B.P.R.D. 1948 #1 (of 5) Advanced Review

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B.P.R.D. 1948 #1 (of 5) Advanced Review
By Andy Frisk
October 7, 2012 - 17:32

Dark Horse Comics
Writer(s): Mike Mignola and John Arcudi
Penciller(s): Max Fiumara
Inker(s): Max Fiumara
Colourist(s): Dave Stewart
Letterer(s): Clem Robbins
Cover Artist(s): Dave Johnson
$3.50 US

In 1948, Professor Bruttenholm, the caretaker of a very young Hellboy, moves his team to an Air Force base in the Utah desert in order to investigate the appearance of a paranormal monster that has made off with some of the base's important residents. The base has been experimenting with atomic explosions used as rocket propulsion. While there, Prof. Bruttenholm meets the brilliant and beautiful Dr. Anna Rieu, a physicist and scientist who has a lead on the paranormal monster's origins...

Smartly mixing the nuclear annihilation paranoia (and possibility) of the Cold War Era with the metaphorical notion of the horror that atomic weapons unleashed upon the world, Mike Mignola, John Arcudi, and Max Fiumara return to the early days of the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense's existence with B.P.R.D. 1948 #1. This time, instead of dealing with the leftover horrors of the Second World War (vampire Nazis, etc), Prof. Bruttenholm looks to meet the dawning Cold War Era and Atomic Age, and their own unique horrors, head on this time.

Artist Max Fiumara ably brings this first installment of the next chapter of the history of the B.P.R.D. to life. Drawing in a style reminiscent of, but emulative of, the Hellboy phenomena's creator Mike Mignola, Fiumara keeps the overall look of the lengthy B.P.R.D. and Hellboy saga consistent. His version of Hellboy at four years of age is also nothing short of...adorable. I hate to admit it, but the little guy is cute.

It will be interesting to see what direction and what new horrors the 1948 installment of the ongoing story of the B.P.R.D. will go in and bring. While the WWII linked horror is absolutely fascinating and engaging, especially from a history buff's point of view, it will be interesting to see the B.P.R.D. in operation against Cold War threats and terrors this time around.

Rating: 8/10