In B.P.R.D: Being Human, the 150 page volume of Hellboy showcases several unique entries from the Hellboy Universe. This extremely focused collection is an excellent beginners’ starting guide to Hellboy comics. The flashback elements of the Hellboy comics have always been a signature technique which inspires a breath of nostalgia mixed with multifaceted horror.

Most of the horrors in this brief collection are fairly run-of-the-mill while still encapsulating an involving storyline. Writing by Mike Mignola, John Arcudi and Scott Allie, several single issues were selected to bring together an excellent plot from multiple writers and artists. Artists included are Richard Corben, Ben Stenbeck and Guy Davis.

Inking was done by Andy Owens with coloring by Dave Stewart, and with penciling by Karl Moline and cover art by Mike Mignola there is no shortage of powerhouses from the comic industry. More importantly, this trade paperback release focuses on the moral issues at hand, combining action sequences and nonchalant destruction together in a seamless blend through each page of reading.

The pages focus on the choices the characters must make, some of which lead to a great deal of guilt and regret. Many of the Hellboy storylines play Devil’s advocate, often committing violence to stop greater violence from happening. Roger the Homunculus in particular is a perfect example of something that isn’t entirely human, but still feels human emotion and regret.

Most surprising for fans new and old is that Hellboy himself is not the featured character in every single issue compiled here. His slightly blasé and forlorn attitude shines through in his dialogue, writer Mike Mignola making Hellboy’s tone the canvas for his actions. Hellboy’s verbal expressions bring forth the image of a shrug or a sigh with great ease.

There is ample evidence that Hellboy has a tired acceptance of his role and just gets on with his life. He’s been there and done all that, saved the world more times than he cares to count. The real stars through the majority of this small collection are Hellboy’s friends from the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense (B.P.R.D).

The back story of how Elizabeth (Liz) Sherman and Johann Kraus gain their powers is certainly a treat for new and curious fans while veteran readers will glimpse a sense of nostalgia, no doubt remembering a time when they first discovered the joy of Hellboy comics and his never die attitude.

Liz Sherman is depicted during several points in her life, using and developing her pyrokinetic powers. This edition shows her tragic past and how she came to be with B.P.R.D, highlighting her past and showing how her powers are both a gift and a horrible curse. In the mind of Liz Sherman there once existed a scared child afraid of what she was becoming.

Her character through these pages grows later on in a different issue from this collection, showing her older and wiser than before. Further reading into this collection reveals Liz Sherman depicted somewhat more closely to the maturity shown by actress Selma Blair in the second Hellboy movie. Here, she is seen giving advice to Abe Sapien, a character that has always been renowned for his intelligence.

Yet when things get emotional for Abe, it is Liz who gives the advice that Abe Sapien so desperately needs. Johann Kraus, Mr. Ectoplasm himself, is also plagued by the guilt that caused him to survive while those he led on a journey unexpectedly died. A deeply philosophical man, Kraus shows his deep belief that even in hell there is hope and awareness, even while battling against the forces of evil.

Kraus seizes his purpose to continue his life’s work as a medium, albeit a paranormal medium by joining B.P.R.D and lending his assistance. His character also makes an appearance in the second Hellboy movie. Available here through Dark Horse Comics and in stores now, Hellboy B.P.R.D: Being Human is an excellent introduction to the primary protagonists in Hellboy.

There are other characters featured but none more compelling in storyline than those of Johann Kraus and Elizabeth Sherman. Kraus in particular makes us question what we would do if we were in his shoes. The Hellboy comics featured in B.P.R.D: Being Human are an exceptional gathering of character building stories that will spark the interest of new readers while energizing veteran fans into rereading some of their favorite single issues from the Hellboy Universe.

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“Baltimore: The Plague Ships,” the first comic in the Baltimore series by Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden, focuses on Lord Baltimore’s journey to find and kill the evil vampire, Haigus. Both volumes of the comic series are based on the book “Baltimore: The Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire” by the same authors. Set during the events of the book, they offer a deeper look into the world of Baltimore.

With him on his journey is a young woman named Vanessa Kalderas that he met in the town of Yillefranche, France. Wishing to flee the plague, and the feelings of hopelessness that accompany it, Vanessa insists that Baltimore bring her with him when he leaves the city.

