B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth, Vol. 6: The Return of the Master By Mike Mignola
on B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth, Vol. 6: The Return of the Master
Hell on Earth, Vol. 6: The Return of the MasterI’m not sure if its deliberate but it feels like Mike Mignola and John Arcudi are going around and around in circles with the BPRD – at least that’s what it feels like if you’ve been following the series since the start like I have. Hell On Earth is basically Season 2 of BPRD but in Volume 6: Return of the Master, a lot of characters from BPRD Season 1 pop up and a number of concepts from that first run also appear here. Namely, Rasputin and the Black Flame, two BPRD villains who’ve died more than once get brought back and we revisit the concept of Rag Narok, aka the End of the World.
This isn’t the best volume as the main focus is on a minor villain and a squad of BPRD human soldiers who aren’t particularly memorable. The minor villain is The Master who sets up shop in a ruined Scottish castle, bringing with him some human followers while resurrecting some giant monsters to fight the BPRD squad sent to take him out. The characters we’ve come to know and love are either absent or doing very little in this book. Hellboy is of course absent, as he’s battling his way through hell, Abe Sapien is still comatose inside a tank, and Liz Sherman is AWOL (though she does check in with a single panel). Meanwhile, Johann Krauss is putzing around BPRD HQ, arguing with new recruit (and Marvel rip-off) Fenix, a red-headed girl with powerful psychic powers.
BPRD is at its best when it does short, self-contained spooky stories in the vein of The X-Files but without the TV budgetary restraints (a special effects sequence costs the same as a conversation between two people in a room in the comics world) but this volume is instead more about the larger series storyline going on. As such, it’s not a volume anyone unfamiliar with the series should be picking up casually as a lot of it will just be confusing. The problem with this book is that The Master storyline is pretty uninvolving – BPRD squad fire guns at monsters for most of the book – and it kind of ends in a way that makes you think the entire thing was pointless anyway, and the rest of it involves resurrecting the Black Flame (again) and the end of world happens (again). So half of it feels like a waste of time while the other half feels like rehashed material.
There’s some decent art and Mignola/Arcudi does make the material interesting enough so it’s never too boring to read even if the impression they leave you with is underwhelming. The series could be better if Abe woke up (him being comatose only makes his absence more keenly felt as the other characters just aren’t as interesting), if Johann went out into the field again, and Liz came back (or else did something more than nothing!). But I do like the dead Russian guy with the little girl in the jar, I think he’s a complex character, at times seeming good, others seeming downright evil, and his plans are obscure enough to keep him on the fence between good and evil.
But the whole Rag Narok thing is played out. Giant storylines are fine but we’ve seen it so many times in BPRD that it’s become boring. The Black Flame is played out. Rasputin is played out. The best BPRD stories in this Hell On Earth series have been mini story arcs focusing on one or two characters and a new supernatural creature(s) in an interesting location – this large scale, end of the world stuff is too vague and overdone at this point to matter (at least to me). Volume 6: The Return of the Master has its moments but doesn’t contain enough fresh material or ideas to make it a standout in the series. Really, if you're not already reading B.P.R.D. religiously at this point, my reviews probably aren't going to change your mind. This is a good volume, continuing the main story more than adding in side stories like the last volume, although it just sort of stops (I'd call it a cliffhanger, but so much is going on that it's almost not even cliffhanging, just busy). The storyline has grown increasingly hectic and complex, and I'm looking forward to being able to sit down sometime and read it all through and try to connect all the dots.
Mainly, this time out, I want to talk about the sketchbook material in the back of this volume. This is one of the best sketchbooks in a long time. Not only is it extensive and varied, with a lot of work by Mignola and Tyler Crook and also some by James Harren, but it's got pages and pages of Ogdru Hem monsters drawn by both Mignola and Crook, which are worth the cover price all by themselves! The series is more or less back on track after the disappointment of the previous volume, but The Return of the Master still wasn't great. Again there was a whole subplot that came out of nowhere and was seemingly entirely pointless. The Fenix stuff starts to drag, she's being an annoying angsty teenager, and her importance to the story is still unclear. Only one storyline out of three felt like it was advancing the plot in a meaningful way, and it was still only a tease of things to come. It wasn't a bad volume per se, but I'm certainly used to expect more from BPRD. So the bigger story resumes after an all too short rest - and yes you get the feeling that along with yes well the world going to hell in a hand basket you are also seeing the final plays of the various factions some being opportunistic - while others actively waiting for what is going on.
