B.P.R.D. Omnibus, Volume 4

B.P.R.D. #10-11,14

by Mike Mignola, John Arcudi, Guy Davis (Illustrator)

The Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense sends its team to permanently wipe out a subterranean colony of frog monsters.

The team tracks down Memnan Saa’s hideout, but soon find themselves in over their heads when old enemies—including the Black Flame—arrive to lay waste to the world.
 
Mike Mignola and John Arcudi are joined by Guy Davis to close out the Plague of Frogs in this omnibus collection of the B.P.R.D. series!
 

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Horror, Fantasy, Comic Book, Fiction, Science Fiction

456 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 20, 2012

About the author

Mike Mignola was born September 16, 1960 in Berkeley, California and grew up in nearby Oakland. His fascination with ghosts and monsters began at an early age (he doesn't remember why) and reading Dracula at age 13 introduced him to Victorian literature and folklore from which he has never recovered.

In 1982, hoping to find a way to draw monsters for a living, he moved to New York City and began working for Marvel Comics, first as a (very terrible) inker and then as an artist on comics like Rocket Raccoon, Alpha Flight and The Hulk. By the late 80s he had begun to develop his signature style (thin lines, clunky shapes and lots of black) and moved onto higher profile commercial projects like Cosmic Odyssey (1988) and Gotham by Gaslight (1989) for DC Comics, and the not-so-commercial Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser (1990) for Marvel. In 1992, he drew the comic book adaptation of the film Bram Stoker's Dracula for Topps Comics.

In 1993, Mike moved to Dark Horse comics and created Hellboy, a half-demon occult detective who may or may not be the Beast of the Apocalypse. While the first story line (Seed of Destruction, 1994) was co-written by John Byrne, Mike has continued writing the series himself. There are, at this moment, 13 Hellboy graphic novel collections (with more on the way), several spin-off titles (B.P.R.D., Lobster Johnson, Abe Sapien and Witchfinder), three anthologies of prose stories, several novels, two animated films and two live-action films staring Ron Perlman. Hellboy has earned numerous comic industry awards and is published in a great many countries.

Mike also created the award-winning comic book The Amazing Screw-on Head and has co-written two novels (Baltimore, or, the Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire and Joe Golem and the Drowning City) with best-selling author Christopher Golden.

Mike worked (very briefly) with Francis Ford Coppola on his film Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992), was a production designer on the Disney film Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) and was visual consultant to director Guillermo del Toro on Blade II (2002), Hellboy (2004) and Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008). He lives somewhere in Southern California with his wife, daughter, a lot of books and a cat.

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is often referred to as the Scorched Earth trilogy. They are meant to be read together so this omnibus collection works out wonderfully. Everything from the beginning of Plague of Frogs comes to a head and is dealt with leading into Hell on Earth. Truly epic in scope. Just when you think this story couldn't get any bigger, it does.

[Diz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The agents of the B.P.R.D. fight against earth-shattering cataclysms of a Lovecraftian nature. Just when you think it can't get any crazier, it does. It's amazing that the agents keep their cool when the world seems to be collapsing around them.

For this omnibus version, there is an interesting section at the end with production drawings that goes over the design process for characters and covers that appear in this volume. I always love to see production art. It's a chance to peek behind the curtain of the comics making process.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well what can I say, the next (and final) volume arrived in the post and I could not resist reading - it all!

This is the last of the collected War of frogs storyline - which encompasses several other side stories as well I might add. the variety and range of the stories I think adds to the impact - rather than going for one headline rush towards the final confrontation there are several side excursions which I feel add to the characters and the magnitude of the situation.

