This is a review of B.P.R.D.: The Dead. A short recap: this is the fourth volume of the series. You can read my reviews of the first three volumes here, here, and here. B.P.R.D. stands for Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense, whose members number Liz Sherman (Firestarter), Roger the Golem, Johann (medium), and Abe Sapien (fishman).
In this volume, the B.P.R.D. gets a new member! Ben Daimio has a simple origin story – he wakes up in a body bag. Daimio’s dislikes include being dead, people with triple-digit IQs, and Liz Sherman. To be fair, in Liz’s case the feeling is mutual. Daimio’s face is mutilated, which might give horror fans a clue as to his real origins.
The B.P.R.D. are trying to contain the frog monsters from the previous volume, who are spreading like wildfire. Since the froggies are heading west, so does the team. They move to a base in Colorado, only to discover it’s occupied by more than stray critters and mice. Gunter is a German scientist who says he’s been trapped in the base since it closed in the 1950’s. Of course he’s lying; Gunter has seen Raiders of the Lost Ark and knows all the cool holy relics are stored in military compounds.
Missing from the action is Abe Sapien, who stays behind in Rhode Island, where he meets his wife – or maybe it’s his ex-wife. It’s complicated. Anyway, she’s dead now, but unlike most of the monsters in this volume, she doesn’t want to bring about Ragnarok. She just wants her husband (that’s Abe, sort of) to stay with her.
Back in Colorado, Johann starts acting strangely as the citadel’s ghosts – all German scientists – awaken. Gunter has a plan that involves the Spear of Destiny and opening a gateway to Heaven. Unfortunately, Gunter didn’t watch the part of Raiders when they tried to use to ark. His plan works, sort of. He creates a Gunter angel, and his flapping skin forms the creature’s wings.
Great work from Mike Mignola (story), John Arcudi (story), and Guy Davis (art). A special shout-out goes to Guy Davis’ wonderfully creepy monster designs. Recommended for fans of Hellboy, horror comics, and the X-Files.
Abandoned Places 