The Hellboy Project: B.P.R.D. Vol.11: The Black Goddess

Written by Mike Mignola and John Arcudi
Art by Guy Davis

There's little better in comics than when a long-running storyline starts to reach its conclusion, and tons of disparate plot threads connect and overlap, just as the pace and energy of the book goes through the roof.

That's basically what happens here, as the BPRD, with a contingent of American soldiers travel to the Chinese/former-Soviet border to track down Liz Sherman and her kidnapper, only to face off against a massive force of frogs and the creatures that they fought way back in Volume 1.

There are giant yeti, golden dragons, monks that seem to appear and disappear at random, and huge subterranean bug-like creatures.  There is also Martin Gilfryd, who now calls himself Memnan Saa.  Gilfryd is an interesting character - he's been set up as a villain (especially in the Lobster Johnson mini), but as you read through this book, you have to question if he hasn't perhaps been misjudged.

In amid all the chaos of this book, the writers have found plenty of time to focus on the characters.  Johann is not acting like himself these days, and Kate demonstrates her strengths in a terrific scene where she interviews a former partner of Lobster Johnson to learn about Gilfryd.  As I read more of these books, I find that I love them more and more.  I can't wait to see how this whole thing wraps up in the King of Fear.