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Comic Review: Halo: Escalation #22

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Halo Escalation #22When a comic issue ends on a huge cliffhanger, you expect the next issue to follow through and hopefully lead up to a twist or a climax. Halo: Escalation #21 left such expectations, and then #22 fell completely by the wayside. I’m not sure if Halo: Escalation #22 was cut down from a bigger comic, if it was split up between this issue and the next, or if perhaps this was simply filler and there was no point in it at all.

At the end of issue #21, the monitor at the Absolute Record wanted to speak with all humans on board the installation, and that meant cutting out the riff-raff. We watched Jul ‘Mdama’s minions fall to their deaths while the rest of them are scattered and fighting amongst themselves regarding continuing to follow Jul. And of course, the Sangheili under ONI’s payroll is stoking those coals a-plenty.

The in-fighting appears to have importance, especially when Jul steps out from whatever the monitor has planned for them and discovers that a mutiny has successfully taken place. Outside of that, however, what was the point of anything Halsey and Glassman and friends were doing?

Without dipping into spoilers too much, the monitor set up a test between Halsey and Glassman/Spartans, but then as it seemed both passed the test, the test was unveiled as a facade. Wait, what?

Now I have to wait another month to see why it was a facade, if indeed there was a reason? I’m no fan of the Forerunners, but I know they don’t do anything without 10,000 insane reasons. There has to be a reason for this monitor to set up a test, and I’m more interested in why the monitor was doing it and why the monitor set up the test this way than what Halsey is plotting and what she uncovered. Since it ended with her essentially getting her way (AGAIN), will the next issue continue with her plans? Will we ever find out what happened with the monitor and his test? And if we don’t, why did we bother with #22 at all?

The Halo: Escalation comic series has been some of the best extended lore out there with Halo, and while I understand not every issue is going to be a ringer, I’m disappointed this one felt so pointless. Of course, Halo being Halo, I’m sure some minute detail in this test will bite everyone in the ass either in the game or six months from now (if the comic series continues past the game launch). But for now, it’s hard to see where this is going or why any of this issue was necessary on its own.

Of course I still recommend this series and I still say it’s 100% essential for the upcoming game’s lore, but I recommend the series with the caveat that this is a low point. Wait on this month until next month’s issue releases so you can read it all at the same time.

Digital review copy received from publisher.

Book Review: Halo: Hunters in the Dark

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Halo: Hunters in the DarkAs we approach the release of Halo 5: Guardians, the extended universe is also approaching the story-line of the game. The odd thing about Hunters in the Dark, is if you asked me when I finished reading the book what I thought the book was about, I would have given you a different answer than I will now. Since I’ve kept myself secluded from spoilers regarding the story of the next Halo game, I had no idea that one of the characters is a main character in the game. So I suppose that Hunters in the Dark has two underlying main plots, and after you see that, it’s hard to see much else in the book. One of the main flaws of the book is that it felt like two different stories were written and are wrestling one another for the spotlight. Apparently, that’s exactly the case.

The main, over-arching plot summoned Spartan-IVs and Sangheili to work together to stop a countdown that will fire all of the Halos and wipe out life across the galaxy. You know, that thing that Master Chief John-117 has been trying to stop since the very first Halo game. Since all of the rings are counting down, they assume the signal is coming from the Ark, that other thing Master Chief destroyed. He likes destroying Forerunner things. ONI agrees to team up with a group of the Arbiter’s trusted people and send a few Spartan-IVs, a few marines, a couple of scientists, and an ONI researcher who specializes in Sangheili relations. This specialist is Olympia Vale.

I’ll let that sink in for those who haven’t been avoiding Halo 5 spoilers.

Not much of this team seems like it would work together, and the writer seems to have known this, as he injured the commanding officer immediately, sent Vale away, and then split up the Spartan/Sangheili/scientist partymembers. As they each work out who set the countdown in the Ark and why, it’s hard to not get the sense that the writer split everyone up to either pad the story. If not for padding reasons, then it’s because the writer wasn’t sure how to make sense of everything he needed to get out there.

Vale’s character was especially awkward and stuck out the most amongst all of the other characters, and it’s not only because she was summoned away from the thick of the action to have a little chat with the other inhabitant on the Ark. She’s described as someone who had to survive on her own as a child and learn to speak Sangheili out of necessity, but then she’s described as a suit for ONI, someone who isn’t that badass after all. When the team is attacked upon landing, she is knocked out quickly and then summoned. Then at the end, she becomes that badass fighter out of nowhere and is encouraged to become a Spartan. (Yes, I know, you can shut up now.) It’s very disjointed, to say the least.