Here you get to see the various strings being presented (at least though we currently know about) what their plans are and more importantly how they plan on going about them is yes to be discovered
This is a great series and I have to say it is often a struggle not to finish one title and instantly go looking for the next in the series - sadly chores have to be done otherwise I could well have hidden away till the whole series had been completed Just quan semblava que la història havia perdut el focus i no hi havia un protagonista clar que portés l'acció endavant, el retorn d'alguns personatges i monstres la redreça. This is volume 6 in a series. It is a direct continuation of previous events and is not a stand alone work. Without the previous issues, or knowledge of characters in the Hellboy universe, you might expect to be a bit on the confused side.
But, if you like battles with strange monsters and you like Hellboy, then this is a great book, but you should probably read the previous volumes first. There are gruesome monsters that evolve and ooze and are nothing like I've seen in other works.
The work by Mike Mignola and John Arcudi is good and there are a huge range of characters, which are all unique and easy to identify. Sometimes in huge character books, the artistic style can blur characters together, but I had no trouble distinguishing, so that speaks to good artistic ability. The book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, but there is also about 40 pages of sketches and character development that i found interesting.
It actually seems like the overarching plot is moving forward this time around, but I'm not convinced that this is the way it should be moving. Black Flame? Rasputin? Haven't we done this before? It doesn't help that many of the focus characters in this issue are less compelling than the old favorites, who have by and large been sidelined. I am definitely not a fan of Fenix, who is annoying for more than just being borderline copyright infringement. I miss Abe, and I miss Liz. But hey, at least something is happening on the world stage, even if I'm still not sure Mignola and Arcudi really know where they're going. This is the book where it really starts to hit the fan. The BPRD's already overtaxed teams get stretched even more as they start going more worldwide, and the reemergence of previous enemies promise only worse events to come. Unfortunately, so many of the unique characters who made up the BPRD are no longer present in the series, and there's a lot less invested in the characters who are. The Russians from the previous volume help a bit, but it just doesn't have the impact it feels like it wants to have. There are a couple of strong action sequences, and the art is as distinctive as always, but it just doesn't work as well as previous volumes. 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.
A lot happens in this book, most of it not good for the world, which seems to be on its last legs. Rasputin is reincarnated and starts a cult in Scotland, one which commands trolls which he throws at a B.P.R.Q. hit squad. Russian scientists are given a body that was being grown by the B.P.R.D.(as a new body for Johann, or for Roger? I'm not sure) on false pretenses, as the Russians want it for Rasputin's soul, not realising that he has already returned. They do rescue a soul, but it turns out to be who than goes on a rampage. Giant monsters are on the move all over the world, and some of them are laying eggs.
Less interesting stuff includes Fenix running away from B.P.R.D. headquarters, as she seems to know that something bad is going to happen. I have never really warmed to this character not just because she but also because she is a whiny brat.
Finally, we catch up with Liz Sherman again, who seems to be in a bad way here, possibly because of the incident from the last book but maybe something else.
So, pretty good story all in all. This is definitely not the volume to start with unless you've kept up with the Mignolaverse up to this point. A lot of elements from previous Hellboy and BPRD stories return. Our regular cast of freaks take a back to seat to the human BPRD agents as they respond to a bunch of global threats and get pulled to their limit. Things feel really dire for humanity and I'm beginning to wonder how much of humanity will survive by the end of Hell on Earth. Tyler Crook's art is great. He can do both humans and monsters, which has been a bit of a problem with past artists in this series. The B.P.R.D. series just keeps getting bigger and more complicated. I've been reading it right along and even I'm not always sure just what is going on. Take this story, for example: just who is the "master" that is destined for reincarnation? Much of what happens has us expecting the return of Rasputin (featured in some of the earliest Hellboy stories), but could there be someone else just as bad (or worse) bent on a comeback? The action jumps around all over the globe, with a team of agents laying siege to a castle in Scotland and being attacked by mutant wildlife and the remains of dead giants from some ancient battle. Then there's stuff happening at B.P.R.D. headquarters in the Rocky Mountains as an arrangement is reached with the Zinco Corporation to use its growth-enhancing drugs on a clone that might be used to house the spirit of Johan Krauss, stuck in a containment suit after his physical body was destroyed while his spirit was outside. Then we see some of what's happening in Russia, with the S.S.S., the Russian counterpart to the B.P.R.D., as a new round of giant Ogdru Hem creatures lay siege to the globe. There's so much happening, it's sometimes hard to keep track of it all. The artwork, primarily by Tyler Crook, is very good and very much in keeping with other artists who've contributed so much to the series' look and feel. It all seems to be leading up to some big, apocalyptic event that sometimes has me wishing we were back in the days when the group was dealing with smaller threats. Still, I'm very interested in seeing where this is all going and will continue to go along for the ride. **ARC by NetGalley The earth is not doing well and the original heroes are gone. Very grime and hopeless. And we thought things were getting better...
