B.P.R.D. The Dead #5

[gary bolt]

Woo hoo!

Just like the finale to Plague of Frogs, this one has tons of stuff going on. There's enough happening that it will take me a few reads to soak it all up. Guy Davis delivers with the art and Mignola/Arcudi give us lots to think about with the script. I think I'm in BPRD heaven, and not that screwed up Gunter Eiss kind of heaven either, more like a blissful higher plane kind of heaven. Johann is too cool for words.

[Poe Ghostal]

Hmmm.

Here's my response to the revelation on the last page:

"...duh."

;) I liked Johann's deus ex machina, but ultimately, I have to admit that this storyline left me a bit unsatisfied. I think Plague of Frogs was a lot better (In PoF, we got Liz-toasting-zombies and that beautiful sequence where Abe sees the egg).

[citymadeofash]

Oh crap, its out!

Note to self: Must go out and buy BPRD The Dead #5 tomorrow

*sticks fingers in ears and makes noises with mouth trying to avoid hearing spoilers* lalalalalalalalallalalalalla la la la la la lalalalalal la la la lalala.... :p

[morna]

Here's my response to the revelation on the last page:
"...duh."
Without trying to spoil too much... I liked the resolution of the Edith/Caul thing - very Abe-like and it solved it for her as well as for himself.


I liked Johann's deus ex machina, ...
nice use of the term!

...more after some digesting time and when I can discuss without spoiling too many people :)

[Neil Hill]

Loved the issue! As usual things wrapped up nicely, but still left many questions to be answered in future series. Loved the story beats with Roger and him wanting to wack the creature upside the head, hoping that would destroy it (ala Hellboy). It was nice to see Roger pickup on Hellboy's modus operandi and try very nobly to carry that torch :D

Also, that moment where the leader guy with the gun fetish (sorry, I've forgotten his name) blows away the, bad guy turned back into a human, Dirty Harry style, was classic. Funny and untragic, echoing my own sentiments towards that guy. Although in reality, I of course would have kept it to harsh words rather than the use of deadly force ;)

[DannyBoy7783]

I didn't like this story really that much. The stuff in BPRD seems to lack some development. It all happens too quick. I like the new guy (Daimio (sp?)) but he seems kind of flat right now. I don't like how Roger was such a lummox. I like that Johann was speaking German but I think it was annoying because I only speak a very very small amount so I had to go look it up. I thought Johann was cool in this story but his role as deus ex machina (good word usage indeed!) didn't fit. This whole time Johann was acting weird and we don't know why and then he saves the day....I didn't like it. I think this story would have been better with more issues to flesh it out more. Points that needed more attention
- the new team leader
- the end fight scene (it happened too quickly I felt)
- johann and the german scientists working together
- Abe and his wife.

I thought the stuff with Abe was almost pointless and unecessarily drawn out. I think the stuff with his wife is important but the way it was done it didn't have very much substance. I think that the stuff with Abe should have been seperate from this story and done on its own. I like the BPRD but this story didn't jive with me for a large number of reasons. I think the BPRD would be better served with an ongoing story, not a 5 issue mini-series. I hope the next story is better.


I guess what I'm saying is that I miss Hellboy... :)


...and I really miss the old roger.... :(

[Poe Ghostal]

The entire Abe storyline could have been made into a one-shot, a la Drums of the Dead, which would have allowed another issue to flesh out the Johann storyline.

[DannyBoy7783]

That would have worked I think. Good call.

[citymadeofash]

**potential spoilers discussed!!!!!**
**potential spoilers discussed!!!!!**
**potential spoilers discussed!!!!!**







Yeah, I think im with you on nearly everything you said in your first post DannyBoy7783. Roger's lack of IQ bugged me the entire length of the series. I'm also in agreement with the fact that the series could easily have stretched out another 3 issues or as Poe Ghostal suggested, just save Abe's story for its own oneshot. Daimio does feel a bit flat. The whole bit with the spear of destiny and an "alternate nightmarish heaven" was intriguing, as well as the purpose of the government facility and again the connection to WWII doomsday projects. Anyhow, I've got mixed feelings on the mini-series. Great plot elements, they needed to be fleshed out more though!!!!!. And for the love of god I hope Roger stops taking stupid pills.

