the Devil You Know From Side Show
"The Devil You Know," the third and last cycle of "B.P.R.D." begins, picking up the pieces in the wake of "Hell on Earth" and "Abe Sapien: Dark and Terrible."
Written by Mike Mignola and Scott Allie
Encompass past Duncan Fegredo
Illustrated by Laurence Campbell
Colored by Dave Stewart
Lettered past Clem RobinsBefore they were vanquished by the BPRD, Lovecraftian monsters created a Hell on Earth. Now Liz Sherman leads a crew through monster-infested ruins on the most important rescue mission of her life. Every bit lodge tries to rebuild, strange cults vie for influence, and a demon emerges to lead the way…
Marking Tweedale: This issue is a foreign beast. Information technology's the simultaneously the sequel to two cycles from two different series, and while "B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth" had a kind of natural stopping point, the ongoing "Abe Sapien" series simply stopped at #36. The B.P.R.D. establish an unconscious Abe, stuck him in a van and… well, that was it. The last console may have said 'the cease,' but it was clearly 'to be continued.' This issue is essentially the start of something new for "B.P.R.D." while also functioning equally "Abe Sapien" #37.
This may be a new wheel, simply it comes with nearly two hundred problems of baggage between both "B.P.R.D." and "Abe Sapien." In that location may exist a #1 on the cover, but I wouldn't telephone call this a jumping on point.
Brian Salvatore: I was really surprised by how at that place wasn't fifty-fifty an try to make this a new starting signal. The get-go affair y'all encounter in the effect is the 2d page in a five-page memo, and that seems almost every bit clear of a sign as whatsoever that at that place isn't much place here for new readers.
Now, I'm not saying they needed to New 52 this—to borrow a phrase from some other D-publisher—but it sort of strains the mind to imagine them launching a new number one without whatsoever endeavor to make information technology easy-ish for new readers to hop on.
Mike Romeo: Yeah, I've got to agree. I was virtually halfway through this issue when I realized that it didn't feel like a new starting time in the slightest. I found it odd that in that location weren't even any character reintroductions, or any sort of reestablishment of the serial. Similar y'all said, Brian, not at all new reader friendly.
And Marking's right, this did experience a little like "Abe" #37, which doesn't exactly fill me with warmth and good feelings…
Marking: I'll be interested to see how it handles the "Abe Sapien" material when it gets to information technology. Information technology's somewhat reasonable to await "The Devil You Know" readers to take read "Hell on Earth," merely not everyone will take read the "Abe Sapien" ongoing series.
At that place's a bit of a stylistic shift here likewise. Instead of the familiar style of location box in a new scene, it'due south been replaced with a location and military timestamp. At this signal, it's impossible to tell if this is a shift for simply this arc or something nosotros'll encounter a lot of going forward, but for me, it felt distancing correct away. Nether Devon's leadership, the Bureau seems a much colder organisation.
Below: "B.P.R.D. The Devil You Know" location box" class="image-outer"> 
Higher up: "B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth" location box
Beneath: "B.P.R.D. The Devil You Know" location box
Brian: I dropped off of "Abe" afterwards the first arc or and so because it felt so sterile and decompressed. I'm with Mike—this commencement issue didn't make full me with a ton of promise for the serial under the new banner, fifty-fifty though, on the surface, it has everything I would want from the serial: Ashley Strode! Fenix gone rogue! Howards fucking shit up!
It sounds funny to say that the volume feels 'militarized,' as information technology has been about a paramilitary system since the starting time, just in a lot of ways, the series has been most finding humanity in the establishment. It seems now like the institution has won.
Mike: I think you're on to something there. It'due south my impression that Devon wasn't also popular among his peers from the start, so I tin can't imagine the dynamic between the Bureau'due south college ups to be too swell at the moment. Plus, in that location'south the Liz/Devon/Fenix confrontation that's pretty clearly on the horizon.
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And then just to put narrative stuff aside for a second, can we all gush about Laurence Campbell? He had his hooks in me from page one, and there wasn't fifty-fifty whatsoever action! Those first few images actually fix the tone for the entire issue, I think. The behemothic, petrified Ogdru Hem was a nice indicator of the series change in management, about making the annunciation that the erstwhile order is expressionless. From in that location I think these pages are some of Campbell'due south best piece of work to date. Reexamining the outcome, I'm struck at the type of contorting he's got to do to make the issue piece of work. He's billowy from atmosphere to action to talking heads to just pure mood and doing it all with real grace. In my stance, he's not leaving anything to be desired with whatever element of his storytelling.
