3 out of 5

Calling this a ‘starting point for new readers’ is something of a stretch – it’s as much a starting point as any self-contained arc, I’d say – but ‘equation’ is a fun piece of monster-dom either way.

Filling in what happened after / during the broken transmission from Johann last arc, we see a B.P.R.D. team tracking down some Japanese scientists who reveal the subject of their studies: another scientist who, after having visited another dimension, has returned to this dimension – not speaking, not moving, but give him pen and paper and equations and images are written or drawn.  It’s a cool and creepy setup (god pless the Mignolaverse), and artist Joe Querio gives us both the insanity of the monstern-stewn landscape and the dank disarray of the underground labs (with obvious nods to color maestro Dave Stewart for adding to the environs).  Querio drawns like Crook but know how to drop out / sharpen up details more effectively when panels get insane, leading to some really awesome battle sequences.  …Which ends up being important, when a creepo that the scientist has sketched emerges from a portal and then issue #123 is a freaking kaiju battle.  …Which is really the only reason I’m knocking this mini-arc down some pegs, because the background is interesting and the monster battle is entertaining but the clean-cut mash-up between the two equals a minor result, as neither side gets ample build up.  Not that a monster battle needs build-up, but it’s sorta just like plot, plotCUE THE FREAKING MONSTERSOKAY and then some thoughtful dialogue in the last panel.  Fun books, and I’m sure, knowing this crew, we’ll get some eventual followup on the bits and pieces, and narrowing it down to two issues felt like a forced attempt to stick to the “new reader”-friendly claim on the cover of #122.