In 2001, Hellboy quit the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense (B.P.R.D). If that was not bad enough, Liz Sherman is currently in hiding, Abe Sapien is in a coma, and Johann Kraus is left with Kate Corrigan to go with to Russia as backup this time around. The Russians have an assault team assembled for Johann and Kate to lead into the fire.

If only it were that easy. As if these men could make up for the loss of Hellboy, they charge heroically to their deaths, combating evil. Mike Mignola and John Arcudi have teamed up once again to continue the Hell on Earth: Russia issues for #4, bringing the storyline into sharper focus with each successive single issue release.

Art was done by Tyler Crook while colors were by Dave Stewart.  Lettering was done by Clem Robins, and the cover was by Dave Johnson. This senior team has created the perfect setting for huge monsters and grand explosions.

It becomes obvious that this mission into the mines could only have succeeded with Johann Kraus’ help. Kraus, with his deep conceptual thinking, is certainly poised in this issue to shake things up for Kate Corrigan as they continue through Russia’s hellish atmosphere. Different from Hellboy in that way, Kraus is a deep thinker, which contrasts very much with Hellboy’s simpler thought process.

By no means lacking in courage or skills, Johann Kraus does maintain his image as the thinking man’s character. Kate Corrigan, on the other hand, is frustrated, brash, and hard to deal with when in Russia. The missing key members of their team take its toll on her psyche, leading to bursts of impatience and rage.

Fans of Hellboy will remember her friendship with Hellboy from previous B.P.R.D issues as well as her concern for Abe Sapien from Issue #1 of Hell on Earth: Russia.  She will come face to face with the concept that some people just accept the fact that they will die.

Exposure to the contagion found in the mines of Russia changes the structural chemistry of every living human it touches, turning them into mindless killers. Unluckily for him, Johann Kraus is on the hunt for this contagion with a set of monsters, each of which is more grotesque than the next.

On the one hand, you have a blue Jabba-the-Hutt-type creature, and on the other, you have what looks like the giant brain bug from the end of the first Starship Troopers movie. It is a lose-lose situation, no matter which ugly monster Kraus will find first. The concept of Kraus’ mortality will also come into play, since Kraus is technically dead and without a body, but is a sentient free-feeling personality.

The feel of this story is a different kind of desperation. In comparison to Hellboy’s policy of casual violence, B.P.R.D always seems to have a more serious edge. This is definitely true with B.P.R.D Hell on Earth: Russia, since the first issue has already set the stage for the almost rapid deceleration of Russian society due to this spreading contagion.

The ending of the story is quite explosive. While some fans will clamor in fury, true fans will wait impatiently for the triumphant return of one of the series best loved characters. Entertaining as always, the conclusion is sure to be jam-packed with excellent plot twists as well as a rescue operation. B.P.R.D Hell on Earth: Russia is on sale here through Dark Horse!

The article Comic Review: B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth: Russia #4 appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The epic story line that began back in 2010 with B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth: New World is coming to a head in 2012. Dark Horse announces the most ambitious B.P.R.D. publishing schedule yet, with five new titles and some of the most earth-shattering events in the history of the series.

First up, in February comes B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth: The Long Death, written by Mike Mignola and John Arcudi, with art by James Harren (Abe Sapien: The Devil Does Not Jest, Heralds). A team is sent to the deadly woods from New World to investigate a new series of disappearances, but they discover more than just the monster responsible, as loyalties are questioned and tensions mount.

March will see the release of B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth: The Pickens County Horror, written by Mike Mignola and Scott Allie, with art by Jason Latour (Wolverine, Scalped) and an all-new cover by Becky Cloonan! This chilling two-issue series brings a B.P.R.D. crew into the grips of a backwoods vampire clan hiding out in a Gothic southern home.

Next, in May comes B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth: The Transformation of J. H. O’Donnell, pairing Mike Mignola with Scott Allie again for the discovery of what drove the Bureau’s expert on ancient foes to near madness after a mission with Hellboy twenty-four years earlier. This supernatural thrill ride features art by B.P.R.D. newcomer Max Fiumara (Amazing Spider-Man) and a cover by Becky Cloonan.

That same month features the return of the regular B.P.R.D. team of Mike Mignola, John Arcudi, and Tyler Crook, with B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth: The Devil’s Engine. The Zinco Corporation again rears its ugly head after a devastating earthquake, pitting Devon and Fenix in an uneasy alliance against bat-faced monsters and the evil empire’s other mad-science experiments. Additionally, this new series will feature covers by former Hellboy artist Duncan Fegredo.

Finally, Cameron Stewart returns to the B.P.R.D. universe in June with B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth­: Exorcism! In this story we learn more about Ashley Strode’s evolution as an agent after she meets up with a familiar face for a series of exorcisms in a rural Indiana town. Mike Mignola and Cameron Stewart team up to share writing duties, with pencils by Cameron and covers by Viktor Kalvachev.

“Let’s break some stuff that can’t be fixed. Let’s turn some corners where there’s no going back” said Mike Mignola. “In both Hellboy and B.P.R.D., we’re saying, “Well, once we do this—once we round this corner—that’s it!” It’s not like, “Oh, Batman, different costume.” We’re doing stuff where there’s no way to fix it. That is the new reality in our world. You’re REALLY going to see that in 2012.”

B.P.R.D. is sure to be the most-talked-about series of the coming year, as the team stands at the brink of the end of the organization and the world itself. Finally, fresh off their long tenure on Stargate, one of television’s most successful science-fiction epics, series writers Joseph Mallozzi and Paul Mullie flex their comic-book storytelling muscles to create a thrilling new science-fiction universe.

Mallozzi and Mullie, best known for their work on the Stargate franchise series (Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, and Stargate Universe), are about to give you: Dark Matter.

A derelict ship floating in space. Its troubled crew awakened from stasis with no memories of who they are or how they got onboard. Their search for answers triggering the vessel’s deadly security system, awakening a relentless android bent on their destruction. Facing threats at every turn, they will have to work together to survive a dangerous voyage charged with vengeance, redemption, betrayals, and, ultimately, hidden secrets best left unknown.

Science fiction by science-fiction veterans is sci-fi action at its best! Dark Matter #1, the first in a four-issue miniseries with kinetic artwork by exciting newcomer Garry Brown, is on sale January 11, 2012.

The article Five New B.P.R.D. Titles and Dark Matter from Dark Horse Comics appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.