And, of course, at that place's what Dave Stewart'southward doing. To call up to that very first folio, I could most feel the grit in my teeth but past looking at the manner the grit and dirt only seem to be suspended in the air. That'south the sort of matter that wouldn't come through in Campbell's inks alone, correct? I think these two together make a potent combination.
Mark: I'm glad Laurence Campbell's on board for "The Devil Y'all Know." Clearly "B.P.R.D." is going through some large changes, and having him and Stewart maintaining the visual continuity is really important especially since large changes don't actually read likewise well if there'south zilch to contrast against. We need the familiar through which to gauge the changes.
Brian mentioned how humanity seems to be gone, and I think if at that place was a new artist on this series, I might call back that that was adventitious, merely having Campbell on board, I'yard familiar with the style he acts through his drawings. Spoilers ahead. The way Liz reacts to Tian's death stuck out to me. I think after "Cometh the Hr," we're seeing a hollowed out Liz to an extent. Dissimilarity that against the way Campbell tackles Ashley Strode learning about Kate's death. There'south barely a word spoken, but boy did I feel how information technology hits her.
Don't become me wrong, I dear it when he draws Howards hacking up a hammerhead besides, but it's his graphic symbol work that most keeps this feeling like "B.P.R.D." for me.
Brian: I agree—Campbell's art is the tether to the centre of this volume. His work is so nuanced and yet then raw; his characters wear their hearts on their sleeve in a mode that doesn't feel simulated or put upon.
Mayhap this is presumptuous, but it seems similar Campbell is the successor to Guy Davis and Tyler Crook every bit the 3rd signature artist on the volume. Does that seem premature?
Mark: Information technology's possible, although he could be the first of multiple artists on this championship, the way he was with Tyler Crook and James Harren for "Hell on Globe."
Mike: That'd exist my estimate. It seems similar an easier way to keep the trains on schedule, right?
OK, Mark already tagged ane, simply allow'south get in totally clear that we are at present entering the spoiler zone. Jump to our grades at the bottom if yous want to be spared!
So this is the first time we're seeing the B.P.R.D.-branded helicarrier in the real earth, right? Before this, it was either in a vision or was S.S.Due south. branded if I'thousand not mistaken.
Mark: Yeah, that appears to exist the case. The S.S.Southward. largely collapsed during the concluding ii arcs of "Hell on Globe," and what was left appears to have been folded into the Bureau. That much hinted at in the final issue when we saw Leonid was under Devon'due south control. And the Bureau agents are at present wearing the same armor they wore in Liz's vision from "King of Fear."
I'm curious what y'all make of this 'unidentified young woman appearing in dreams' calling people to the East Coast. Originally I idea it was Maggie from "Abe Sapien" #29, and perhaps it is—she is supposed to lead humanity to Hyperberum—only given the manner this result ends, with Varvara amassing followers, information technology seems Varvara may have hijacked the signal so to speak.
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From "Abe Sapien: The Garden (II)"
Mike: I thought it was Maggie, too! I also had the thought well-nigh Varvara, but I don't know. Nosotros see a child-size figure, which could be either of the characters, but it's holding hands with an adult. Plus, it'd be an opportunity for Allie to fold fifty-fifty more of his "Abe" encounter the series. We'll detect out presently plenty, I judge.
Brian: That part of the issue was reminiscent of Stephen King'southward The Stand, where Female parent Abigail is using dreams to telephone call people to Nebraska, and Flagg is doing the same for Las Vegas. There are more than a few The Stand references floating around this universe come up to remember of it.
When I pull back and expect at this outcome from a bit of a perspective, information technology is quite effective equally a 'where are they at present?' event, and lets us know the status quo of the globe of this volume. Where it is less constructive is as the start of a story. I fear that, much similar "Abe Sapien," this book will be more of a decompressed travelogue through this burnt-out globe, instead of the propulsive story that "B.P.R.D." has e'er been. I of the many things that John Arcudi was great at was putting the intense grapheme moments and quiet, meditative beats within stories that had very clear beginnings, middles, and ends, but also were part of this e'er-shifting, ever-moving story. I fear that that sort of storytelling may have left the book with Arcudi.
Mike: I don't know that at that place's going to be a whole lot of room to meander. Didn't I read somewhere that this won't be as long of a movement as "Hell on World"? I see where you're coming from, though, as Allie went pretty far in that direction when it came to "Abe."
So what are some thoughts on where nosotros become from here? I think it's interesting to see Strode looking to come in, as a big part of her concluding arc was how long she'd been out in the earth solo. Are we going to run into the series shift towards a set of problems that are more in her wheelhouse?
Mark: I'd say that's the instance. With the Bureau going upward against Varvara, demonic issues are likely going to be a big part of the series going forward. Having an exorcist on the team is definitely advantageous.
Man, I can't believe nosotros're this far into the review and nosotros haven't spoken almost the return of Kroenen and von Klempt all the same. Concluding time we saw them, Kroenen escaped from New York with a lifeless von Klempt head at the end of "The Reign of the Black Flame," and now it appears they're throwing in their lot with Varvara.
My hope is that with von Klempt back in activeness, he'll milk shake Kroenen out of the funk he'south been in ever since "The Devil's Engine." Von Klempt has never been one to become quietly, so I imagine he'll be making quite a bit of noise for the Bureau before too long.
Brian: Information technology seems like both 'sides' of this conflict are consolidating their resources, with Strode rejoining the active Bureau and, equally you lot said, Kroenen and von Klempt working with Varvara. I suspect we may meet more of this sort of thing happening in the nigh future, with any 'complimentary agents' and so to speak having a quite elementary choice at this point in the game: are you with good, or are you with evil? The series has always tackled these big issues, but due to how far downwardly this path we've come already, information technology seems similar the grey area between the ii sides is dwindling mightily.
Mike: Speaking of complimentary agents and grey areas, looks like Abe's back with the Agency, though he may non even know it at the moment. Seeing him all cocooned up in the back of the van was a weird moment, and one that I hope doesn't accept him off the board for also long. So much of "Hell on World" saw Abe in stasis, only to jettison him out into his own series the moment he woke upwardly, so I'm hoping he's dorsum on his feet in a timely manner. Reading this issue was a reminder of the characters we'll never see again, and then I gauge I'grand aching for more 'archetype' agents in the cast.
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And that whole business concern with him being dragged toward the Ogdru Hem? Interesting stuff…
Mark: Yeah. Information technology's a big reminder the Ogdru Hem are dormant, non dead. They nevertheless have a role to play.
So what's everyone recall of this one?
Mike: In terms of narrative, this result hits a lot of marks. In spite of that, I still feel similar there was something… missing. I can't quite put my finger on what information technology is, though. On the art side of things, Campbell and Stewart are superstars. This was a fantastic looking result from acme to bottom.
Let's telephone call this a seven from me.
Brian: A 7 sounds fair to me, as well. This is a comic with a lot going for it, artistically, but narratively is a bit scattered and without too much forward momentum. I enjoyed reading it, but it is far from what the series has, and could, be.
Mark: I think this first issue is primarily interested in reintroducing the world itself rather than the characters at this bespeak, and even yet it ends upward going vi pages over the usual give-and-take count. I mean just look at the way Liz discovers Abe. His face is lost in shadow, her face up is lost in shadow… the scene is focused on the facts of the scene only not the emotion of the scene. We're kept at arm's length here.
I don't think that's an accident either—it seems to have a lot to practice with Devon being in command and the place Liz is in right at present—but I think in terms of a monthly book that'south returning afterward an eight-month absenteeism, the clinical nature of the story is keeping us from fully engaging too. The scenes that worked best for me were the ones where we were much closer to the characters emotionally, similar the one with Fenix, Eris, and Bruiser near the end.
I'm going to go with a 7 too. There are a lot of interesting pieces beingness put into play, but the squad is pretty broken correct now.
Last verdict: seven. Later on the fallout from "Hell on Earth" the Bureau's dynamic is pretty shaken upwardly, merely it's proficient to have "B.P.R.D." back.
Source: http://www.multiversitycomics.com/reviews/bprd-devil-you-know-1/
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