Hellboy summer camp with telepathy and potions training. No, really.

Do you or someone you know have a penchant for the supernatural? Do you like spending time in the great outdoors? Are you between the ages of 9 and 17? Will you be in Portland, Oregon, from July 16 to July 20? If so, Trackers Earth has the ultimate summer-camp experience for you!

Dark Horse Comics proudly announced a partnership with Trackers Earth offering officially licensed B.P.R.D. and Hellboy camps, made possible through the generous permission of Mike Mignola, creator of B.P.R.D. and Hellboy.

“Trackers Earth is part of what makes Portland such an interesting place to live, and the most fun place in the country to raise a kid. This year my 6-year-old did Trackers camps focusing on forest ninja skills and stealth archery, and attended a school of magic. I wish he were old enough for B.P.R.D. camp, and I can’t wait to participate myself,” said B.P.R.D. editor Scott Allie.

Trackers Earth is looking for a few good recruits that have got what it takes to join an elite team of paranormal investigators combating the forces of darkness from all across the globe. They immerse you in tactical training of all forms, including survival skills in any environment (both earthly and non), martial arts and self-defense specific to preternatural entities, hand-to-hand weaponry (foam swords, bows, and more) and forensic investigation. All these are key skills that every agent must have; plus, you will be steeped in the history of the Bureau and the legacy of paranormal research.

Recruits get actual field time during the entire camp. Learning is hands-on, with essential survival skills such as shelter building, stealth, and tactical and martial-arts training.

Younger Recruits, ages 9–10: Younger recruits train in survival and field skills in local green spaces. They also spend their day investigating the haunted history of our city, piecing together the larger mystery revolving around the legend of Adolph Aschoff.

Older Recruits, ages 11–13 and 14–17: Older recruits also investigate nearby “haunts,” then finally travel to Camp Trackers near Sandy, Oregon, to investigate reports of dark figures and strange happenings at the remnants of the old, defunct town of Marmot. Here they search for a legendary and lost pioneer cemetery (true story) to ask local specters and spirits about the town’s history and the legend of Adolph Aschoff, the man who is said to have sealed away an ancient evil upon the founding of the town.

Wednesday–Friday Overnight: Older recruits culminate their week with a two-night stay at Camp Trackers’ outdoor wilderness site in Sandy, Oregon. This is the perfect opportunity to focus on many of the skills taught at the camp.

The B.P.R.D. Training Camp includes:

• Tactical training
• Survival in any environment
• Martial arts and self-defense specific to preternatural entities
• Hand-to-hand weaponry (foam swords, bows, and more)
• Investigation and forensics
• Folklore and mythology
• Potions and charms 101
• Telepathy training
• Gadgets of the occult: EMF detectors, polarized lenses, and other paranormal investigative gear
• Comparative analogy and physiology of monsters
• Construction of your own quality foam swords and training weapons
• Meeting with the artists of the comic book that documents the adventures of the B.P.R.D.
• Bureau history and paranormal research

To find out more about B.P.R.D. Camp (AKA Hellboy Camp), head over to the official website.

Review: BPRD Hell on Earth Vol. 2 - Gods and Monsters

Review: BPRD Hell on Earth Vol. 2 - Gods and Monsters
from Dark Horse
On Sale February 1, 2012

It’s actually a challenge to find really good modern fantasy. That’s why UFN wanders, sometimes, into parallel universes, to find and report on things outside the norm, that isn’t what everybody else is reporting on.

This time, however, we don’t have to go any farther than the upcoming trade graphic novel from Dark Horse, BPRD Hell on Earth Vol. 2 - Gods and Monsters.

The Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense, as most comic book fans know, is the agency that Hellboy, Abe Sapien, Liz Sherman, etc. work for and with to protect America (and, really, the world) from supernatural threats. This volume’s lead story arc involves Abe and a teen girl on the run with other “nomads,” and this particular teen can see the future. It’s a handy skill to have when you need to keep a large group of people out of danger, but it’s not without its risks. The second half of the volume covers the curious tale of a grisly trailer park cult and focuses on Liz.

The art is not my favorite style, but the writing, and especially the dialog, is superb. People speak how people would actually speak. Events and interactions make sense. The story unfurls at a pace that doesn’t have me reading and re-reading every other page to try and figure out what’s going on (unlike some other books that I won’t mention here). The characters, even the bad guys, are enjoyable, interesting and compelling. I was hoping to see more of Hellboy (or any Hellboy, he doesn't appear in this volume) and Panya, but maybe next time.

BPRD is the perfect kind of tale for UFN, because it’s well-written urban fantasy that’s honest, gritty and clever. If you haven’t given these titles a look, please do, even if it’s at your local library. Chances are, you’ll be hooked.