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Wow.
Already being touted as a big issue, KING OF FEAR #4 blows away expectations and transcends “big”—pushing through to be only accurately described as epic.
Underneath the Agarthan Temple, Abe Sapien and the B.P.R.D. have not found Liz Sherman, but they have discovered, thanks to The Frogs and their leader, the makings of a new world, a world that Abe is heir to. Simultaneously, above ground, Liz is also being shown what her fate entails and it’s not pretty. Liz sees a ruined Earth, full of destruction and death as Memnan Saa guides her through and insists this vision is her own, with none of his manipulation.
Huge things are happening in the B.P.R.D universe and this HELLBOY spinoff reveals them in nothing short of a breathtaking manner. At heart, it’s about Abe and Liz learning and accepting who they are and their relation to what’s about to come. Their journeys parallel each other, as both characters meet anger, denial and eventually some sort of clarity along the way. As fully realized, longstanding and extremely well written characters (thanks to Mike Mignola and John Arcudi), Abe and Liz emotionally resonate with readers very easily. If you’re invested in them, it’s not a stretch to say you’ll to be affected by KING OF FEAR #4.
What takes the atmosphere to another level is the stunning art from Mignola, Guy Davis and colorist Dave Stewart. While you’d regardless feel the weight of what’s facing the protagonists, the way it’s visualized will make you mimic the characters’ awe-inspired faces while you read at home. The last six pages especially shine as Abe and Liz’s paths converge and leave the issue on one hell of a note.
Building toward what looks to be an incredible conclusion, KING OF FEAR #4 is a must for any fan of B.P.R.D. If you haven’t been paying close attention to the series, waiting for the collected trade paperback of this story might be your better route as being dropped in the middle of it all can be hard to get your head around. It is strongly recommended, though, that you just seek out the three previous issues immediately and get up to speed. It is that good.
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