Review: PROXIMA CENTAURI #1

PROXIMA CENTAURI No. 1 (OF 6)
IMAGE COMICS – @ImageComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

CARTOONIST: Farel Dalrymple
BACK COVER: Wes Craig
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (June 13, 2018 – Diamond ID: APR180475)

Rated T+ / Teen Plus

Proxima Centauri is a new miniseries written, drawn, colored, and lettered by Farel Dalrymple (Omega the Unknown).  On Image Comics' website, this six-issue comic book is described as a “psychedelic science fantasy action comic book drama.”

Proxima Centauri #1 opens 4.243 light-years from Earth on “Proxima Centauri,” the manufactured, Jupiter-sized, dimensional nexus sphere orbiting a red dwarf star.  “The Scientist” Duke Herzog, Dr. EXT the Time Traveler, the ghost M. Parasol, Shakey the Space Wizard, and Dhog Dahog are among the beings held captive in this “confounding spectral zone.”

One of the captives, however, is determined to escape.  He is the teenage wizard adventurer, Sherwood Breadcoat, and he hopes to find a way back to his brother, Orson.  While trying to escape, Sherwood will have to deal with his confusing emotions, alien creatures, and all sorts of unknown, fantastic dangers... and maybe even more.

I have been interested in reading a comic book featuring the work of cartoonist Farel Dalrymple for over a decade.  I had not heard of Proxima Centauri or had not paid attention to it until comic book writer, author, and screenwriter, Warren Ellis, mentioned Dalrymple and Promixa Centauri in a recent edition of his email/digital newsletter (“Orbital Operations”).  Ellis compared Dalrymple to the legendary comics creator, the late master, Jean “Moebius” Giraud.  As an admirer of all thing Moebius, I had to pick up at least the first issue.

Proxima Centuari #1 reminds me of Moebius' dream comics.  I love the art and graphical storytelling here, which is a graphics package of splash pages, half-splashes, double-page spreads, grids, narrative illustrations, collage-like pages, etc.  The drawings, colors, and lettering form one graphic unit, a stream of consciousness in the language of the comic book.

I am intrigued and invigorated, and I am still trying to figure it out.  Still, I recommend this just for the way Dalrymple is telling the story, and Proxima Centauri #1 is so damn beautiful to behold.

8 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


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