As for the bit about Johann speaking german, I kind of liked it... gave me a mini-project for me to do/solve "hmmm... ok babelfish, tell me what johann's saying in this panel. Oh... thats neat, ok what about the next one" *heh*


Ok, this last bit might serve to be its own post or thread, but I'm still a tad confused as to Abe's connection to the woman from Cavendish hall... (perhaps I just need to go back and re-read seed of destruction or plage of frogs?) Anyone know what the deal is with abe's worm ridden "wife" and relevance to Abe's back story???

[JohnThompson]

This issue fell a little flat to me, too. The giant buggy/seraphim creature could easily have been as fascinating as the Conqueror Worm or Sadu Hem, but just wasn't developed. The concept of the portal to "heaven" was also fascinating, and I was curious to see what if anything else might pass through it. I like the suspense-building setup, but the plot just wraps up too quickly.

The entire sub-plot with Abe seemed a waste in the end. No real threat, nothing new learned about Abe... this could have been left out entirely. The fact that Caul's wife commited suicide by drowning herself seemed full of interesting analogies to Abe, but wasn't explored at all. Disappointing.

Daimio I like. He's obviously going to be put in many situations he's not well suited to deal with, and it will be very interesting to see his character develop. Roger reminded me enough of Hellboy in this issue to give me some hope. If his stupidity is permanent, at least he represents some needed muscle to this team that overall seemed rather impotent throughout the run of "The Dead".

I really had high hopes for "The Dead". If Mignola didn't set the bar so high, I may have been satisfied with this concluding issue. Still, lots to like here, and Guy Davis continues to dazzle with his art. Nobody draws "creepy" better than Guy!

Looking forward to "The Black Flame"!

[Myron L]

The issue I was so excited for just left me feeling that it was a rush job to end the story inside five issues. I was on the edge of my seat for #5, and it just didnt get me like I thought it would. I, too, felt that the Abe portion that I MOST wanted to read about, was merely filler for the Seraphim arc.
I dont mean to be overly critical. I will read again to put my finger on the story a little better. Maybe it will sink in in a different manner the second time through.
I almost feel like when you go on a date, and your girl leaves you at the doorstep with a hand-shake and a thanks.

[Hells Orc]

*scrolls through the topic quickly skimming over various parts as not to spoil the issue for himself*

Well good to know this is out, I don't know if this is that same issue everyone was talking about a few months back or not (I'm so behind...) but It's good to know something new is out. Hopefully I'll be able to pick that up sometime, sounds good from what little bits I read here. Didn't want to read too much as to spoil it for myself.

[DannyBoy7783]

you must have skimmed quite a bit....we just got 3 negative reviews :)

It came out Wednesday.

[citymadeofash]

I, too, felt that the Abe portion that I MOST wanted to read about, was merely filler for the Seraphim arc.
I felt the same way. If it was in fact filler for the Seraphim arc of the storyline, that seems rather silly, since so far a number of people have griped about the lack of plot development (sans Abe).

Perhaps all the more reason for the Abe section of the story to have been its own one shot with more of a revelation than becoming an anticlimactic thread woven throughout an separate unrelated story, and for the cavendish hall "filler" to have been used as room for developing the gateway, spear of destiny, seraphim, research facility, Daimio's character, Johann's connection with the german scientists and more of a build up and a more complete resolution to the defeat of the seraphim at the end *phew*

Anyhow, I still enjoyed the story, just doesnt begin to compare to Plague of Frogs, Hollow Earth, etc...

[Teratomarty]

I thought it was great to see Johann (and company, I guess) kick *ss. His powers are generally more cerebral, but one of the things I like about the BPRD is watching someone blast the bejeezus out of some horror from beyond the dawn of time/ over the edge of reality/ where-ever the yuglies are coming from this time.

Speaking of which, I also like how this book continues Mignolia's theme of monstrosity as a choice, not an essential condition. Dr. Eis, nominally a normal human, chooses to become a giant maskface bug/portal to his nightmare heaven (a phrase I love, by the way). A bunch of ghosts posess Johann, but they're good guys and choose to help the living.

