumb wavering halfway up.
1#. High on action, far less attention is given to dialogue and proper plot development. In fact, there are far more rivers of blood and entrails and then streams of spoken verbiage within. Granted, I haven’t read anything from this Hell on Earth arc for some time but, that doesn’t change the fact that it basically reduces to a giant slugfest more than anything.
If blood ‘n’ guts are your cup of tea – you’ll dig it. The squeamish will have to look elsewhere. :/
2#. The next internally contained story, Devil’s Engine features a far more equal distributional ratio of words to action. Decently written dialogue imbues a back and forth effect, richoeting across the sand encrusted landscape while our squabling duo (trio if you include the mutt) evade the apocalyptic beasts at each and every turn.
Ending in visual and audial mediocrity – I can’t give this anything more than a single thumb wavering halfway up.
February 23, 2016
Holy wow Harren's art is...wow!
With each volume of 'Hell on Earth' we are seeing the greater arc move forward, but with all the moving pieces of this massive story we are also these small intimate stories and they are amazing.
World: Crook's art is good, not Guy Davis good but I am starting go get into his art and it fits this series so well, no complaints there. Harren on the other hand holy wow. The first couple of pages I did not feel it, the art style is much different, the color pallet also different I did not feel it. That is until Daimo and the violence started and then like a switch I was hooked. It's hard to express Harren's art without looking it, the viceral nature of it, the motion, the emotions and rawness of it. The facial expressions which I at first thought was off was actually perfect, amazing, and gripping. I am absolutely hooked now, bravo. The world building here is always strong and this arc we take a closer look at characters instead of the overall world, it's great, because Arcudi and Mignola knows we need to care about the people if we are the care about the world. The world is just there, this arc but it's still a wonderful sandbox to visit.
Story and Character: I can't talk about the story, this arc is that intertwined. Two gripping tales that at it's heart is all about the characters. 'Devil's Engine' is balls to the walls none stop once it starts, and between those scary scenes are wonderful intimate quiet dialog scenes that give you so much. Devon has been a character that has been a lynch pin and it's exactly what he's designed to be, but this time we get a look at him and this is truly the first time we get to hear his side of the story, what he thinks and what drives him. Having Fenix there as an audience is great cause it gives us a more intimate tone instead of just a voice-over. 'The Long Death' man this story has been building for a long time, since the middloe of 'Plague of Frogs' and the ending is spectacular. Not only for the amazing art, but it's more about the emotional core of the story and the dialog between Johann and Daimo. It's great, it will break your heart, and it will make you cry. It's a powerful piece and shows how important characters are for this book and how important these characters are for the reader.
A wonderful collection of two stories that give us a deeper look into these characters. They are tragic and unique, all hail Mignola and Arcudi!
Onward to the next book!
With each volume of 'Hell on Earth' we are seeing the greater arc move forward, but with all the moving pieces of this massive story we are also these small intimate stories and they are amazing.
World: Crook's art is good, not Guy Davis good but I am starting go get into his art and it fits this series so well, no complaints there. Harren on the other hand holy wow. The first couple of pages I did not feel it, the art style is much different, the color pallet also different I did not feel it. That is until Daimo and the violence started and then like a switch I was hooked. It's hard to express Harren's art without looking it, the viceral nature of it, the motion, the emotions and rawness of it. The facial expressions which I at first thought was off was actually perfect, amazing, and gripping. I am absolutely hooked now, bravo. The world building here is always strong and this arc we take a closer look at characters instead of the overall world, it's great, because Arcudi and Mignola knows we need to care about the people if we are the care about the world. The world is just there, this arc but it's still a wonderful sandbox to visit.
Story and Character: I can't talk about the story, this arc is that intertwined. Two gripping tales that at it's heart is all about the characters. 'Devil's Engine' is balls to the walls none stop once it starts, and between those scary scenes are wonderful intimate quiet dialog scenes that give you so much. Devon has been a character that has been a lynch pin and it's exactly what he's designed to be, but this time we get a look at him and this is truly the first time we get to hear his side of the story, what he thinks and what drives him. Having Fenix there as an audience is great cause it gives us a more intimate tone instead of just a voice-over. 'The Long Death' man this story has been building for a long time, since the middloe of 'Plague of Frogs' and the ending is spectacular. Not only for the amazing art, but it's more about the emotional core of the story and the dialog between Johann and Daimo. It's great, it will break your heart, and it will make you cry. It's a powerful piece and shows how important characters are for this book and how important these characters are for the reader.
