We continue with my deeper re-read of the B.P.R.D Omnibus series, which is part of the Hellboy universe. I won’t repeat everything I said about the B.P.R.D., so read the first posting.
The B.P.R.D. comic series changed, now being called Hell on Earth, as a new phase in the approaching Ragna Rok happens. We moved out of the “war on frogs” to new and deadlier threats from more awakened Ogdru Hem. New monsters, creepier monsters. We see society breaking down, new cults that sometimes worship these things emerging, and traditional religions collapsing. There is a giant monster in the Salton Sea; Indonesia is largely gone; Houston is destroyed; something is going on in the U.K.; etc.
We had shake-ups in our main team, as well as new people joining in the last volumes. We will see more new people join as well in these volumes, both among the regular B.P.R.D. agents as well as the “enhanced team.” And the B.P.R.D. will meet their Russian counterparts of the Secret Science Service, which had been headed by Varvara, but is headed by someone else.
Omnibus Vol. 5
In “New World” Abe Sapien is looking into strange sightings and small towns going vacant in British Columbia. This all seems to be centered around a strange woman carrying a baby and her companion. And who is the man who seems to be following with a small coffin? We finally find out what Captain Daimio and Daryl have been doing, as they help Abe put an end to an emerging Ogdru Hem. Meanwhile, Panya seems to be getting more involved in the activities of the B.P.R.D., but is also acting mysterious, as is Johann. Devon is just being a pain. And Dr. Corrigan is forced to deal with it all, now in charge at headquarters while the Director is dealing with the U.N.
“Seattle” is a short piece set in, well, Seattle. I think this is the first time we formally meet B.P.R.D. agent Carla Giarocco. We learn she has a 3-year-old son. Carla is one of a handful of regular agents we see in this series, which provides us a more normal and grounded look into what is going on in the action.
In “Gods,” after the destruction of Houston in a volcano, many people have become nomadic, moving where they can. One group we focus on is sort-of led by a young girl named Fenix, who seems to have a sixth sense about impending doom and is able to lead the group away in time. The B.P.R.D. is interested and is looking for her. When Abe and Devon find her, she guns down Abe, saying she knows what he is (or will become). And Devon does nothing. Abe is taken away, in a coma. Will he survive?
In a flashback scene, we learn about the emergence of a few Hyperborean monks after the fall of Hyperborea, and maybe the one who has been helping in the past, named Shonchin. We’ll see more of him going forward.
Liz has been AWOL, and in “Monsters” we finally learn where she’s been. She’s been hiding out with some people in a trailer park, but things go sideways when she has to deal with an emerging cult that isn’t above killing people.
We finally meet the B.P.R.D.’s Russian counterpart in “Russia.” Dr. Corrigan and Johann are invited to visit by their director. The SSS is dealing with a strange outbreak of people turning into monsters, tied to something they are trying to deal with in a coal mine. They meet the SSS director: Iosif Nichayko. He is, or was, a WWII-era Soviet sailor who was trapped in a sub and turned into some kind of zombie. Abe encountered him in a stand-alone adventure. He somehow came back to life but must exist in a water-tight containment suit. While he seems friendly and open, he clearly will go to any lengths needed to stop the threat.
With a squad of special Russian troops, Johann will enter the coal mine to put a stop to things: an emerging fungoidal Ogdru Hem. No one gets out alive. Thankfully, Johann isn’t alive. But he now gets a new and better containment suit, courtesy of Director Nichayko. And we’ll find out what happened to the prior director of the SSS: Varvara. And Abe seems to be changing…
We see the Director “clean up” things with a few scientists who were ‘touched’ by the Ogdru Hem. So you’ll see the lengths he’ll go if needed. Sadly, one of them gets away. No biggie, right?
And we get a little update on what ZinCo is doing in NYC, and get a return of a couple of people I think most thought dead way back in one of the first Hellboy stories.
Finally, “Unmarked Grave” is a short piece set in the U.K. Dr. Corrigan hopes to meet up with the Munich cop she’s been having a relationship with. She winds up finding out what happened to Hellboy (as seen in his series at the time). And gets some bad news of a personal nature.
