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Abe Sapien
Abe Sapien, Vol. 1: The Drowning
A century ago, paranormal investigator Edward Grey fought and destroyed a powerful warlock off the coast of the island of Saint Sebastien. In the early 1980s, the B.P.R.D.'s newest agent was sent to retrieve the warlock's remains. But Abe Sapien is ill prepared for the dark forces that block his way. Written by Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, and featuring the haunting art of Jason Shawn Alexander (Damn Nation, The Secret, The Escapists), Abe Sapien: The Drowning is the story of Hellboy and B.P.R.D. mainstay Abe Sapien's first solo adventure.
144 pages, Paperback
First published September 16, 2004
28 people are currently reading
672 people want to read
About the author
Mike Mignola
1,865 books2,533 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 157 reviews
January 8, 2014
This is a solid, engaging story with some really good imagery. But I imagine that how much you like it will depend almost entirely on how much you like Abe himself, and whether or not you think he's cut out to be the leading man in a story. I do, and I tend to really enjoy the stories that Abe has a starring part in. This was no exception. The art is not by Mignola himself, which I know can be a sticking point for some people. Let's face it, nobody does the Hellboy universe as well as Mignola does. His art, and his style, is what feels right. But Jason Shawn Alexander does a fine job here. It feels similar enough to Mignola's standard to seem like it belongs, without being a slavish imitation.
September 19, 2011
Set during the years when Hellboy was AWOL, Abe Sapien sets out to investigate the claims of a haunted fishing village. Enter pirates and buried treasure, zombies, voodoo and witches, large sea creatures and rough seas. The art on offer here is fantastic. Jason Shawn Alexander brings Mignola's script to life with vibrant pictures of doomed pirate vessels from the 18th century, lonely coastlines caught in the last glow of a sunset, and the empty, chilling stare of a soulless creature. Mignola's challenge is to make Abe as capable as Hellboy of handling the supernatural threats without resorting to out and out violence and pulls it off admirably. A pitch perfect and engrossing read.
October 4, 2017
A great outing for Abe in his first solo mission. Set in the 80's, shortly after Abe was found, Abe is sent to an island in the Mediterranean to recover an ancient dagger. I'd forgotten the Witchfinder, Sir Edward Grey makes an appearance. I love how everything is tied together throughout the Mignolaverse. Jason Shawn Alexander's art works well here. The coloring is too dark in some of the panels but overall it sets a nice spooky vibe.
April 17, 2022
The Drowning tells the story of Abe Sapien's first solo adventure for BPRD. And as expected, things do go wrong.
The plot is a typical horror-misadventure story we've encountered many times in Mignola's Hellboyverse. Abe's inexperience and insecurities were well presented. The art was good, but the color palette - bland.
I really like Abe Sapien, but didn't feel like this book added something essential to his character. But we'll see in the long run, if elements from this story do play a role in the other storylines.
The plot is a typical horror-misadventure story we've encountered many times in Mignola's Hellboyverse. Abe's inexperience and insecurities were well presented. The art was good, but the color palette - bland.
I really like Abe Sapien, but didn't feel like this book added something essential to his character. But we'll see in the long run, if elements from this story do play a role in the other storylines.
November 19, 2014
First solo adventure, with an appropriately amphibious locale.
December 25, 2017
If I didn't read some of the comments here I wouldn't thinked that the artwork is made by some other artist than Mignola itself. It is that good!
The story was a little bit confusing in some moments, especially in the beginning, but it unfolds in an interesting one until the end.
Solid stuff for the fans of Mignola an his Hellboy Universe or for those that are searching a great paranormal graphic novel.
This is a great start for a series without Hellboy, even if I don't really understand why Mignola hasn't drawed it itself. Anyway, this new one is in the same league with him, so not a lot of sorry feelings here.
The story was a little bit confusing in some moments, especially in the beginning, but it unfolds in an interesting one until the end.
Solid stuff for the fans of Mignola an his Hellboy Universe or for those that are searching a great paranormal graphic novel.