A wonderful collection of two stories that give us a deeper look into these characters. They are tragic and unique, all hail Mignola and Arcudi!
Onward to the next book!
November 25, 2015
Hey, horror fans! Yeah, I'm talking to you! Do you like blood, guts, action, a bit of the old ultraviolence and some actual genuine edge-of-your-seat scares? Well, look no bloody further!
This volume of BPRD collects 'The Long Death' and 'The Devil's Engine' written by John Arcudi and Mike Mignola and illustrated by James Harren and Tyler Crook, respectively, who all bring their A-game. Oh, and while I'm doing the credits, let's not forget Dave Stewart's phenomenally good colour art. For my money, Stewart is hands-down the best colourist working in the comicbook industry today; his work consistently impresses me.
This volume is a genuine treat for fans of the macabre and even manages to fit in some character development. What more could anybody want? Just read it and send me flowers and chocolates later...
This volume of BPRD collects 'The Long Death' and 'The Devil's Engine' written by John Arcudi and Mike Mignola and illustrated by James Harren and Tyler Crook, respectively, who all bring their A-game. Oh, and while I'm doing the credits, let's not forget Dave Stewart's phenomenally good colour art. For my money, Stewart is hands-down the best colourist working in the comicbook industry today; his work consistently impresses me.
This volume is a genuine treat for fans of the macabre and even manages to fit in some character development. What more could anybody want? Just read it and send me flowers and chocolates later...
October 4, 2017
The most entertaining BPRD comic I’ve read so far. The first story is an awesome road trip Tremors style story with Devon and Liz, and the second story is a fight between Ben Daimio and the Wendigo. It was sad to see Ben die though, I was hoping he could have redeemed himself.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2017
Hellboy died for England. The frogs have been beat back but the Lovecraftian monsters still rise. Also there was a dog.
I miss Hellboy.
I miss Hellboy.
July 12, 2020
Перша половина тому - чухня про досвід в лабораторії та повернення Хвеникса (не знаю, як ще передати ті орфографічні огріхи). Про підлітка-медіума читати цікаво, але ж це ще плюс одна загадка "на потім"
А от друга половина - це остаточний злам характера Джоганна. І, боже мій, якщо Геллбой не зустріне їх усіх там, куди направився, я не знаю, що і робити з усіма цими смертями
А от друга половина - це остаточний злам характера Джоганна. І, боже мій, якщо Геллбой не зустріне їх усіх там, куди направився, я не знаю, що і робити з усіма цими смертями
March 16, 2014
In the first story, agent Devon and teenage psychic Fenix take a train to B.P.R.D. headquarters, but a vision causes them to jump off just before the train is derailed. They have to work together to survive after monsters attack the train.
In the other story, Johann Kraus goes into the wilderness to track down the missing former field commander Daimo, who has apparently been doing bad things which is why he has run away. This is one of the things that is missing in my reading at the moment, so it is unclear what is happening here (or even more so at this point).
In the background, The Zinco Corporation are continuing with their weird Frankenstein experiments, and may be on the verge of a breakthrough. The purpose of these experiments become clearer.
This is a placeholder review until I can fill in some of the gaps in my reading. The review and the rating may change after a reread.
In the other story, Johann Kraus goes into the wilderness to track down the missing former field commander Daimo, who has apparently been doing bad things which is why he has run away. This is one of the things that is missing in my reading at the moment, so it is unclear what is happening here (or even more so at this point).
In the background, The Zinco Corporation are continuing with their weird Frankenstein experiments, and may be on the verge of a breakthrough. The purpose of these experiments become clearer.
This is a placeholder review until I can fill in some of the gaps in my reading. The review and the rating may change after a reread.
January 21, 2014
Of the two stories, I liked The Devil's Engine less. There's nothing wrong with it, but neither Devon nor Fenix thrill me as characters. The Long Death is a much better story, even if I'm not a big fan of Johann, either. It seems like the narrative is going to start dealing with the issues that have been popping up around him for the last couple dozen or so issues. But I was really far more interested in Daimio and the Wendigo. There's a lot of action in this storyline, and artist James Harren does a fantastic job making it brutal and realistic. He also seems to have a gift with showing emotion, which is very nice to see. I'd be happy to see more of him on B.P.R.D.
April 6, 2019
4.5
As a concluding storyline to one of the various plot lines, it works well. The Hellboy universe has that monster of the week styled storytelling and the results are mixed, but never boring. The final panels are amazing as they provide closure for the characters and the reader.
