Broken Frontier

Proof: Endangered #1, by Alexander Grecian and Riley Rossmo, is not only the beginning of a new story arc but also a start to the title’s new shipping schedule. After taking a brief hiatus upon the conclusion of issue twenty-eight, we come back to John “Proof” Prufrock and the quest to find his ancestry. With a new number one and a series of ongoing minis, the overarching story of Proof continues here, adopting an almost Hellboy-like release model.

If the story of Proof was pared down to a single-lined sales pitch it would simply be explained as, “Special Agent Sasquatch, hunting monsters across the globe for the government.” None of that is wrong, but it’s a little more complex and character driven than you’d imagine. John is a tragic figure, not knowing when and if he can die, living for hundreds of years and perceived as a monster by his adopted culture. He doesn’t know who he is or where he’s from, he just keeps looking for answers. He’s an appealing protagonist teetering on the edge of anti-hero. It’s almost as if Fox Mulder and Hellboy were merged into one fictional character. If there is one complaint for this issue’s overall enjoyment is that we don’t get enough time to spend with him.

Endangered is a wonderful jumping on point for this series and I would strongly suggest anyone that has heard good things about the book to check it out. I had only read the first trade paperback previously and I wasn’t lost for a second thanks to the succinct recap page and fantastic back matter dealing with the history of the character. The back-up material included acts as a wonderful primer for this well thought out and rich world. Often, recaps like this prevent the desire to go back and read the rest, but it’s written in such a way and the preceding is so intriguing that it actually piqued my interest more. 

The pencils by Riley Rossmo are wholly unique and deliciously kinetic, bursting from the page. There is an almost sloppy, painterly style to his line work that makes his shapes sing and dance with charisma and defiance. There is so much confidence on the page that it brings all the divergent lines into focus. The distinct way in which he depicts John and all the other monsters is so original that I can’t imagine anyone else handling these characters. Rossmo’s artistic style will forever be aligned with this creation, much like Mignola is to the Big Red Guy. Whoever else may handle this book in the future will have the shadow of Riley Rossmo’s stellar work looming over them. 

Alex Grecian has done a fine job of constructing a universe filled with espionage, intrigue and monsters, all ready for action and adventure. He has infused these B-movie plot devices with real human emotion and effective character interactions. Smart and thoughtful writing can elevate any genre above its inherent clichés and tropes. A book like Proof is… well... proof of that.