This is a great start for a series without Hellboy, even if I don't really understand why Mignola hasn't drawed it itself. Anyway, this new one is in the same league with him, so not a lot of sorry feelings here.
September 19, 2015
Oh Abe my boy, you did well.
Being the first full Abe arc I did not what to expect. Sure we've had Abe centered stories before but that was part of the BPRD. This arc, this ones about his first solo mission and it's fitting that this is his first solo arc.
World: The art is moody, it's super scratchy (which I generally am not a fan of) and the colors are dark and brooding. The art took me a while to get into but man oh man were the monsters drawn well or what. The colors really set the tone for the arc, wonderful. World building is as per Mignola standards awesome. Deep and rich in history the world seems real and alive, add to that the links of this tale to the greater Mignolaverse, Abe's own origin tale, HB and his relationship with Abe, this made for a dense world building book that was very satisfying.
Story: Wonderfully moody and skillfully paced, this tale is haunting and gets under your skin. A big part of it was the art, it's odd but fits the tale superbly and made the tale so much creepier. Fairly self contained the tale also included great character moments for Abe. The main tale I don't want to ruin for you in all its creepy glory.
Characters: Strong. Abe is given center stage and his personal arc is very well done. His characterization and personality distinct and clear. The hints at his origins and his ties to Broom and Big Red were wonderful character beats. The characters for this arc were also strong giving us a strong connection to them and the story.
Tragic tale and creepy as hell this is a good introduction to the Abe character and the hints at his origin is the cherry on top. Highly recommended.
Onward to the next book!
Being the first full Abe arc I did not what to expect. Sure we've had Abe centered stories before but that was part of the BPRD. This arc, this ones about his first solo mission and it's fitting that this is his first solo arc.
World: The art is moody, it's super scratchy (which I generally am not a fan of) and the colors are dark and brooding. The art took me a while to get into but man oh man were the monsters drawn well or what. The colors really set the tone for the arc, wonderful. World building is as per Mignola standards awesome. Deep and rich in history the world seems real and alive, add to that the links of this tale to the greater Mignolaverse, Abe's own origin tale, HB and his relationship with Abe, this made for a dense world building book that was very satisfying.
Story: Wonderfully moody and skillfully paced, this tale is haunting and gets under your skin. A big part of it was the art, it's odd but fits the tale superbly and made the tale so much creepier. Fairly self contained the tale also included great character moments for Abe. The main tale I don't want to ruin for you in all its creepy glory.
Characters: Strong. Abe is given center stage and his personal arc is very well done. His characterization and personality distinct and clear. The hints at his origins and his ties to Broom and Big Red were wonderful character beats. The characters for this arc were also strong giving us a strong connection to them and the story.
Tragic tale and creepy as hell this is a good introduction to the Abe character and the hints at his origin is the cherry on top. Highly recommended.
Onward to the next book!
February 14, 2017
So...the first 10 pages of this are GREAT! Exciting! Action-packed! No dialogue! Cool art! I was thinking this would be an amazing book. But after those 10 pages it's Exposition City, with the occasional action thrown in. But not enough to make this anything but pretty dang boring.
November 9, 2019
Usual story from hellboy universe, but art in this one, helps to create great dark atmosphere and brig story to higher level. Really enjoyed this.
December 30, 2019
Чйорт, це було дуже гарно. Малотекстово, але саме це і працювало на користь історії та атмосфери. Не сильно люблю Ейба з попередніх за хронологією арок Геллбойвьорсу, та сольну серію після такого старту, все ж, читатиму.
November 3, 2020
“You gentlemen of England, that live at home at ease—-how little do you think upon—-the dangers of the seas.”
September 7, 2016
2.5 stars
Ever since the first movie, I've always loved Abe.
Naturally, reading a solo-story of his sounded intriguing. The art doesn't disappoint, even though it's not Mignola.
I did feel like the story was a bit weak and lacked a knockout punch to make it really interesting. In all honesty I would still read the next volume.