I see Capt. Daimio as standing on the line between monster-by-choice and scary-looking good guy. Roger, for instance, would have tried to help Eis (remember his moment of hesitation with the little girl frog monster in PoF). Daimio is waay too trigger-happy for me to like him.

[DannyBoy7783]

I don't think Daimio is trigger happy per say....I think it's in his nature to take charge and kick ass. Guns are a good way of doing that :)

I think he has potential.

[Hells Orc]

you must have skimmed quite a bit....we just got 3 negative reviews :)

It came out Wednesday.


if I overlooked the negative bits that's probably a good thing, consdiering I normaly focuse on all the BAD things. :p

[Tad]

I think the BPRD action story plays fine when read altogether, even though it doesn't have the slower mood pieces you find in a Hellboy story. Actually, it kind of did at the beginning with Johann exploring. I think that's the point. Mike is trying something different. I'd like the same story played out for another issue but that wouldn't have provided enough substance for individual issues.

The Abe story is more a lyrical piece. I still feel it was too slight to be divided. I would like to have seen something else, maybe the shadows or his colleagues who were part of the secret society. They apologize and steer him into another room.... where he finds his wife. It would play as more suspense since the reader would feel Abe's being led to a trap.

Comics aren't easy. This one had great action but the payoff seemed quick...when separated by a month of waiting at the comic shop. As a single story it's pretty darn good.

Will this be collected alone or with Plague of Frogs?

[citymadeofash]

Will this be collected alone or with Plague of Frogs?
Darkhorse has a great track records of collecting comic series' into TPB's. Odds are I think its safe to say it will be coming out as a TPB, as they've already done it with every prior BPRD release as well as nearly every hellboy release.

[DannyBoy7783]

I didn't like the Abe side arc for the reasons I already mentioned but I also had some trouble with it because from all the images I saw I had the impression that his dead wife was going to try and lure him into something...maybe to keep him with her for eternity or something and then she ended up being harmless. I was expecting more of an undead type of thing going on. When she turned out to be lying to herself and Abe had to show her the truth I was really dissapointed. I was expecting something way different that what we got. It had potential to be a really great side piece that maybe revealed more about Abe and perhaps sent him somewhere else as well. It could have led Abe on a journey sort of like Hellboy. I dunno. I didn't hate it but it just wasn't what I was expecting.

[Tad]

Darkhorse has a great track records of collecting comic series' into TPB's. Odds are I think its safe to say it will be coming out as a TPB, as they've already done it with every prior BPRD release as well as nearly every hellboy release.

I've got all the collections, I was wondering whether both arcs might be collected into one TPB. Maybe that would make it too big.

[gary bolt]

Will this be collected alone or with Plague of Frogs?

Probably alone, seein' as Plague of Frogs is already collected into a tpb.

[Tad]

D'oh! Which of course is sitting on the shelf behind me!

Ah well, my brain's a bit soggy. I've been dealing with plumbers all day. :D

[JohnThompson]

D'oh! Which of course is sitting on the shelf behind me!
It does make one wonder what substance you're smoking in that pipe, oh Wizened One.

[el seth]

I have to say this series is my second favorite BPRD series behind Plague of Frogs. But yeah, I agree with pretty much everything that's already been said on pacing, Roger et cetera. I was really certain that Roger's regression, along with his dream of being a child hit by lighting, would be explained rationally in the book at some point, and now I'm not so sure. It really really needs to be.

The Abe thing could have been handled better I think, but the end of the book was nice and very touching. The execution kind of through me for a bit of a logical loop though: when Abe and his wife pull back the cloth, they both see the truth of what they are. But then later that drape is revealed to be a window curtain. So it makes me think, for a moment, that Abe should have seen what was outside the window or some such. I guess the solution is something like: the window/mirror represents the outer world/reality, but only after the illusion is broken is the mirror a window. Or something.

I like Diamo, and the moral ambiguity he brings to the fore in the last few pages I'm guessing is going to be explored more. In a certain sense, I recognize what he did was wrong, but I have to admit that if I were a man in the same position and who had seen the same horrors I would probably put three bullets in an old Nazi's skull just to be sure.

