B.P.R.D. vol. 1: Hollow Earth and other Stories.

This book is the first in the compilation series that focuses on B.P.R.D, the Boureau for Paranormal Research and Defense.

Hollow Earth

The main story serves to present the supporting group of characters that helped Hellboy in his career, both in fiction and in popularity among friends.

Liz has being kidnap by down-Earth people that has taken her from a monastery in the Himalayas. The whole group of paranormal employees fight to death to rescue her.

That's the excuse to see the first days of  Liz in the B.P.R.D headquarters, how Hellboy, the only one that could survive her powers eruptions, gave her a lollypop and became friends. And how Abe really cares about her.

The story was wrote by Mignola, Christopher Golden and Tom Sniegoski. The penciller was Ryan Sook with inks by himself and Curtis Arnold and colors by Dave Stewart. Letters by Clem Robins.

The book is completed with some short stories. There is a three page  teaser of the series that appeared in Dark Horse Extra.

The Killer In My Skull

The first story of Lobster Johnson. In the 30s the killer brain has a body puppet to commit crimes. A joke that in Mignola hands (pencils by Matt Smith and inks by Ryan Sook) turns into a great mini-story.

Abe Sapien Versus Science

From the point of view of my favourite character in this series we can see how Abe help Roger to return to life. It was a need to bring him to the series and an easy to recognize friendship that is founded on the feeling that they are the same kind of "living experiments".

Drums of the Dead

Abe stars in the first story of Hellboy without, well, Hellboy. He is going to take the remains of the victims of an slavery ship that were thrown overboard by the captain. Demons and sharks. But Abe could see underneath the surface and understand the situation. A touching story.