Another thing I liked about this book is the continuity of the art and prevention. I know this is a petty bug of mine but hey I am a notice to comic books and graphic novels - but I am sure if i was to take a book and change the type face and the style of narrative through the course of the book people would pick up on it and say something - well that is what I feel when I pick up a collected works and see that the artist has changed or that they have a new member of the team who wants the change things. But thankfully in this book it does not happen or if it does they then are sympathetic enough to try and keep things consistent which for me is brilliant.

as you would expect the end really leaves far more questions than it does answers but considering they story carries on but now as part of the Hell on Earth series it has to encourage the reader to want to go out there and see what happens next (which I will admit I am seriously considering) so for me this is really just one story in a far bigger picture - I have no idea where that will go or what I will find but what I have seen so far I am really impressed with and I am looking forward to seeing what happens next.

[Maksym Karpovets · Rating 5 out of 5]

Мені трішки менш сподобався цей том, але завершення однаково дуже епічно й водночас трагічне. Якось цей том мене найбільше засмутив із усіх. Історія справді стає все більш драматичною. У цьому є своя логіка: чим більше вимальовуються і прописуються персонажі, тим більше їхні взаємини стають близькими до життя. Тому жоден персонаж не залишає серію без травми, а дехто змінюється на все життя. Від цього ще більш цікаво буде читати наступну фазу про бюро й сольну серію про Ейба. Усе ж, Міньйола та Аркуді далекі від життєвого реалізму, тому тут досі присутні лавкрафтівські монстри, містика й езотерика, а також незмінні художник і колорист. Правда, присутні востаннє.

Як і я передбачав у попередньому огляді, потрібно все ж розібратись із видінням Ліз Шерман. Воно все більше нагадує апокаліпсис, який наче невідворотний. Але ми вже мали купу проблем із жабами в Небрасці, як же тоді впоратись зі світомим катаклізмом? Проблема посилюється ще й тим, що до жаб приєднуються союзники, які виринали ще в першому томі, у Гімалаях. Здається, вони керуються різними цілями, але якщо з'являється потужний лідер, то суперечливі шляхи сходяться воєдино. Цікаво, що лідер тим і тих вже нам знайомий, тому мені було несподівано цікаво знову його зустріти.

Загалом, наприкінці історії багато вибухів, монстрів і видінь. Дуже цікаво спостерігати як Ґай Девіс малює батальні сцени й великі машини/механізми/створіння, а також масштабні знищення міст і цілих країн. Відтак, маємо декілька просто вражаючих розворотів, які так добре контрастують із більш локальними сценами. Загалом, усі нитки стягуються у єдину і, що найважливіше, цілісну картину, яку Міньйола вже давно мав на увазі. Дивуєшся тому, наскільки цілісно й комплексно він бачить усю історію, зберігаючи її тяглість і причетність до Гелбоя, окремих лінійок та відгалужень. Це справді винятковий, цікавий і потенційно глибоквий світ, сповнений таємниць і людських драм. Мені самому дивно, що я так полюбов героїв, кожного і кожну по-своєму, які спочатку - ще від часів Гелбоя - не несли аж настільки потужного емоційного відголоску. Тепер мені хочеться читати абсолютно все, що пов'язано із міньйоловерсом, а деякі речі ще й перечитувати.

[The Lion's Share · Rating 5 out of 5]

And so the plague of frogs end. Leaving on a cliff hanger.

Such an in depth series. I could read it forever.

[RG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this wrap up of the frog story. The Liz story really intrigues me. Johaan is still my favourite. Really want to read some of the stories where Hellboy is with the group.

[Orrin Grey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the one of these I sat down here to write a review for, before seeing that I hadn't reviewed the others like I thought I had. I'd already read all the B.P.R.D. comics in trade format, of course, but the hardcovers have since replaced them in my collection. They're sharp, readable, and they contain everything that the trades contained, plus a little more.

The previous volume contained my favorite of all the B.P.R.D. trades, but this is probably the best complete volume of the four. Containing the entire "Scorched Earth Trilogy," a three-part series meant to be read just like this, as one long story, it's even better in one unit that it was divided into three trades. Guy Davis really outdoes himself on this one, and the whole thing is pretty spectacular. My favorite part, though, may be Davis' "Latchkey Memories from Crab Point" essay about watching fictional Mexican Lobster Johnson movies when he was a kid. So good.

