I HEART DELICIOUS RASPBERRY PRESERVES

I never thought I wouldn’t recommend a comic that involved Nazis, rogue demons, and Peter the Great (Tsar of Russia, 1682--1725, HAHAHAHA YOU LEARNED SOMETHING TAKE THAT), but I’m afraid I have to pan B.P.R.D. 1946 #2.

This is a very typical Mignola story. Not in the sense of creativity (though there is a lot of that), but in the sense of random, pointless violence. Anyone who’s read Mignola’s stuff knows he’s fond of gore, but the violence in this issue is particularly bleak and disturbing. This reviewer’s willing to bet it’s co-writer Joshua Dysart’s fault. Dysart’s last miniseries (Conan and the Midnight God) began promisingly, but devolved into pointless violence that bordered on torture-porn (the story sucked, too). Like Midnight God, this issue of B.P.R.D. involves the unnecessary death of a random child.

The scene in question (where a villain murders a mutated German boy) is probably meant to emphasize just how bad the bad guys are, but Joshua Dysart has apparently forgotten that Mignola already knows how to do this without Hostel-style violence. What this issue accomplishes with gruesome amateurishness, Mignola usually does with the aid of brilliant layout work and flawless subtlety. I suppose nothing great ever did come from a committee, even if it’s a committee of two.

Artist Paul Azaceta’s performance is a bright spot. His straightforward approach and heavy inking make one feel they’re looking at old newspaper photos, or archival materials the U.S. government probably keeps in a big crate next to the Ark of the Covenant. Kudos also to his ability to make monsters look as believable and sympathetic as humans.

Worth the money? Sadly, no. Not up to Mignola’s usual standard.