War on Frogs

[gdeo]

Hey all ,checked Diamond site and War on Frogs # 1 Is scheduled this week!Enjoy everyone!:biggrin:

[Holden]

I thought it came out last week.
Probably why I couldn't find it at all.

how many issues does this run for?

[gdeo]

the darkhorse site says that this is the first of 4 one-shots

[Holden]

It came out today, did anyone get it?

[InAdia]

Got it, and dare I say, hated it. Aside from a few things here or there it really felt like filler.

[MarisaSmith]

Oh... Sad... Well, I will get it and see if I agree with the review. Thanks for the warning.

[Jr. Wormwood]

I'm with InAdia. Quite a weak issue.

The artwork was not very dynamic at all, and the story was just kinda "meh". There's so much potential with the premise of the plot, but to me it just fell short.

Hard to explain without giving anything away, but hopefully the foundation this story is built on doesn't end here.

Great cover, however! I really like the way the credits are distributed.

[Mikolaj]

Not a very faroable review:
http://comics.ign.com/articles/881/881194p1.html

[Holden]

Ouch, I was really looking forward to this.
Maybe the next few issues will be better..

[Neil Hill]

Hmm, this news is too bad, as I had hopes for this one. However, sometimes in the zeal to put out more material and (as the review says) "capitalizing on the publicity", projects reach the stands which probably needed more time on the drawing board (figuratively and literally).

I have yet to read the comic itself though, so I'll reserve final judgement until then.

[InAdia]

I just feel like this is a story that should have been part of the earlier frog stories. Back tracking and giving us little to no incentive to just feels wasteful. Roger is gone. This story does nothing to illuminate what was. Just concentrate on moving forward with the plague.

All in all this secretes of a strategy that is habitual to other more mainstream publications. I can't believe I am saying this but I will not be buying this series of one shots any longer. But when The Warning drops I will be there purse opened

The Real Inadia

[Ken O]

Just finished this issue and add me to the list of those underwhelmed. It probably didn't help it that I read it after the conclusion of the Abe story that I really enjoyed.

[E. Spears]

Yeesh, not a lot of praise this time around. I'm gonna pick it up today, I've got to see what's what myself.

[ZINCo Sales Rep]

I'm of the opinion that at least I'll still be able to enjoy the best thing about this issue (the cover) when it's bagged and boarded. AND it wasn't ruined by a "Now a Major Motion Picture" sticker!

Unfortunately, everything that's made all other Hellboy/B.P.R.D. comics to date so special is almost entirely lacking here.

[JohnThompson]

The sad thing is that this could have been a really insightful and touching issue, but just never delivered. Seeing Roger again, the return to the ruins of Cavendish Hall and a follow-up to the original frog monsters from Seed of Destruction-- this should have been an issue to add to the depth of what we already know.

Then again, this is a "war" story, and it does its job with the requisite number of explosions. It's just a little sad to see that it never really tried to rise above the violence aspect of the war and offer any other message. The story was ripe with opportunities to be so much more.

The cover is sweet though!

[Todd H]

Well I enjoyed it for what it was. A one shot. I wasn't really happy with 1946 so maybe I just enjoyed a return to the BPRD I know and love.

I will admit that the art felt a bit...off. Almost rushed. I was still glad to see Guy back on the book though.

Story wise the issue did exactly what I thought it would. Seeing as how it took place in the past it's not like there could be a life changing revelation made. Otherwise Mike and crew would be backtracking in current issues to explain why it was never touched on beyond this one shot. Frankly I'm thankful we're not mucking about to much in the near past. Then BPRD would turn into X-Men.

As for there being nothing touching....the last few pages did nothing for you? It was a pure Roger moment that I really enjoyed.

[E. Spears]

I read it. It was indeed underwhelming. The cover kicked ass, so that was cool. And the end informed me that The Crooked Man comes out next month, which is awesome.

[Neil Hill]

And in the end informed me that The Crooked Man comes out next month, which is awesome.

LOL...best reply ever...

[petriacce]

I really liked Roger as a character and his personality and touch of innocence were always endearing to me. I was excited to read something with Roger in it again, hoping for more of that innocence, but I knew it would be different as the timeframe set for the story was after he began adopting Damio's persona/attitude. I prepared myself for that and accept the story for what it is.

I'm gonna go stare at the picture of the little boy holding the ball again.

[gary bolt]

Well I enjoyed it for what it was. A one shot. I wasn't really happy with 1946 so maybe I just enjoyed a return to the BPRD I know and love.

I will admit that the art felt a bit...off. Almost rushed. I was still glad to see Guy back on the book though.

Story wise the issue did exactly what I thought it would. Seeing as how it took place in the past it's not like there could be a life changing revelation made. Otherwise Mike and crew would be backtracking in current issues to explain why it was never touched on beyond this one shot. Frankly I'm thankful we're not mucking about to much in the near past. Then BPRD would turn into X-Men.

As for there being nothing touching....the last few pages did nothing for you? It was a pure Roger moment that I really enjoyed.

Maybe this one-shot could have done a better job of fleshing out some old plot elements, but I agree, the resolution of the story was touching. During the original run in BPRD it was obvious that Roger was influenced by Daimio in a major way. This story showed that even though Roger was getting the job done his actions were still a product of his own emotions and sensitivities.

[Angilas-Man]

Haven't gotten it yet, but I'm sad to hear everyone's dissapointed. Still looking forward to the next one-shot though ('cause Johann is awesome).

