Gears of War #2

According to a recent story, the top-selling comic book last month wasn't Secret Invasion or Final Crisis - it was the first issue of Gears of War, which sold about 450,000 comics (although most were not sold in comics shops).

It's a good indication of the kind of market that's lurking out there, if only comics companies could figure out a way to tap into it.

It's the double-edged blessing and curse of the direct market - selling comics in specialty shops probably saved comics from going under altogether, but it also cut the industry off from most of the public.

When I was a kid in the '60s, comics were everywhere - in grocery stores, drug stores, bus stops, news stands, variety stores, convenience stores, book shops - almost anywhere you could buy candy, you could find comic books.

Don't worry, this isn't one of those "things were better when I was a kid" kind of columns - it's just an observation that the business has changed - but perhaps there are opportunities to be explored.

If Gears of War can sell those kinds of numbers to videogame fans, why not sell Spider-Man and Batman comics to movie fans, or Harry Potter or Twilight comics to book readers? It seems like it should just be a matter of finding the right outlets and marketing opportunities.

OK, end of sermon - back to the comic itself.

I have to admit that I'm not too familiar with the Gears of War game, but the premise seems to adapt itself well to the comics.

As near as I can tell, the Earth has been overrun by invading monsters from inside the planet. The human race depends on groups of soldiers known as Gears to provide defense against these creatures, and apparently the fight isn't going well. The story focuses on the legendary fighter Marcus, who's a hard-nosed tough guy styled along the lines of Wolverine.

Jayson, a new fighter, is learning the ropes and provides a sympathetic character for the reader. Writer Joshua Ortega doesn't give us a lot of plot to go on here - it's just an excuse for lots of action. But that's what the reader would expect from a videogame-based comic.

By the way, parents should be warned that this isn't a comic for young kids - there's lots of foul language and buckets of blood spilled. The cover carries a "Suggested for Mature Readers" warning that you'd need a magnifying glass to spot.

The art by Liam Sharp is good in its grim and gritty style, and he captures the dystopian future with great skill. His characters are distinctive, the bad guys monstrous, and the action intense. Game fans will love it.

This comic isn't really made for the usual superhero fan, but it's tailor-made for the gamer who anxiously awaits the next chapter in the Gears of War saga.

It's not my kind of comic, but your mileage may vary. And there's no arguing with sales success.

Grade: B-