Why the 4.5?
It's been quite some time since I binge read the BPRD and it is nice to be back. The Hellboy world is one of my highlights and with the new movie 7 days away, I'm excited to dive back in. Mike Mignola has a great depth of mythology to enhance plot threads and he does not fault here. The ending is gut punching stuff and a satisfying conclusion to a long standing story beat. I was going to wait until next week to publish this review but I'm going to binge read a few more volumes this weekend. Happy to say this is one of the stronger self contained volumes.
As a concluding storyline to one of the various plot lines, it works well. The Hellboy universe has that monster of the week styled storytelling and the results are mixed, but never boring. The final panels are amazing as they provide closure for the characters and the reader.
Why the 4.5?
It's been quite some time since I binge read the BPRD and it is nice to be back. The Hellboy world is one of my highlights and with the new movie 7 days away, I'm excited to dive back in. Mike Mignola has a great depth of mythology to enhance plot threads and he does not fault here. The ending is gut punching stuff and a satisfying conclusion to a long standing story beat. I was going to wait until next week to publish this review but I'm going to binge read a few more volumes this weekend. Happy to say this is one of the stronger self contained volumes.
September 8, 2025
The devils engine was a bit of a bore- agent Devon is always a fish out of water type guy (and he hates the literal fish out of water guy on the team), so all his stories feel a little less super than the rest. This story is no exception- Fenix, the transient leader who can sense bad stuff coming, has a really cool dog and is portrayed as a lot less equipped than I think she’d really be based on how she has survived so long. A bit of a stinker here.
The long death makes up for it with the conclusion of Daimo submitting his life to the Wendigo. Johann is still failing as a leader but he’s beginning to see what the rest of the regular folk at the BPRD need. I think Johann MAY be my favorite character from a series full of characters that I love. He would make such a great action figure!
The long death makes up for it with the conclusion of Daimo submitting his life to the Wendigo. Johann is still failing as a leader but he’s beginning to see what the rest of the regular folk at the BPRD need. I think Johann MAY be my favorite character from a series full of characters that I love. He would make such a great action figure!
April 25, 2014
This collects two shorter BPRD tales. I liked the Devil's Engine better of the two, focusing on Agent Andrew Devon and putting him and his 'psychic' cohort Carla, as they try to get back to Colorado, and end up facing down a new kind of threat. The action works very well, and the dynamic between the two is not a normal one, but works really well.
The Long Death is probably the most graphic and gory BPRD title so far, as it wraps up the story of a former member. It has some other disturbing imagery (Johann's dream especially), but beyond the violent battles, it doesn't really have a strong story or purpose.
The Long Death is probably the most graphic and gory BPRD title so far, as it wraps up the story of a former member. It has some other disturbing imagery (Johann's dream especially), but beyond the violent battles, it doesn't really have a strong story or purpose.
November 24, 2015
Mike Mignola has been an "artists' artist" since he first blew everyone away in the mid-late eighties, emerging from behind a Walt Simonson/Jack Kirby fusion with his now unmistakable atmospheric and angular chiaroscuro style. Just as he was becoming one of the biggest names in comics, with books like the 'prestige' format 'Batman: Gotham by Gaslight' tailor-made to showcase his brilliance and originality, he decided to jump ship. Leaving superheroes and the 'big two' for the creative freedom of Dark Horse, he joined Frank Miller and John Byrne as part of the 'Legend' imprint of creator-owned titles. When 'Hellboy' debuted, the strength of the art obscured the insecurities Mignola felt as a writer. The first mini-series, 'Seed of Destruction', was scripted by John Byrne, but 'Wake the Devil' saw a rapid development in his abilities as a storyteller, as he broke free of the assembly-line mind-set that reinforces a distinction between writers and artists at Marvel and DC. His honesty and utter lack of pretention has always been admirable, and from the start he explained 'Hellboy' as a vehicle for his obsessions with pulp fiction and gothic horror, with a reckless approach to plotting that was often decided by an urge to draw a giant ape with bolts in its neck (for example).