Here's a question: is Daimo much different than HB, except he dosen't have the privilage of being nigh-invulnerable (tm) ? The guy's a solider who is used to facing death with his commrades, being responsible for the lives of others, it's got to shake you to realize there are far worse things out there than you could imagine, and that there's stuff worse than death in store for the people you're responsible for if you make the wrong decision. Anyway, I thought it was actually kind of cool when he told Roger he was going to get him a gun - sure, it may be kind of dumb, but it shows that he's starting to think of Roger as a commrade in the heat of battle, and that's cool. The guy likes guns, but he likes guns because they're (usullay) the only defense puny-humans-sans-novel-super-powers have in the face of horrors beyond our imgaining and all that.

So all my worriying and pontification in the last thread about the Seraphim was obviously nutty and unecessary, but I do wonder what this says about the HB universe, which has always been oh-so-delciatley balanced between the cosmic vision of Lovecraft and a classical Hell where the demons hang out. I'm wondering where this "heaven" fits and wether we'll be seeing more of it. It certainly isn't a big deal if we never see it again, it's just that Mignola was so good about balancing the two sides and giving everything an origin and meaning in the Lovecraft-Christian-Pagan triumverate that it would be a shame to just through this out there and then never use it or explain it. Still, the critters are cool, and the stone (?) slab that acts as the gate (or... yeah...) is a nice throwback to the gate in the Hellboy movie.

So yeah, good stuff. So far not as good as Plauge of Frogs for me, but I'm hungry for more from Guy and John. How it all plays out in the long run could be a major factor for me in overall quality. I don't think we've ever had anything in the HB universe that was a team book and that shared focused on multiple characters and had an over-arching serial plot this complex, so I think we may have a hard time adjusting, but I also think that when this is all said and done the rewards an enrichment of the HB universe will be significant.

[citymadeofash]

well spoken seth... though not to deviate too much from the topic, Hollow Earth in my opinion is a personal favorite. The pacing, penciling, storyline, and character involvement has yet to be surpassed in the BPRD series.

Nice points all around though, especially you're analysis of Daimio and the possible reasons behind his dependance upon firearms, etc, etc. Though one funny thing that comes to mind is when you said, and I quote:
Daimo much different than HB, except he dosen't have the privilage of being nigh-invulnerableI only mention it due to the fact that in the first issue of The Dead, Daimio wakes up just prior to being evicerated by a medical examiner who is going to perform his autopsy. Daimio's reaction..... "I was only dead 3 days"

hahah... it would seem there is still much on the horizion for learning the secrets and backstory behind his character, and who knows.... perhaps he is nigh-invulnerable like HB :)




1) I've got all the collections, I was wondering whether both arcs might be collected into one TPB.

2) D'oh! Which of course is sitting on the shelf behind me!
I too already have all the single issues.... though I'm finding it increasingly difficult to keep myself from buying them as a collected TPB just for the sake of fulfilling the "collection", or at the very least, an excuse to poly-bag my single issues. ARRGGGG!!! Decisions decisions!! :p

[el seth]

I only mention it due to the fact that in the first issue of The Dead, Daimio wakes up just prior to being evicerated by a medical examiner who is going to perform his autopsy. Daimio's reaction..... "I was only dead 3 days"

hahah... it would seem there is still much on the horizion for learning the secrets and backstory behind his character, and who knows.... perhaps he is nigh-invulnerable like HB.

Hey maybe! I forgot about the whole Zombie thing. Thing is, I don't know if he's really got a grip on what's going on with himself yet!

One thing I forgot: what's the deal when all the crap is going down and Daimo is looking for some way to stop the monster and he happens upon the jar with the monkey/baby from the scrapbook photo spread earlier? He looks at it like it's important, and then right before (or after) the moster blows up he's holding it. I mean, I don't think a monkey-baby is going to help in that situation, so why is he paying attention to it? Buh?

[citymadeofash]

what's the deal when all the crap is going down and Daimo is looking for some way to stop the monster and he happens upon the jar with the monkey/baby from the scrapbook photo spread earlier? HEY!! Yeah, what the hell is that all about!?!??! ..... I had totally forgotten about that one facet of the story until you just mentioned it (no one else has commented on it so far either).

