B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth #124: Grind.

[middenway]

October...



Life goes on in Santa Fe despite the Ogdru Hem on the edge of town. But the B.P.R.D. comes to town too late to help at least one guy . . . and probably a lot more!

Written by Mike Mignola and John Arcudi
Art by Tyler Crook
Cover by Laurence Campbell
Colours by Dave Stewart


It's a fantastic cover, isn't it?

[middenway]

From a podcast with Nerdist:

I said to John recently, "We should do a story ― John, you should do a story ― set in a coffee shop that's just guys dealing with the realities of gigantic chunks of the country have disappeared... are we still going to be getting a shipment of coffee? How does this affect guys on the street level?"

[middenway]

The new issue is out. For me, this issue is right up next to The Reign of the Black Flame (Part 1) as one of the best issues of the BPRD this year. I loved it. As did Brian and David.

[Storey]

I agree... this issue was REALLY good. It did an amazing job of getting us in the head of everyday people dealing with the insanity that the BPRD faces. A great way to put things in perspective AND move along the overall BPRD narrative. Tyler Cook's art was fantastic on this issue as well.

Spoilery question...


The fungus/spores/growth on Ira are the same type as from PICKENS COUNTY... correct?

[Joker]

I agree, this was one of the best BPRD issues, and I have really enjoyed most of the recent issues.

I like that they were able to tell a street level story and advance the main title, giving good character beats to everyone involved. I was also really impressed that I cared about the ending, having just met those characters. I'd like to see BPRD do more one-and-done stories like this in the future.

well done!

[LobsterJohnson]

This may have been my favorite BPRD issue ever. It had both of my favorite BPRD members (Johann and Liz), great action, and a very surprising ending.

[middenway]

Spoilery question...


The fungus/spores/growth on Ira are the same type as from PICKENS COUNTY... correct?

I have no idea. The fungus stuff really hasn't been explored much yet.

[Weekend Warrior]

Yet to buy and read but that cover alone makes the purchase worthwhile. Good to hear the positive feedback.

[The Lobster]

Stand out page to me. You know it's funny, Abe's series is supposed to be capturing the street level reactions of the Mignolaverse but BPRD did it better in a single page than Abe Sapien has done in its entire run.

B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth - Grind #124 (2014) - Page 8.jpg

[dreadcthulhu]

Agreed - this was a great story and return to form (IMO); the last few issues were a little lacklustre to me.

[Rastagir]

Stand out page to me. You know it's funny, Abe's series is supposed to be capturing the street level reactions of the Mignolaverse but BPRD did it better in a single page than Abe Sapien has done in its entire run.

B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth - Grind #124 (2014) - Page 8.jpg

That.

This is EXACTLY what I was thinking when I finished reading this issue. What 17 issues of Abe tried (and, at least as far as I am concerned failed) to do, this single stand alone issue succeeds in doing so.

Great writing at it's best.

[Storey]

I want to start by saying that I am REALLY on the fence with the ABE SAPIEN series... I am not sure if it is the pacing or simply that I had different expectations of what the series was going to be. Either way, I feel the comparison between ABE and this issue of BPRD are a little unfair. ABE had never really focussed on the lives of 9 to 5ers, but more of the wandering spirits, the disenfranchised... the people who didn't fit into the mold and are even more confused now that things have gone to HELL.

Does that make sense...?

[Septaryeth]

I want to start by saying that I am REALLY on the fence with the ABE SAPIEN series... I am not sure if it is the pacing or simply that I had different expectations of what the series was going to be. Either way, I feel the comparison between ABE and this issue of BPRD are a little unfair. ABE had never really focussed on the lives of 9 to 5ers, but more of the wandering spirits, the disenfranchised... the people who didn't fit into the mold and are even more confused now that things have gone to HELL.

Does that make sense...?

I totally get what you are saying.
But I wouldn't say it's an unfair comparison either.

I still like Abe Sapien, but I do believe that series is getting a bit...stale.
It really needs to work on its pacing and characterization, where this BPRD issue excels at.
It has a small upbeat and almost comical atmosphere at the start, gradually turns to a dramatic conflict(thanks to Liz), then slams you hard with a shocking ending.

