The Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense is an organization imagined by Mike Mignola the author/artist of Hellboy (as well as the title of a spin off comic).
Begun during WWII to counter the Nazi´s weird occult experiments in trying to bring about the return of the "old gods" and their Wagnerian version of Rangarok (the Norse apocalypse), the BPRD was made up of various mystics, clairvoyants and mediums, untill the day they intercepted Hellboy.
Now some 50 years latter they are a workdwide organization dedicated to battling the dark side of the occult and the paranormal wherever it rears it´s ugly head.
Hellboy has at this time left the group, but they have several other interesting field agents including Abe Sapien (think Creature From the Black Lagoon, Liz Sherman a pyrokinetic, and Roger a 500 year old Golem.
Published by Dark Horse Comics B.P.R.D. is a three issue mini series.
Written by: Mike Mignola & Chris Golden & Tom Sniegoski
Art by: Ryan Sook
Cover by: Mike Mignola