SOUČÁST HELLBOY UNIVERSA

Na úsvitu žabího moru Ú. P. V. O. spojuje své síly s armádou a společně se pouštějí do pátrání a ničení žabích hnízd, roztroušených po celých Státech. Ocitají se tak na nejrůznějších, mnohdy bizarních místech, odstavenou lodí po- čínaje a prapodivným církevním shromážděním konče, nemluvě o místě, kde Hellboy na žabí netvory narazil poprvé – v troskách kdysi honosného sídla Cavendish Hall. ( )

Probably closer to a 3.5 than anything else. This is a bunch of one-off stories featuring the BPRD shooting, blowing up, immolating, etc. the frog monsters from the past several stories with a few surprises along the way. The Johan story is good and creepy, and the Liz Sherman story is kind of sweet (and also creepy), but for the most part this just feels like a lot of filler and loose ends getting tied that didn't really need it. ( )

Back in history we go, again. This volume is mostly a rehash of what's been going on, demonstrated with some little side stories of the fighting of frogs that we hadn't seen before. Kind of boring since we've already dealt with the frog battles on smaller levels, but they were still good stories. I was quite fond of the last chapter, 5, with Liz and a new girl as the focus.

I really loved Herb Trimpe and Karl Moline's art, and am sad Herb wasn't able to ink his own, as I much prefer his style to Guy Davis'. I enjoyed John Severin and Peter Snejbjerg's art also, and more especially Bjarne Hansen's color work on Snejbjerg's art, a couple spots in particular were exquisite, like the couple two-page spreads near the end of his chapter. ( )

War on Frogs could do with some slowing down and introspection. It's a series of short stories taken from the earlier years of the Frog War, and it's a pleasure to see Roger and Daimio again. So far, it's been rather episodic and big-frog-go-boom, which is not why I read these books. It's struck me how far from Mignola's original creepy-beautiful/occult-humour the series has gone. That's okay, in a way - it needed to grow in different directions - but this isn't a good entry so far; too crash-bang, not funny enough, and too superficial.

Note, guys: here's a reason Mignola didn't favour a rear angle on Roger. We don't want to see his grey butt hanging out with the big metal ring dangling in front. Not everyone is Mike Mignola, but please, some dignity here.

This volume provides more detail about what was going on in the agency while Liz was under the spell of the lotus, through the eyes of agents without super-powers. ( )