The scope and complexity of the 'Mignolaverse' grew exponentially when the BPRD and Hellboy went their separate ways. John Arcudi took the 'Plague of Frogs' storyline in exciting and always unpredictable directions, and Guy Davis emerged as a singular artistic force, with Eisner awards confirming the critical and popular acclaim he so richly deserved. When Mignola chose Davis as artist on the first 'Plague of Frogs' arc, he was best known for his run on the Vertigo series 'Sandman Mystery Theatre', which was not the best representation of his abilities. Given their seemingly opposing artistic styles, it is a testament to Mignola's judgement that he saw the potential in Davis, who is now considered the most imaginative monster artist ever, perhaps even better than Mignola himself. The Hellboy and BPRD books have become the most reliably entertaining and artistically brilliant titles on the shelf, using a combination of respected veterans and gifted newcomers: Richard Corben, John Severin, Duncan Fegredo, Ryan Sook, Gabriel Ba, Fabio Moon, Paul Azaceta, Jason Shawn Alexander, Peter Snejbjerg, Ben Stenbeck, Sebastian & Max Fiumara, Scott Hampton, Kevin Nowlan, Jason Latour... and so on. Pound for pound, Hellboy, BPRD, Abe Sapien, Witchfinder, Baltimore and Lobster Johnson have the best art in mainstream comics.
[SPOILERS}
With Volume 4 of the 'Hell on Earth' storyline, the reader gets two entertaining tales, smaller in scope, that serve to develop newer characters and resolve one of the original series best narrative threads. With Guy Davis gone, Mignola's unerring eye for talent is proven once more, with two exceptional new artists who each put their skill to the test on their respective stories. 'The Devil's Engine' is illustrated by Tyler Crook, who has a style similar enough to Guy Davis' pencils and inks to keep the unique look of BPRD intact, but uses a flawless European 'ligne claire' that contrasts with the sketchier, suggestive rendering of his predecessor. 'The Devil's Engine' begins with Agent Devon trying to escort the teenaged danger-detector Fenix back to BPRD headquarters. What promises to be an aggravating train-ride with a hostile girl who may or may not have useful premonitory powers, soon turns into a nightmare. After she freaks out and leaps from the moving train, Devon is forced to follow. She provides all the proof he needs of 'useful abilities' when the train crashes violently into a deep crater, killing the passengers. Their close call provides little relief, however; terrifying Hammerheaded monstrosities force them to seek refuge in an overturned trailer. Their desperate battle for survival makes for an exciting tale, and Crook proves himself to be among the very best artists in comics.
Both of the stories in this softcover collection are great, but it is 'The Long Death' that steals the show. Johann Kraus heads north to find his former boss, Ben Daimio -- whose shocking secret about his mysterious death and rebirth in Central America resulted in the massacre of several BPRD agents. It also destroyed the colossal human body that Krauss had been able to inhabit, living once more as a human, instead of a vaporous ectoplasmic revenant in a containment suit. The disappearance of a couple forest rangers in British Columbia alerts Kraus to Daimio's location, but his hunt goes very wrong when he leaves his squad to search on his own, as Daimio eludes him to surprise the sleeping BPRD agents in his Were-Jaguar form. Kraus gets his own shot at vengeance, involving a stone knife, a ranger's mutilated corpse, and a rotting moose carcass, but is unable to kill the beast. When the Jaguar-god that has possessed Daimio faces off against Daryl the Wendigo, however, it is one of the most terrifically violent episodes of monster mayhem in recent memory. The writing is excellent, but the art of James Harren is truly something special. He renders the violence between two legendary creatures with an exaggerated style that is stunning, with a gift for conveying natural/unnatural movement and kinetic impact in a way that is both shocking and convincing. The rampage of the Jaguar-thing is explosive; as it tears through human bodies, blood and viscera practically drip from the page. Harren's fusion of American comics, Japanese manga, and European bande dessinee techniques produce a final showdown between Daryl and Daimio that almost feels animated. His way of depicting the contortions and movements of two supernatural beasts engaged in a wordless, brutal struggle to the (second) death is brilliant. This three-issue mini-series put the comic-world on notice -- James Harren is a f***ing superstar. He's destined to become the new 'monster-master', but it's hard to say, since he's still playing with toys that belong to Guy Davis, even though his heavily stylized twist is unique. Once he brings a few toys of his own to the BPRD sandbox, things will get even more interesting. It's a fun read all around, but the art alone is worth the price-tag. There have been murmurs of complaint that BPRD: Hell on Earth has stalled, but it remains one of the few mainstream comics I follow, along with Saga, Fatale, Stray Bullets: Killers, Pretty Deadly, The Walking Dead, Prophet and Sovereign (by a strange coincidence, all titles published by Image... a few years back, The Walking Dead was the only title Image published worth reading). And while I'm screwing around with lists, James Harren and Tyler Crook join Michael Deforge, Jesse Jacobs, Paul Maybury, Emma Rios, and James Stokoe, as amazing artists who have only been at it seriously for a few years, making very different comics, but who have emerged as truly original talents.