Ever since the first movie, I've always loved Abe.
Naturally, reading a solo-story of his sounded intriguing. The art doesn't disappoint, even though it's not Mignola.
I did feel like the story was a bit weak and lacked a knockout punch to make it really interesting. In all honesty I would still read the next volume.
July 7, 2016
I really liked this introduction to Abe Sapien. He is (currently) my favorite Mignolaverse characters, so I'm interested to see where this series takes him. The art was really cool, and the story was really interesting also. All in all, a great start!
July 15, 2025
This came about from the silly notion of challenging myself to read the entire Adult Graphic Novel section of the Hastings Library. So where else but to begin at the letter A?
Of I am not unfamiliar with the Hellboy Universe. I was was there at the beginning, MAN! But as these properties expand outward, I do start losing touch with what's going on. A barrier to me wanting to read the Abe Sapien books would have been based on a feeling that they were just Hellboy Lite. I wanted the real deal. Reading this, didn't quite put me off that idea. Abe, at least at this point, just fills the role for the story that HB would, though he's introverted, less self assured, but inevitably relies on his guns to deal with the problems. Yet I can see room for him to grow as a character.
As for the story, it's the typical fare, though after a middling first couple of chapters, I really started to get involved, and it evolved into an engrossing adventure worthy of belonging within the Lovecraftian oeuvre.
So Mike Mignola does it again, but to be fair by this stage he could probably have done this in his sleep, which would make sense actually. Handing the art over to Jason Shawn Alexander was a smart move as well. It was somewhat murky at the start, but again, really came into it's own as the story came to it's climax. This is a story I'd want to go back to again and again.
But for now, it'll be back to the Hastings Library Adult Graphic Novel section for volume 2.
Of I am not unfamiliar with the Hellboy Universe. I was was there at the beginning, MAN! But as these properties expand outward, I do start losing touch with what's going on. A barrier to me wanting to read the Abe Sapien books would have been based on a feeling that they were just Hellboy Lite. I wanted the real deal. Reading this, didn't quite put me off that idea. Abe, at least at this point, just fills the role for the story that HB would, though he's introverted, less self assured, but inevitably relies on his guns to deal with the problems. Yet I can see room for him to grow as a character.
As for the story, it's the typical fare, though after a middling first couple of chapters, I really started to get involved, and it evolved into an engrossing adventure worthy of belonging within the Lovecraftian oeuvre.
So Mike Mignola does it again, but to be fair by this stage he could probably have done this in his sleep, which would make sense actually. Handing the art over to Jason Shawn Alexander was a smart move as well. It was somewhat murky at the start, but again, really came into it's own as the story came to it's climax. This is a story I'd want to go back to again and again.
But for now, it'll be back to the Hastings Library Adult Graphic Novel section for volume 2.
October 7, 2024
An iconic standalone story for Abe Sapien- he travels to a small, rustic island village that was once struck by plague and then sold their towns spirit and souls to the sea by covering all the iconography of the church with octopi, shark jaws and fish. You get a touch of the broader world of Hellboy (who is out doing his own stuff) with Edward Grey and more of the mystery of Abe. I love this story and have read it several times- my library needs to get a copy but the Libby app is decent
August 28, 2021
Interessante racconto articolato su più capitoli che vede Abe come unico protagonista, da solo contro un nemico sconosciuto e contro sé stesso.
Il ritmo è veloce ma al tempo stesso si accompagna benissimo al luogo che fa da sfondo: il mare, ovvero è caratterizzato da note nostalgiche come quelle che caratterizzano l'umore di tutte quelle persone che sono abituate a vivere nei pressi del mare.
Il ritmo è veloce ma al tempo stesso si accompagna benissimo al luogo che fa da sfondo: il mare, ovvero è caratterizzato da note nostalgiche come quelle che caratterizzano l'umore di tutte quelle persone che sono abituate a vivere nei pressi del mare.
March 8, 2021
Mike. Mignola. Books. Are. All. 5. Star. Books.