[MaskedMan]

wow... i have to say i am extremely disappointed with this book. the books artwork is coming from the legendary artist herb trimpe, i would expect to see something a little less lazy. i can see davis' desperate attempt to salvage the art of this book with his inking, but one man can only do so much. one top of that the story was just complete crud. it feels like they are trying to cram a lot in a short amount of time. they are making roger sound like he is hellboy, (all though i can see where they would get that because of hellboy being rogers role -model and all). all in all it was just an awkward read. and i am really keeping my hopes up that the next three will pick up a little bit.

[Matt Strackbein]

I was wondering how this story would pan out seeing as how they've said all they can really say about Canvedish, especially with the companion. So I guess it was no surprise that it felt like a piece of closure, and a chance to use Roger again. And didn't Roger say it perfect when he wonders if they needed to be there at all--"And who were they bothering in the first place"--, seeing as that's the general reaction from readers. But that is a sentiment often used in war stories too. All in all it was a cool and creepy horror story.

As far as the art, yeah, looks like Guy was brought in to save the day. And there’s no way in hell Guy ruined any pencils here, quite the contrary. Considering Trimpe had the script since at least January or February it seems he had plenty of time to do his best. And this wasn’t his best, which is obvious when you take a look at his current work for other titles...

http://www.marvel.com/news/comicstories.3503.Returning_to_the_Monster~colon~_ Herb_Trimpe

…and his previous work for MDHP too. Maybe he bit off more than he could chew and DH was in a tight spot. It sure looks that way. Regardless, Herb had a chance to do a project crafted specifically for him and he didn’t quite step up to the challenge.

Anyhow make way for John Severin!

[Neil Hill]

I finally got around to reading this the other day, and I am happy to say that I (counter to popular opinion of late) actually liked it! Granted, it's not one for the archives as far as BPRD stories go, and the inner monologue for a character I'd never had pictured possessing that much depth, was a little odd. That being said; when the ending rolled around I enjoyed the moment. Roger's melancholy at having to end the sad existence of those two creatures was palpable, and the moment had poignancy...at least I thought.

As another said, bring on Hellboy in the Appalachians!

[pimpernel]

Guy posted comparison pics of the pencils and inks on his site. It seems obvious, at least to me that he DIDN'T overpower Herb's pencils the way some people are saying. I mean the pencils and inks are almost identical. Also Herb's stuff seemed more than a little lacking in detail sadly.

[St August]

Haven't gotten it yet, but I'm sad to hear everyone's dissapointed. Still looking forward to the next one-shot though ('cause Johann is awesome).a few sneak peek pages out there on CC (http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/0806/13/darkhorsefirsts.htm)

[Pangaea]

I think this would have been a good bit better if it was expanded into at least two issues. It lacked impact, it lacked poignancy, I agree with the lot in that it could have been deeper.

Well at least we have the Ectoplasmic Man and the Crooken Man to look forward too.

[E. Spears]

Guy posted comparison pics of the pencils and inks on his site. It seems obvious, at least to me that he DIDN'T overpower Herb's pencils the way some people are saying. I mean the pencils and inks are almost identical. Also Herb's stuff seemed more than a little lacking in detail sadly.

I actually think Guy's inks did overpower the inks quite a bit, even after looking at the comparison images. The pencils had an energy in them that I thought was lacking in the finished inks. Guy changed a lot of little things like hand gestures, musculature details, amounts of negative/positive spaces, and so on, and they all amounted to some drastically changed artwork.

I actually find Herb's pencils to be quite handsome, and the inked work to be lacking. Perhaps a different inker would have been better suited for this one-shot.

/ my $0.02

[petriacce]

You all ready comics too so this probably isn't enlightening; however, sometimes artists take on a project at different levels of involvement/ability and time is usually a big factor. An artist may supply thumbnails, rough panels, semi-completed panels without backgrounds or completely finished panels.

I'll speculate that Trimpe agreed to provide rough/semi-complete panels and Davis was encouraged/asked to tighten things up. None of us really know what was agreed upon. We can speculate all day though and the professionals will be professionals and not say.

[Mike Cross]

Wow, you guys are he toughest crowd this side of a hillbilly family reunion..I just read War on Frogs and it was a perfectly acceptable little story. Granted Herb Trimpe has done some great art in the past ( Hulk! ), I see more of Guy's inks in here. It's a nice little fill-in story, and i still like the art better than Corben

[Holden]

I liked it for being a short little issue.
It wasn't full of story, but it gave us another look at Roger and what happened to the Cavendish twins.

Very short and to the point.

[fitzroy]

I don't usually comment negatively on other peoples art, especially that of professionals (except you know who) but I was extremely dissappointed with the art in this issue. Nothing else to say really

[Matt Strackbein]

I'll speculate that Trimpe agreed to provide rough/semi-complete panels and Davis was encouraged/asked to tighten things up. None of us really know what was agreed upon. We can speculate all day though and the professionals will be professionals and not say.

We do know that Trimpe was brought on to do the art and Guy was a late edition. So it's likely that something (whatever it may be) went awry along the way. Why hire Trimpe to do rough layouts and semi complete work and then get the reguar artist to tighten things up? Why not just have Davis do the whole thing like normal? This is Hellboy we're talking about, and the DH crew takes these comics pretty serious after all.

You're right though, it's speculation for the most part.

Great C.S. Lewis quote BTW!

[gdeo]

that cover was the BEST ...frogs torn tongue still on roger's arm...cool!:cool: