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Book Review: B.P.R.D Hell on Earth volume 14: The Exorcist

B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth Volume 14: The Exorcist  by Mike Mignola, Cameron Stewart, Chris Roberson, and Mike Norton

Dark Horse, 2016

ISBN: 9781506700113

Available: Trade paperback, Kindle edition, comiXology ebook

 

B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth Volume 14: The Exorcist collects B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth: Exorcism #1–#2 and B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth #140–#142.

B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth: Exorcism was a 2 issue mini-series published from June to July 2012. The plot focuses on field agent Ashley Strode as she investigates a series of exorcisms in a rural Indiana town. After a failed exorcism, and angering the priest in control of the ritual, Agent Strode is deployed to a Mexican village after a demon commands her to release one of its brethren, or lose the soul of a child. Strode attempts to purge a demon from an aged, retired, exorcist, using a deadly rite that sends both of them into a spiritual hell.

B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth: The Exorcist continues Agent Strode’s career. Strode is searching for missing children in a town called Yamsay, a small mining town that has fallen on hard times. She discovers the reason for the missing children in the abandoned, dilapidated house of the town’s founder, Eustice Coupland. His daughter, long deceased, tells Strode the story of her father’s secrets, and what happened to the missing children of Yamsay. What she doesn’t reveal is more sinister and dangerous than Agent Strode could ever imagine.

I was really impressed with the storytelling in this volume, especially when it comes to Agent Strode’s character development: she begins as a freshly minted rookie in the first story arc, and becomes a confident and capable field agent in the second. In The Exorcism storyline, she puts herself, and others, in danger: she can’t even bring herself to hand the priest the holy water, and then directly addresses the demon, who may or may not be lying to her. Her following interaction with the retired exorcist is what helps form her into the agent she becomes later. He warns her that she needs to be alert and trust in her abilities, especially when they enter the spiritual realm. In the second storyline, she’s working independently in Yamsay, and holds her own very well. I’m finding that I want to read more about her.

The book is also visually appealing. The demons, in particular, are unique and well-rendered. At the end of this volume is an artist’s sketchbook with notes about the creation of Ashely Strode, the demons, and more. This is a nice addition that allows you to see the creative energy that went into these storylines. Recommended.

Contains: some blood

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker



Posted on November 30, 2016 by , Reply

Book Review: Graveyard Quest by KC Green

Graveyard Quest by KC Green

Oni Press, 2016

ISBN: 9781620102893

Available: Kindle edition and comiXology ebook, print

Graveyard Quest follows, well, the Gravedigger, who keeps the bones of his dead mother in a cabinet, and talks to them every moment he can. He is tormented by the ghost of his dead father, the previous Gravedigger, who is frustrated with his son’s inability to get over his mother’s death. One morning, the Gravedigger wakes to find his mother’s bones missing. He ventures to the underworld to try to reclaim them. Along the way, he encounters an unusually helpful mole, a town of worms, and a team of ghost bandits, among others. The Gravedigger’s father follows him, demanding he turn back and do his job, as the bodies are piling up in the graveyard back home.

Will the Gravedigger help the government break into Hell? Will he reclaim the bones of his dead mother? Will his father ever be happy with him? Why is this mole always helping him? And what’s the deal with the ghost bandits wanting to break into Heaven? All of these questions are answered within the pages of this graphic novel, which is hilarious, heart wrenching, and full of adventure. While the language may not be suitable for some children, it may be enjoyable for some young adults, depending on their reading taste. I would be fine with my oldest nephew, who is also a horror fan, reading this.  The artwork is simple, but pretty great. I think my favorite panels involve the worm community. The “reverend” worm is fantastic. Recommended for those who like a little humor in their graphic novels.

Note: Graveyard Quest began as a story arc on Green’s web comic, Gunshow.

Contains: some strong language

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker


Posted on September 15, 2016 by , Reply

Digital Comics

My new issue of Knowledge Quest (the official journal of the American Association of School Librarians)  has an article on digital graphic novels, a format I haven’t though much about. There are web comics I follow (I love Unshelved), and some of them have even gone to print editions, but that seems a little different than a graphic novel. When I’ve looked at heavily illustrated books on Kindle or Nook, I haven’t been impressed. But the author discussed a very cool platform for digital comics, called ComiXology, which you probably already know about if you are a big comics reader. But if you aren’t, this might just get you hooked.

First, ComiXology started out as a tool for retailers, to help them promote print comic books, and they still have a commitment to working with retailers so they get revenue from sales of comics sold through them, so you can set up your order through this site or buy through them and still be supporting your local comic book store. I think that’s pretty cool. Second, they have created not just a catalog but a space for a community of comics lovers to discuss and review comics, and it’s free to do so, without extraneous annoying advertisements. Presumably, if you are a member you’re there to discuss and buy comics so ComiXology’s own promotions won’t bother you, and there aren’t any others. They also have free comics, a nice feature that the author of the article I read mentioned… one of them for this week is Courtney Crumrin and the Night Things #1. Third, they have some pretty great partnerships and relationships with comics publishers, including DC, Marvel, and BOOM! Studios, so there’s a wide variety of comics available and ways to access them, which I won’t go into except that there are apps, and you want more details you can read about it here.

What’s fun for me, in terms of promoting horror through a variety of media, is that if you start from ComiXology’s home page for digital comics, there’s a “Browse” tab with a drop down menu that allows you to search in a variety of ways, including series, publisher, creator, story arc, top rated, and GENRE. And one of the genres you can explore is horror. I didn’t wander around much there but just on the first page I saw 28 Days Later, 30 Days of Night, and American Vampire, all of which we’ve reviewed here. The newest issue of The Walking Dead was a featured comic, too. There’s a lot going on out there not just in the world of ebooks, but in the comics world as well, and the arguments as to whether there’s a legitimate place for digital comics will, I’m sure, continue.

After a brief look, I know I’m probably intrigued enough to download the app and try a free comic, at the very least, to see what the reading experience is like. I’d love to hear what you think about the rise of digital comics, or ComiXology!

Posted on January 29, 2012 by , Reply
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