B.P.R.D.: The Soul of Venice and Other Stories
Encyclopedia
B.P.R.D.: The Soul of Venice and Other Stories is the second trade paperback collection in the Dark Horse Comics
B.P.R.D. series created by Mike Mignola
which collects the series of four one-shot comic books written by a variety of guest writers and artists and published bi-monthly to alternate with sister title Hellboy: Weird Tales
in 2003
, whilst Mignola was in Prague
working on the first Hellboy
movie.
with Mike Mignola and drawn by Michael Avon Oeming was published in B.P.R.D.: The Soul of Venice (May 14, 2003).
In the story Sapien returns to Venice
with Sherman, Kraus and Roger to investigate an environmental disaster in the canals that leads them to the haunted home of the debauched 13th century vampire
lord Romulus Diovanni. Diovanni defeats the B.P.R.D. and uses the Tetragrammaton
to summon the demonic Lord Shax to whom he offers the spirit of the Roman goddess Cloacina
. Shax dismisses Diovanni and Roger is then able to destroy the vampire and release the goddess to restore the city.
with art by Guy Davis was published in B.P.R.D.: Dark Waters (July 23, 2003).
In the story when the draining of the town pond in Shiloh, Massachusetts
reveals the perfectly preserved corpses of three sisters killed during a witch-hunt
in 1693 Sapien and Roger are sent to investigate. Pastor Blackwood a descendant of the town’s original Witchfinder General becomes possessed by the cursed water and attempts to destroy the bodies but Sapien is able to initiate a proper Christian funeral service for the sisters that sends them to their eternal rest taking Blackwood with them.
and Scott Kolins
with art by Scott Kolins and Dave Stewart was published in B.P.R.D.: Night Train (September 17, 2003).
In the story Lobster Johnson fails to stop a Nazi saboteur killing his assistant and destroying a train carrying scientists and equipment for the Manhattan Project
in Colorado
1939. Sherman and Roger investigate a vengeful ghost train in present day Alabama
that leads them to the now aged saboteur who imposes his aura on Sherman so the ghosts take her instead. Roger has a vision of the ghost of Johnson who helps him to prove himself by rescuing Sherman and apprehending the real saboteur.
with art by Adam Pollina
and Guillermo Zubiaga was published in B.P.R.D.: There's Something Under My Bed (November 19, 2003).
In the story when young Bobby McKenna becomes the latest child to be kidnapped by a demon called Charlie who lives under the beds in Masonville, Pennsylvania
, Corrigan sends Sapien, Sherman, Kraus and Roger to look over the rest of the town’s children. Sapien hides in a closet to confront Charlie and is teleported to where the children are being held. Charlie turns on his boss Oogie when he threatens to eat the children and Sherman arrives in time to rescue Sapien and the kids.
with art by Cameron Stewart
was premiered in this collection.
In the story Sapien, Krauss and Agent Turner from the London Office arrive in Bolgrad, Moldavia
in the aftermath of a zombie
attack that leads them to a 15th century chapel where latent psychic Robert Huntley has been possessed by the spirit of bloodthirsty tyrant and national hero Count Yegor Kurya who they quickly dispatch.
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
B.P.R.D. series created by Mike Mignola
Mike Mignola
Michael Joseph "Mike" Mignola is an American comic book artist and writer who created the comic book series Hellboy for Dark Horse Comics. He has worked for animation projects such as Atlantis: The Lost Empire and the adaptation of his one shot comic book, The Amazing Screw-On Head.-Career:Mignola...
which collects the series of four one-shot comic books written by a variety of guest writers and artists and published bi-monthly to alternate with sister title Hellboy: Weird Tales
Hellboy: Weird Tales
Hellboy: Weird Tales is a Dark Horse Comics bimonthly eight-issue comic book limited series that offered a variety of guest writers and artists the chance to give their own take on the Hellboy characters created by Mike Mignola whilst he was in Prague working on the first Hellboy movie...
in 2003
2003 in comics
-January:* January 2: Kid Colt artist Jack Keller dies at age 80.- April :* Action Comics #800: Double-sized anniversary issue, "A Hero's Journey," by Joe Kelly, Pascual Ferry, and Duncan Rouleau...
, whilst Mignola was in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
working on the first Hellboy
Hellboy (film)
Hellboy is a 2004 supernatural superhero film, starring Ron Perlman, John Hurt and Selma Blair, directed by Guillermo del Toro. The film is based on the Dark Horse Comics work Hellboy: Seed of Destruction by Mike Mignola. It was produced by Revolution Studios, and distributed by Columbia Pictures...
movie.
The Soul of Venice
This story written by Miles Gunter and Michael Avon OemingMichael Avon Oeming
Michael Avon Oeming is an American comic book creator, both as an artist and writer. He is known for using a stark art style to tell stories with sophisticated and mature subject matter.-Career:...
with Mike Mignola and drawn by Michael Avon Oeming was published in B.P.R.D.: The Soul of Venice (May 14, 2003).
