Proof, Volume 5: Blue Fairies

Proof (collected editions) #5

by Alex Grecian, Riley Rossmo, Chris Grine

A year from now, the habitat lies in ruins and the Dover Demon may be dead. Where are the other cryptids? Escaped? Eaten? The fairy child Joy journeys across the habitat, searching for the body of his father, while the U.S. Army takes over the habitat Leander disappears, Wayne hides a terrible secret, and Proof quits the Lodge

Collects Proof #24-28.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Monsters, Horror, Cryptids

128 pages, Paperback

First published December 14, 2010

About the author

Grecian is the author of several bestselling novels, including the horror/fantasies RED RABBIT, ROSE OF JERICHO and THE BOATMAN, plus the contemporary thriller THE SAINT OF WOLVES AND BUTCHERS, and five historical thrillers featuring Scotland Yard's Murder Squad: THE YARD, THE BLACK COUNTRY, THE DEVIL'S WORKSHOP, THE HARVEST MAN, and LOST AND GONE FOREVER, plus the original Murder Squad ebook, THE BLUE GIRL.

He also created the six-volume graphic novel series PROOF, and the two-part graphic novel RASPUTIN.

He currently lives in the American Midwest with his wife and son. And a dog. And a tarantula.

Reviews

[Leif · Rating 4 out of 5]

A step up from the back-story arc of the previous trade, this installment also has some excellent guest artists step in for a few chapters.

Leaves on a cliff-hanger, but unfortunately I have yet to purchase the next book.

[Tetris Terrets · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahhhhh. I find this so frustrating. This vol was really good for most of it, interesting character interactions, solid art (as always), and some evolutions and payoffs that work really well. Then we end in a room with all of our characters & some new ones where we say "hold on, we're gonna have 3 private conversations away from everyone while the rest of our cast makes awkward (but amusing) useless smalltalk." Does it make sense for characters? Maybe?? We don't know the new characters enough to comment, and all of our lived in cast are shuffled around not doing anything, that is, save for Proof. And look. Not my fleas, not my circus, but I have a hard time believing that before quitting tempered Proof wouldn't insist on an explanation as to *what the fuck is going on* more so than anyone on the cast. "How is she back to life? What did you two talk about? Where did you get this finger?"

The Dover Demon reveal was clever, but maybe not worthwhile. The cleverest bit of writing, that I really liked came from the male fairies though. Speaking to Nadine, saying the kid stinks like her & then saying to "not Leander" that the kid stinks like him. They didn't mean humans I don't think, they meant chups, & that + calling him "not leander" lead to a very good reveal in the last panel.

Proof, gone too soon, never able to be revived in its time bums me out. I'm looking forward to Endangered, but finding this comic 15 years too late to save it saddens me.

What do you do to fix Proof to give it that following it needed and not a cult following? Idk, cut out some of the supplementary stuff maybe, firm up the pace, condense issues so that you can have parallel stories told quicker and give our characters more of the ensemble dynamic you want? It's hard to say, impossible to script doctor when they were monthly for 2.5 years, & probably flying by the seat of their pants and working on something they loved and were probably too close to to see the issues cropping up because they had the full story in there mind.

Love the art, love the characters, and only want more. Be seeing you, and maybe I will after Endangered too. I believe, but either way, I have no Proof.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The government is taking over the lodge and Proof receives a box with a startling gift.

The first time I read this volume, I was massively confused. During this story, people that were alive may be dead and people that were dead might actually be alive. The Dover Devil has a major metamorphosis and there is a one year time jump at the beginning of the story. It was only when I reread it that the bits started to fit together, particularly after I also reread the first four books in the series. I'm concerned that the author is not going to even remotely pull all of this together since there ended up being only five volumes in the series but I'm enjoying the ride.

[Mee Too · Rating 3 out of 5]

Im reading this as a compendium, and not sure if the individual volumes have all the epilogues and side stories, but they are a bit annoying and somewhat distractive. Anyway, as the story come to its inevitable end it seems it will be left open for a return although that return will be years and many changes of publishing rights away.

All in all its been a fun read, hope this final volume is a good one.

3.6

[Rick Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

It feels as if the story is moving along, finally, slowly.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as good as "Julia", but there was plenty going on. It all seemed a bit disjointed and mysterious to me, which you expect when you're reading individual issues, but you expect some kind of arc in a TPB.

[Eric · Rating 2 out of 5]

meh. Dull. Disappointed

[Kamakana · Rating 3 out of 5]

proof the key to proof is the artwork by rossmo- grine just not as memorable, too cartoony, too plasticky.

[Matt Sabonis · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a decent intermediary chapter, though it attempts to do a little too much in too short a space. Still, I'm eager to see where things go from here, and can hardly wait for more.

[Matt Kelland · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Pinocchio story works better than expected, and I like what he's doing with his conception of fairies, but the main arc is becoming bleak. This volume ends on a real cliffhanger.

[eHawk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as strong as the previous books, but I enjoyed the expansion on the main story and exploration of some previously sideline characters.

[Calvin Daniels · Rating 4 out of 5]

Issue #5 of series, brings storyline back on track for me, but I'll add you gotta stay sharp to keep up.

[Bobbi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know if maybe I was in the wrong mindset for this, but I felt confused a lot of the time, and I didn't particularly enjoy the shifting art styles..