Baltimore: The Curse Bells #4
Written by Christopher Golden and Mike Mignola
Art by Ben Stenbeck
Colors by Dave Stewart
Letters by Clem Robins
Cover by Mike Mignola with Dave Stewart
Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: November 9, 2011
Cover Price: $3.50

A nearby town is in trouble and Lord Henry Baltimore is the only person who can keep the town safe from evil.

In Baltimore: The Curse Bells #4, Lord Henry Baltimore finds the enemy that he’s been searching for: Haigus. Lord Baltimore finds the vampire that killed his family who has also been captured in a holding cell just as Lord Baltimore has. Baltimore is torn between eliminating his long time foe, Haigus, and stopping the priest that is trying to use the cursed bells of the church to control the population of the nearby town. Will Baltimore do the right thing or choose to end his enemy forever?

B.P.R.D. Hell On Earth: Russia #3
Story By Mike Mignola & John Arcudi
Art by Tyler Crook
Colors by Dave Stewart
Letters by Clem Robins
Cover by Dave Johnson
Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: November 23, 2011
Cover Price: $3.50

From its first issue Mike Mignola and John Arcudi have been crafting B.P.R.D Hell on Earth Russia like a classic horror film. Every page of this comic has been dedicated to building tension. From the undead horrors patrolling the streets of Russia to the possessed psychics, Migola and Arcudi have left me wondering just what they have planned for this series. The tension continues to build with B.P.R.D Hell on Earth Russia #3 as paranormal detectives Johann and Kate dive deeper into the mysterious circumstances surrounding an unearthly coal mine. Finally Mignola and Arcudi begin to peel back the curtain to reveal the horrors they have created in B.P.R.D Hell on Earth Russia #3 and take us deeper into the nightmare.

Spaceman #1 (of 9)
Written by Brian Azzarello
Pencils by Eduardo Risso
Colors by Patricia Mulvihill and Giulia Brusco
Letters by Clem Robins
Cover by Dave Johnson
DC/Vertigo
Release date: October 26, 2011
Cover Price: $1.00

Brian Azzarello. Eduardo Risso. These are two comic creators whose names create instant excitement when attached to a new project, especially when they are on the same book, as they are with their new series from DC/Vertigo, which launches this week with Spaceman #1. Azzarello and Risso are the team that brought us a landmark run with their series 100 Bullets. They were also the team for possibly the best thing to come out of DC’s Flashpoint event, with their Batman: Knight of Vengeance mini-series. So, when they start a new project, it’s easy to get me and many other comics fans excited. It’s a good thing then that Spaceman is very good, because you do not want to see a bunch of fanboys get pissed off when things don’t live up to their expectations.

Abe Sapien: The Devil Does Not Jest #1
Written by Mike Mignola and John Arcudi
Art by James Harren
Colors by Dave Stewart
Letters by Clem Robins
Covers by Dave Johnson, Francesco Francavilla
Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: September 28, 2011
Cover Price: $3.50

Abe Sapien: The Devil Does Not Jest #1 was a twisty little read. Abe is one of my favorite characters from Mike Mignola. Unfortunately, a lot of folks have only the most basic exposure to this character thanks to the Hellboy movies, which don’t portray him in his best light. This comic brings a combination of Abe’s intellect and badassery to the printed page.

A simple trip to meet an acquaintance’s relative leads us to the beginning of a warped tale. A lot of this story is a build up to the last few pages, of which I can tell you nothing without spoiling it for you. That said, in this issue Abe brings the pain. Everything he does to his enemies is calculated and deadly…totally laid the smackdown on the hellish minions.

B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth: Russia #1 of 5
Written by Mike Mignola and John Arcudi
Art by Tyler Crook
Letters by Clem Robins
Covers by Dave Johnson
Dark Horse Comics
Release date: September 21, 2011
Price: $3.50

I’ve read plenty of Hellboy stories before, but no actual B.P.R.D. comics before, so I was excited to dive into the B.P.R.D. part of the Hellboy universe, which is exactly what I have done with B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth: Russia #1 (of 5). I was a little worried that I wouldn’t be able to follow the story or would get lost within it. The main reason I haven’t read any B.P.R.D. before is that even though I knew where to start, I was intimidated by the amount of stories that are out there. As it turns out, I didn’t have worry.

The most impressive thing about this issue was the accessibility of it. I was aware of a lot of the cast, whether from the Hellboy comics I have read, or from the movies or from just hearing about the characters from other comics fans. The recap page did a great job of catching me up to speed, and the story just took off from there and explained anything else I needed to know.