The scope and complexity of the 'Mignolaverse' grew exponentially when the BPRD and Hellboy went their separate ways. John Arcudi took the 'Plague of Frogs' storyline in exciting and always unpredictable directions, and Guy Davis emerged as a singular artistic force, with Eisner awards confirming the critical and popular acclaim he so richly deserved. When Mignola chose Davis as artist on the first 'Plague of Frogs' arc, he was best known for his run on the Vertigo series 'Sandman Mystery Theatre', which was not the best representation of his abilities. Given their seemingly opposing artistic styles, it is a testament to Mignola's judgement that he saw the potential in Davis, who is now considered the most imaginative monster artist ever, perhaps even better than Mignola himself. The Hellboy and BPRD books have become the most reliably entertaining and artistically brilliant titles on the shelf, using a combination of respected veterans and gifted newcomers: Richard Corben, John Severin, Duncan Fegredo, Ryan Sook, Gabriel Ba, Fabio Moon, Paul Azaceta, Jason Shawn Alexander, Peter Snejbjerg, Ben Stenbeck, Sebastian & Max Fiumara, Scott Hampton, Kevin Nowlan, Jason Latour... and so on. Pound for pound, Hellboy, BPRD, Abe Sapien, Witchfinder, Baltimore and Lobster Johnson have the best art in mainstream comics.
[SPOILERS}
With Volume 4 of the 'Hell on Earth' storyline, the reader gets two entertaining tales, smaller in scope, that serve to develop newer characters and resolve one of the original series best narrative threads. With Guy Davis gone, Mignola's unerring eye for talent is proven once more, with two exceptional new artists who each put their skill to the test on their respective stories. 'The Devil's Engine' is illustrated by Tyler Crook, who has a style similar enough to Guy Davis' pencils and inks to keep the unique look of BPRD intact, but uses a flawless European 'ligne claire' that contrasts with the sketchier, suggestive rendering of his predecessor. 'The Devil's Engine' begins with Agent Devon trying to escort the teenaged danger-detector Fenix back to BPRD headquarters. What promises to be an aggravating train-ride with a hostile girl who may or may not have useful premonitory powers, soon turns into a nightmare. After she freaks out and leaps from the moving train, Devon is forced to follow. She provides all the proof he needs of 'useful abilities' when the train crashes violently into a deep crater, killing the passengers. Their close call provides little relief, however; terrifying Hammerheaded monstrosities force them to seek refuge in an overturned trailer. Their desperate battle for survival makes for an exciting tale, and Crook proves himself to be among the very best artists in comics.
Both of the stories in this softcover collection are great, but it is 'The Long Death' that steals the show. Johann Kraus heads north to find his former boss, Ben Daimio -- whose shocking secret about his mysterious death and rebirth in Central America resulted in the massacre of several BPRD agents. It also destroyed the colossal human body that Krauss had been able to inhabit, living once more as a human, instead of a vaporous ectoplasmic revenant in a containment suit. The disappearance of a couple forest rangers in British Columbia alerts Kraus to Daimio's location, but his hunt goes very wrong when he leaves his squad to search on his own, as Daimio eludes him to surprise the sleeping BPRD agents in his Were-Jaguar form. Kraus gets his own shot at vengeance, involving a stone knife, a ranger's mutilated corpse, and a rotting moose carcass, but is unable to kill the beast. When the Jaguar-god that has possessed Daimio faces off against Daryl the Wendigo, however, it is one of the most terrifically violent episodes of monster mayhem in recent memory. The writing is excellent, but the art of James Harren is truly something special. He renders the violence between two legendary creatures with an exaggerated style that is stunning, with a gift for conveying natural/unnatural movement and kinetic impact in a way that is both shocking and convincing. The rampage of the Jaguar-thing is explosive; as it tears through human bodies, blood and viscera practically drip from the page. Harren's fusion of American comics, Japanese manga, and European bande dessinee techniques produce a final showdown between Daryl and Daimio that almost feels animated. His way of depicting the contortions and movements of two supernatural beasts engaged in a wordless, brutal struggle to the (second) death is brilliant. This three-issue mini-series put the comic-world on notice -- James Harren is a f***ing superstar. He's destined to become the new 'monster-master', but it's hard to say, since he's still playing with toys that belong to Guy Davis, even though his heavily stylized twist is unique. Once he brings a few toys of his own to the BPRD sandbox, things will get even more interesting. It's a fun read all around, but the art alone is worth the price-tag. There have been murmurs of complaint that BPRD: Hell on Earth has stalled, but it remains one of the few mainstream comics I follow, along with Saga, Fatale, Stray Bullets: Killers, Pretty Deadly, The Walking Dead, Prophet and Sovereign (by a strange coincidence, all titles published by Image... a few years back, The Walking Dead was the only title Image published worth reading). And while I'm screwing around with lists, James Harren and Tyler Crook join Michael Deforge, Jesse Jacobs, Paul Maybury, Emma Rios, and James Stokoe, as amazing artists who have only been at it seriously for a few years, making very different comics, but who have emerged as truly original talents.
