BPRD

Elveen · Post by **Elveen** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 12:58 pm

So I finally completed my BPRD run (at least the first 90% of the run, some of the newer books I still need)

I have started reading it and it started ok, then started getting better, then even a bit better, and at The Garden of Souls mini, WOW! It's entered the top 10 for me.

Super character driven, but at the same time a plot/storyline driven book. It is almost a perfect mix of both. One thing I can say is that you need to read it all in order to really enjoy it. If you just read a random mini series, I don't think you will enjoy it. There is just so much connection.

Reading BPRD really makes me think about Pre-Uni Valiant, a book like Harbinger. Or what Harbinger could have been if the same quality could have been continued for more than 7 issues. The deepness and intertwining of character history, then development, then breaking really makes BPRD an enjoyable read. Maybe the best thing I can say about the character development is that I feel like I know them, but at the same time I realize that I don't know them at all. High quality stuff.

At first the art was...... just ok, but it has really grown on me and now I REALLY like it. The coloring is good. It's all good.

I was wondering if anyone else has read it.

iggy101us · Post by **iggy101us** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 1:29 pm

It's a very good read along with Hellboy. At first I like Hellboy more but I think as the series progress, BPRD gets better.

I read these in HC format and haven't been getting the monthlies. Cost-wise, I think it's a better deal to get the HCs than trades/monthlies.

Second_Death · Post by **Second_Death** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 1:30 pm

I'm impressed with BPRD as well. Have not read the mini in question but have enjoyed the more recent releases and is IMO one of the best series going.

Elveen · Post by **Elveen** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 1:48 pm

iggy101us wrote:It's a very good read along with Hellboy. At first I like Hellboy more but I think as the series progress, BPRD gets better.

I read these in HC format and haven't been getting the monthlies. Cost-wise, I think it's a better deal to get the HCs than trades/monthlies.

I really liked Hellboy (and still do). But I think BPRD is better, the story is for sure better. But there is also more to talk about. Hellboy does get the nod of best "feel/tone" of a book. The layouts, the colors, the pace, it just sets the perfect mood. I also liked how there are small quick few page mini stories in the Hellboy TPBs.

But I would take BPRD over Hellboy right now.

400yrs · Post by **400yrs** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 6:28 pm

iggy101us wrote:It's a very good read along with Hellboy. At first I like Hellboy more but I think as the series progress, BPRD gets better.

I read these in HC format and haven't been getting the monthlies. Cost-wise, I think it's a better deal to get the HCs than trades/monthlies.

$35 for 400+ pages sounds like a good deal. What size are they? Are the same width and height as a normal comic or trade or are they slightly bigger like the YtLM, Walking Dead, Invincible, etc. Hardcovers?

You don't need to read Hellboy to like this, do you?

iggy101us · Post by **iggy101us** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 6:54 pm

400yrs wrote:
iggy101us wrote:It's a very good read along with Hellboy. At first I like Hellboy more but I think as the series progress, BPRD gets better.

I read these in HC format and haven't been getting the monthlies. Cost-wise, I think it's a better deal to get the HCs than trades/monthlies.

$35 for 400+ pages sounds like a good deal. What size are they? Are the same width and height as a normal comic or trade or are they slightly bigger like the YtLM, Walking Dead, Invincible, etc. Hardcovers?

You don't need to read Hellboy to like this, do you?

BPRD HCs are normal comic/trade size. They have lots of extra materials and sketches. No, you don't need to read Hellboy to like it. FYI, Hellboy Library Editions are oversized.

It's closer to $21 to $23 on amazon.

400yrs · Post by **400yrs** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 7:29 pm

iggy101us wrote:
400yrs wrote:
iggy101us wrote:It's a very good read along with Hellboy. At first I like Hellboy more but I think as the series progress, BPRD gets better.

I read these in HC format and haven't been getting the monthlies. Cost-wise, I think it's a better deal to get the HCs than trades/monthlies.