Wow, okay, I can say that I expected this but not the way it played out that's for sure, wow!
World: Crook's art is good, it's not Davis good but it does have it's flair. Much like Mr. Davis he is great at drawing monsters and man are they every gorgeous. The world building this time around by Arcudi and Mignola is just as strong, we get more pieces put in place that have been around since 'Seed of Destruction' and it boggles my mind that we've gone full circle. I won't ruin it but man it is every cool!
Story: First the minor irk, the pacing and the storytelling this time around felt a little choppy with the story jumping and juggling multiple storylines. Normally, this is fine and the creative team has done this well, not so much this time, it's a bit fractured and sometimes confusing. There is a lot
of cloak and dagger going on and It's gotten to the point of being a bit convoluted, so yes this is the only issue. The rest of the story is insane, there is so much going on wow. The consequences are the biggest thing this arc, the pieces that are moved. Though the ending once again leaves us so many questions as to character motives and pieces the parting feeling is a sense of dread and that is awesome.
Characters: This has always been one of the strengths of the series, the character matter and to some extent that is the case here. All the regulars are here along with new characters like Fenix. They are great and their arcs are deep and wonderful. However I did find that Giarocco to be a bit underdeveloped here. I think this is because I've only seen her in action and I've not had enough time with her in quiet scenes for character building. I hope this changes in the future. The villains this time are awesome but leaves a lot of questions as to what really happened, which I also hope to be answered in the following arcs.
A great read that delivers on what is sets out to do, minor irks make this a 4 star read instead of a 5.
Onward to the next book! I can't decide if I'd like to work at the BPRD office or not.
On the one hand, you'd meet some interesting characters. You'd have the occasional VERY exciting day when an ancient evil or demon or whatever got loose. You know, a wendigo or something. You can only go so long before there's a wendigo on the loose.
On the other hand, seems like horrific death is a possibility. I don't know what percent of BPRD agents make it to retirement, but it seems like maybe 65%? Taking a shot in the dark?
But then again, you'd get access to the mysteries of the universe. That's fun!
Maybe torn in half by frog creatures. Not fun :(
Shoot a machine gun at a giant demon troll thingie? As part of your desk job? Fun!
Likely get consumed by flame as fire tears through the spot where you're standing in front of a vending machine? :(
And that's the thing of it. I think I've always watched movies and seen some dude who gets wiped out with almost no fanfare and thought, "Damn, that'd probably be me."
I'd probably be trapped in the building when a giant squid creature attacked, and killed by the ceiling collapsing while I was taking a crap or something. Or a huge fireball would come roaring through when I was putting in a to-go order at Noodles & Co. and hoping that they put in two sets of silverware because that meant they assumed this amount of food was for two people.
It's a hard life, fantasizing about working for a fictional government agency that deals with the paranormal. You gotta take it one day at a time. Викликали вони явно не свого майстра, лінію Хвеникса відкотили до початку, а російський монстр франкенштейна досі неясно, на чиєму боці. Не філлер, але та й таке - адок ось вже він, але знову буксуємо, нехай том і не філлерний. 5
This was an unexpected storyline and one where the ending leaves you hanging for the next volume. The layers of storytelling come together and resurrect a character I had long forgotten. The plotting is open ending and paves the way for the upcoming arc.
Why the 5?