July 15, 2024
so the story returns to the US and I feel the starting of the long build up - you have here the start of a conspiracy that I think we will see grow but I could be wrong - one thing I will say for the writers of this series is that you often see things presented that you think are going to be significant only to have them removed and a different direction taken - for me that is part of the appeal of this series.
So for now I will follow the story - scratch my head and try and figure out what on earth is going on (apart from giant monsters roaming the land laying waste to all before them - whats new I wonder).
So for now I will follow the story - scratch my head and try and figure out what on earth is going on (apart from giant monsters roaming the land laying waste to all before them - whats new I wonder).
November 12, 2014
This volume continues the adventures of the B.P.R.D. crew as they try to adjust to--and ultimately rescue--a post-apocalyptic world.
The trade is divided into two parts, each with its own artist. The first installment, "The Devil's Engine" was my favorite of the two. It centers on bookish agent Devon's attempts to ferry a teen clairvoyant, Fenix, through a wasteland landscape to the B.P.R.D. headquarters.
Their journey is literally derailed, and the pair are soon dodging the demons that now stalk the Texas panhandle. It's an effective story, with assured, vivid art by Tyler Crook. Writers Mike Mignola and John Arcudi throw in nice character moments along with some ominous foreshadowing about the potential evil lurking within the B.P.R.D. The ending is a little neat, though, and far too reminiscent of blaze-of-glory action scenes that have come before it. But the story as a whole is nice.
I wasn't quite as taken with the second offering, "The Long Death." The premise here is intriguing also; ghost-man Johann Kraus leads a team to the Pacific Northwest for a bid at revenge on the monster that "killed" his human body. He doesn't tell the group that, though, and when he abandons them to hunt down his quarry, the group is set upon and largely slaughtered.
That dereliction of duty is an interesting plot development, one that I hope will be explored in future issues, as promised here. Mignola and Arcudi do a good job here introducing some new faces among the B.P.R.D. grunts--and giving us a reason to be invested in the gore. Ultimately, though, the story comes down to a gruesome monster battle reminiscent of the old "Hulk vs. The Thing" face-offs that Marvel used to trumpet. The art by James Harren is expressive and dripping with detail, but the conflict comes down to who gets the last punch in, which isn't as engaging as it could be.
Still a nice entry to the series, but I hope the next installment offers more depth with the plotting and its implications.
The trade is divided into two parts, each with its own artist. The first installment, "The Devil's Engine" was my favorite of the two. It centers on bookish agent Devon's attempts to ferry a teen clairvoyant, Fenix, through a wasteland landscape to the B.P.R.D. headquarters.
Their journey is literally derailed, and the pair are soon dodging the demons that now stalk the Texas panhandle. It's an effective story, with assured, vivid art by Tyler Crook. Writers Mike Mignola and John Arcudi throw in nice character moments along with some ominous foreshadowing about the potential evil lurking within the B.P.R.D. The ending is a little neat, though, and far too reminiscent of blaze-of-glory action scenes that have come before it. But the story as a whole is nice.
I wasn't quite as taken with the second offering, "The Long Death." The premise here is intriguing also; ghost-man Johann Kraus leads a team to the Pacific Northwest for a bid at revenge on the monster that "killed" his human body. He doesn't tell the group that, though, and when he abandons them to hunt down his quarry, the group is set upon and largely slaughtered.
That dereliction of duty is an interesting plot development, one that I hope will be explored in future issues, as promised here. Mignola and Arcudi do a good job here introducing some new faces among the B.P.R.D. grunts--and giving us a reason to be invested in the gore. Ultimately, though, the story comes down to a gruesome monster battle reminiscent of the old "Hulk vs. The Thing" face-offs that Marvel used to trumpet. The art by James Harren is expressive and dripping with detail, but the conflict comes down to who gets the last punch in, which isn't as engaging as it could be.