[Siona Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great conclusion to the Plague of Frogs series. I definitely should have read this before the Abe Sapien series. I think Liz is now tied with Hellboy and Abe as my favorite character in this series. Also, can we talk about why there isn't a series set in Hyperborea? That would be the coolest shit ever!

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

The epic "Plague of Frogs" saga comes to an end. It's been a fun journey getting to know and love these characters while Hellboy is off doing whatever it is he's doing.

Overall I've found both the quality of writing and art to be excellent throughout the series and I'd highly recommend anyone grabbing the omnibus editions as the stories flow really well.

A great conclusion, can't wait to see what comes next.

[Абрахам Хосебр · Rating 4 out of 5]

Заключний том Жаб'ячої Війни містить три історії (15 випусків), котрі насправді є частиною однієї великої картини.
Мемнан Саа і останнє повернення Лобстера, Єті, Робото-Краби, Оґру Хеми і тажмниче месіанство Ейба.
Арт Ґая Девіса, до якого звикаєш, але все ще хочеться більше деталей.
Загалом, гарна кінцівка, котра насправді є прологом до Кінця Світу.

[Václav · Rating 5 out of 5]

The finale of "The Plague of Frogs" is epic. It's worth all that struggle. All those bumps on the road. May things are concluding, even if it's not ending. Not at all. I love Hellboy and I wish that BPRD would be a bit like his stories. More investigative, less epic battling and task forcing emerged threads. Like in The Universal Machine. But BPRD is not Hellboy and if I accept that I won't get more of that gloomy paranormal investigations, but I will get some paranormal action, I do enjoy it. Hellboy and his stories are more contemplative, BPRD is more fast-paced. And that's not only one difference. As Duncan Fegredo's art lingers close to Mignola's with Hellboy stories, Guy Davis gives BPRD its very own face, all different from Mignola's style.
BPRD is different from Hellboy and those who expect Hellboy without Hellboy will be confused. But BPR is great, even it the start is rough and slow, it gets its own story, style, art and pace and it is great. BPRD is great comics adventure, it's clever, thrilling and it has very nice and distinctive art.

[Cale · Rating 4 out of 5]

The most challenging thing about the BPRD Plague of Frogs series has been figuring out the right order to read them. These omnibus editions help that a lot. This is a collection of three Graphic Novels, The Warning, Black Goddess, and King of Fear. I'd read King of Fear before, but having it in context increased its value a lot. This is tagged as the conclusion of the Plague of Frogs, but that's only because it's setting up the even larger Hell on Earth series. And this book is epic in some places; huge battles with monstrous gigantic creatures, massive destruction of cities and countries; the stakes are huge, and the BPRD isn't winning - most of the time they barely have any idea what's going on. Still, even with the massive scope, the story still focuses on Abe, Kate, Liz, Johann, and a small selection of others. It is their story, told a grand scale, and it is stunning. I look forward to getting into the next phase of the stories.

[Melissa McShane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This wraps up the Scorched Earth trilogy and the larger Plague of Frogs storyline. There's really too much to talk about to do this justice, but I liked the way the story wrapped up--by which I mean I hated what happened to Liz even though it was necessary and right. I'd like to see more of Panya in future volumes. I want Johann to man up and get over the loss of his body. And I want desperately to know what Liz is going to do with her life now.

[Aildiin · Rating 4 out of 5]

For me the serie goes crescendo as each book is better than the previous one and this final Plague of Frogs book is by far the best. There is a lot of action and Guy David keeps improving his art.
The one small caveat is that far from everything get resolved at the end.( not all is fair and well in BPRD land...)

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent conclusion to an epic tale.

[Mariano · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most underrated series of this century. It's such a pleasure and a joy to read!!!

[Ken Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cant believe they did roger dirty like that, also this is great.

[Kyle Dinges · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is absolutely one of my favorite BPRD collections. It works especially well having the 3 separate books collected together here, because I think it lets you get the satisfying conclusion to the Plague of Frogs that's been building for years and it allows the final of the 3 books to act as an extended epilogue and introduction for the next phase of BPRD. Taken by itself, book 3 might have felt like too much world building, but you're coming off the climax of the first 2 books so it works extraordinarily well.

