Video Games into Comics

Often, lifting ideas from one media to another does not work too well. How many movies are better than the book they were based on? How many crappy video games are made from blockbuster movies? But recently, I've seen several comic books come out that are based on video game properties that have some pretty big name talent involved in their creation.

The Halo Graphic Novel was the first comic based on a video game that I noticed. It was the talent use in this book that attracted me to it. Artists like Simon Bisley and Moebius had been favorites of mine, so when this came out in 2006, I made sure to pick it up. Interestingly enough, there is also a wordless story told by Tsutomu Nihei. I talked about his work Biomega a little while ago. With four stories written and illustrated by different creators, there are many different aspects of the Halo universe displayed for readers. Subsequently, there has been a couple other comic books issues including Halo: Uprising, Halo: Helljumper and Halo: Bloodline.

God of War is a 6 issue limited series from Wildstorm and is scripted by long time comic writer Marv Wolfman. Not that I pick up everything he does, but since reading Teen Titans in the 80s, I take a look at titles that have his name attached to them. In the first issue of this series, we look back into the early life of Kratos. As a newly trained Spartan warrior, Kratos' wife gives birth to a deformed baby which must be put to death to conform with Spartan law. But Kratos being who he is, finds out that there is a cure that the gods have which will cure his daughter. But without any inkling to Kratos, each god has selected a mortal who is in need of the cure, and only one will win the prize.

Dragon Age is an interesting comic since it is written by science fiction author Orson Scott Card. Published by IDW Comics, this story tells of a young mage named Veness who falls for templar named Sadatt. Those who have played the game know that templars are meant to keep mages in line. And if necessary, hunt and kill rogue magic users who use the taboo practice of blood magic. Though set in the Dragon Age world, this story could be picked up and enjoyed by any fantasy fan. Though I only have read the first issue, I like the game enough and the story could be interesting enough to get the rest of the series.

Mass Effect: Redemption is written by Mac Walters and John Jackson Miller. What makes this interesting is the Mac Walters was the lead writer on the Mass Effect 2 video game. While the other comics I talk about here are set in or use characters from their games without any real reference to specific game events, this comic is actually a prequel to the events you play in Mass Effect 2. With a mention made in the game to the events chronicled in this comic series, it's a real insiders fanboy glimpse into the Mass Effect world.

There are many other examples of video game material being turned into comics. Gears of War and the online world Free Realms are published by Wildstorm along with Starcraft and Dante's Inferno. Some are better than other of course, but all should be considered for purchase by a public library. Video games are hugely popular, and there are tons of teenagers who spend tons of their time playing these games. So by having this type of materials on hand for them to read after school, maybe a teenager will actually pick up a book and read something they're interested in for a hour or so.

Review - GI Joe: Cobra 1 - 4

This is an older review I wrote June 29th, 2009.

story by Christos Gage and Mike Costa
art by Antonio Fuso
covers by Howard Chaykin
IDW

I never was into the new GI Joe as a kid. It was a little after my time. Instead I had the old school tall talking beaded supercool GI Joe as a boy. But there were two main reasons I picked up this limited series from IDW. First off, IDW will be attending the library readers festival in September and also the covers were done by Howard Chaykin.

Now that I've finished reading all four issues, I thought they were well done. The story involves a malcontent GI Joe soldier, with the code name Chuckles, who is taken out of regular training and sent into deep cover to try to infiltrate Cobra. Unlike the GI Joe that I remember, there is no camp or super improbable technology in this story. Something must of happened to the "Yo! Joe!" early 1990s version to today because this story, by Christos Gage and Mike Costa was a gritty spy story with blood and sex that would make any espionage fan happy. But if you're familiar with any of the deep undercover types stories, many of the same tropes are used. How to maintain cover. That point where the agent decides to do something rash to go deeper. And ultimately, how to get out. And this story has all these elements.

The artwork by Antonio Fuso is good. Dark and thick, its almost expressionistic, and portrays the dark story well. The characters are easy to recognize and the action is easy to follow. There is a starkness to the frames that, though doesn't distract from the story, is different than the "marvel" style of everyone flexing. And the backgrounds a muted and clean, without too much added detail to distract from the action. The only drawback is that seems to be little movement in the figures.

So this GI Joe book I picked up because I felt I should, I actually enjoyed. The espionage and intrigue was well done and there was no hint of any of the old, cheesy Joe I remember as a kid. I might need to look at the other GI Joe titles when I have a chance.