With Abe Sapien, it's so heavy on the loneliness and the despair, that I can't feel anything but negativity from the beginning to the end.
Even the characters behave so. For example, the character Grace is being used as a vent for frustration and anger for far too long.
Her response is normal considering she fits the profile of a person suffering from PTSD. And it is what the authors intended.
But as a reader it's getting tired to see her always acting scared, terrified, and angry.
That internal conflict, the dynamic we saw at her first appearance has already been drained dry.
I just wish we can see more than one side of her personality.
Well...at least we saw her showing some sympathy when Abe said BPRD will dissect him, so hopefully something will move forward in the next issue.

To summarize it shortly,
this BPRD left people hanging because we actually cared for the characters and felt a positive connection to them, especially in such apocalyptic setting.
If it was an Abe Sapien story, we would probably just shrug, "Oh well, another one bites the dust".

[Kees_L]

I totally get what you are saying.
But I wouldn't say it's an unfair comparison either.

To summarize it shortly,
this BPRD left people hanging because we actually cared for the characters and felt a positive connection to them, especially in such apocalyptic setting.
If it was an Abe Sapien story, we would probably just shrug, "Oh well, another one bites the dust".

I get there being a human aspect or common person aspect to like, but on the other hand not every story or title needs to focus on merely such for my tastes. Especially not for the Hellboy and B.P.R.D. world as meaning to contain other aspects beside just human or everyday elements alone.

It would seem to me that characters like Hellboy both as Abe both as Liz will have to be not merely about just everyday or human elements. Because they aren't. Just like how any expectations or assumptions based on normality might have to get thrown out the door most likely because of what it is they'd be or what would be facing them.

In ways the B.P.R.D. has never seemed just a battle or war of humans against abnormalities because mostly the abnormal are to be doing most of the fighting. The humans won't be winning because they won't be the only ones to save or care about.
Not for Hellboy as being a demon - partly or otherwise. Not for Liz as she doesn't feel but normal eversince being capable of torching her parents. And not for Abe because if he is still anything then he won't be but human or normal in the slightest.

For reading it like that I would personally figure it could pay off to not merely be searching the human or common aspect to like within any of the stories.

[middenway]

Abe Sapien spoilers ahead...

I find one of the most effective ways to get readers to invest in characters is to have them invest in each other. Despite all the horrors in the world, Grind did this. The investment is what makes that ending resonate.

During his travels Abe has kept his walls up, deliberately not investing on an emotional level to the world around him. Grace changed that. There's still distance though in that while they ultimately care about what happens to each other, their character moments are always about their own problems, rather than shouldering some of each other's.

At the moment the pair are in a codependent relationship, allowing each other to dwell and sink further into their own emotional problems. It's not like I need Abe to tell Grace to talk about what happened to her, but I'd like to see him be a real comfort to her. To essentially say "when you're ready to talk, I'm here," even if it's only in body language. When she's upset, to sit by her side without saying a word. To give her a smile every now and then. When she's obviously trying not to think about something, to tell her a story from the good days at the B.P.R.D. with Hellboy, Liz, and Bruttenholm, a story that may make Grace feel better, though you can tell on some level it hurts Abe to talk about it.

And with Abe, when he starts talking about his problems, I'd like to see Grace preempt some of his questions to show that she's listening. I'd like to see her show some insight into his emotional state. I'd like to see her acknowledge his avoidance of certain issues, which perhaps strike a certain note that makes her realise she's avoiding things too. To see her give Abe advice she knows that she herself needs to follow. And I'd like to see her ask Abe the questions he's afraid to ask.

There was a moment in Abe Sapien #17 when Abe admitted to Agent Stazz that he feared what he would become next. It was a good character moment, but I couldn't help thinking that it should have been Grace hearing it, not Stazz. Or better yet, Abe should have been talking around it only to have Grace say, "You fear what you're going to become next, don't you?"

I am enjoying the Abe Sapien series, but if there's one thing I would change, it would be this. Have the characters invest in each other more. Have them sacrifice their own emotional needs for each other every now and then. Have them smile when they're together every now and then. Have them begin to understand things about each other that perhaps the other person doesn't fully know about themself.

Give me that, and the series could be incredible.