I found the ending of Plauge of Frogs to be thoroughly satisfying. One of the best parts about this part of the series is that Mignola and Arcudi's plotting and Arcudi's scripting manage to pull of a balancing act between cinematic, apocalyptic action scenes and wonderful character work. It's the character work that really elevates the collection. None of the core characters come out of this arc unscathed...In fact most of them have been fundamentally broken or altered. Liz is put through the ringer, John has an incredibly dark couple of chapters, and Abe is just trying to hold everyone together while dealing with the fallout from his own recent personal discoveries.

Couple the writing with the art by Guy Davis and Dave Stewart and you've got some really great comics work. Having Davis be able to pencil the entire collection gives it a more consistent feel and these characters are thoroughly his, by this point. I also continue to enjoy all of the sketches and backmatter that we get at the end of each collection.

This 4th BPRD collection serves as a satisfying conclusion to the Plague of Frogs phase and a good hook for the next phase that follows. It's a must read for anyone who is interested in the Hellboy universe.

[Zare · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a conclusion to the series.

I especially liked the way characters get fleshed out - Kate, ever protecting, mother of the team, Liz Sheridan coping with her pyrotechnic power and Memnan Saa's depiction of the incoming doom, Abe feeling all down because he can sense something is coming but he cannot put his finger on it so he soldiers on, Roger's death heavily burdening him, Davon, the ultimate scholar/skeptic but one that truly tries helping the team and Johann ... man this guy is so egoistic and self-centered it is beyond belief.

Finally I now understand how Abe started to receive all kind of hate from BPRD team that forced him to go on solo journey to come to terms on what he became - Black Flame's prediction of future truly spoiled the relationship between Abe and BPRD team. I need to read books in sequence from now on :)

Also joining of forces between the frogs and King of Fear's people now lead by pretty crazed up Black Flame shows how things are spiraling towards the utter catastrophe.

Memnan Saa started as a villain of sorts but proved to be on the side of the good (at least against the Frogs and their allies). His actions though (readiness to allow part of humanity to be destroyed for others to live) would make him antagonist to BPRD. Which is unfortunate because egomaniac or not he knew what they were up against as follow up BPRD story lines will prove and his actions can be seen as justified at later time.

Excellent read, highly recommended to all fans of Hellboy universe.

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you read the Afterword in this volume and learn that this 15-issue story was concocted by Mignola and Arcudi as an attempt to take a huge step forward for the BPRD and move away from the Plague of Frogs, it puts its rapid pace into perspective. Tons of character and plot threads come crashing together, either resolving or, if not, twisting in ways that push the narrative forward. It's almost a breakneck pace at times. But, damned if that doesn't make for a thrilling read. A couple of writers who do not at all seem afraid to disrupt their own status quo and reach for new, bigger ideas. It's a thrill to read, and I can't wait to (finally) see where it goes next.

[Shane Perry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plague of Frogs reaches its climax. Loved this quite a bit, especially the hints at what’s to come with the BPRD and Hellboy. Arcudi is an excellent writer and Guy Davis’s art is great. A fun read across four volumes. Excited to start Hell on Earth

[Tatiana Alejandra de Castro Pérez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Este volumen finaliza el arco de Una plaga de ranas y es todo un broche de oro para la historia. Los tres tomos se leen del tirón por el ritmo que tienen y cómo lo cuentan. Toda una gozada de leer y releer.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 1/2 stars

[Joseph R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

More adventures with the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense!

1. The Warning--Abe has been trying to find Ben Daimio though bigger issues pull him away. Liz Sherman gets kidnapped by the mysterious stranger that has been haunting her, causing a lot of problems for the Bureau and for the world at large. The whole team heads to Germany where they make some very unhappy discoveries. The plague of frogs is not quite over as new players start stirring up trouble and the bleak fate of the world (i.e. the victory of the frogs) looms again. The story is a little choppy and seems more like a transition from one narrative to another, larger narrative. This is one of those plots that need to be read in context to understand what is going on.