$35 for 400+ pages sounds like a good deal. What size are they? Are the same width and height as a normal comic or trade or are they slightly bigger like the YtLM, Walking Dead, Invincible, etc. Hardcovers?

You don't need to read Hellboy to like this, do you?
BPRD HCs are normal comic/trade size. They have lots of extra materials and sketches. No, you don't need to read Hellboy to like it. FYI, Hellboy Library Editions are oversized.

It's closer to $21 to $23 on amazon.

Yep. DCBservice.com actually has the first one for $16.44. For that price, I may as well add it on my next order.

X-O HoboJoe · Post by **X-O HoboJoe** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 8:40 pm

Didn't HB die recently?

Todd Luck · Post by **Todd Luck** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 9:09 pm

X-O HoboJoe wrote:Didn't HB die recently?

Yeah something like that. Of course he "died" in "The Island" too. It's a title about the supernatural. Half the cast/villians are dead or have been dead. The next mini is "Hellboy in Hell" or something like that coming next year with art (finally!) by Mike Mignola.

Todd Luck · Post by **Todd Luck** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 9:17 pm

I liked BPRD when they started the minis (BPRD: Hollow Earth) and it hit a really amazing high point with "Garden of Souls" but I'm starting to get diminishing returns on the series. The ending of "King of Fear" and all of the first "Hell on Earth" mini left me less than impressed. I'm switching over to the trades, so it'll be a little bit before I read anything after that but hopefully it'll start clicking with me again. With as many years as I've invested in the series and as much as I enjoy the minis devoted to the main Hellboy story, I'd hate to drop this title.

Elveen · Post by **Elveen** » Fri Sep 16, 2011 1:24 am

Todd Luck wrote:I liked BPRD when they started the minis (BPRD: Hollow Earth) and it hit a really amazing high point with "Garden of Souls" but I'm starting to get diminishing returns on the series. The ending of "King of Fear" and all of the first "Hell on Earth" mini left me less than impressed. I'm switching over to the trades, so it'll be a little bit before I read anything after that but hopefully it'll start clicking with me again. With as many years as I've invested in the series and as much as I enjoy the minis devoted to the main Hellboy story, I'd hate to drop this title.

Garden of Souls was great for sure.

Dr. Solar · Post by **Dr. Solar** » Fri Sep 16, 2011 11:37 am

When I look up BPRD, I get a little confused. Is it just a sequence of mini-series? It doesn't seem like there is an ongoing series.

I see this list of mini-series, are they all part of the "sequence" of this series, or are some just kinda random?

From wikipedia:

# B.P.R.D.: Hollow Earth and Other Stories
# B.P.R.D.: The Soul of Venice and Other Stories
# B.P.R.D.: Plague of Frogs
# B.P.R.D.: The Dead
# B.P.R.D.: The Black Flame
# B.P.R.D.: The Universal Machine
# B.P.R.D.: Garden of Souls
# B.P.R.D.: Killing Ground
# B.P.R.D.: 1946
# B.P.R.D.: The Warning
# B.P.R.D.: The Black Goddess
# B.P.R.D.: War on Frogs
# B.P.R.D.: 1947
# B.P.R.D.: King of Fear

Elveen · Post by **Elveen** » Fri Sep 16, 2011 12:53 pm

It is an on going series of mini-series. Each mini series builds on it self and is connected. Each mini has a central conflict but also has several underlying continued themes. For example, there is a frog problem. It continues during multiple minis.

Also the character development (which is the crux of the books) travels through out. What happens in previous books is constantly referenced in other books.

One thing that might not be liked is that some of the stuff that happens is quite extraordinary (as you can imagine) and it is not always explained. For me it does not distract from the story, but some peeps that like everything explained, might not have a feeling of waiting.

The more I read, the more I enjoy it.

I STRONGLY recommend reading them in order.

iggy101us · Post by **iggy101us** » Fri Sep 16, 2011 1:05 pm

I think it's sort of like the X-Files in that there is an ongoing and underlying "mythology" and also there are issues dealing with random mysteries and monsters.