What a younger Abe go out on his first solo mission without Hellboy. It's creepy, it's dark, it's otherworldly, it's all the Mignola-verse things you want! WHY AREN'T YOU ALREADY READING THIS?!?!?
What a younger Abe go out on his first solo mission without Hellboy. It's creepy, it's dark, it's otherworldly, it's all the Mignola-verse things you want! WHY AREN'T YOU ALREADY READING THIS?!?!?
August 29, 2022
*witnesses the resurrection of an evil ancient god
"You weren't fast enough. You weren't strong enough. You aren't Hellboy and you never will be. What now?"
*shoots ancient god with a fucking glock
"You weren't fast enough. You weren't strong enough. You aren't Hellboy and you never will be. What now?"
*shoots ancient god with a fucking glock
February 20, 2023
Facing his maker. Failure and loss. I like the idea of the daggers of Lipu.
July 20, 2016
Hellboy is what got me into reading comics as an adult so it will always hold a special place in my heart. With that said, I have not read anything Hellboy, B.P.R.D., Abe Sapien, or Lobster Johnson in a year or two because I've stopped buying print comics and am transitioning my collection to digital comics. That made me really happy to return to this world and I have missed reading these unique kind of stories. I say all this because it may have made me enjoy Abe Sapien more than the average person might. With the recent news of Mignola retiring from Hellboy, it makes me appreciate his work here even more.
I really liked how this story is set early on when Abe is still green underneath the gills. His lack of confidence makes the story riveting and the enemy more threatening. The maritime setting also really worked well here and I felt like while a lot of the plot could be similar to a story in Hellboy or B.P.R.D., it still stood on its own merits. Mignola did a nice job weaving some subtle and more literary references in the plot which is one of the qualities that makes his work so strong.
Best of all, the art here is really spectacular. Mignola and most of the consistent artists in Hellboy and B.P.R.D. have a simpler more cartooning style even if there is a heavy dosage of horror. The artist in this volume has a more realistic style and draws Abe Sapien perfectly. He also knows how to build suspense in quieter panels. I would love to see this artists do more work within Hellboy or B.P.R.D.
There are a lot of offshoots now from Hellboy (especially if you dip into Witchfinder and Baltimore which are pretty similar in tone) and Abe Sapien is still a very welcome addition to the line. I should have checked this series out sooner and any fan of Mignola should give this a shot. It has a nice balance of the familiar with some new ideas to keep things fresh.
I really liked how this story is set early on when Abe is still green underneath the gills. His lack of confidence makes the story riveting and the enemy more threatening. The maritime setting also really worked well here and I felt like while a lot of the plot could be similar to a story in Hellboy or B.P.R.D., it still stood on its own merits. Mignola did a nice job weaving some subtle and more literary references in the plot which is one of the qualities that makes his work so strong.
Best of all, the art here is really spectacular. Mignola and most of the consistent artists in Hellboy and B.P.R.D. have a simpler more cartooning style even if there is a heavy dosage of horror. The artist in this volume has a more realistic style and draws Abe Sapien perfectly. He also knows how to build suspense in quieter panels. I would love to see this artists do more work within Hellboy or B.P.R.D.
There are a lot of offshoots now from Hellboy (especially if you dip into Witchfinder and Baltimore which are pretty similar in tone) and Abe Sapien is still a very welcome addition to the line. I should have checked this series out sooner and any fan of Mignola should give this a shot. It has a nice balance of the familiar with some new ideas to keep things fresh.
November 19, 2014
Any fan of HELLBOY, whether in film or in the comics, knows that Abe Sapien is one of the closest friends the big guy has. They also know that Abe has been around a long time and while just as brave as Hellboy, he's not quite as ready to just run into the action without thinking things through.
When the remains of a long dead warlock begins to turn things nasty in a coastal town, the B.P.R.D. sends in Abe to see what is going on and put an end to it if possible. As this is the characters first solo adventure creator Mike Mignola take some time to fill in some of Abe's history and the loss he suffered long ago.
