B.P.R.D. Garden of Souls #2

Dark Horse Comics

Writer: Mike Mignola and John Arcudi

Artist: Guy Davis

Colors: Dave Stewart

Abe Sapien abercrombie model squid = quality.

This month, Emily the Strange pays the Cats of Ulthar to kidnap Abe Sapien. Liz gets a visit from that “YOU HUNGRY FOR HOT POCKETS!” Asian guy, and Lobster Johnson drops a hint or two of his return (thank God).  

Arcudi keeps the point of view moving, never over-focusing on a single character. The mysterious, tow-headed linebacker from last issue is still present, and he’s visiting his robot friends in a special house in the jungle filled with pelican-headed monkeys. In retrospect, that sentence sounds like I’m describing a horrible children’s show. Abe, no lie, gets kidnapped by an odd little girl who leads an army of stray cats, but not before he finally reveals his true identity to Captain Daimio.

Guy Davis’s god-monsters and messy sub-basements are a delight to look at, but he struggles when drawing people, and he lacks Mignola’s minimalist approach to the human form. Davis attempts a similar simplicity, but often winds up making the human face messy and difficult to look at. What he lacks in accessibility, however, Davis makes up for in attention to detail.

Worth the money? Horror comics fans would do well to seek this one out.