I've been following BPRD since the very beginning and feel that I can say with all sincerity, that this series gets better and better with each new story! The TPB's are absolutely the way to go if you don't frequent comic stores (which I do). So do yourself a favor and purchase all of the TPB's, kick back in an easy chair with a stock of time set aside, and enjoy these bad boys to your hearts content!

While Hellboy is certainly Mike Mignola's grand creation, any reader of those stories will agree that just as much fun is to be had from the supporting characters. Abe Sapien, Liz Sherman, and Roger the Homunculus have all contributed substantially to the Hellboy universe, and it's always good to see them get a chance to shine. The BPRD books give them that chance, as Hellboy has left the Bureau, and these remaining characters, plus a few new faces, serve as a sort of paranormal strike force. But even then, it is possible to have too much of a good thing. In fact, my main problem with the BPRD books is that they are coming out too frequently - since 1995, we have had only 6 collections of what I consider "true Hellboy" (excluding the 2 Weird Tales volumes, written and illustrated by creators other than Mignola). Compare this with the 5 BPRD collections that have been released since 2003... quite an imbalance there. Of course, as Mignola only fills writing duties on BPRD, he can churn out more work, but still, let's get away from these guys for a while and have more of big red! The BPRD needs a rest, and BPRD: THE BLACK FLAME makes it apparent.

BPRD: THE BLACK FLAME is essentially part 3 of the story begun in BPRD: A PLAGUE OF FROGS. Yep, those froggy-looking monsters first seen in HELLBOY: SEED OF DESTRUCTION have returned, this time by the thousands, and in their wake comes the titanic Katha-Hem to turn the world into a wasteland. The BPRD pulls an all-out take-no-prisoners search across America for the frogs, and if they can't stop Katha-Hem, then the only option left is to go nuclear - but can even that stop one of the Ogdru Hem? Guy Davis provides the pencils for yet another BPRD story arc, and while it's always good to see his work, I am not as enthused about his handling of these characters as I once was. Mignola's art style contributes so much to the mood of these stories, and while few can do creepy better than Davis, I feel he's more suited to period pieces like Sandman Mystery Theater or The Marquis (but, his design for the Black Flame character is superb). As for the writing, it's a lot of guns, grenades, explosions, and machismo, moreso than any other Mignola story I've ever read... well, actually, Mignola shared writing duties with John Arcudi, and I think Arcudi's contribution is what doesn't feel right about this story. It's too loud and grandiose, and by the end, the team is on the brink of ruin. While Mike Mignola's stories do deal with topics on a fairly large scale (creatures/gods from the outer dark trying to return from obscurity or enslave mankind), they tend to have a claustrophobic feel that suits them perfectly. BPRD: THE BLACK FLAME is like watching Jerry Bruckheimer at the helm of a Mike Mignola feature - and good night, let's hope that never happens.