Victor Koestler

Victor Koestler is a B.P.R.D. agent capable of astral projection. He joined the bureau in the 1950s and appears in Hellboy and the B.P.R.D. 1954 as well as The Visitor: How & Why He Stayed.

History

Victor first encountered the B.P.R.D. when Hellboy and Susan Xiang were asked to investigate a haunting in 1954. Summoned to Baltimore, Hellboy and Susan met Victor and his parents, Thomas and Margaret. Thomas reported that he was being haunted by his brother Robert's deceased pet monkey, Diogenes, which had died in an accidental fire, along with the Robert. After investigating, Susan discovered, via her psychic talents, that the fire was actually started by Thomas, in order to cover up the murder of his brother, which was motivated by by his discovery of Robert and Margaret's affair. In the same moment, the "ghost" of Diogenes, revealed to be an astral projection created by the sleeping Victor, kills Thomas before Hellboy can wake Victor and end the attack. Devastated by her husband's death, and uncertain how to help her son, Margaret remands Victor to the B.P.R.D.'s care so he can be trained to manage his gift. He is sent to work with Dr. N.K. Sandhu in the United Kingdom.

Victor was trained by Dr. Sandhu to use control his ability to astral project and use the power offensively while completing school, and, at some point before 1961, was made a field agent with the B.P.R.D. back in the United States. During a Christmas shopping trip in Fairfield Connecticut, alongside Hellboy, Susan and Professor Trevor Bruttenholm, Victor encountered and battled a mall Santa possessed by an ancient amulet. Victor displayed an impulsive nature during this incident, astral projecting a monkey form, against Hellboy's objections, and ultimately being knocked unconscious by the Santa, before it is defeated by Hellboy.

Three years later, in 1964, Victor assisted Hellboy in defeating a mutated Armadillo in Dallas, Texas, by manifesting a gorilla form while astral projecting. By this time, Victor and Hellboy appeared to have a more effective working relationship, and easily defeat the creature. This battle was observed by The Visitor.