Booknote: B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth, Vol 6: The Return of the Master

Mike Mignola, et.al. B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth, Vol. 6: The Return of the Master. Milwaukie, OR: Dark Horse, 2013.

ISBN: 978-1-61655-193-3

Genre: Graphic novels and comics
Subgenre: superheroes, horror.

For those not familiar with this series, the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense is the agency that Hellboy works for, and the B.P.R.D. comics are a spin-off of Hellboy focusing on other agents working at the agency. In this volume, after a series of catastrophic events, the agency is trying to hold things together. However, a new cultist group is forming and threatening the world. Meanwhile, Nazis that fought Hellboy before are trying to bring the mad monk Rasputin back to life. Their big challenge is finding once more the lost soul of Rasputin, which may or not be where it is supposed to be. As if that was not enough, the bureau's agents now have to collaborate with their Russian counterparts.

This is clearly a transition volume to move the story along from one major event to the next. However, there is still plenty of action as a team of agents, humans overall this time around, go on to confront the cult and its minions. There is also plenty of intrigue behind the scenes. The art is pretty good on this volume; it is consistent with the good quality of other volumes in the B.P.R.D. series. I can say that I am curious enough from reading this that I am willing to seek out other volumes.

Fans of Hellboy will likely enjoy reading the B.P.R.D. comics, if they are not doing so already. For those who know Hellboy from the films, seeking the Hellboy comics as well as the B.P.R.D. comics would certainly be a good reading experience.



Disclosure note: This review copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley as an e-book copy in exchange for an honest review. There, we have appeased The Man once more. The book, as of this review, is scheduled for publication August 2013. This is why I used the publisher link rather than WorldCat as I usually do; WorldCat did not have a full record at the time.