Mignola pays off the storyline with some big reveals. BPRD has been working with a few pieces and the main players have taken a back seat, but now the storyline is opening up. This is a dedicated storyline that leads to the bigger arc and it was worth the wait. I hope the library can get the next 3 volumes quickly as I'm eager to see where this goes. Qué barbaridad. Qué tremenda barbaridad. Focusing on minor characters yet again, but with bigger implications and effect on the Hellboy and BPRD universe. A lot of things happen in this volume, and everything gets worse for our beloved characters. Readers will also get some surprises going through the story as they get reintroduced to some plot points and characters.
This isn’t the best volume as the main focus is on a minor villain and a squad of BPRD human soldiers who aren’t particularly memorable. The minor villain is The Master who sets up shop in a ruined Scottish castle, bringing with him some human followers while resurrecting some giant monsters to fight the BPRD squad sent to take him out. The characters we’ve come to know and love are either absent or doing very little in this book. Hellboy is of course absent, as he’s battling his way through hell, Abe Sapien is still comatose inside a tank, and Liz Sherman is AWOL (though she does check in with a single panel). Meanwhile, Johann Krauss is putzing around BPRD HQ, arguing with new recruit (and Marvel rip-off) Fenix, a red-headed girl with powerful psychic powers.
BPRD is at its best when it does short, self-contained spooky stories in the vein of The X-Files but without the TV budgetary restraints (a special effects sequence costs the same as a conversation between two people in a room in the comics world) but this volume is instead more about the larger series storyline going on. As such, it’s not a volume anyone unfamiliar with the series should be picking up casually as a lot of it will just be confusing. The problem with this book is that The Master storyline is pretty uninvolving – BPRD squad fire guns at monsters for most of the book – and it kind of ends in a way that makes you think the entire thing was pointless anyway, and the rest of it involves resurrecting the Black Flame (again) and the end of world happens (again). So half of it feels like a waste of time while the other half feels like rehashed material.
There’s some decent art and Mignola/Arcudi does make the material interesting enough so it’s never too boring to read even if the impression they leave you with is underwhelming. The series could be better if Abe woke up (him being comatose only makes his absence more keenly felt as the other characters just aren’t as interesting), if Johann went out into the field again, and Liz came back (or else did something more than nothing!). But I do like the dead Russian guy with the little girl in the jar, I think he’s a complex character, at times seeming good, others seeming downright evil, and his plans are obscure enough to keep him on the fence between good and evil.
But the whole Rag Narok thing is played out. Giant storylines are fine but we’ve seen it so many times in BPRD that it’s become boring. The Black Flame is played out. Rasputin is played out. The best BPRD stories in this Hell On Earth series have been mini story arcs focusing on one or two characters and a new supernatural creature(s) in an interesting location – this large scale, end of the world stuff is too vague and overdone at this point to matter (at least to me). Volume 6: The Return of the Master has its moments but doesn’t contain enough fresh material or ideas to make it a standout in the series. Really, if you're not already reading B.P.R.D. religiously at this point, my reviews probably aren't going to change your mind. This is a good volume, continuing the main story more than adding in side stories like the last volume, although it just sort of stops (I'd call it a cliffhanger, but so much is going on that it's almost not even cliffhanging, just busy). The storyline has grown increasingly hectic and complex, and I'm looking forward to being able to sit down sometime and read it all through and try to connect all the dots.
Mainly, this time out, I want to talk about the sketchbook material in the back of this volume. This is one of the best sketchbooks in a long time. Not only is it extensive and varied, with a lot of work by Mignola and Tyler Crook and also some by James Harren, but it's got pages and pages of Ogdru Hem monsters drawn by both Mignola and Crook, which are worth the cover price all by themselves! The series is more or less back on track after the disappointment of the previous volume, but The Return of the Master still wasn't great. Again there was a whole subplot that came out of nowhere and was seemingly entirely pointless. The Fenix stuff starts to drag, she's being an annoying angsty teenager, and her importance to the story is still unclear. Only one storyline out of three felt like it was advancing the plot in a meaningful way, and it was still only a tease of things to come. It wasn't a bad volume per se, but I'm certainly used to expect more from BPRD. So the bigger story resumes after an all too short rest - and yes you get the feeling that along with yes well the world going to hell in a hand basket you are also seeing the final plays of the various factions some being opportunistic - while others actively waiting for what is going on.