Hmm... perhaps a source of some future story? Could also just be a random item appearing without the pretense of any further explaination (example: The aliens portrayed in Seed of Destruction when rasputin tries to conjure the Ogdru jahad. They appear once there and once more breifly in Conqueror Worm but are given no explanation).

Any thoughts on the possible importance the baby/monkey head thingy in the jar might be??

[gary bolt]

I think the appearance of the monkey/baby thing is there to set up the next BPRD series The Black Flame. Johann found the file on WWII super beings in issue #3 and the Black Flame is shown with other characters including Crimson Lotus holding the monkey/baby thing. Daimio seems to know stuff about the era, too.

[Myron L]

One thing I forgot to comment on in this issue (and yes, I did go back and read it again, and felt a little better about)...the scene where Johann is walking toward the reader strapped up with all that gear....against my better judgment, I began to hum"...Who ya gonna call...GhostBusters !"....I know, I know...but it just hit me that way...

[Johann]

I'm wondering where this "heaven" fits and wether we'll be seeing more of it. It certainly isn't a big deal if we never see it again, it's just that Mignola was so good about balancing the two sides and giving everything an origin and meaning in the Lovecraft-Christian-Pagan triumverate that it would be a shame to just through this out there and then never use it or explain it. Still, the critters are cool, and the stone (?) slab that acts as the gate (or... yeah...) is a nice throwback to the gate in the Hellboy movie.

I'd like to say that i really get what you're saying here, throughout all the past hellboy stories we are gradually taken through how the otherworldly stuff is set up. We see the creepy aliens and lovecraftian monsters, we occasionally see the hell side with Astaroth and the gang. It has even been alluded to that these are connected by some miniscule thread(in that they both are aware that hellboy is the gate). But what we haven't seen is the heaven side, we know nothing, and now something has come up..This new area will perhaps bring us into future stories with hellboy and his origins..
Is heaven bad, or does it contain some evil?

although I have not yet picked up this issue, I feel i understand the meaning behind this past arc a bit more, hopefully once i do get the issue i will find some more meaning.

[UniqueFrequency]

i felt a lil 'meh' with this issue. like everything that's been building up is over so quick. huge deus ex machina with johann there, and i'm sorry but throughout the series we see abe with his wife looking creepy and all, just to be ended like that? anti-climatic.

[el seth]

Is heaven bad, or does it contain some evil?
See, this is what I was worried about last issue and went on in length about in the the thread for it, but I'm pretty sure I was just over reacting. Heaven will probably still be out there but not reveal itself - except when a crucifix dramaticaly falls on a werewolf or somesuch. These buggies are most probably from some pocket-dimension or something like that. I just think it would be cool if it (the bugs' home) were more explained in the HB cosmology. I kinda like heaven not being overtly present, but maybe towards the very end of HB's story that could change...

I think the appearance of the monkey/baby thing is there to set up the next BPRD series The Black Flame. Johann found the file on WWII super beings in issue #3 and the Black Flame is shown with other characters including Crimson Lotus holding the monkey/baby thing. Daimio seems to know stuff about the era, too.
Ah, okay! I'm psyched that we're going to get backstory on those guys, because I thought maybe that two-page spread was just just Guy showing off how super-awesome he is with a bunch of badass WW2 era critters. It still kinda weird how he cradles the thing... it's like: "Aha! Everyone knows that giant bug-monsters can't stand monkey-babys!" It must to important to him if he stops what he's doing in the middle of a crisis to look at it like that. Also, anyone else notice that right before he finds the baby Daimo says something like: "If I can't find a gun soon I'm going to have to..." Have to what? Whip out his super-zombie powers? Find a sharp stick?

[HBMomma]

Looks like my opinion's about the same as everyone else's: I liked it but it's not my favorite.

I like that Johann was speaking German but I think it was annoying because I only speak a very very small amount so I had to go look it up.

Am I the only one that didn't bother translating the German? I had planned to, but after re-reading the part where Daimio wants Johann to come translate what Eis is saying (right after they find him), and Liz says that there's no point because he's just babbling nonsense, I kind of took that as a hint and assumed that Johann was also babbling nonsense. (Of course, not having actually translated it, I have no clue what he was saying, and he was probably revealing all kinds of interesting things about the story!)