Dr. Solar · Post by **Dr. Solar** » Fri Sep 16, 2011 1:46 pm

Elveen wrote:For example, there is a frog problem. It continues during multiple minis.

Strangely enough, this statement really sells me on the book. I'll keep an eye out for it.

vikingspawn · Post by **vikingspawn** » Fri Sep 16, 2011 2:01 pm

Looking at the inside indica of BPRD-Hell on Earth: Gods #1, it's listed as number #74 for the BPRD whole run.

*I gotta get a ton of the earlier issues*

They keep the same numbering in these like the latest Star Wars: Dark times #2 is really Star Wars: Republic #102 on the indica too.

Todd Luck · Post by **Todd Luck** » Fri Sep 16, 2011 5:03 pm

Dr. Solar wrote:When I look up BPRD, I get a little confused. Is it just a sequence of mini-series? It doesn't seem like there is an ongoing series.

I see this list of mini-series, are they all part of the "sequence" of this series, or are some just kinda random?

From wikipedia:

# B.P.R.D.: Hollow Earth and Other Stories
# B.P.R.D.: The Soul of Venice and Other Stories
# B.P.R.D.: Plague of Frogs
# B.P.R.D.: The Dead
# B.P.R.D.: The Black Flame
# B.P.R.D.: The Universal Machine
# B.P.R.D.: Garden of Souls
# B.P.R.D.: Killing Ground
# B.P.R.D.: 1946
# B.P.R.D.: The Warning
# B.P.R.D.: The Black Goddess
# B.P.R.D.: War on Frogs
# B.P.R.D.: 1947
# B.P.R.D.: King of Fear

That's the order of they were published in. It's an epic ongoing series (done as a series of miniseries) and they're pretty much all required reading, with the three exceptions: "1946" and "1947" which are flash back filler arcs that tie-in to each other but don't really impact anything in the modern arc and "War on Frogs" which is a collection of series of self contained oneshots that is VERY skipable. The rest I highly recommend starting from the beginning and reading in that order. People compared it to X-Files but there are very few self-contained "monster of the week" stories/subplots in the various miniseries. Almost everything carries over to the next mini (or series of miniseries). It's become a very, very serialized series that relies on you to be able to go back and look at previous minis and has never really been all that good orienting new readers on backstory. And I defintately also recommend reading the Lobster Johnson mini with "The Warning." It'll help.

Elveen · Post by **Elveen** » Fri Sep 16, 2011 5:24 pm

Todd Luck wrote:
Dr. Solar wrote:When I look up BPRD, I get a little confused. Is it just a sequence of mini-series? It doesn't seem like there is an ongoing series.

I see this list of mini-series, are they all part of the "sequence" of this series, or are some just kinda random?

From wikipedia:

# B.P.R.D.: Hollow Earth and Other Stories
# B.P.R.D.: The Soul of Venice and Other Stories
# B.P.R.D.: Plague of Frogs
# B.P.R.D.: The Dead
# B.P.R.D.: The Black Flame
# B.P.R.D.: The Universal Machine
# B.P.R.D.: Garden of Souls
# B.P.R.D.: Killing Ground
# B.P.R.D.: 1946
# B.P.R.D.: The Warning
# B.P.R.D.: The Black Goddess
# B.P.R.D.: War on Frogs
# B.P.R.D.: 1947
# B.P.R.D.: King of Fear
That's the order of they were published in. It's an epic ongoing series (done as a series of miniseries) and they're pretty much all required reading, with the three exceptions: "1946" and "1947" which are flash back filler arcs that tie-in to each other but don't really impact anything in the modern arc and "War on Frogs" which is a collection of series of self contained oneshots that is VERY skipable. The rest I highly recommend starting from the beginning and reading in that order. People compared it to X-Files but there are very few self-contained "monster of the week" stories/subplots in the various miniseries. Almost everything carries over to the next mini (or series of miniseries). It's become a very, very serialized series that relies on you to be able to go back and look at previous minis and has never really been all that good orienting new readers on backstory. And I defintately also recommend reading the Lobster Johnson mini with "The Warning." It'll help.