Still a nice entry to the series, but I hope the next installment offers more depth with the plotting and its implications.
July 23, 2016
I'm rounding the score up from 3.5 stars for this volume. I really enjoyed The Devil's Engine. The tension is absolutely fantastic and so is the art. It is refreshing to focus on characters who are helpless and it really plays up the horror. The Long Death gives you nice closure (especially if you've been following the entire series) but doesn't surprise you and is missing some horror or suspense. Instead, only the first issue of the three is great and the other two are just alright as it focuses on a fight between two recurring characters. While I already know volume 5 is going to be more shorter stories, I look forward to the main plot of B.P.R.D. resuming because the shorter stories are generally just not quite as good and/or satisfying to read.
February 15, 2017
The Devils Engine was a decent story, but I really loved The Long Death - the writing was better, it was more exciting and an ongoing story line is wrapped up in a very satisfying way.
I liked Tyler Crook's art in this volume, but I loved James Harrens. The Long Death was elevated due to his art, he created a brutal experience, festooned in gore and made it strangely beautiful
I liked Tyler Crook's art in this volume, but I loved James Harrens. The Long Death was elevated due to his art, he created a brutal experience, festooned in gore and made it strangely beautiful
June 26, 2020
Two completely different types of stories, both great in their own way.
The Devil's Engine - BPRD Agent Devon is sent to continue the hunt for Fenix. He finds her, but tragedy besets them. The best thing in this series is the character development and the continuing mystery of why Fenix did what she did. We don't yet know how this will play out but Devon's adventure with Fenix is both thrilling and satisfying especially when she finally tells him to LISTEN to her.
The Long Death - This is one of the best written stories out there. We finally find out what has happened to Daryl the Wendigo. In the past, when Abe had an adventure with Ben, he gave a laminated picture of a family ... that picture, was a picture of Daryl's family, and the last link to his past life. Daryl is such a tormented character, the only way to break the Wendigo curse is to kill another murderer so your soul can go free, only to be inhabited by the soul of the person you killed. Daryl has so far not done it.
Then Issue #3 comes out and WOW ... the art, is incredible. The story is poignant. Hot Damn. This was Sooooo good. I almost cried.
The Devil's Engine - BPRD Agent Devon is sent to continue the hunt for Fenix. He finds her, but tragedy besets them. The best thing in this series is the character development and the continuing mystery of why Fenix did what she did. We don't yet know how this will play out but Devon's adventure with Fenix is both thrilling and satisfying especially when she finally tells him to LISTEN to her.
The Long Death - This is one of the best written stories out there. We finally find out what has happened to Daryl the Wendigo. In the past, when Abe had an adventure with Ben, he gave a laminated picture of a family ... that picture, was a picture of Daryl's family, and the last link to his past life. Daryl is such a tormented character, the only way to break the Wendigo curse is to kill another murderer so your soul can go free, only to be inhabited by the soul of the person you killed. Daryl has so far not done it.
Then Issue #3 comes out and WOW ... the art, is incredible. The story is poignant. Hot Damn. This was Sooooo good. I almost cried.
June 5, 2022
B.P.R.D: Hell On Earth Vol. 4
The Slobber-knocker volume.
Two story arcs.
“The Devil’s Engine” has Fenix fearing a train ride. Her fears prove 100% accurate as the train derails. B.P.R.D. agent Devon, Fenix, & Bruiser the dog survive the derailment but are then besieged by “Bat-Headed Critters.” The trio survive the monsters. Fenix tells Devon why she shot Abe, our favorite Amphibian. “I felt like he needed to die.”
A side story concerns Zinco Headquarters and Herr Marsten’s office, full of NAZI nostalgia. But there’s even darker things afoot at Zinco HQ.
The next story arc is “The Long Death.” Johann Kraus, a collection of ectoplasm in a suit, has a very bad dream. Dispatched to British Columbia, a B.R.P.D. encampment is slaughtered by a monster, a Were-Jaguar, while a vacant Kraus was conducting his own personal investigation. Johann feels guilty & reviews the massacre footage. He identifies the attacking monster as Captain Daimo, an agent of the B.P.R.D.
Johann and his fellow B.R.P.D. officers are on the hunt, encounter a Wendigo, who leads them to a bloodbath composed of missing hikers and dead park rangers.
Johann embodies a dead human and then a dead moose to confront Daimo is his Were-Jaguar form. It is a very physical confrontation. Great artwork. Daimo survives the battle only to engage the Wendigo in combat. Again great multi-page artwork with no dialogue. As Pro-Wrestling Commentator Jim Ross would say, this is a slobber-knocker.
