Proteus Vex Another Dawn

by Michael Carroll, Henry Flint (Illustrator), Jake Lynch (Illustrator)

Another galaxy - a different type of hero!

For fourteen brutal centuries, the Imperium Ascendant and the Obdurate have clashed in an intergalactic war that spanned planets and peoples. Then the war – and the Obdurate – came to a dramatic end. Now, the galaxies are picking up the pieces. In the midst of this sprawling, dazzling system of galaxies, is Proteus Vex, ex-soldier for the Imperium Ascendant turned super-agent. He’s fast, brutal, and he always gets his prey. But when he is sent to find his former superior officer, Vex finds himself caught up in a deadly conspiracy.

Hit comics team Michael Carroll (The New Heroes, Dreadnoughts, Judge Dredd), Henry Flint (Judge Dredd, Zombo) and Jake Lynch (Judge Dredd) bring you a mind-expanding, colourful story that will plunge you into a series of strange new worlds.

Genres: Graphic Novels

Kindle Edition

First published April 14, 2022

Reviews

[Alexander Peterhans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always interested in what Rebellion is publishing and WHAT is this! A dense bit of sci-fi that takes an age to read, especially if you're actually trying to follow what the hell is going on, and I can't really tell you what happens except there's a lot of it, and the art is absolutely fantastic.

Proteus Vex himself is some sort of interplanetary superagent monk, basically being piloted by a tiny man inside of him. Vex has a prisoner, an egg-shaped alien with a doll-face called Midnight Indicating Shame, who opens up into a horrible razor-toothed.. thing, that chomps on baddies.

I like it a lot, but I don't pretend to understand it. even a little.

(Thanks to Rebellion for providing me with an ARC through NetGalley)

[Alex Sarll]

2000AD in its occasional bonkers space opera mode, with this instance particularly heavy on the subterfuge. Far removed from any human scale or reference points, and unlike Atavar or noughties Durham Red, none the worse for that – though it does lose some of its tang once Henry Flint is no longer on art duties.

[Rick Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Proteus Vex works as an agent for the Imperium Ascendant, an institution that belongs to a consortium formed after an intergalactic war was won using a game-changing weapon. The conquered planets harbor resentment for their loss in the war, one of which is the primary location for the story. Proteus Vex finds himself on this planet seeking a missing ranked officer, who may be involved in a nefarious plot.

The story is a lot for sure. Writer Michael Carroll throws a lot of concepts at the reader and I can't say much of it stuck with me upon first reading. The complexity of the world-building is a lot for a brief graphic novel, but since this was conceived as the first installment of the story, I imagine Carroll was using this to establish a bigger universe for more stories. Until such time though, I can only judge "Another Dawn" as trying to bite off more than it can chew.

It's Henry Flint's artwork which really makes the vastness of Proteus Vex shine. It's pretty Kirby-esque at times, but Flint's aesthetic is a much more modernized take on the pulpy sci-fi elements. The comic is bursting with vibrant colors and bold designs, making this a great book to look at for sure. It's a shame the story doesn't quite live up to the story, but for the most part I did really enjoy reading this. Would definitely give any follow up volumes a shot for sure.

[Theediscerning · Rating 1 out of 5]

One of those sci-fi books that thinks it has to work extra hard at all the concepts – of alien bodies, alien war, alien-to-the-reader terminology – and forgets about actually, you know, telling a meaningful, legible story. Just not my kind of fun; one and a half stars.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Rebellion- 2000 AD for an advance copy of this science fiction graphic novel.

Growing up as a loyal foot soldier for both Marvel and DC comics, those occasional glimpses of different comics, ones that were in larger books, or magazines or in languages I couldn't read was always well alien. Métal hurlant much more so than its American cousin was crazy odd, the stories were hyper- violent, the plots tended to roam free, they were sexy, bright and weirdly illustrated, alien in every way. Reading Proteus Vex: Another Dawn, written by Michael Carroll, illustrated by Henry Flint and Jake Lynch, reminded me of those days.

Proteus Vex is an agent for the Imperium Ascendent the winners in a galactic war that lasted over fourteen centuries, which destroyed planets, systems, and species in the billions. Vex has been tasked with a mission to track down a superior officer who has disappeared, something that should be impossible. As he investigates, Vex finds new truths, many lies, new allies and doubts about what he does and who he is.

The art is straight from Métal hurlant. Oddly shaped creatures, cube space ships, super violent battles, spears with lasers and planets destroyed left with the flip of a page. Big over the top and super bright. The story is ok. The plot kind of meanders, keeping track of some of the races and loyalties can be a bit difficult, though no one looks alike, actions repeat a few times. However it is all fun. Vex is an interesting character, his design is eye catching and he does stand out, as does his allies who are funny, touching in some ways, and fantastically psychopathic.

Big bold science fiction with a 1970's kind of feel. Not for all readers, the art might be more of acquired taste, but a lot of fun. The story once started never stops moving, and every page offers either a surprise, a what the heck is that, or that must have taken a while to draw. Lots of fun.

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Proteus Vex: Another Dawn' by Michael Carrol, Henry Flint and Jake Lynch is a graphic novel that rewards the patient reader.

In a very strange galaxy two races have fought for 14 centuries until it dramatically ended. In this world ex-soldier Proteus Vex finds himself in the midst of a conspiracy and a secret that some would rather not be exposed.

This was a bit of a challenging graphic novel to get in to, but I stuck with it and ended up liking it. The story is pretty strange, but the art is even stranger. I liked it and I wouldn't mind visiting this universe again.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Rebellion and NetGalley. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

[Juliana · Rating 5 out of 5]

The illustration felt like a very modern throwback and really gave that wild space cowboy adventure feel. I really enjoyed the story, The two parts of the story were each well developed and fantastically complementary. Proteus Vex was a hero one could rally behind, not only because he held his morals and acted on them, but because we saw how he was torn between them and his professional duty. Can't wait for the next installment!

[Nigel · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's something quite old-school about a 2000AD strip that ditches humans completely in favour of an array of alien races blazing away at each other in a massive space-opera. This is a fun romp packed with inventive ideas and aliens as an agent with his own secret discovers the ugly truth about how a recent war was finally brought to an end.

[Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recent Reads: Proteus Vex - Another Dawn. The first two stories in Michael Carroll's space opera spy thriller collected. Vex is Bond in a galaxy far far away, vicious and amoral. As the secrets around the end of a war unravel, they must make dangerous choices. No humans here.