BPRD #126

By Mike Mignola, John Arcudi, James Harren and Dave Stewart

After an approximate six-month time jump within the Mignolaverse, within the space of this issue and the last, B.P.R.D. is back and doing what it always does: crazy monster stories, with great characters and fantastic art. What more can you expect from BPRD? Month after month this title is near the top, if not at the top, of the massive pile of comics and it’s for good reason. Mignola and John Arcudi know what they’re doing, they know their characters inside and out and they know where they’re headed. There’s no f***ing around in the Mignolaverse, it’s all business and it’s all great.

Whenever there’s a story with Agent Howards, you know it’s going to be something great. He’s a badass, sword-wielding berserker who can’t, or won’t, be stopped. He’s the kind of character, especially with Harren on art, that we could all use a series dedicated to—just saying, Dark Horse. Anyway, the dynamic duo of Mignola and Arcudi continue their forward march into oblivion with BPRD and along the way they make us like certain characters, like Agent Enos or Howards, simply because there’s such a unique, human element to them. They’re not just your typical agents or soldiers; they all have their own personalities and quirks and looks and back stories, that you can’t help but root for them and hope they’re spared a gruesome death. Or get a wicked death and come back, like Iosif. Man, that was wicked…

Speaking of wicked, two words: JAMES HARREN. Seriously this guy has launched himself ahead of all of the other fantastic artists that have worked on this title (sorry guys) and he’s taken the mantle as the BPRD artist. Top of the top and in a league all his own, James Harren continues to impress on a scale that will blow your mind. His use of speed and movement is unparalleled, and his character designs and unique look is something that you just can’t explain. To have even a tenth of his talent, to this reviewer, would be something to brag about. Everything Harren touches is magic—like his creator owned series with John Arcudi called Rumble; monster designs and fight scenes are absolutely breathtaking and even just general scenery looks great. You take an artist like that and pair him with the color master, who can literally do no wrong, Dave Stewart, and hey, sorry all other artists out there but this an unbeatable combination.

Yes, okay, James Harren is amazing, BPRD is amazing, Mike Mignola is amazing (duh) and so is long time Mignolaverse collaborators John Arcudi and Dave Stewart. Really and truly, you can’t ask for more. BPRD is the most consistent book on the shelf, with, arguably, the greatest creative team(s) out there. The Plague of Frogs Omnibus editions are being re-released in trade paperback; you have no excuses to not catch up now. Pick them up, or pick up the individual trades, and jump into one of the greatest comic series available.