Her grandmother has a number of supernatural abilities, which she uses to help Baltimore fight off vampires that are attacking the city. But despite her willingness to help him, she believes wholeheartedly that Baltimore is a cursed man. As a result, when Vanessa expresses her desire to leave with Baltimore, her grandmother is very concerned about her welfare.

After leaving the city, Baltimore confronts a horde of fungus-covered plague victims that rise from the depths of the ocean. Baltimore is faced with seemingly insurmountable odds when given the task of dispatching a seemingly endless wave of enemies armed with only a crucifix, a sword and a pistol.

Unlike Mignola and Golden’s “The Curse Bells,” “The Plague Ships” goes into greater detail about Baltimore’s past, the origins of the plague, and just why he is so focused on tracking down Haigus and finally killing the vampire. Baltimore tells Vanessa of his first meeting with Haigus on the battlefield against the Hessians when he lost his leg and the plague began.

For those who have not read the book that both comics are based on, this inclusion of the back story is a pleasant addition. For those who know the original story, it is exciting to see the events from the book unfold visually. The artwork, done by Ben Stenbeck, is superb and it adds an important element to the telling of the story. When the vampires are in their bat form they are quite intimidating, and the drawings of the plague victims covered in a strange fungus are both grotesque and compelling.

The story moves along at a fast pace, drawing the reader in with intense action sequences between Baltimore and his foes. Baltimore’s origin story, as well as the inclusion of Vanessa’s character, serves to create a greater depth to the story and make it more than just a simple revenge plot. An added layer to the tension is the man from the Inquisition who begins to hunt Baltimore down for his violent actions.

Written by one of the same authors as the popular “Hellboy” series, “The Plague Ships” tells the story of one man’s struggle to find revenge, while also trying to absolve himself of his part in the creation of the plague. Often forced to balance his need for revenge with other’s insistence that he use his abilities to help those around him, Baltimore is a complex character within a riveting story. “The Plague Ships” is recommended for anyone who enjoys action comics coupled with three-dimensional characters.

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Dark Horse Comics has released the fourth installment of Baltimore’s ”The Curse Bells” this week, and with only one issue left, the story is coming to its climax. Lord Baltimore has made his way into the chapel filled with cursed vampire nuns and is poised to find his nemesis, Haigus.

Written by Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden with artwork by Ben Stenbeck, this mini-series focuses on the details of Lord Baltimore’s journey to find Haigus, the vampire that he first met on the battlefield in a fight against the Hessians.

“The Curse Bells” is a continuation of “The Plague Ship” mini-series and an interlude for the middle of the book, “Baltimore,: Or The Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire,” which focuses on Lord Baltimore’s three friends and his meetings with them from the beginning of the plague.

As he inches closer to his goal of destroying the vampire that killed his family, Baltimore’s dedication in the epic quest demonstrates how far one will go in order to exact revenge. Baltimore is often shown as an anti-hero, only saving people as a by-product of his revenge, or after any other course of action would hinder or halt his goal.

This issue is no different. The crux of the story is based on Baltimore’s choice between continuing to hunt Haigus and stopping Madame Blavatsky from ringing the bells, damming all who hear the cursed ringing. “The Curse Bells” delves into the psyche of Baltimore. It shows that Baltimore, when given a choice between revenge and becoming a savior, would rather be damned and may already be.

The series was originally created with Mike Mignola, the creator of the Hellboy comics, and it shares many of the same artistic designs. In addition to Mignola’s influence on the artwork, Stenbeck is the primary artist for this mini-series, and he continues with the quality that has become associated with Hellboy. The dark colors contrast with splashes of blood-red add to the tension of the story.

Not only is the artwork high quality, the story and the writing are riveting as well. Christopher Golden co-wrote with Mike Mignola for both the novel and several comic series that have been produced so far. Mignola and Golden infuse the fourth installment with the poem The Bells from Edger Allan Poe, which gives an even darker tone to both the original poem and the story itself.

In addition to following Baltimore’s quest, the reader gets a look at the lives of those he affects, such as the teenager and child who lead him to the chapel that Haigus has entered. The weaving of these subplots with the main story adds to the depth of the characters, and allows the reader to see more of the universe that Baltimore is living in.

“The Curse Bells” still has more to go, and it looks like it is going to have just as satisfying of an ending as the original book and “The Plague Ship” mini-series. If you are a fan of Hellboy or the previous Baltimore material, you will enjoy “The Curse Bells.”

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