B.P.R.D.: Hollow Earth and Other Stories

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B.P.R.D.:
Hollow Earth
& Other Stories
B.P.R.D. Hollow Earth and Other Stories.jpg
Trade Paperback Cover
Publication information
Publisher Dark Horse Comics
Format Trade Paperback
Genre
Publication dateJanuary 29, 2003
Main character(s)
Creative team
Created by Mike Mignola
Written by
Artist(s)
Inker(s) Curtis Arnold
Letterer(s)
  • Clem Robins
  • Dan Jackson
  • Pat Brosseau
Colorist(s)
Editor(s) Scott Allie
Collected editions
B.P.R.D.: Hollow Earth & Other Stories ISBN   978-1-56971-862-9

B.P.R.D.: Hollow Earth & Other Stories is the first trade paperback collection in the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (B.P.R.D.) series.

Contents

Collected stories

Hollow Earth

This was the first B.P.R.D. mini-series. Three issues long, it was written by Mike Mignola, Christopher Golden and Tom Sniegoski with art by Ryan Sook and Curtis Arnold. It was published from January to June 2002. [1] [2] [3] [4]

Hellboy novelist Golden and his long-time writing partner Sniegoski wrote the story with regular input from Mignola. Sook was chosen to draw the book following a meeting with Mignola at a convention in Oakland, CA in 1995 and saw it as a chance to have a book all to himself although Arnold joined as inker when schedules started running tight halfway through production. [1]

The story features Dr. Kate Corrigan, Abe Sapien, Roger the Homunculus, and newcomer Johann Kraus on a mission to rescue Liz Sherman. Hellboy also makes appearances via flashbacks. [1]

B.P.R.D. Promo

A newspaper-format promotional teaser for the series titled B.P.R.D.. It was published as three single-page installments in Dark Horse Extra from December 2001 to February 2002, featuring the first appearance of Johann Kraus.

The Killer in My Skull

Originally published as a back-up feature in Hellboy: Box Full of Evil #1 (September 1999). [5] Lobster Johnson made his first appearance in this written by Mike Mignola, with pencils by Matthew Dow Smith and inks by Ryan Sook (in his first contribution to the series).

In the story, Johnson and his sidekick investigate a series of bizarre deaths which appear to have been committed using telekinesis. [1]

Abe Sapien versus Science

Originally published in 1999 as a back-up feature in Hellboy: Box Full of Evil #2 (September 1999). [6] Abe Sapien made a solo appearance in this written and inked by Mike Mignola and with pencils by Matthew Dow Smith.

In the story, Sapien rescues and reanimates Roger the homunculus when B.P.R.D. scientist Dr. Roddel threatens to dissect him just as Abe recalls he threatened to do with him when he was first discovered. [1]

Cover by Mignola for Abe Sapien: Drums of the Dead. Drums of the Dead.jpg
Cover by Mignola for Abe Sapien: Drums of the Dead.

Drums of the Dead

Originally published as the main feature in the one-shot Abe Sapien: Drums of the Dead (March 4, 1998) with the Hellboy short story Heads by Mike Mignola as the back up feature. [7]

Abe Sapien made his first solo appearance in this story written by Brian McDonald with art by Derek Thompson.

Series editor Scott Allie had been in discussions with Brian McDonald about his next project after the success of Harry the Cop and Hellboy creator Mike Mignola had been considering using Derek Thompson on a Hellboy and so it naturally evolved that the two friends should end up working together on this project. [1]

In the story, weird deaths in the South Seas expose an ancient tragedy linked to the transatlantic slave trade. [1]

Collected editions

Trade paperback

All the stories have been collected into one trade paperback:

B.P.R.D Omnibus Edition

The trade was later collected as a part of the Plague of Frogs cycle in the B.P.R.D. Omnibus format, along with The Soul of Venice & Other Stories and Plague of Frogs . This format is available in both hardcover and paperback editions.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hellboy</span> Comic book superhero

Hellboy is a superhero created by Mike Mignola and appearing in comic books published by Dark Horse Comics. The character first appeared in San Diego Comic-Con Comics #2, and has since appeared in various miniseries, one-shots and intercompany crossovers. The character has been adapted into four live-action films: Hellboy (2004) and its sequel The Golden Army (2008), a 2019 reboot film, and The Crooked Man, another reboot scheduled to release in 2024. The character also appeared in two straight-to-DVD animated films and three video games – Dogs of the Night (2000), The Science of Evil (2004) and Web of Wyrd (2023).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense</span> Fictional government agency

The Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense is a fictional organization in the comic book work of Mike Mignola. The B.P.R.D. originally appeared in the Hellboy comics and has since become a major part of its expanded universe, where it was supposedly founded by the United States and United Kingdom governments, and charged with researching the occult, paranormal and supernatural, and also defending against their dangers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abe Sapien</span> Fictional character in the comic book series Hellboy

Abraham Sapien, born Langdon Everett Caul, is a fictional character in the comic book series Hellboy, created by Mike Mignola. He takes his name from "Ichthyo sapien", the fanciful species designation chosen for him by his colleagues in the 19th-century Oannes Club, and from Abraham Lincoln, on whose assassination date the Oannes Club abandoned Abe's body in a suspended animation tank beneath a Washington D.C. hospital, leaving only a cryptic note as explanation. He is occasionally referred to as an "amphibious man."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Mignola</span> American comic artist and writer

Michael Mignola is an American comic book artist and writer best known for creating Hellboy for Dark Horse Comics, part of a shared universe of titles including B.P.R.D., Abe Sapien, Lobster Johnson, and various spin-offs. He has also created other supernatural and paranormal themed titles for Dark Horse including Baltimore, Joe Golem, and The Amazing Screw-On Head.

