Abe Sapien #11 – Review

by Mike Mignola, Scott Allie (Writers), Max Fiumara (Artist), Dave Stewart (Colorist)

The Story: Abe learns he is not exactly as effective as in his B.P.R.D. days at battling weirdness as a battle between necromancers emerge in a special corner of America.

The Review: This title is a rather odd one in the larger schemes of things that is known as the Mignolaverse. While some titles have a clear role and a certain angle to cover, Abe Sapien possess one that doesn’t really make the character truly shine in the best of ways most of the time. With the series focusing more on how everyday people live with a resurgence of horror and unexplained events in a more post-apocalyptic world filled with killer creatures, the series got quite close a good number of time to greatness, yet never quite reached it in a way that was consistent.

This very issue, in its own ways, is a perfect example of this, with some decidedly great ideas being presented to the readers as well as some potent character moments, yet it never really converge together to create bigger or more satisfactory moments. There are some points that get across, yet it’s always more elusive ones that never truly satisfy in the best of ways.

One of the better example is the way the very town of Payson seems to be affected by some kind of zombie outbreak. With Abe trying to investigate what’s happening with a bunch of hippies on a golf course close to the town, there are hints of the horror and their implication in the more ominous events in the past few issues. There are, of course, some hints toward their role in the grand mystery and some moments of gore and terror that are rather well done, yet the very mystery of what is happening and just how it happened is left a bit on the side. With Abe not getting any answer and the problem reaching its very worst outcome, there is easily a sentiment of disappointment that permeates this chapter.

Abe Sapien #10 – Review

by Mike Mignola, Scott Allie (Writers), Max Fiumara (Artist), Dave Stewart (Colorist)

The Story: Despite the help he gave them, it seems some citizens are actually not that fond of Abe.

The Review: It’s always frustrating to see a book handle some elements very well, yet others in ways that put things down in terms of general quality. The characters could be great, yet the story and direction pointless. The setting could be amazing, yet the art could also no match the scope. There are always tons of things that can go wrong when creating anything, with fiction not being an exception.

Abe Sapien is a book that has a potentially great handle, a very well put-together characterization for its lead character, yet there are quite a few things that don’t let the book be as great as it could in the divided version we get every months.

One of the area where it excels is in how it handle the supernatural, with both Mignola and Allies presenting a bit of necromancy, its effects and its price. Not stopping at just introducing those kind of elements, the way the supporting cast reacts to such news, how Abe perceive and acts around the subject along with the intricate mysteries of how it works and how it changes the world permeates the book with an identity of its own.

Abe Sapien #9 – Review

by Mike Mignola, Scott Allie (Writers), Max Fiumara (Artist), Dave Stewart (Colorist)

The Story: In his pilgrimage, Abe discovers a little town who may have a problem with virulent dead horses as well as other unseen ones.

The Review: I have a certain fondness for what is dubbed the Mignolaverse, the universe in which titles like B.P.R.D., Hellboy in Hell, Lobster Johnson and many other series take place in. Having started my comic fascination with the greatest creation of Mike Mignola, I have been a fan ever since I opened the first trade, Hellboy: Seeds of Destruction.

However, that being said, being a fan does not render me blind to occasional weaknesses in some comics done in this universe. While I have a certain respect for what Scott Allie and Mike Mignola are trying to do with Abe Sapien, there seems to be a few faults that doesn’t always allow the title to reach the potential it once reached.

One of the best aspect of the book is in how it portrays the general civilian and how they are trying to cope with the way things are in the world. Some try to interact with the weirder aspects, while some try to go on with their life just like in this comic. The sense of community and how Abe changes some things and try to interact with them is perhaps one of the most enjoyable angle of this issue. His general soul-searching does not allow for him to be placid when others are in need of help, which makes his general discussions and his actions rather nice to read.

Abe Sapien #8 – Review

by Mike Mignola, Scott Allie (Writers), Michael Avon Oeming (Artist), Dave Stewart (Colorist)

The Story: As it turns out, Abe had a pretty interesting rescue mission involving Xibalba in 1983.

The Review: Like many readers, I am always a bit wary of fill-in issues. When the regular artist or writer needs a break for whatever reasons, it is usual to see them being replaced for an issue or two, which then leads to stories on the side or to an artist that doesn’t necessarily fit visually with the rest. Those kind of issues aren’t necessarily bad per se, but for those waiting a month to see the plot progress and the characters develop, it can become a certain exercise in frustration.

Thankfully, Mike Mignola and Scott Allie are still there, as they instead provide for a flashback issue with a different artist, opting for a complete tale that puts Abe in a B.P.R.D. mission. However, is the story good and does it actually adds to the general themes of the book?
All in all, this story might not be absolutely essential to the ongoing themes of the apocalypse and how Abe tries to define himself personally, but it still does delivers plenty of stuff that fans of the Mignolaverse might enjoy. There is action, mystery and a good dose of the supernatural that make this complete story rather interesting on its own.

Abe Sapien #7 – Review

by Mike Mignola, Scott Allie (Writers), Sebastian Fiumara, Max Fiumara (Artists), Dave Stewart (Colorist)

The Story: Monsters attack one of the group that Abe was with as he tells a bit more about his situation and his feelings about the B.P.R.D.

The Review: If there’s something I truly hate, it’s middle of the road issues, in term of quality that is. If a series is good, I’ll read and enjoy it. The end. If it’s utterly bad, I’ll at least know it’s not worth my cash and time, so I’ll stop reading it and that would be the end of it. It’s always a bit frustrating to see a book do well in some parts, while terribly in others, as it leaves a potential to either become totally on one side or the other. It both please and disappoint, which leaves all kind of mixed feelings in terms of appreciation.

This issue of Abe Sapien is unfortunately one of those, as there are plenty of ideas along with some terrific scenes, yet it doesn’t really satisfy as a whole. It’s a bit of a shame, as the latest issue had been pretty good and the series as a whole did things differently enough to make this whole take on the Mignolaverse rather interesting.

Abe Sapien #6 – Review

Mike Mignola, Scott Allie (Writers), Sebastian Fiumara (Artist), Dave Stewart (Colorist)

The Story: Walking in Arizona, Abe encounters some more citizens and have a friendly and rather educative talk with them.

The Review: How I missed you, Abe Sapien, during the month of September. In a month filled with villainy, your rather fascinating take on the end of the world and how humanity copes with the unknown and the dangerous was sorely missed. However, now that the previous story arc is finished and that the regular writing team is back, are the themes and the story brought back in full force or is there perhaps something lacking?

It’s a rather nice thing to see that it is still the very same book, bringing back the very strengths that made it good to begin with. In this issue, we get to see Abe in Arizona as he meet other characters who are dealing with the end of the world in their own way. It may be a bit formulaic considering that the two previous arcs did begin in the same way, yet Mignola and Allie adds a lot of depths not only to the main character, but also to the Mignolaverse in the process.

Abe Sapien #5 – Review

by Mike Mignola, John Arcudi (Writers), Max Fiumara (Artist), Dave Stewart (Colorist)

The Story: Abe discovers along with other survivors the dead body of a person he had a conversation with in the last issue as he tries to elucidate just what is happening in the area he currently is in.

The Review: When a creative team reach a certain height, one that seems to show the true potential of a title, it is usually great. Readers that follow a title or a character and that see it develop into something that they become invested in is something that is truly pleasant when it comes to reading any long work of fiction, be it comics or anything else for that matter. However, there are always time when the readers wonder if those in charge of such a feat can keep it up and continue their quality streak.

The latest issue of Abe Sapien, from my own perspective, was truly beautiful to read and look at, with a certain angle being covered that seemed endless in the ways it could be explored. Still, it was the first half of a two-part story, with this issue bringing in the conclusion to that philosophical and much more humane approach to the apocalypse. Does the second part actually continue the satisfying way Mignola and Arcudi approached their themes?

Abe Sapien #4 – Review

By: Mike Mignola, John Arcudi (Writers), Max Fiumara (Artist), Dave Stewart (Colorist)

The Story: Abe encounters some new people as he informs himself on how the world sees him and what is happening on a global scale.

The Review: Who could have thought, more than a decade ago, that Mike Mignola would be creating a whole universe as a result of the adventure of a single character, Hellboy? With so many potential, the Mignolaverse had been born when Mignola had created the B.P.R.D title spinning off from the adventures of his own creation. Since then, we have seen the development of a fascinating universe that has now a lot of angle covered, with Hellboy showing us the adventures of the beast of apocalypse we grew to love, B.P.R.D demonstrating us how much the world is kind-of screwed right now and Abe Sapien, which focus a lot more on the human elements of the Mignolaverse, an angle that was under-represented before.

I have to say, I rather like this approach to the character of Abe Sapien and to the world in general, which is put much more in focus in this issue than it had been in the first arc. What we get here is a protagonist that is unsure of his role in the world, how he is affected by it and how he did affect it throughout his actions. Showing us a main character full of questions and with a philosophical approach to things does wonder in making us invested, as Abe is much more like us despite what he looks like. How he interacts with others, how he ponders on such heavy subjects as identity and fate is something that is rather fascinating, which gives us a very different type of book in the Mignolaverse.

Abe Sapien: Dark And Terrible #3 – Review

By: Mike Mignola, Scott Allie (Writers), Sebastian Fiurama (Artist), Dave Stewart (Colorist)

The Story: Something hits the fan as the truth behind what is happening in the village Abe Sapien is in reveals itself.

The Review: Just who and what is Abe Sapien? That is the question that has plagued him ever since his birth and it has been a plot point that followed him throughout his development in B.P.R.D and that has been compelling enough to provide him with a title of his own. While we had part of the solution, we still had no idea just why Abe Sapien exists and neither does he, which makes for a rather interesting main motivation for our titular character.

