Abe Sapien is one of my favorite Hellboy characters. His look is so thoroughly alien, but he'sm far more in touch with his humanity than many of those "regular people" around him. I can't wait to see more of the big-screen version of the character -- complete with stitled David Hyde Pierce voice -- in the spring. Here, Joe Harris offers up a fun story that strikes me as being a lot like Monsters Inc.... had it been penned by John Carpenter or Stephen King.
Children have begun to disappear, and the common thread in all the kidnapping cases is the fear exhibited by each of the victims prior to abduction -- a fear of imaginary monsters under the bed or in the closet. It's a typical childhood fear, but the fact that the kids are gone seems to point to something more sinister, and it attracts the attention of the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense. Abe Sapien leads a team of investigators, but the amphibious agent soon finds himself separated from his colleagues and face to face with the rather carnivorous threat behind the kidnappings.
Adam Pollina's exaggerated and elongated style is a far cry from that of B.P.R.D. creator Mike Mignola, but he nevertheless conveys the same sort of alien elegance that makes Abe Sapien such a visually striking character. I like that Pollina maintains an extreme and edgy atmosphere while instilling lighter, humorous qualities in the art that are in keeping with the dichotmous tone in the script. The dark, muted colors add to the supernatural and tense mood at play in the story as well.
In this story, Abe steps into the role of the easy-going leader, a role once reserved for Hellboy. He fills it well. I love the casual, matter-of-fact tone in XX's dialogue. It instills a great, everyman quality in the protagonist, and that makes for an interesting contrast with his inhuman appearance and extreme skills.
Harris takes a cute idea -- imaginary monsters under the bed -- and transforms it into something horrific. But what's interesting about this story is that the writer doesn't leave all of the cuteness behind. It makes for some comedic moments, as does Abe's interaction with the young victims of the monsters' crimes. This is a light, inconsequential story, yes, but it's an entertaining one as well.
Note: This comic book was not among this week's new releases.