One monster survives.
Some great cover art this volume.
The Slobber-knocker volume.
Two story arcs.
“The Devil’s Engine” has Fenix fearing a train ride. Her fears prove 100% accurate as the train derails. B.P.R.D. agent Devon, Fenix, & Bruiser the dog survive the derailment but are then besieged by “Bat-Headed Critters.” The trio survive the monsters. Fenix tells Devon why she shot Abe, our favorite Amphibian. “I felt like he needed to die.”
A side story concerns Zinco Headquarters and Herr Marsten’s office, full of NAZI nostalgia. But there’s even darker things afoot at Zinco HQ.
The next story arc is “The Long Death.” Johann Kraus, a collection of ectoplasm in a suit, has a very bad dream. Dispatched to British Columbia, a B.R.P.D. encampment is slaughtered by a monster, a Were-Jaguar, while a vacant Kraus was conducting his own personal investigation. Johann feels guilty & reviews the massacre footage. He identifies the attacking monster as Captain Daimo, an agent of the B.P.R.D.
Johann and his fellow B.R.P.D. officers are on the hunt, encounter a Wendigo, who leads them to a bloodbath composed of missing hikers and dead park rangers.
Johann embodies a dead human and then a dead moose to confront Daimo is his Were-Jaguar form. It is a very physical confrontation. Great artwork. Daimo survives the battle only to engage the Wendigo in combat. Again great multi-page artwork with no dialogue. As Pro-Wrestling Commentator Jim Ross would say, this is a slobber-knocker.
One monster survives.
Some great cover art this volume.
June 5, 2019
So the quest to complete my B.R.P.D. and Hellboy read begins (as I am nearing the end of my Laundry Files read). I'll that things look bleak as humans are trying to figure out their place in the world, and I'm left wondering how many plot threads are going to be completed before the two series end. There are dangling matters for Johaan and Kate at the end of this volume.
I do think the completion of Benjamin Daimo's arc was well executed, and I enjoyed Johaan's characterization in this part of the TPB.
I do think the completion of Benjamin Daimo's arc was well executed, and I enjoyed Johaan's characterization in this part of the TPB.
September 12, 2020
Fantastic. Just fantastic. Johan leads an expedition to close the book on both Daimio and Darryl the Wendigo, which entails both lying monster fight as well as a tragic, sad end for all involved. Second story of Fenix and Devon making a tough run to the BPRD HQ in Colorado offers some great character development for Devon. Throughout, we see our heroes in their deepest humanity, and the more we get to know them, the more we know that not all of them can possibly survive this meta-story. With every volume, we fear for characters we are growing to love. And that is just masterful storytelling.
May 3, 2024
This is comics.
I recently reviewed the previous volume, Russia, and it was okay but it lacked some of that Mignola horror that makes this universe so intriguing. This volume is perfect. The Long Death is the best 3-issue arc since the plague of frogs. In what feels like ages since Daimo scooted into the old forests, there's finally some closure on the mystery of the Amazon curse. The art is great, the dialogue lets the book speak for itself, and the ending feels sad and complete. What next?!
I recently reviewed the previous volume, Russia, and it was okay but it lacked some of that Mignola horror that makes this universe so intriguing. This volume is perfect. The Long Death is the best 3-issue arc since the plague of frogs. In what feels like ages since Daimo scooted into the old forests, there's finally some closure on the mystery of the Amazon curse. The art is great, the dialogue lets the book speak for itself, and the ending feels sad and complete. What next?!
Read
November 4, 2020Agent Devon and the psychic are trying to reach Denver, while he tries to figure out if she is actually psychic.
Johann tracks down Daimio; Daimio and the Wendigo fight, and I think the Wendigo kills Daimio?
Johann tracks down Daimio; Daimio and the Wendigo fight, and I think the Wendigo kills Daimio?
October 22, 2022
Excellent book again but still building up to something. Scary corporation that dates back to the start of « Plague of Frogs », closure on the Windigo, closure on captain Daimio’s story, etc. The art in the second half is not as good as the first half but still pretty good.
December 28, 2023
After few strong volumes comes weak one. Devil's engine is quite needless story, or would benefit from better script and one or two more issues.
The long death is quite good, but again, using full 5 issues arc would help, this way ending is quite hasty.
The long death is quite good, but again, using full 5 issues arc would help, this way ending is quite hasty.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews