Reviewer: Kevin S. Mahoney
Story Title: N/A
Story by: Mike Mignola and John Arcudi
Art by: Guy Davis
Colored by: Dave Stewart
Lettered by: Clem Robins
Editor: Scott Allie
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
The latest B.P.R.D. case has escalated into a catastrophe. A lead character was irreparably destroyed last issue. The remaining team members are mourning him while blaming themselves for his demise. And while they have indulged in their grief, the horde of self-aware frog creatures has been orchestrating the return of the next giant evil thing (with the help of Mr. Pope of Zinco). Things flew even more out of control this issue.
The frogs have run amok, and not just in the limited areas that the B.P.R.D. and the reader already knew about; they have invaded cities and suburbs wholesale. The former cloak of secrecy and rarity protecting the eldritch enterprise has been thrown off in favor of widespread mayhem and slaughter. The army of slimy cannibalistic monsters has gone high profile in an attempt to divert both the team and the world from the resurrection of Katha-Hem. Whether or not the latest in a long line of doomsday creatures ever arrives on the scene might be beside the point; the sundering of the team seems a permanent condition. There’s no telling how long it will take the team to get its bearings or what steps will be necessary for them to find themselves.
The plot of this story might seem a bit cliché. There is a big difference between this tale and many others of it s ilk. This story is playing for keeps. Most stories don’t involve the death of one or more main repeating characters. Most threats are thwarted long before its agents swarm the suburbs eating small children. And the plot twist involving the talking frogs near the finale of this issue is too good to spoil here. It may seem like a weak pun, but this monster-mashing tale has real teeth, and that makes it a thrilling joy to read.
The art in this issue treads the line between impressive spectacle (think Howard Porter’s JLA or Scott Kolins’ Flash) and noir murmuring. The hyper-stylized pencils work for certain characters (the frogs, Abe Sapien, the man in Liz’s dreams) and seems too harsh for other characters (Liz, Dr. C.). The depressing scenes inside the bureau’s headquarters are rendered bleakly enough to be effective. The few outdoor scenes have a manic palette and hectic layout that really make the frog attacks seem as chaotic as they are graphic. The lettering seems a bit bland by comparison, but the use of colored fonts and especially variable font size are commendable efforts.
