Rise of the Black Flame

[thwhtGuardian]

do I understand this correctly that this mini can be read with little to no knowledge of the main BPRD series which just finished?

While it's true that the works of Mike Mignola in the Hellboy Universe have spanned almost 25 years of continuous narrative that can seem too rich and dense for new readers to just jump in and pick up there has in recent years been a rise in one and done stories that are only tangentially related to the main series and this is probably the best and most accessible of the bunch.
Aside from a fleeting reference to a prior supporting character, Edward Gray, all the characters are brand new and although the Black Flame is itself a reoccurring villain as this is an origin of sorts you don't need to know anything about him.

What I liked most was the art by Christopher Mitten, I'd never heard of him before this but his work is seriously some of the best I've seen in the Mignolaverse, aside from Mike himself.

[timbolton]

Rise of the Black Flame #1

This new title really hits the ground running! I adore the art (kudos to Mitten and Stewart) and the writing is definitely in good hands with Roberson now – I think he had a shaky start with the Ashley Strode story but then I believe he didn’t have the normal amount of time to write.

And we have a new time period for adventures, the 1920s, nicely cushioned between the late Victorian and Edwardian period of Edward Grey and the 1930s of Lobster Johnson. We have two likeable characters in the form of McAllister and Sandhu, here’s hoping they make it through the series to continue. We also have the wonderful Sarah Jewell (and travelling companion Marie-Therese Lafleur) who is going to be able to walk in both Edward Grey’s world and McAllister’s time period.

The story is gripping so far, the Ogdru Jahad/Black Flame link is tantalizing, though I can definitely see trouble ahead with both their drunken guide, Farang, and what they will find at the temple.

Stand out moments were definitely the Grey flashbacks, loving those insights into further adventures of the Victorian detective – the beast of Ludgate Circus – possible awakened Ogdru Hem? Loving the Roman connection again, especially after re-reading the Hellboy and the B.P.R.D. 1953 story with the witch and the Roman soldiers. I think we need a Roman B.P.R.D. comic!

Then we rush through other flashback scenes with Jewell – love the art on these, the poltergeist, the fantastic manticore (Jewell’s harem attire was cool), the Memnan Saa Yeti cultist and I so want to read more about the Louisiana Bayou lizardmen!

But the icing on the cake? Three words…

Silver

Lantern

Club.


Do you know how long I have wanted to see those words back in a Mignolaverse comic? I was so disappointed when the proposed Silver Lantern Club story failed to materialise so many years ago after getting little nods in Hellboy and elsewhere, and I know there is still the chance we will one day see more stories involving it, but to just see that one panel, Jewell looking so happy (and Grey looking none too happy) entertaining the men of the club with a story. THAT WAS FANTASTIC!

We need TALES OF THE SILVER LANTERN CLUB like now!

Rise of the Black Flame is a little gem in the making and I can see it being a great hit with me. Look forward to future instalments, so glad I am not a trade-only collector.

Oh and I so knew Matt Strackbein would be a tad upset…


EDIT: I read the Mignolaversity review after writing the above (on purpose, because Mark and I quite often hit the same notes and likes) and I wasn't disappointed - both reviewers saw the potential for follow-on stories that I am hoping for, great to think alike

You can read it here - http://www.multiversitycomics.com/re...black-flame-1/

[MajorHoy]

do I understand this correctly that this mini can be read with little to no knowledge of the main BPRD series which just finished?

Just read issue #1 and, yes, it can be read / understood without having knowledge of the recent stories in B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth.

(I can say this with confidence because I haven't regularly been reading that title nor Abe Sapien; my preferences are towards pre-end-of-Earth titles like Lobster Johnson, (Sir Edward Grey) Witchfinder, and the Hellboy & the B.P.R.D. runs currently set in the 1950s.)

[thwhtGuardian]

Rise of the Black Flame #1

This new title really hits the ground running! I adore the art (kudos to Mitten and Stewart) and the writing is definitely in good hands with Roberson now – I think he had a shaky start with the Ashley Strode story but then I believe he didn’t have the normal amount of time to write.

And we have a new time period for adventures, the 1920s, nicely cushioned between the late Victorian and Edwardian period of Edward Grey and the 1930s of Lobster Johnson. We have two likeable characters in the form of McAllister and Sandhu, here’s hoping they make it through the series to continue. We also have the wonderful Sarah Jewell (and travelling companion Marie-Therese Lafleur) who is going to be able to walk in both Edward Grey’s world and McAllister’s time period.

The story is gripping so far, the Ogdru Jahad/Black Flame link is tantalizing, though I can definitely see trouble ahead with both their drunken guide, Farang, and what they will find at the temple.

Stand out moments were definitely the Grey flashbacks, loving those insights into further adventures of the Victorian detective – the beast of Ludgate Circus – possible awakened Ogdru Hem? Loving the Roman connection again, especially after re-reading the Hellboy and the B.P.R.D. 1953 story with the witch and the Roman soldiers. I think we need a Roman B.P.R.D. comic!

Then we rush through other flashback scenes with Jewell – love the art on these, the poltergeist, the fantastic manticore (Jewell’s harem attire was cool), the Memnan Saa Yeti cultist and I so want to read more about the Louisiana Bayou lizardmen!

But the icing on the cake? Three words…

Silver

Lantern

Club.


Do you know how long I have wanted to see those words back in a Mignolaverse comic? I was so disappointed when the proposed Silver Lantern Club story failed to materialise so many years ago after getting little nods in Hellboy and elsewhere, and I know there is still the chance we will one day see more stories involving it, but to just see that one panel, Jewell looking so happy (and Grey looking none too happy) entertaining the men of the club with a story. THAT WAS FANTASTIC!