Typical weird creatures and otherworldly events take place and while the 'good guys' prevail it is not without some sacrifice. Recommended to any fan of the Mignola-verse.
When the remains of a long dead warlock begins to turn things nasty in a coastal town, the B.P.R.D. sends in Abe to see what is going on and put an end to it if possible. As this is the characters first solo adventure creator Mike Mignola take some time to fill in some of Abe's history and the loss he suffered long ago.
Typical weird creatures and otherworldly events take place and while the 'good guys' prevail it is not without some sacrifice. Recommended to any fan of the Mignola-verse.
February 10, 2017
This is a solid story which is well suited to kick off Abe's comic series. The writing as ever is brilliant and whilst this isn't a fast paced tale, it is engrossing and thoughtfully written. I really liked this story and the gorgeous artwork by Jason Shawn Alexander.
May 24, 2009
I've always liked Abe as a supporting character but he's no Hellboy. There is a slight theme reflecting that running through the book. For me he's best used as a quiet contrast to the big red guy. Still there is some nice Mike Mignola writing here. It's very spare as always but Mike lets the myths & legends colour them selves and shows that you don't need lots of exposition for a mood piece like this. The art is pretty good but it isn't Mike's art - his stuff only appears on the covers - shame. Jason Shawn Alexander's art is pretty good but for me I'd rather have had Mike do the honours. Oh and there are some design sketches from Mike at the back. It would have got five stars if Mike had done the art or there had been more of the big guy.
January 5, 2018
After the disappointment of the last Hellboy trade I read, I debated giving up on Mignola for a while. Instead, I opened up this story of Abe Sapien's first case without Hellboy to see if it would speak to me. And it felt exactly as it was advertised, a Hellboy story without Hellboy.
It's a perfectly fine first volume of a secondary character from a franchise, but there wasn't much heart to it, and the literal Fish Out Of Water aspect annoyed me all the way through.
I don't recommend reading it as part of a Hellboy or BPRD marathon unless this is the first thing you read, and you decide to immediately follow it up with Abe Sapien The Devil Does Not Jest, which I enjoyed more both from an art and storytelling perspective.
It's a perfectly fine first volume of a secondary character from a franchise, but there wasn't much heart to it, and the literal Fish Out Of Water aspect annoyed me all the way through.
I don't recommend reading it as part of a Hellboy or BPRD marathon unless this is the first thing you read, and you decide to immediately follow it up with Abe Sapien The Devil Does Not Jest, which I enjoyed more both from an art and storytelling perspective.
November 17, 2008
On par with the rest of the Hellboy series, with Abe earning his stripes solo and Hellboy taking a hiatus. As always, the artwork is a thing of beauty, infusing rich detail into a story told with remarkably few words. Also consistent with the series is deep and plentiful sampling from ancient history, pseudo-history, and dark, cavernous tales of the occult.
Throw into this mix BPRD agents, magical weapons (both ancient and modern) and epic battles with terrifying monsters and you have yourself another in a long line of winning Hellboy installments.
Throw into this mix BPRD agents, magical weapons (both ancient and modern) and epic battles with terrifying monsters and you have yourself another in a long line of winning Hellboy installments.
February 27, 2010
Abe Sapien was always one of my favorite Hellboy characters, so when I saw he had his own book I was immediately intrigued. In this book Hellboy is away and no one knows when he is coming back so when the B.P.R.D. needs someone to retrieve a dagger and body from underwater, they decide to give Abe a chance. The myths and tales behind the story were very interesting; I found myself wondering if they were based on real historical facts or out of the writers heads. The dark monochromatic color palatte fit the tone of the story; especially Abe's insecurity about handling things on his own.
February 17, 2015
I heart Abe Sapien. This is masterful storytelling and gorgeous artwork. Fantastic first volume. I can't wait to get the second one!
May 26, 2015
Oh, *that*'s where he comes from.
June 30, 2016
3 3/4 stars
Displaying 1 - 30 of 157 reviews