2. The Black Goddess--The team pulls out all the stops to rescue Liz from Memnan Saa/Martin Gilfryd, a sorcerer who has been alive since the 1860s. He fought with Lobster Johnson, so Kate interviews the last member of Johnson's gang as Johann and Abe search through Johnson's old headquarters for clues. Their information leads them to a snowy Asian mountain where Memnan Saa is preparing for the war to come. The story ends with a narrative cliffhanger as an old character is reintroduced.

3. King of Fear--Kate and Johann work to resolve the Lobster Johnson situation as Abe and the rest of the crew work wind up fighting the titular King of Fear, who turns out to be The Black Flame. The Black Flame has been living underground for years and is working with the frog people and the Hyperboreans to get ready for the next step in evolution, something the rest of the world, and certainly the B.P.R.D., probably doesn't want to happen. The story is exciting with a lot going on and many portents of doom. Having read most of the stuff that comes after, it's both disheartening and impressive to see how early a lot of plans were laid. I enjoyed the development of the characters, especially some minor ones like Devon (a regular human B.P.R.D. agent).

These stories mark the transition from the Plague of Frogs storyline to the Hell on Earth saga. The personal stories of Liz and Abe are the most interesting, though both of them are moving to darker futures.

Mildly recommended--you have to be a fan of the series to get what's going on.

[Rick Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

With this volume, the first portion of Mike Mignola's B.P.R.D. comes to a close. The opening few stories felt like Mignola testing the waters for how well received the ancillary cast of Hellboy would be, and built the spin-off title into something equally compelling and added significant texture to the already well realized world cultivated from the main title. This omnibus edition collects "The Warning", "The Black Goddess", and "King of Fear", all illustrated by Guy Davis, whose contributions to the series cannot be understated.

The stories here form a continued narrative where the collective cast of the B.P.R.D. set forth to destroy the subterranean colony of frog monsters all while they continue to tackle their own personal demons. Liz Sherman and Lobster Johnson serve as the most compelling two characters in this coda to the "Plague of Frogs" saga, where both play pivotal roles here.

It's Guy Davis' artwork here that allows this series to be differentiated from the talents of Mignola's own Hellboy series, as his designs allow for more whimsy and energy. Where Mignola excels in cultivating a sense of dread and unease, Davis' work is more action heavy and kinetic. It's an interesting duality struck between the two series, but it works really well. It's no surprise to see that Davis achieved Eisner Award recognition for his work here since it is truly elevated stuff.

[Nate]

The final Plague of Frogs collection contains three arcs that roll right into each other for a single story. It’s an ambitious undertaking that covers a lot of ground. The scope of the story - and the Hellboy universe as a whole - expands quite a bit in this book, and it seems to be the point when Mignola and Arcudi realized just how big everything was becoming. That said, I found the storytelling here be somewhat convoluted. It’s very plot-driven, which is fine, but the constant focus on the big picture means that emotional and character moments don’t always have the impact they should. Some of the nuance I love from B.P.R.D. is lost. The narrative is very dense and not as smooth as previous arcs; I found myself struggling to keep track of things from time to time, even if I got it by the end. Overall, I enjoyed reading this but I think the execution could have been better.

I understand this leads right into Hell on Earth, which of course I plan to read. I hope it’s on par with Plague of Frogs. Since Mignola is involved, I have to reason to believe it won’t be at least good.

I have to give it to Guy Davis. He draws the hell out of these issues. All those double-page spreads and action scenes are glorious, giving the story the epic feel it needs.

