Wow. WHAT happened?! When did Mike Mignola start churning out such cruddy comics? Is it the demands of putting out so many comics each year for so many titles that’s finally done him in? Is Scott Allie to blame? Either way, I don’t remember disliking Mignola’s books quite this much before, especially not Abe Sapien, my second favourite character in the Hellboy universe. But. Wow. This fifth Abe book is complete and utter shit!
The world has gone to hell and monsters roam the earth. Abe might have something to do with it and he might have something to do with saving everyone. Either way, he’s going to wander about, heading to where he transformed from a man into a fish monster, in the hope of finding… something.
The miserable stories collected in Sacred Places see Abe rescuing Grace, an abused woman who’s lost her family, from a nutjob who’s also the victim of abuse; witnessing a healer attempt to cure the son of a couple who’s slowly transforming into a frog; going fishing in a pool where a woman takes off her limbs to clean them; and fighting wolves in some podunk town. But take my word for it, NOTHING happens in any of them.
I remember when Abe had a personality. It was great! Since his secondary mutation though he’s become a total blank. He’s become a one-dimensional protagonist wandering around even more boring stories than you’d ever imagine reading from Mike Mignola.
Literally the only positive I can think of is Sebastian Fiumara’s art when he draws the wolves attacking Abe - he communicates speed very well in those panels. The ONLY positive! And it’s so small.
I’m sure Abe is going to play a big part in how Hell on Earth comes to a close but seriously guys, if you haven’t got anything for him to do, maybe not publish any more Abe Sapien comics until you do? Because the shockingly poor quality of Sacred Places is making me question whether reading any of the other Hellboy titles is even worth it.
Abe Sapien, Volume 5: Sacred Places
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