Here you get to see the various strings being presented (at least though we currently know about) what their plans are and more importantly how they plan on going about them is yes to be discovered
This is a great series and I have to say it is often a struggle not to finish one title and instantly go looking for the next in the series - sadly chores have to be done otherwise I could well have hidden away till the whole series had been completed Just quan semblava que la història havia perdut el focus i no hi havia un protagonista clar que portés l'acció endavant, el retorn d'alguns personatges i monstres la redreça. This is volume 6 in a series. It is a direct continuation of previous events and is not a stand alone work. Without the previous issues, or knowledge of characters in the Hellboy universe, you might expect to be a bit on the confused side.
But, if you like battles with strange monsters and you like Hellboy, then this is a great book, but you should probably read the previous volumes first. There are gruesome monsters that evolve and ooze and are nothing like I've seen in other works.
The work by Mike Mignola and John Arcudi is good and there are a huge range of characters, which are all unique and easy to identify. Sometimes in huge character books, the artistic style can blur characters together, but I had no trouble distinguishing, so that speaks to good artistic ability. The book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, but there is also about 40 pages of sketches and character development that i found interesting.
It actually seems like the overarching plot is moving forward this time around, but I'm not convinced that this is the way it should be moving. Black Flame? Rasputin? Haven't we done this before? It doesn't help that many of the focus characters in this issue are less compelling than the old favorites, who have by and large been sidelined. I am definitely not a fan of Fenix, who is annoying for more than just being borderline copyright infringement. I miss Abe, and I miss Liz. But hey, at least something is happening on the world stage, even if I'm still not sure Mignola and Arcudi really know where they're going. This is the book where it really starts to hit the fan. The BPRD's already overtaxed teams get stretched even more as they start going more worldwide, and the reemergence of previous enemies promise only worse events to come. Unfortunately, so many of the unique characters who made up the BPRD are no longer present in the series, and there's a lot less invested in the characters who are. The Russians from the previous volume help a bit, but it just doesn't have the impact it feels like it wants to have. There are a couple of strong action sequences, and the art is as distinctive as always, but it just doesn't work as well as previous volumes. 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.
A lot happens in this book, most of it not good for the world, which seems to be on its last legs. Rasputin is reincarnated and starts a cult in Scotland, one which commands trolls which he throws at a B.P.R.Q. hit squad. Russian scientists are given a body that was being grown by the B.P.R.D.(as a new body for Johann, or for Roger? I'm not sure) on false pretenses, as the Russians want it for Rasputin's soul, not realising that he has already returned. They do rescue a soul, but it turns out to be who than goes on a rampage. Giant monsters are on the move all over the world, and some of them are laying eggs.
Less interesting stuff includes Fenix running away from B.P.R.D. headquarters, as she seems to know that something bad is going to happen. I have never really warmed to this character not just because she but also because she is a whiny brat.
Finally, we catch up with Liz Sherman again, who seems to be in a bad way here, possibly because of the incident from the last book but maybe something else.
So, pretty good story all in all. This is definitely not the volume to start with unless you've kept up with the Mignolaverse up to this point. A lot of elements from previous Hellboy and BPRD stories return. Our regular cast of freaks take a back to seat to the human BPRD agents as they respond to a bunch of global threats and get pulled to their limit. Things feel really dire for humanity and I'm beginning to wonder how much of humanity will survive by the end of Hell on Earth. Tyler Crook's art is great. He can do both humans and monsters, which has been a bit of a problem with past artists in this series. The B.P.R.D. series just keeps getting bigger and more complicated. I've been reading it right along and even I'm not always sure just what is going on. Take this story, for example: just who is the "master" that is destined for reincarnation? Much of what happens has us expecting the return of Rasputin (featured in some of the earliest Hellboy stories), but could there be someone else just as bad (or worse) bent on a comeback? The action jumps around all over the globe, with a team of agents laying siege to a castle in Scotland and being attacked by mutant wildlife and the remains of dead giants from some ancient battle. Then there's stuff happening at B.P.R.D. headquarters in the Rocky Mountains as an arrangement is reached with the Zinco Corporation to use its growth-enhancing drugs on a clone that might be used to house the spirit of Johan Krauss, stuck in a containment suit after his physical body was destroyed while his spirit was outside. Then we see some of what's happening in Russia, with the S.S.S., the Russian counterpart to the B.P.R.D., as a new round of giant Ogdru Hem creatures lay siege to the globe. There's so much happening, it's sometimes hard to keep track of it all. The artwork, primarily by Tyler Crook, is very good and very much in keeping with other artists who've contributed so much to the series' look and feel. It all seems to be leading up to some big, apocalyptic event that sometimes has me wishing we were back in the days when the group was dealing with smaller threats. Still, I'm very interested in seeing where this is all going and will continue to go along for the ride. **ARC by NetGalley The earth is not doing well and the original heroes are gone. Very grime and hopeless. And we thought things were getting better...