[Owen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most cohesive, epic read of all the giant-sized B.P.R.D Plague of Frogs volumes, Vol 4 doesn't disappoint.
The art is the best yet in the series. We actually get full-page (and I believe double-page) spreads here drawn in beauty and detail by Davies. Arcudi and Mignola's story is on a grander scale than ever before. Everything about this volume is big and fantastic, while keeping enough focus on character and the realistic tone (this is kind of how I'd expect a government sponsored semi-military unit to behave).
Each of the three mini-series is strong this time around. The Warning echoes back to the first tale in Vol 1, Hollow Earth, and gives Johann a really great part at the end. The Black Goddess is yet another 'search for Liz' tale but it's got a massive, beautifully-drawn battle going for it, and a pretty interesting villain (is he even a villain?). Finally, King of Fear. It has a slight pacing problem (it's hard to balance epic world-changing action scenes with political investigations) but it still manages to end on a hugely surprising note.

Every bit of this is fun. I'll admit that the first couple of volumes of Plague of Frogs are imperfect, but they're all worth it because you get so much payoff in this volume. It's just non-stop. It's great. Read it.

[Mykhailo Gasyuk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Спочатку бійня з штучними істотами у Німеччині, далі бій проти одразу двох ворожих сил, коли настає час визволяти Ліз. Сюжет закручується та змінюється, і коли здається, що залишилось подолати лише одну проблему, хай і глобальну, згадується сцена із 3-го тома Хеллбоя якраз перед битвою з Чорним Драконом. Це майже потрійний апокаліпсис, який можна було зупинити лише страшною ціною. Але ніхто цього не зробив, бо це означало б втратити себе (та й ті, хто давав поради, не викликали довіри). Вихід, втім, знайшовся…

Тут персонажі з інших серій Хеллбойверсу нарешті отримують своє: комусь дістається спокій у вічній битві, а комусь - тинятися примарою та насилати видіння.

Фінал “Жаб'ячої Чуми” вийшов легендарним та запустив наступний епік - “Пекло на Землі”. Так, було трохи сумно читати про те, що сталося з командою Лобстера, але враховуючи всі його попередні пригоди, по іншому статися й не могло.

Чорне полум’я нарешті розкриває свій задум, але не встигає переконати Ейба слідувати своєму плану. Хоча інші після цього почали остерігатися Ейба.

А ще знов будуть шукати Ліз Шерман. Чи ні? За сцену з нею і Хеллбоєм можна аплодувати стоячи.

Тепер БРПД стало міжнародною організацією, а сам світ різко змінився, опинившись на краю прірви.

[S.S. Julian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Volume 4 of the Plague of Frogs brings the BPRD team to an epic conclusion that finally ties together a lot of the open questions floating around the various crazy things that happen to them, and in which we finally find out what the heck Memnan Saa's deal is.

This is more of the same. If you like John Arcudi and Guy Davis, you'll enjoy this. I kind of like the dispassionate approach it takes to all the insane drama of the story. It seems to have little sympathy for any of its characters, leading to a dry, terse, serious plot about absolutely batshit insane combination of things. This has gone beyond an occult/cosmic horror story to a straight up paramilitary organization over its head in an apocalypse. It's pretty unique in that sense. What I love best about the series is the dry tone occasionally surprises you with absolutely hilarious turns. I also appreciate that it's comfortable skipping forward in time, rather than depicting everything that happens. This really feels like a story that happens over a period of years, and has a measure of sophistication for that.

[Travis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some more interesting and rather extreme developments in the plot line. My thoughts come full circle; when I read all the Hellboy omnibus volumes, near the end I wondered what was going on in the larger B.P.R.D. setting, and now I'm trying to remember what Hellboy was up to at this time, particularly in the scene featuring Mignola's art, which I am fairly sure I saw before.

I'm finding myself a bit annoyed with the characters. They keep encountering people who-- while admittedly rather megalomaniacal-- claim they can save the world, or at least part of it. Then they destroy the person and/or their organization. And then things get worse. I'm not sure if this is intentional in how the story is written, or if it is more an effect of genre: the story was originally published in serialized format for an audience that usually reads about superheroic figures reactively responding to dangers by clobbering villains; it may be too much to ask that the characters engage in research and an attempt to understand what is going on and how best to respond.