Prophet

John Prophet, a super soldier who awakes in the future’s future after being kept in cryo-sleep beneath the Earth’s surface, is ready for his mission. Prophet makes his way through an Earth that has been overrun by squabbling alien tribes living among the rusted debris of Earth’s past. Artist Roy savors Prophet’s journey, piling on intricate details of a world that is only vaguely familiar to either Prophet or the reader. Prophet’s mission is to restart the Earth Empire, a goal that remains mysterious. This approach is intriguing initially, with Graham’s sparse and clear writing giving the story a sharp and menacing feel as the details unfold. This same level of vagueness and obscurity in subsequent adventures grows tiresome, relying too much on gorgeous art to carry the story. But the comic shows promise of stronger narrative development and even more visual experimentation. Each artist in this first volume of stories brings his own take on the faded and ruined universe that John Prophet has returned to, making this not just a unusual science fiction comic, but also a satisfying visual collaboration among very talented artists. (Sept.)