Thanks for the advice.

Dr. Solar · Post by **Dr. Solar** » Fri Sep 16, 2011 6:01 pm

Alright. These are going on my list of books to acquire.

Elveen · Post by **Elveen** » Fri Sep 16, 2011 10:51 pm

Dr. Solar wrote:Alright. These are going on my list of books to acquire.

A very good decision.

I'm looking forward to reading a few before I go to sleep tonight.

Lightning Strike · Post by **Lightning Strike** » Sat Sep 17, 2011 6:21 pm

Elveen wrote:So I finally completed my BPRD run (at least the first 90% of the run, some of the newer books I still need)

I have started reading it and it started ok, then started getting better, then even a bit better, and at The Garden of Souls mini, WOW! It's entered the top 10 for me.

Super character driven, but at the same time a plot/storyline driven book. It is almost a perfect mix of both. One thing I can say is that you need to read it all in order to really enjoy it. If you just read a random mini series, I don't think you will enjoy it. There is just so much connection.

Reading BPRD really makes me think about Pre-Uni Valiant, a book like Harbinger. Or what Harbinger could have been if the same quality could have been continued for more than 7 issues. The deepness and intertwining of character history, then development, then breaking really makes BPRD an enjoyable read. Maybe the best thing I can say about the character development is that I feel like I know them, but at the same time I realize that I don't know them at all. High quality stuff.

At first the art was...... just ok, but it has really grown on me and now I REALLY like it. The coloring is good. It's all good.

I was wondering if anyone else has read it.

OH YEAH! I'm a huge fan of this and Hellboy. I started reading Hellboy and then BPRD. At first, I was a little put off by Davis' artwork, but then he grew on me and now I consider him the perfect BPRD artist. I don't understand why more people don't read these books. Both are awesome

Lightning Strike · Post by **Lightning Strike** » Sat Sep 17, 2011 6:22 pm

X-O HoboJoe wrote:Didn't HB die recently?

For those of you who wait for the trades, SPOILER ALERT

xodacia81 · Post by **xodacia81** » Sun Sep 18, 2011 10:12 am

Mignola, with HB and BPRD, has created one of the best characters/universes, in recent (1992-present) comic history. Massive fun, well written and at times, haunting. Good stuff. For those who won't listen to the others and get on board, I'm telling you now, check it out. It's worth the time.

vikingspawn · Post by **vikingspawn** » Sun Sep 18, 2011 8:48 pm

Is it essential to read early Hellboy before getting into the BPRD run?

i'm still working my way to getting all of Hellboy and the other spinoffs in the universe....lobster Johnson, Witchfinder...Baltimore?

Lightning Strike · Post by **Lightning Strike** » Sun Sep 18, 2011 8:54 pm

xodacia81 wrote:Mignola, with HB and BPRD, has created one of the best characters/universes, in recent (1992-present) comic history. Massive fun, well written and at times, haunting. Good stuff. For those who won't listen to the others and get on board, I'm telling you now, check it out. It's worth the time.

I love the books because of what everyone has already said about them, but I also like the fact that Mignola took a character, who for all intents and purposes, was supposed to be an evil demon who brings about the apocalypse, but by a strange twist of fate, was found as an infant by a loving, kind and gentle human being who raised him as his own and bestowed these same traits on Hellboy, who accepted them, even amid all these crazy situations and creepy, foul monsters and beings who tried to twist him to follow them and his supposed "destiny". This is a story about the ultimate expression of free will, and Hellboy, a noble and honorable being trapped in a demon's body, chose to be a force for good, and not evil.

I love the character, the book and the supporting cast of BPRD. It's truly an incredible series and I'm amazed that more people don't read it.

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