Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: 1952

[Joker]

I imagine this would be a great jumping on point, since it's early in his life/career. Hellboy really isn't a chronological affair, so there's lots of room to just jump in somewhere.

[Kees_L]

I imagine this would be a great jumping on point, since it's early in his life/career. Hellboy really isn't a chronological affair, so there's lots of room to just jump in somewhere.

I agree it isn't so much chronologically that any stuff would need to be understood. Like how Tarzan or Solomon Kane would also be just a magnitude of different stories or adventures from various periods. There'd be no rule that any of that would need to fit chronologically in order to be any good to read, at all.

And for Hellboy et al the whole thing isn't merely told chronologically, with everything formed from just complete stories with a start and a finish, one at a time.
So basically you can't mess up or be to spoil the magic that much, as anything will need to be fitted into the bigger picture by the reader themselves anyway, consciously, regardless of whatever time or chronology any of it would be to answer to.
(Which only becomes doable the more you'd be to have read. Although such wouldn't always seem like that no matter how well you'd be trying to be doing your reading)!

Which is actually pretty nice all-in-all, because as such the story matter LETS ITSELF actually or gradually be understood by the reader the more you'd become acquainted with it - the material lends itself to actively become understood by the readers themselves, or at least it'll grab and thrill you for a good bit.
And even what stuff you wouldn't be feeling to get, would not be to jinx or corrupt anything. Because as a whole this story material won't be some sit-back-and-shut-off-your-mind kind of thing, while the audience just gets fed, but more rather it'll be something to do or interpret - just like any good story matter or movie or how appreciating whatever art would be something active as an experience to undergo moreso than not.
The audience or reader has to imagine it and interpret it and appreciate it - as how they would - or nothing would be making such happen anyway.

[middenway]

I just ordered Hellboy Vol 1: Seed of Destruction, would picking up this mini have me completely lost? My knowledge currently of Hellboy is the movies. Ive been wanting to pick up the comics but been putting it off for years figured time to stop and start reading.

1952 is a great jumping on point. It's at the beginning of Hellboy's career. It's made to be accessible to both seasoned and new readers.

[Deckard]

This looks awesome. Does anyone know a good place to order the sketch variant cover? Not sure my shop will have it.

[Joker]

This was excellent. Maleev perfectly captured the tone of classic Hellboy, without imitating Mignola. I'm sure the writing helped with that, but this was a really solid piece of Hellboy comics. Fills the void perfectly while we wait on more Hellboy in Hell.

[Ascended]

This is the first time I bought a single issue of Hellboy; generally Im more of a trade-wait kinda guy when it comes to the indies and books/characters like Hellboy, who dont have to maintain a corporately-mandated monthly schedule.

I gotta say, I loved it. Really solid. Im not the most knowledgeable person when it comes to all things BPRD but this "felt" right.

[thwhtGuardian]

This was my favorite Hellboy story in a long time, I loved just seeing him in his room and I can't wait to see more of who he is as a character.

[Starchild]

For someone who is trying to get into Hellboy. Is this a good place to start? I only read Abe Sapien.

[Skinkie]

It's a pretty good place as it deals with the start of Hellboys career, a relatively unexplored area, but it's pretty far removed from most of the other Hellboy material. For that you are best just grabbing the trades or library editions.

[middenway]

For someone who is trying to get into Hellboy. Is this a good place to start? I only read Abe Sapien.

Part of the design of 1952 is to be very accessible to new readers. I think it'd be a great place to start.

[Kees_L]

Part of the design of 1952 is to be very accessible to new readers. I think it'd be a great place to start.

Yep, what Middenway said exactly. I believe it was said by mr Mike and mr Scott on a number of occasions recently.

And because these comics are so great, or because the creators of them have been so aware of their readers, so communicative about these works, I'd say it'd be good to realize,
that these books have always been developed as proving opportunities onto telling more of the story.

Each new title or each new printing line has been a new opportunity, onto more new opportunities, as a result of prior ones, again and again. Each time as forming a fresh new outlook onto where readers would be both as where the creators/publishing folks were, regarding the full body of it up to that point.

Both the BPRD series as well as Hellboy itself originated as just a couple of mini-series or two-parters or even just single issue, out of just one four-part mini-series, which initially was gonna be a four-part back feature to an Arthur Adams book.

But a fully new title such as the BPRD next to Hellboy, Witchfinder next to that, then Abe and now the flashback BPRD beginnings as a title of its own - as opposed to merely a new installment - such will lead to having more of an outlook.

It seems to me as a long time reader since the beginning, that it will have been a concern that titles and the many different books will have been amassing as potentially seeming more and more daunting to new readers potentially.
It seems to me that it may always have been a concern, since makers of books will want their books to get enjoyed by new readers as well as old.

And with the BPRD both as Witchfinder both as Hellboy In Hell both as Abe going solo, as forming its own title, it will have been out of practicality that they became a thing, a matter of room, eventhough it might not be that good or easy a jumping on point particularly.

The flashback standalone angles of BPRD 1946 - 1947 - etc. did feel more of an inspiringly new thing, eventhough all titles or each new installment to all or any part of the Hellboyverse could really be offering content-driving or prime and awesome need-to-know material in plenty of ways.
The Companion wasn't made and puzzled out for nothing amid the attention of the second Hellboy movie.
Because by that time already would some potential need with readers or service onto such be proving deemable?

A telling foreword to the Companion by mr Scott towards his own reservations with the book itself seems pretty telling in this regard?

As such I would wager it will be of note that once the flashbacks to the BPRD would become told or be materialized, as far as up to the point of Hellboy becoming an agent with the Bureau,
that such an opportunity would be a good jumping-on-point as to present not as much weighty confusion as any of the other spinoffs really.

I would wager that's why they said on more than one occasion at launching the title that this one finally seems to present all-out inspiration moreso than any people needing to feel out-of-the-loop at all?
Not that it ever would be needed for anyone to feel out-of-the-loop, or that any new comic shouldn't get seen as a happy thing moreso than anything else. Even if there would seem to be a number of them already.
And now this one or this new series is too. A new thing and happy!

So yeah. Happy reading one and all!

[quinnzel]

Part of the design of 1952 is to be very accessible to new readers. I think it'd be a great place to start.

I must third this! I picked this up because I had never read a Hellboy story before and I really enjoyed this first issue

[topfueluhl]

You can buy issue #1 at the Dark Horse digital store today for only $0.99!

https://digital.darkhorse.com/profil...nd-the-bprd-1/

[Penoy]

Gah! Bought it at full price since i was out of town and cant get to my box. Ah well it was worth it.

Anyway, great story. A bit short but I guess that's going to be resolved with the next issue/s.

[waamblem]

I imagine this would be a great jumping on point, since it's early in his life/career. Hellboy really isn't a chronological affair, so there's lots of room to just jump in somewhere.

I know Seed of Destruction #1 is technically #1, but it's really kinda the middle/coming of age story of Hellboy's whole story. Wouldn't you all kinda agree?