Wow, okay, I can say that I expected this but not the way it played out that's for sure, wow!
World: Crook's art is good, it's not Davis good but it does have it's flair. Much like Mr. Davis he is great at drawing monsters and man are they every gorgeous. The world building this time around by Arcudi and Mignola is just as strong, we get more pieces put in place that have been around since 'Seed of Destruction' and it boggles my mind that we've gone full circle. I won't ruin it but man it is every cool!
Story: First the minor irk, the pacing and the storytelling this time around felt a little choppy with the story jumping and juggling multiple storylines. Normally, this is fine and the creative team has done this well, not so much this time, it's a bit fractured and sometimes confusing. There is a lot
of cloak and dagger going on and It's gotten to the point of being a bit convoluted, so yes this is the only issue. The rest of the story is insane, there is so much going on wow. The consequences are the biggest thing this arc, the pieces that are moved. Though the ending once again leaves us so many questions as to character motives and pieces the parting feeling is a sense of dread and that is awesome.
Characters: This has always been one of the strengths of the series, the character matter and to some extent that is the case here. All the regulars are here along with new characters like Fenix. They are great and their arcs are deep and wonderful. However I did find that Giarocco to be a bit underdeveloped here. I think this is because I've only seen her in action and I've not had enough time with her in quiet scenes for character building. I hope this changes in the future. The villains this time are awesome but leaves a lot of questions as to what really happened, which I also hope to be answered in the following arcs.
A great read that delivers on what is sets out to do, minor irks make this a 4 star read instead of a 5.
Onward to the next book! I can't decide if I'd like to work at the BPRD office or not.
On the one hand, you'd meet some interesting characters. You'd have the occasional VERY exciting day when an ancient evil or demon or whatever got loose. You know, a wendigo or something. You can only go so long before there's a wendigo on the loose.
On the other hand, seems like horrific death is a possibility. I don't know what percent of BPRD agents make it to retirement, but it seems like maybe 65%? Taking a shot in the dark?
But then again, you'd get access to the mysteries of the universe. That's fun!
Maybe torn in half by frog creatures. Not fun :(
Shoot a machine gun at a giant demon troll thingie? As part of your desk job? Fun!
Likely get consumed by flame as fire tears through the spot where you're standing in front of a vending machine? :(
And that's the thing of it. I think I've always watched movies and seen some dude who gets wiped out with almost no fanfare and thought, "Damn, that'd probably be me."
I'd probably be trapped in the building when a giant squid creature attacked, and killed by the ceiling collapsing while I was taking a crap or something. Or a huge fireball would come roaring through when I was putting in a to-go order at Noodles & Co. and hoping that they put in two sets of silverware because that meant they assumed this amount of food was for two people.
It's a hard life, fantasizing about working for a fictional government agency that deals with the paranormal. You gotta take it one day at a time. Викликали вони явно не свого майстра, лінію Хвеникса відкотили до початку, а російський монстр франкенштейна досі неясно, на чиєму боці. Не філлер, але та й таке - адок ось вже він, але знову буксуємо, нехай том і не філлерний. 5
This was an unexpected storyline and one where the ending leaves you hanging for the next volume. The layers of storytelling come together and resurrect a character I had long forgotten. The plotting is open ending and paves the way for the upcoming arc.
Why the 5?
Mignola pays off the storyline with some big reveals. BPRD has been working with a few pieces and the main players have taken a back seat, but now the storyline is opening up. This is a dedicated storyline that leads to the bigger arc and it was worth the wait. I hope the library can get the next 3 volumes quickly as I'm eager to see where this goes. Qué barbaridad. Qué tremenda barbaridad. Focusing on minor characters yet again, but with bigger implications and effect on the Hellboy and BPRD universe. A lot of things happen in this volume, and everything gets worse for our beloved characters. Readers will also get some surprises going through the story as they get reintroduced to some plot points and characters.