Ryan Sook is an American comic book artist, known for his work on books such as Seven Soldiers: Zatanna, X-Factor and The Spectre. His style has been compared to that of Mike Mignola, Adam Hughes, and Kevin Nowlan.

Elizabeth Anne "Liz" Sherman is a fictional character appearing in the Hellboy comic book series created by Mike Mignola. A firestarter, she becomes a ward of the B.P.R.D. at age 11 after burning her family to death in a traumatic accident. Sherman later hones her abilities and becomes a longtime field agent for the Bureau alongside Hellboy and Abe Sapien.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Arcudi</span> American comic book writer

John Arcudi is an American comic book writer, best known for his work on The Mask and B.P.R.D. and his series Major Bummer.

Katherine Corrigan is a fictional character from the Hellboy and B.P.R.D. comic book series published by Dark Horse Comics and created by Mike Mignola. Her appearance is based on Mignola's wife, Christine. Within the world of the comics, dubbed the "Mignola-verse", Corrigan acts as B.P.R.D. field leader to "enhanced" agents including Hellboy, Abe Sapien, Roger the Homunculus, Liz Sherman and Johann Kraus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Allie</span> American comics writer and editor

Scott Allie is an American comics writer and editor, best known as an editor and executive at Dark Horse Comics from 1994 to 2017. During this time he edited works including Hellboy and related series, and The Umbrella Academy. He continued editing for Dark Horse as a freelancer, until the company severed ties with him in 2020 amid allegations of sexual misconduct.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lobster Johnson</span> Comic book character

Lobster Johnson is a fictional character featured in the Hellboy and Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense comic books published by Dark Horse Comics. He was created by Mike Mignola.

<i>Hellboy: Wake the Devil</i>

Hellboy: Wake the Devil is a five-issue comic book mini-series in the Hellboy franchise, conceived and illustrated by Mike Mignola and published by Dark Horse Comics. Various elements and sections of plot were later used in the animated film Hellboy: Blood and Iron.

<i>Hellboy: The Chained Coffin and Others</i> Trade paperback collection of the Hellboy series created by Mike Mignola

Hellboy: The Chained Coffin and Others is the third trade paperback collection in the Hellboy series created by Mike Mignola, published by Dark Horse Comics on August 5, 1998. The book collects various mini-series, one-shots and back-up features featuring the fictional paranormal detective Hellboy.

<i>Hellboy: The Right Hand of Doom</i> Fourth trade paperback collection in the Hellboy series

The Right Hand of Doom is the fourth trade paperback collection in the Hellboy series created by Mike Mignola published by Dark Horse Comics on February 4, 2004 which collects various mini-series, one-shots and back-up features featuring fictional paranormal detective Hellboy.

<i>B.P.R.D.: The Soul of Venice and Other Stories</i>

B.P.R.D.: The Soul of Venice & Other Stories is the second trade paperback collection in the B.P.R.D. series.

<i>Hellboy: The Troll Witch and Others</i>

Hellboy: The Troll Witch and Others is the seventh trade paperback collection in the Hellboy series and published by Dark Horse Comics on October 3, 2007. It collects various mini-series, one-shots and back-up features featuring fictional paranormal detective Hellboy.

<i>B.P.R.D.: Plague of Frogs</i>

B.P.R.D.: Plague of Frogs is the third trade paperback collection in the B.P.R.D. series.

<i>B.P.R.D.: Garden of Souls</i>

B.P.R.D.: Garden of Souls is the seventh trade paperback collection in the B.P.R.D. series.

The Hellboy Universe is the fictional universe of the Hellboy comic and its various spinoffs, created by Mike Mignola. Its first appearance was in a black-and-white, four-page promotional comic by Mike Mignola with a script by John Byrne published by Dark Horse Comics in San Diego Comic-Con Comics #2, distributed at San Diego Comic-Con. The Hellboy Universe currently spans over eighty trade paperbacks. It is also sometimes informally called the "Mignolaverse".

<i>B.P.R.D.: The Black Flame</i>

B.P.R.D.: The Black Flame is the fifth trade paperback collection in the B.P.R.D. series.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Mignola, Mike (2006). B.P.R.D. Vol. 1: Hollow Earth and Other Stories. Dark Horse Comics.
  2. "Mike Mignola's B.P.R.D.: Hollow Earth #1 (of 3)". Dark Horse Comics. Archived from the original on 22 February 2009. Retrieved February 18, 2009.
  3. "Mike Mignola's B.P.R.D.: Hollow Earth #2 (of 3)". Dark Horse Comics. Retrieved February 18, 2009.
  4. "Mike Mignola's B.P.R.D.: Hollow Earth #3 (of 3)". Dark Horse Comics. Retrieved February 18, 2009.
  5. "Hellboy: Box Full of Evil #1 (of 2)". Dark Horse Comics. Retrieved February 18, 2009.
  6. "Hellboy: Box Full of Evil #2 (of 2)". Dark Horse Comics. Retrieved February 18, 2009.
  7. "Abe Sapien: Drums of the Dead". Dark Horse Comics. Archived from the original on 15 February 2009. Retrieved February 18, 2009.
  8. "B.P.R.D. Plague of Frogs - Volume 1". DarkHorse.com.