While war is horrible for the things that men do to one another, it is also horrible for the simple blind, random tragedies that reach out and touch out not just combatants, but also spectators. Mignola and Dysart have crafted a story that captures this callous truth while also making a spooky tale that is worthy of the Hellboy property.

The second issue begins with an ominous litany that leaves the reader with the impression that something is rising. Azaceta's art immediately takes the spotlight as Bruttenholm and his companion wander through the darkened asylum completely unaware of the danger they are in. With the victims of that awful place lurking in the background, it feels almost as if the reader knows more about what's going on than the experts.

The characters themselves, with what is revealed about them throughout the story, are entertaining in and of themselves. Bruttenholm, a largely unexplored character in the modern Hellboy tales, begins to show why he will become the perfect individual to run the BPRD. While his doctor friend sweats in fear, Bruttenholm thrives, curiousity and intellect leading him more than the visceral fear that should be coursing through his veins.

The show is stolen by Varvara, the vodka belting, doll carrying, little girl that leads the Soviet equivalent of Bruttenholm's team. Alternatively funny and deeply disturbing, the blonde waif often exudes both of these qualities because of her childish enthusiasm for the subject matter that she and Bruttenholm pursue. While others demonstrate reasonable caution and even fear, she strides forth without a care. The rather disturbing affection she seems to have developed for the professor is something worth keeping an eye on.

One of the best things the team behind BPRD 1946 has managed to capture here, that is classic Hellboy, is the way the book lays out the mundane side-by-side with the otherworldly. The most effective use of this in issue #2 is the conversation described to Bruttenholm between Count Giurescu and Hitler. The Fuehrer, often held up as the symbol of evil in the 20th century, cows before the vampire lord. Vampires are so frequently used in fiction that it is often difficult to take them seriously. Here, though, is a situation that gives the reader a real idea of what it would be like to be in the presence of such a creature.

BPRD 1946 takes readers back to the beginning of Hellboy to one of the most interesting times in history. While it seems obvious in which direction the plot is heading, the first two issues, this second one in particular, are entertaining and strange enough that this reviewer is expecting a number of twists to keep things jumping.

If you liked this review, be sure to check out more of the author’s work at http://madbastard.hypersites.com

---

What did you think of this book?
Have your say at the Line of Fire Forum!

---