‘Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: 1957–Family Ties’ (review)

Written by Mike Mignola, Chris Roberson
Art by Laurence Campbell
Published by Dark Horse Comics

Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: Family Ties is fine enough as a one-shot concept: Set in 1957 Dayton, Ohio, Hellboy and psychic Susan Xiang are hunting down a paperback copy of Gustav Strobl’s Witchcraft & Demonology, which has been printed in paperback. Yup, they’re still cleaning up that jerk’s mess.

See, the book is full of real spells and really works. So Hellboy and Sue have spent weeks on the road tracking down every copy of the book so that ordinary citizens aren’t out here making literal hell break loose. And this brings them to the door of the Stemple family.

The basic structure of the story is sound. Sue is griping to Hellboy regarding her frustrations working for Professor Bruttenholm. You know, Hellboy’s adoptive father and all. And this is mirrored by the Stemple family’s issues that a demon is mining.

But other than just saying there’s a parallel, the storytelling doesn’t do much else. I was looking for something more substantial.

Gladys Stemple’s domineering mother weighs down the entire family, with her constant criticisms of Gladys, her husband, and her son. But how exactly does that relate to Hellboy or Sue’s own struggles within the BPRD?

Hellboy and others within the B.P.R.D. chafe at times against the Professor ways of running the bureau, and Hellboy himself struggles with his place in the world and nature of his existence. But, please, tell me how this correlates to Gladys’ life of her mother belittling her?

The horror elements are strong, though. Laurence Campbell produces detailed, dark images that have heft and grit to them. And Dave Stewart’s color palette in the town streets that Hellboy and Sue patrol carry the energy of Andrew Wyeth’s stark realism that carries a sense of foreboding.

The slow-drip horror of hearing Gladys’ mother yelling from deep within the house is effective, if predictable. And it’s a lot of Hellboy seeing horror stuff and replying with “aw, damn” and “yikes” undercuts the horror and keeps things at the surface level.

And while it’s great that the victory in the story hinges on Gladys finding the backbone to cast out the demon and stand up to her mother, I do wish a true parallel had been drawn.

For me, I need more story if we’re going to keep returning to the Hellboy well.