Omnibus Vol. 6
In “The Devil’s Engine” we have two main storylines. In one Devon is working to get Fenix to B.P.R.D. HQ. Due to ash in the atmosphere, they have to take the train. But Fenix senses danger and they get off before it crashes. They work to get across on foot but are soon menaced by hammerheads. Through a lot of luck and a maneuver that reminds me of Tremors, they survive.
Meanwhile, we see what is going on over at ZinCo. Marsten is bringing his assistant Evelyn more into what he is doing. She will be up to her neck in it almost to the end, sadly for her. We also see our buddies Leopold Kurtz and Karl Kroenen building some new body for some purpose. Strangely, it looks like it has some kind of arm/hand like Hellboy had. But it’s not successful and they destroy it. Then Evelyn finds something better that the B.P.R.D. has: one of the remaining superbodies created by the Oannes Society. But can they get ahold of it?
“The Long Death” finally gives us a conclusion to a storyline: what is the fate of Captain Daimyo and Daryl? Johann leads a team with Giarocco to look for the Captain again, when they are attacked by the were-jaguar. Most are killed, other than Giarocco. Johann tries again with a team led by Agent Nichols. They fight Daimyo who later fights Daryl. Who wins? Well, they do find a dead body, Daimyo’s. What does that mean?
So those who have read the series know that way back around WWII, the vampire elders decided that all vampires would hide and build up in secret for a “vampire apocalypse.” In “The Pickens County Horror” we’ll see how that goes. A couple of B.P.R.D. agents are checking out reports of strange fungal growths and deadly mists. They find a vampire researcher hiding out from a nearby vampire clan. They have been building up their numbers. But they didn’t count on what the Ogdru Hem would bring. In the end, only one agent gets out, Vaughn. We will be seeing more of him…
So the B.P.R.D. resident source of bizarre information has been crazy Professor J.H. O’Donnell. But how did he gain his knowledge and be so crazy? Well, in “The Transformation of J.H. O’Donnell,” which flashes back to a mission with Hellboy, we’ll find out.
In “The Abyss of Time” a trio of agents finds an abandoned temple of the Helioptic Brotherhood of Ra in Chicago. There, one of them, Ted Howards, picks up a Hyperborean sword and goes into a trance. The other two are confronted by a member of the Brotherhood and get into a gunfight, killing them all. What happens to Howards?
Howards finds himself hundreds (thousands?) of years in the past, as a neolithic warrior, Gall Dennar. His father, the chief, has been slain. The sword, found by his grandfather in the ruins of a Hyperborean city, is infused by the spirit of a slain Hyperborean warrior. Gall Dennar’s people are threatened by the “cold people,” a sort of zombie race. Tracking them, they are led to a former Hyperborean temple, now given over to the worship of the Black Heccata. And the leader of the cold people is trying to bring about one of the Ogdra Hem. Will he succeed or will Gall Dennar and the others stop him?
Finally, in “The Return of the Master” we learn what happened to that one scientist who escaped from the Russian SSS. And a few other things as well. This guy, Lazar, escaped to Scotland and is building up a following. And something seems to be powering him. Director Nichayko asks for help, and the B.P.R.D. sends a group led by Agent Giarocco. But things look dire when Lazar is able to summon what can only be called zombie frost giants. Is Lazar somehow channeling Rasputin?
Fenix is now at B.P.R.D. HQ, and Panya tries to help her, but Fenix freaks out and sneaks out.
Our friends at ZinCo are able to convince the B.P.R.D. to turn over the superhuman body to them (the one they got from the Oannes Society). But they seem to be trying to find a human soul located near the imprisoned Ogdra Jahad. Is it Rasputin? Is this meant to house Rasputin’s soul? But instead, it’s another soul, and an old foe of the B.P.R.D. is reborn.
And when he emerges, things go crazy around the world as more Ogdra Hem emerge. Including one in Scotland which threatens the remains of the B.P.R.D. team. But when things look bad, the SSS shows up to save the day in a somewhat familiar aircraft. Oh, and we get an update on Liz, and it’s not good.
So next we move to vols. 7 and 8, the former Hell on Earth omnis vols. 3 and 4. What’s going to happen as Liz is still missing, Fenix has left, the Ogdra Hem seem to be winning, and while Rasputin isn’t back, a very dangerous foe has returned?
