Project Perseus #1 (VAULT COMICS)
Slug Stevens has been pulled back into the cryptid-hunting game to track down an ancient monster.
He also has to deal with a former friend turned rogue agent with mysterious motives.
Project Perseus #1 - Writer: Jack Mulqueen | Artist:Edison Neo | Colorist: Kike J. Díaz | Letterer: Buddy Beaudoin | Publisher: Vault Comics gives us an action-
packed sci-fi thrill ride of an adventure.
Let’s see how this goes!
Project Perseus #1 - Writer: Jack Mulqueen | Artist:Edison Neo | Colorist: Kike J. Díaz | Letterer: Buddy Beaudoin | Publisher: Vault Comics
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
In 1915, three mysterious strangers (one of them with four arms and not even human) appear from bright green time portals into this distant past, fishing a father out of frigid waters and being hailed as deities by him and his son.
The three are led to the pair’s village, where the leader has come seeking help for a matter not yet revealed. Soon after, the trio has grown into a group of five, with father and son in tow. They set off to ride mind-controlled whales in search of an underwater city and kill an ancient monster that lurks in the depths.
Today, washed-up hunter/tracker and Snake Plissken lookalike Slug Stevens is recruited back into the business after 10 years away by The Daedalus Corporation.
They’re an organization that captures cryptids and otherworldly phenomena before they appear to the known world, preventing societal collapse. Most importantly, it also lines their pockets.
MORE FROM VAULT!
Stevens has been tasked with heading to 1915 to track the same ancient monster, Nahuelito. The involvement of his former friend turned rogue agent, Ajax, complicates matters. Now it’s up to him to find and capture them both.
Ajax is the calculating, ambitious villain, and his villainy is apparent, from the crude, spike-like protrusions on his body down to his jagged Dr. Robotnik mustache and flowy cape.
Slug Stevens is the quintessential badass action hero who lacks proper decorum but makes up for it by being great at his job- or, I guess, former job? The characters that round out the cast aren’t throwaways, either. Each one has a story to tell, and Mulqueen does a great job of giving everyone a distinct voice. It makes me want to get to know them.
With this over-the-top, brutal sci-fi story unfolding, it’s only right that the art should match, and Edison Neo’s work, paired with Kike Diaz’s colors, does that and more.
Nothing is ever still in these panels. The constant, dynamic movement demands attention, and the bright coloring guarantees it will keep it. The panel layouts on pages 13 and 14 are particular highlights for me, giving off stunning visual storytelling that pairs well with the lore being established by the writing.
FINAL GRADE: 7.5
Project Perseus is a fun, brutal sci-fi action series littered with memorable characters. It’s brimming with dynamic visuals and supreme confidence in its worldbuilding.
What y’all think? Am I trippin’? Let me know your thoughts on Project Perseus #1 in the comments below. Thanks for reading.