We need TALES OF THE SILVER LANTERN CLUB like now!

Rise of the Black Flame is a little gem in the making and I can see it being a great hit with me. Look forward to future instalments, so glad I am not a trade-only collector.

Oh and I so knew Matt Strackbein would be a tad upset…


EDIT: I read the Mignolaversity review after writing the above (on purpose, because Mark and I quite often hit the same notes and likes) and I wasn't disappointed - both reviewers saw the potential for follow-on stories that I am hoping for, great to think alike

You can read it here - http://www.multiversitycomics.com/re...black-flame-1/

That pretty much sums up my feelings as well. As much as I loved Frankenstein Underground and Sledgehammer this one really opened up the world and made me want more.

[caramon]

Just read issue #1 and, yes, it can be read / understood without having knowledge of the recent stories in B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth.

(I can say this with confidence because I haven't regularly been reading that title nor Abe Sapien; my preferences are towards pre-end-of-Earth titles like Lobster Johnson, (Sir Edward Grey) Witchfinder, and the Hellboy & the B.P.R.D. runs currently set in the 1950s.)

That's great, thank you that is pretty much my background as well. Picked it up anyway :-)

[grogtheslayer]

Poor Matt Strackbein, he must be tearing his hair out over the (prequel) return of the Black Flame.

[middenway]

I did an interview with the Christophers.

[timbolton]

Over on the Art of Mignola FB feed they have posted a preview of issue 2 -

http://www.cbr.com/excl-preview-rise...black-flame-2/

[thwhtGuardian]

Man, I really loved this second issue. Occasionally there can be a slight drop off in excitement and tension from issue 1 to 2 but not here, if anything the energy has just continued to grow which is fantastic.

I think what I like most about this series so far though is the way it subtly deals with the issues of race and colonialism inherent in the period; they don't whitewash the issues and they don't lecture on the ills of the time...they just lay it out there in black and white and allow us readers to intellectualize it ourselves which is very refreshing. For more in depth views I reviewed it here

[seusilva]

Well, I read issue #3 and, despite not many things happening, the art and the dialogue remains very good! And for the first time in some years we saw a frog again... Probably in trades it will be a more immersive experience, but its a interesting series. Kill the Black Flame!

[The Lobster]

I really thought she got cut in half here

Rise of the Black Flame #3 (of 5) (2016) - Page 15.jpg

[thwhtGuardian]

I really thought she got cut in half here

Rise of the Black Flame #3 (of 5) (2016) - Page 15.jpg

Yeah, that's probably my only complaint so far, the art in the action scenes was a little too muddled.

[zerodemon]

Issue 4 was a quiet, amazing issue. I don't like the odds for three of our four remaining heroes.

And the portrayal of the Black Goddess as an actual being instead of just a statue... oof. I'm ready to pledge my allegiance right now.

Edit: Is anybody else feeling like I am; The Black Goddess and Hecate are two distinct entities? I'm thinking that The Black Goddess is Ereshigal, who bestowed power upon both Hecate and The Ogdru Jahad (explaining that reference to Hecate being a sister to the OJ) as well as upon The Black Flame. This kinship between these three avatar beings explains a little of how The Black Flame was recently able to draw power from and dominate(?) the Ogdru Jahad on earth.

I'm going to put something together about my theory, because it's pretty extensive and runs right the way through the Hellboy mythos, including my theory as to why the destruction of the Black Flame and the first Ogdru Jahad was actually a really, really bad idea.

[thwhtGuardian]

Issue 4 was a quiet, amazing issue. I don't like the odds for three of our four remaining heroes.

And the portrayal of the Black Goddess as an actual being instead of just a statue... oof. I'm ready to pledge my allegiance right now.

Edit: Is anybody else feeling like I am; The Black Goddess and Hecate are two distinct entities? I'm thinking that The Black Goddess is Ereshigal, who bestowed power upon both Hecate and The Ogdru Jahad (explaining that reference to Hecate being a sister to the OJ) as well as upon The Black Flame. This kinship between these three avatar beings explains a little of how The Black Flame was recently able to draw power from and dominate(?) the Ogdru Jahad on earth.

I'm going to put something together about my theory, because it's pretty extensive and runs right the way through the Hellboy mythos, including my theory as to why the destruction of the Black Flame and the first Ogdru Jahad was actually a really, really bad idea.

Yeah, I definitely think they are two different entities, with Hecate perhaps aping the Black Goddess after her fall. Whether she repeated those motifs purposefully or bore them as perhaps an avatar of the Black Goddess is hard to say though.

Anyone else feel that Farang is Distell, the "original" Black Flame? And perhaps the girl they are looking for or the girl they just found in the jungle will turn out to become Kamala?

[thwhtGuardian]

While it was far from a terrible issue I thought it was a pretty poor conclusion. I mean, given the very title of the book and how close it takes place to the Lobster story the ending itself was a no brainer: we were going to see the birth of the Black Flame. While it delivered the goods on that front it was pretty empty emotionally; we already knew we were going to see the flame emerge so there was no shock and because it was more action orientated we didn't get any other insight either making it feel rather empty. On top of that the other characters that had been built up so beautifully in the previous issues were just set dressing here so there wasn't much in the way of a cathartic release for them either.

I think that if we had gotten just one more of those quick scenes with the Black Goddess as Distell/Farang transformed it would have brought it together just a bit more and without that it ends up feeling incomplete.

On the bright side Mitten's art was fantastic, the scenery he gave us imbued the story with a real sense of place, cementing you into the story and making it feel so real.