The Abe story line didn't bother me. It was rather drawn-out, yes, but looking at it from Abe's point of view, I think *he* was a bit disappointed, too. He was happy to help out his wife, I'm sure, but it didn't really tell him anything, either! Kinda reminds me of The Varcolac.

I was unimpressed with Roger at first, too, but after #5 I'm beginning to wonder...I dunno, I tend to read too much into things. But it almost seems like he's *acting* stupid, either consciously or subconsciously, because that is what the people around him expect of him. Like, with Hellboy gone no one takes him seriously? Kind of like how children will live "down" to adults' expectations of them?

[DannyBoy7783]

The stuff Johann was saying makes sense once you know he was talking to scientists. I thought he was either talking to himself or gowing crazy. I didn't know he was talking to other people. It isn't necessary to translate but it does give a little bit more to the story knowing what is said.

[absenter]

It still kinda weird how he cradles the thing... it's like: "Aha! Everyone knows that giant bug-monsters can't stand monkey-babys!" It must to important to him if he stops what he's doing in the middle of a crisis to look at it like that. Also, anyone else notice that right before he finds the baby Daimo says something like: "If I can't find a gun soon I'm going to have to..." Have to what? Whip out his super-zombie powers? Find a sharp stick?

Curious. Has anyone floated the idea that maybe Daimio is the Crimson Lotus?

Just a thought...they don't look unlike one another...

[Rachel Edidin]

Curious. Has anyone floated the idea that maybe Daimio is the Crimson Lotus?

Just a thought...they don't look unlike one another...

Read Garden of Souls.

[ZombieHound]

I hate your teasing.

[Rachel Edidin]

I hate your teasing.

I'm not teasing! I'm insinuating that a burning question will soon be addressed!
It's like the opposite of teasing!

[absenter]

Daimio is the Crimson Lotus!??


(you don't have to answer that)

Kinky!

[Rachel Edidin]

Daimio is the Crimson Lotus!??


(you don't have to answer that)

Kinky!

Now I'm gonna be giggling all afternoon, thinking of Ben Daimio in drag. :p

[Tad]

No, Rachel is the Crimson Lotus.

It's so obvious when you think of it.

[Rachel Edidin]

And I would've gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for you meddling animators!

[Ninth Hispana]

So, let me get this straight....Flower Power is alive and on the menu in the HB universe, eat more Hippies I say starting with the Crimson Lotus.....[laughter]....

[Tad]

OT

Rachel, I'm one of the few people that know your former career was being an Old Sea Captain.

But I'm glad the editing thing is working for you. I learned about it here (http://www.girl-wonder.org/insideout/) on a swell blog about editing. I promise to visit often.

[Rachel Edidin]

OT

Rachel, I'm one of the few people that know your former career was being an Old Sea Captain.

But I'm glad the editing thing is working for you. I learned about it here (http://www.girl-wonder.org/insideout/) on a swell blog about editing. I promise to visit often.

No, no, I was a Japanese supervillain. We've already established that. Anyway, I get terribly seasick.

Editing is a hell of a lot of fun. I get to have my fingers in a lot of different pies and be much, much more involved with the whole process than I would be as a writer or artist. It's been tremendously satisfying work.

[ZombieHound]

I'm not teasing! I'm insinuating that a burning question will soon be addressed!
It's like the opposite of teasing!

Until I can feel the fire of that question burning my hands as I grasp hold of BPRD: Garden of Souls #1, anything said is a tease.

[absenter]

Veering horribly off topic here, but i linked to your blog/maliscious-japanese-sea-faring-news-site Rachel (oh so kindly provided by Tadelicious), and I wanted to say how you make a great point with your comments about comics and female readers. My GF is not a reader of comics, however she loves her some geek, namely me. She is also a reasonably staunch (Grey Gardens anyone!) feminist who often questions the motives of me reading what she sometimes calls "porn", what most of us refer to as "comic books".