In the story Sapien returns to Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
with Sherman, Kraus and Roger to investigate an environmental disaster in the canals that leads them to the haunted home of the debauched 13th century vampire
Vampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
lord Romulus Diovanni. Diovanni defeats the B.P.R.D. and uses the Tetragrammaton
Tetragrammaton
The term Tetragrammaton refers to the name of the God of Israel YHWH used in the Hebrew Bible.-Hebrew Bible:...
to summon the demonic Lord Shax to whom he offers the spirit of the Roman goddess Cloacina
Cloacina
In Roman mythology, Cloacina was the goddess who presided over the Cloaca Maxima , the main trunk of the system of sewers in Rome. She was originally derived from Etruscan mythology...
. Shax dismisses Diovanni and Roger is then able to destroy the vampire and release the goddess to restore the city.
Dark Waters
This story by Brian AugustynBrian Augustyn
Brian Augustyn is an award-winning comic book editor and writer. He has often worked, as both an editor and writer, with writer Mark Waid.-Biography:...
with art by Guy Davis was published in B.P.R.D.: Dark Waters (July 23, 2003).
In the story when the draining of the town pond in Shiloh, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
reveals the perfectly preserved corpses of three sisters killed during a witch-hunt
Witch-hunt
A witch-hunt is a search for witches or evidence of witchcraft, often involving moral panic, mass hysteria and lynching, but in historical instances also legally sanctioned and involving official witchcraft trials...
in 1693 Sapien and Roger are sent to investigate. Pastor Blackwood a descendant of the town’s original Witchfinder General becomes possessed by the cursed water and attempts to destroy the bodies but Sapien is able to initiate a proper Christian funeral service for the sisters that sends them to their eternal rest taking Blackwood with them.
Night Train
This story by Geoff JohnsGeoff Johns
Geoff Johns is an American comic book writer, best known for his work for DC Comics, where he has been Chief Creative Officer since February 2010, in particular for characters such as Green Lantern, The Flash and Superman...
and Scott Kolins
Scott Kolins
Scott Kolins is an American illustrator, writer and creator for multiple different superhero and science fiction comic books. His main credits are as a penciler but he is an established inker as well as colorist and has some credits as a writer.-Biography:...
with art by Scott Kolins and Dave Stewart was published in B.P.R.D.: Night Train (September 17, 2003).
In the story Lobster Johnson fails to stop a Nazi saboteur killing his assistant and destroying a train carrying scientists and equipment for the Manhattan Project
Manhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was a research and development program, led by the United States with participation from the United Kingdom and Canada, that produced the first atomic bomb during World War II. From 1942 to 1946, the project was under the direction of Major General Leslie Groves of the US Army...
in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
1939. Sherman and Roger investigate a vengeful ghost train in present day Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
that leads them to the now aged saboteur who imposes his aura on Sherman so the ghosts take her instead. Roger has a vision of the ghost of Johnson who helps him to prove himself by rescuing Sherman and apprehending the real saboteur.
There's Something Under My Bed
This story by Joe HarrisJoe Harris (filmmaker)
Joe Harris is an American comic book writer, filmmaker, and screenwriter. He made his big screen debut in 2003 with his screenplay for the Sony Pictures release Darkness Falls.-Career:...
with art by Adam Pollina
Adam Pollina
Adam Pollina is an American comic book artist and penciller. He is best known for his work on Marvel Comics' X-Force comic book.-Biography:...
and Guillermo Zubiaga was published in B.P.R.D.: There's Something Under My Bed (November 19, 2003).
In the story when young Bobby McKenna becomes the latest child to be kidnapped by a demon called Charlie who lives under the beds in Masonville, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, Corrigan sends Sapien, Sherman, Kraus and Roger to look over the rest of the town’s children. Sapien hides in a closet to confront Charlie and is teleported to where the children are being held. Charlie turns on his boss Oogie when he threatens to eat the children and Sherman arrives in time to rescue Sapien and the kids.
Another Day at the Office
This story by Mike MignolaMike Mignola
Michael Joseph "Mike" Mignola is an American comic book artist and writer who created the comic book series Hellboy for Dark Horse Comics. He has worked for animation projects such as Atlantis: The Lost Empire and the adaptation of his one shot comic book, The Amazing Screw-On Head.-Career:Mignola...
with art by Cameron Stewart
Cameron Stewart
Cameron Stewart is an Eisner Award and Shuster Award-winning and Eagle Award and Harvey Award-nominated Canadian comic book artist who has worked for DC, Marvel, and Dark Horse Comics.-Biography:...
was premiered in this collection.
In the story Sapien, Krauss and Agent Turner from the London Office arrive in Bolgrad, Moldavia
Moldavia
Moldavia is a geographic and historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester river...
in the aftermath of a zombie
Zombie
Zombie is a term used to denote an animated corpse brought back to life by mystical means such as witchcraft. The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotized person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli...
attack that leads them to a 15th century chapel where latent psychic Robert Huntley has been possessed by the spirit of bloodthirsty tyrant and national hero Count Yegor Kurya who they quickly dispatch.