However, this has not exactly been the focus of this three-issue arc, which has made us see just how the regular folks of the Mignolaverse had to adapt to the end of the world as they know it. It was a pretty intriguing and well thought-out idea that was presented in great fashion, yet it did not exactly seem like a story that could be only presented via Abe Sapien. It was much more akin to a traditional B.P.R.D story, which made the point of a series focusing on the rather popular character still a questionable matter.

Abe Sapien: Dark and Terrible #2 – Review

By: Mike Mignola, Scott Allie (Writers), Sebastian Fiumara (Artist), Dave Stewart (Colorist)

The Story: As we get to know some of the reasons of Abe departure from the B.P.R.D, we can also see how some people reacts to all these changes that were brought with the war on frogs and the incoming apocalypse.

The Review: In a recent interview about his whole universe of comic, the one that turns around Hellboy and B.P.R.D, Mike Mignola revealed just how things would work out from now on and which title would show what. While the former would be more about its titular hero and how the afterlife might just change a tad after all that is happening in the real world, the latter would be much more about what is actually happening in the world and how the bureau wants to prevent things from going worse. With two very different directions from these two titles, where does that leave Abe Sapien and his adventures?

Abe Sapien: Dark and Terrible #1 – Review

By: Mike Mignola, Scott Allie (Writers), Sebastian Fiumara (Artist), Dave Stewart (Colorist)

The Story: The B.P.R.D is searching for Abe Sapien, as some folks discuss how it feels to see the end of times and other such curiosities on a train.

The Review: It’s funny, in a way, to see how successful Mike Mignola has been with his first creator-owned character, Hellboy. First appearing in his own mini-series, the adventure of the beast of the apocalypse has seen the start of a much bigger thing: its own universe, with a sister title expanding it in ways that were really well done. B.P.R.D, in its own way, saw as much success as the main title, which now lead to a cycle of such with the birth of this title, Abe Sapien, dedicated to the supporting character first seen in Hellboy that has been developed to much greater heights in the narrative frame of B.P.R.D to become one of the most endearing character from what is now dubbed the Mignolaverse. However, does this character actually merits a title of his own, an ongoing nonetheless?

B.P.R.D.: King of Fear #5 – Review

by Mike Mignola & John Arcudi (writers), Guy Davis (art), Dave Stewart (colors), and Clem Robins (letters)

The Story: New giant monsters abound, Liz disappears (again), and the UN makes it’s stance on the frogs, and the BPRD, clear.

What’s Good: As a conclusion to a multi-year epic, this issue is more focused on opening the door for what’s to come than it is on closing the door on the past.  This leaves the series in a very interesting place.  The Mignola-verse finds itself in a very ugly place that’s primed for some seriously epic battles.  On a more intimate level, every single character is also left in a new position, either physically or mentally.  For instance, Devon has gained a newfound fear of Abe, while Panya is told that she may one day walk again.  These are little things and certainly nothing compared to where Abe, Liz, and the BPRD itself are left at the end of King of Fear, but they show Arcudi and Mignola’s dedication.

As usual, Mignola and Arcudi’s script, despite all of these new developments, finds room for the little character moments.  With the world in dire straits, it’s comforting to see these characters happier than they’ve been in a long time.  While everything’s gone to hell, there’s a sense of positivity and hope that’s refreshing.  It’s a nice touch, how despite things being worse than they’ve ever been, our characters are also more empowered and optimistic.  There’s a sense that now that they’ve hit rock bottom, they’re ready to start climbing.

Hellboy in Mexico (Or, A Drunken Blur) – Review

by Mike Mignola (writer), Richard Corben (art), Dave Stewart (colors), and Clem Robins

The Story: Hellboy teams up with a trio of luchadores to fight vampires in 1950s Mexico.

What’s Good: Believe me when I say that Mignola definitely delivers on the insanity of that hook I typed out above.  With all the big powers and heavy talk of destiny that’s been going on in Hellboy lately, it’s sort of satisfying to get a Hellboy issue that kicks back and brings the sort of “out there” nuttiness that’s always been at least a small part of the comic’s appeal.

For the most part, this is a rollicking good time.  Seeing Hellboy party and fight alongside a group of luchadores (who stay in costume at all times) is a blast and when he has a full-on match with a vampire luchador, it’s all kinds of fun.  It’s about as much fun as writing “vampire luchador.”

I also found Mignola’s dialogue between Hellboy and his new friend, Esteban, the youngest of the three luchadors, to be particularly amusing.  Mignola effectively uses the old trick of having two characters converse with each of them exclusively speaking a different language, yet oddly being able to understand each other perfectly.  When Esteban says that Hellboy is his best friend in Spanish, only for Hellboy to respond in kind in English, it’s a guaranteed grin for all by the most stone-hearted of readers.

Despite all the comedy, the ending of the issue is beautifully tragic and a sharp, surprising bit of poignancy after an issue of vampire-wrestling and vampire-slaying.  The fact that such a wacky issue could have such a sad, but honest, ending and still feel completely organic is proof of Mignola’s skill as a writer.