B.P.R.D.: The Black Flame

(Dark Horse, 2005-2006)
™ and ©2005 Michael Mignola

Spinning out of the pages of Hellboy, Liz Sherman, Abe Sapien, and the other quirky supernatural members of the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense are back to fight hordes of disgusting creatures. Mike Mignola collaborates with co-writer John Arcudi and artist Guy Davis to create a monster bloodbath that is reminiscent of the movie Aliens, with Captain Benjamin Daimio, another member of the B.P.R.D., and his band of undead marines encounter an onslaught of demons emerging from every direction.

— Colin Chan

From the Comics Buyer’s Guide:

Sans Hellboy but reunited with his creator, the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense tackles its next destructive mission. Mike Mignola returns to co-pilot his band of misfit investigators into another impending apocalypse, signaled by a virus that turns people into bloodthirsty frogs.

Fishman Abe Sapien, firestarter Liz Sherman, the gasmeister Johann, the seemingly invincible homunculus Roger, and their cigar-chomping, cheeky captain Daimio take point. But, naturally, these nasty amphibians are laboring for nutty scientists in league with a Nazi psycho, in this case the corporate cross-dressing chieftain Zinco, aka The Black Flame. As this bad guy sweeps across America to summon the massive demon god Katha-Hem, can Liz decode her dark dream before it’s too late?

Led by a battle-tested team, this title crackles with military precision, and sparks fly with calculated surprise and searing effect. Guy Davis’ art provides the necessary atmosphere of combat mutating into horror and then mayhem. But, to the end, the story supplies the suspense (albeit without the humor or the hero) that fans have come to expect.

— Oliver Chin

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