I think you get right to the point in saying that good stories are good stories regardless of their target audience and that particularly due to the fact that young female readers often "read up", they naturally gravitate to a tale that is particularly well told as opposed to one that captures their demographic. I've been trying to get the GF, who devours books, to read the Watchmen forever and disabuse her of this generalizing such a vibrant art form...anyway, well said Rachel. (hope i didn't misrepresent any of your positions)

:( Sorry I ruined Garden of Souls for everyone.:D

[Rachel Edidin]

Veering horribly off topic here, but i linked to your blog/maliscious-japanese-sea-faring-news-site Rachel (oh so kindly provided by Tadelicious), and I wanted to say how you make a great point with your comments about comics and female readers. My GF is not a reader of comics, however she loves her some geek, namely me. She is also a reasonably staunch (Grey Gardens anyone!) feminist who often questions the motives of me reading what she sometimes calls "porn", what most of us refer to as "comic books".

I think you get right to the point in saying that good stories are good stories regardless of their target audience and that particularly due to the fact that young female readers often "read up", they naturally gravitate to a tale that is particularly well told as opposed to one that captures their demographic. I've been trying to get the GF, who devours books, to read the Watchmen forever and disabuse her of this generalizing such a vibrant art form...anyway, well said Rachel. (hope i didn't misrepresent any of your positions)

:( Sorry I ruined Garden of Souls for everyone.:D

Thanks, Absenter!
If anyone's interested, the column/blog in question is here (http://www.girl-wonder.org/insideout) and usually updates on Sunday or Monday.

[Kelly Tindall]

I re-read The Dead this weekend, and I think it's become one of my all-time favorite stories. It's got a wicked mix of both Mignola and Arcudi, Daimio's first appearance is great, and the hints of things to come are nothing short of spectacular.

Everything in it fires on all cylinders... The monster is disgusting, Eis is a great misguided villain, the German ghosts are excellent, and the nod to the Bureau's 'Golden Age' makes me vibrate with joy.

Is that the Iron Prometheus in Johann's file? I think it might be.

[absenter]

I re-read The Dead this weekend, and I think it's become one of my all-time favorite stories. It's got a wicked mix of both Mignola and Arcudi, Daimio's first appearance is great, and the hints of things to come are nothing short of spectacular.

Everything in it fires on all cylinders... The monster is disgusting, Eis is a great misguided villain, the German ghosts are excellent, and the nod to the Bureau's 'Golden Age' makes me vibrate with joy.

Is that the Iron Prometheus in Johann's file? I think it might be.

This is the story that really got me interested in BPRD as a book in its own right. Though there's a bunch of reasons for this, the main one is the two page spread of the file from the "VORSICHT" drawer. SO much is suggested in there and it does such a great job at setting up the suspense/mystery that will drive Garden of Souls and story arcs yet to come. This is not to take away from the greater story because the monster is so cool and whip-scorpion-gross, the german ghosts, everything except for Abe's portion of the story is great to me, but that particular scene, with Johann startled by a cryptic Daimio, is probably now one of my favorites in this entire Hellboy mythology.

(btw, the blog continues to be great rachel! some brave stuff...)

[ZombieHound]

The Dead was great on many levels, because I think it was the point that everyone involved became comfortable with telling the BPRD stories. Plague of Frogs was incredible in the since that it started that. To start the "end of the world" mentality meant that Mignola and Arcudi had to start off the new feel of the BPRD with something strong.

I've always like Ben Damio, even when some fans thought he was a spy - knowing Johann received a similar "he's an undercover Nazi" treatment when he was introduced. I liked seeing a new character take complete charge of the team and shake up everything fans have grown used to. Liz Sherman received great treatment in this story. Although we saw her use her pyrokenetic abilities to their present best in both Plague of Frogs and The Black Flame, The Dead allowed us to see a Liz that was so accustomed to herself that she not only questioned Daimio; she loathed him. While I loved the interaction between Daimio and Roger (finally addressing the pants' issue), Johann never shined better previously than he did in The Dead. His possession from the German scientists was only topped with his standing up to the superiors in The Black Flame. Johann Kraus stopped being "that new guy" and became his own character.

As everyone else mentioned, the two-page spread gave us a good taste for what's to come. More than anything, I'm really ready to see what that monkey is. The damn thing shows up with so many characters, I'm just completely lost.

Abe's side of the story would have been served better as a one-shot. I enjoyed it, seeing Langdon Caul's homelife, but the subplot did not fit into the more significant part as well as subplots usually did in other stories.