Review: Arks Proximan #1

How about a new chapter of the Adam and Eve story where the only doctrine is science and that made us believe glistening mucus can be beautiful, to a new planet, new explorers and a worship worthy expansion of groundbreaking sci-fi genre growing ideas in art of a more traditional format? Transfer and download at the speed of light to the Arks universe for Arks Proximan from R.J Collins, Natalie Malla and Erich Owen.

FOMO, I understand the kids say, is an evolution of language for the thing I recognise as regret. Regret is a vicious entity that we should all try to avoid, and unfortunately for me, I allowed it to creep in. One of its biggest impacts has come from this series. It is no one's fault but my own but to miss out on the up to date happenings of this one has really hurt. There's an easy fix for all by just heading to clickysproutwife.com where you are sure to be overjoyed to know the main series Arks is up to issue 4 with 5 recently Kickstarter funded and soon to be shipped to lucky backers. Personally, I am begotten to say I'm only up to issue 3, but enamoured to know how much more is available and to know how much more is planned.

A bit about the creators now, R.J Collins is a UK writer of unconscionable talent from humble art department origins to storyboard and conceptual artist, designer, writer and producer contributing to the likes of Band Of Brothers, Layer Cake, The Bourne Ultimatum, award winning short film North Atlantic, The Tide Mechanics, Nicola Decimal and the Revolution and of course Arks. He is joined on writing duties by Natalie Malla, an award-winning writer and director for film and TV, with previous works including Apex, I am A Unicorn, The Girl In The Dress and Killing Thyme.

The main artist for this one is Erich Owen, a Ringo Award-winning cartoonist creating visual stories for companies like Viper Comics, IDW, Tokyopop and DC Comics. Jeremiah Lambert is the letterer, a mechanical engineer by day and art freelancer at every other time, with previous works for Hasbro on Transformers and Tonka Truck and Mattel's He-Man and the Masters of the Universe and comic work including Hell House, Orpheus and Nightmares of Oz.

Finally, for art credits, cover artist and Arks staple artist Andrew Morris provides his unquestionable skill to this one. As a final introduction the core of the hardcore talent that is the Arks team producer Holly Cameron name lender of Clicky Sprout Wife, fastidious encourager and outright excellent human being. Introductions expressed and lamenting aside I would also like to say I've had the prestigious honour of meeting and talking to Rory, Holly and Andrew a few years back at Thought Bubble it was an absolute highlight, they are incredible people and awe struck as I was to meet them I think I managed to get across how awesome I think they are, to make sure, I'll commit to writing here they are beautiful human beings in every important way. Ok, gushing aside, how about a review?

So, let's start with the art. For me, the world of arks has been encapsulated in something I'd like to call the Morris effect. Andrew Morris, as evident on Arks and the main cover of Arks Proximan, has this hyper-real digital style that holds an essence of cleanliness or polished precision, undercutting the often less savoury side of science on offer in a beautiful juxtaposition, which for me set a benchmark for this universe. To see a new artist under the Arks banner certainly put me on unsteady ideations so unfortunately no Morris internal, but fortunately Erich Owen more than suitably hits the notes. Feet firmly planted from the opening pages as Erich brings a "dirtier" style to proceedings, paradoxically in an ostensibly cleaner, environment wise at least, visual issue.

Erich does provide a more cartoony style to character design, which plays to another counter-intuitive aspect of the darkness toneally on offer. Erich captures a part of the essence of Arks while presenting a unique stylistic approach, there's recognisable tech to keep things firmly in universe, and the fact that narratively we are on a different planet with different characters is bolstered by Erich's differing style. The action packed final act of this issue is where the art really stood out for me at its most impactful with the colour work enhancing this and being filled with technical skill.

Speaking of technical skill, the detail in landscapes is so well delivered it demands to be scrutinized and the ability to portray what is essentially a clear plastic bag worn as a helmet in a way that is not only visually clear but looks organic and believable is truly steeped in talent. My other favourite art comes in the splash page. A subtle style shift to child-like depictions during the history lesson, which are very visually pleasing.

Jeremiah Lambert adds true art in lettering in the way only comics can deliver with an ability to match the exceptional talents of Erich. Technically terrific art concluded there's the added bonus as always of Rory's behind the pages content that for me shines like the field notes of the intrepid explorers the story portrays and is always an excellent addition. Now my favourite bit it's story time.

At CBNUK we love ourselves some sci-fi, yes it can be an oversaturated genre, and of course the originality scale sits at lofty heights of achievability. Rory James Collins with Arks has met that bench mark and skipped it with style and grace. Arks is a story so rich with science you could send all the billionaires to space (and preferably collect some life insurance) accompanied by fiction of powerfully captivating, obsession curating prowess. If you haven't met this behemoth of storytelling that captures, encapsulates and entertains delivery of the magical qualities of science itself then you're sleeping on mind expanding originality of the sci-fi genre.

Arks Proximan perpetuates an unfathomable well of ideas. It expands the core story of Arks itself, defining some more historic narrative details concerning directed Panspermia while also setting up the enthralling concept of how that is used or even abused and weaponised. Proximan is as equal in enthralling nature as to want, no crave more from its series and yet be further excited for Arks as a whole. It can be enjoyed on its own for sure but as a companion to the Arks series it is otherworldly in brilliance. I don't know anything that makes me as excited about comics, science and reading as Arks and Proximan is just an extension of the extraordinary-remarkable-wondrousness.

As mentioned in the art, the plot of Proximan concerns a different planet and different Arks with a different experiment being conducted in the grand scheme of things. The successful experiment results in the titular character Odd, whose place in this universe offers such an exciting prospect that superlatives fail me. In fact, to say any more on the plot of Proximan feels futile, it just demands to be enjoyed. You'll be mainlining Arks in an instant. If I can coin it I would like to proclaim myself an Arkolyte as Arks is a comic worthy of devotion and worship.

For fans of sci-fi, horror, directed Panspermia, cutting out spaceships, exo planets lacking rotation, interstellar colonization, silent visitors, death planets, first of their kind children, science so incredibly-immensely-intelligently exceptional it's redefining the genre and breaking out across multiple titles, short lived pigs, face growths, fabric helmets, chemical weapons and vengeance in art of pure skill that is tonally idyllic you really, really, really want Arks Proximan. To get your copy, transport yourself as fast as your matter will allow to clickysproutwife.com. It is the best place to be.

Review: a scale bulging 5+/5