Comic Review // Hellboy and the B.P.R.D: 1952
Early days. Rookie Hellboy. Field missions that go sideways fast. That’s the pitch, and honestly, it delivers.
1952 drops us into Hellboy’s first proper steps as a B.P.R.D. agent, and it’s less “seasoned demon investigator” and more “huge red problem with horns.” He’s rough around the edges. Awkward. Unsure of himself. And it works.
This isn’t bombastic, end-of-the-world Hellboy. It’s slower. More investigative. Creeping dread over explosive chaos. Witches, folklore, cold landscapes, the atmosphere does most of the heavy lifting, and it does it well.
What I really enjoyed here is the tone. It feels grounded. Focused. Smaller in scale but not in impact. You can see the DNA of what Hellboy becomes, but he’s not there yet. That development is the hook.
The art fits the mood perfectly, shadow-heavy, moody, restrained when it needs to be and unsettling when it counts. No wasted panels. No unnecessary noise.
Overall? I really enjoyed it. It’s tight storytelling with purpose, and it reminds you why the Hellboy universe has lasted this long.
And I’ll be honest, elements of this are absolutely going to start creeping into my Sector 102 projects. The folklore edge. The grounded occult tone. The sense that something old and patient is watching from the dark, white monkey monsters, and cyborg villains. Yeah. That’s sticking with me.
Quick read. Strong atmosphere. Rookie Hellboy is finding his footing. Well worth it.
