It's amazing to realize that video games are a relatively new creation - or at least, one that came along in my lifetime.The gaming industry has grown from being a crude competitor for board games to being one of the biggest money-making industries in the world, surpassing even films and television.
One of the reasons for that success has been the increasing sophistication of those games. Playing a game today drops you into another world, one where you're in control (to a certain extent).
In the early days of games, the companies often turned to comics for their inspiration, cranking out adaptations of super-hero adventures - most were terrible, but a few were quite good.
These days the formula has turned around and comic books are creating spin-off titles based on popular games. This Dark Horse comic is based on the hugely popular science fiction epic Mass Effect.
The comic ties into the recently-released Mass Effect 2, as writers Mac Walters (the lead writer on the game) and John Jackson Miller tell the story of the search for Commander Shepard.
The commander's companion, the blue-skinned Dr. Liara T'Soni, is searching for him, but she's not the only one looking, as other galactic heavy-hitters are involved.
The art is by Omar Francia with colors by Michael Atiyeh, and they're a terrific team. The action really pops off the page, and the design is strong and inventive. And even though you're hit with dozens of aliens right from the start, the storytelling is clear and easy to follow.
As a long-time fan of space adventure stories, I really enjoyed this - even though (much as I hate to admit it) I've never played Mass Effect (1 or 2). Still, if this issue is any indication, I need to break down and give it a try.
If you're a fan of the game, this is a must read. If you're just a fan of great art and space adventure, you'll want to check it out, too.
Grade: A-
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