The Good
Mike Mignola teams up with Scott Allie, Jason Latour and Dave Stewart for part two of B.P.R.D.: HELL ON EATH - THE PICKENS COUNTY HORROR. If a horror comic is what you're looking for, then you'll find that they certainly accomplished that in this issue. The creative team successfully captures elements of horror and suspense in this book, partially because the reader won't quite know what's going on at first. Initially, the tone and mood of the story is relaxed, but this shifts drastically and quickly as the story progresses. Mignola and Allie relay a sense of panic and quickness, as if all hell has broken loose. There's an overwhelming sense of anxiety that seems to spill off the pages as well. This anxiousness and the increased pace of the plot is what leaves readers guessing, and it's really nice to see Latour and Stewart's art relay those same sentiments in their panels as the story progresses. This issue feels like a classic horror movie. The increased rate at which events occur in this issue will throw you off guard at first, but you will quickly realize that it aids in the storytelling.
I think my favorite thing about this issue is the fact that it didn't hold your hand. Usually I like a story is conveyed at a steady pace, but I think that if the pacing in this issue were slower it would have taken away from the sense of anxiety, excitement and suspense that the creative team was trying to relay. Even the art oozed this sense of rapidity.
If you've had just about enough vampire stories (thanks, Twilight) you'll find that this is nothing like the vampire stories you are familiar with. The vampires in this issue feel more like vampires we have seen in 30 Days of Night, for example, then anything else.
The Bad
There have been many times where I've found B.P.R.D. books to be accessible to new readers; this is not one of those times. Make sure you read the first issue or you'll find yourself completely at a loss as to what is actually going on in this issue. There is no brief recap of the events of the first issue, the story simply picks up where the last one ended under the assumption that you (the reader) are already up to speed.
The concepts were a little bit confusing at times, and some things remain unclear (like the relationship between the vampires and the mushrooms).
The Verdict
Mignola and Allie take elements you'll find in the classic horror genre and implement them into every fiber of this issue; which is what makes it so interesting. It was great to see the art shift and become more panicky as the pacing of the story increased, The only thing I really had a problem with in this issue is that it left new readers in the dark; however, if you read the first issue you should have no problem following along. Like most B.P.R.D. books, although this is issue #2 of 2 it does still feel somewhat unfinished. Perhaps because their work is never really done. Overall solid story and great art. These are not your Twilight vampires.
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