The overall story is entertaining and does a fantastic job of showing really how much the Librarian is not the wonderful Forerunner she appears to be, not to mention how awful the Forerunners were. (If you don’t believe me about the Forerunners, go read the Forerunner Trilogy and see for yourself.) I did enjoy the book, but the forced meshing of the plot and characters left the entire experience rather discombobulated. It’s not one of the best Halo novels, that is for sure.

It’s a good thing that Hunters in the Dark is a good book and not a terrible chore, as this is the only way a Halo fan will learn how one Spartan on Locke’s team became a Spartan. I also hope that these Sangheili return in Halo 5. I enjoyed learning more about them than any of the Spartans.

Comic Review: Mirror’s Edge: Exordium #1

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Mirror's Edge: Exordium #1Six months is ways to wait for Mirror’s Edge Catalyst. At least we have a monthly comic series from the game’s writer and Dark Horse comics to keep us satiated for a little while.

Mirror’s Edge: Exordium is a 6-issue mini-series that takes place before the events of the upcoming game. The writer, Christofer Emgard, said that this comic would explore more of Faith’s relationships and her background to Catalyst. He has not said if the events of the comic will directly affect the game, but it sounds like some of the events will be referenced in the game. Yet, they will not be referenced to the point of not understanding what they are talking about; the comic will primarily bring in more info to the table.

In other words, the comic is for extended lore junkies like me.

Most comics have a slow start with the first issue, as they need it to introduce the characters, the setting, and the plot. This first issue jumps right into the action and story, no pun intended.

The first page has a little snippet explaining what Runners are and a bit of their culture, but the next page goes right into Faith working as an intern Runner, or at least a Runner-in-training. Not much else is explained. The Krugersec are not explained. The concept of being “beatlinked,” despite being mentioned several times, is not explained. It’s a little frustrating, but the writer does a great job mentioning these things in a way that the reader can make their own context for now and not need an immediate explanation.

As for the story setup, Emgard did say that this would explore Faith’s relationships, and he is right on the money. Faith and her employer, Noah, have a father-daughter-like relationship, where she feels she’s ready for the big leagues and all he sees is a reckless teenager who doesn’t follow his rules. Their tense interactions, for now, appear to be driving her to the wrong side of the bad side of the tracks she’s already on as a Runner.

The art is stunning, especially with how Faith’s hair is drawn and colored. The only real color found in the art is on the Runners and the criminals, which fits the City of Glass’s theme overall, especially in the game. The City in the game was  always shown to be white and pristine, and the comic’s art is exactly that except for the Runners. They’re the only ones with hairs out of place, wearing any sort of color, and moving erratically. In fact, the only panels that show splashes of color are those that display raw emotion, imperfect actions, or anything that goes against any rules, not just the rules Krugersec has set. It’s subtle, yet absolutely genius.

The first issue, as expected, has ended on a bit of a plot cliffhanger, but this isn’t exactly what gets the reader intrigued to find out what happens next. It’s not about wondering if Faith will defy Noah; it’s wondering what Faith will learn about her background from someone who isn’t her father-figure, what Faith will do with that, and how it will affect her relationship with her Runner community. Gotta love a comic that doesn’t dangle only one carrot in front of readers to keep them coming back for more.

I know nothing about Mirror’s Edge other than I what I played at E3, so I can assure you that you need no prior knowledge to enjoy this comic. You don’t even have to be interested in the game. The game sets the environment for the comic and its story, but the comic takes that world and runs with it. Okay, maybe the pun was intended that time. Point is, Emgard has a great story going, and you don’t need to want the game to enjoy a great comic story and beautiful, brilliant comic art.

Mirror’s Edge: Exordium #1 is available starting today, September 9th, via retail and Dark Horse digital.

Digital review copy received from publisher.

Comic Review: Halo: Escalation #21

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Halo: Escalation #21Halo day is nearly upon us; can you feel it? It’s evident in the latest book releases, and tensions are running especially high in the Halo: Escalation comic series. Issue #21 released yesterday (my bad for being late), and everything is going pear-shaped for Jul ‘Mdama, Halsey, and perhaps Palmer’s team of Spartans as well. I am almost starting to wonder if the best recourse with all Forerunner technology is to just blow it into oblivion. Has anyone found any Forerunner tech that didn’t have some sort of doomsday device with it? Trying to find the Absolute Record may have something similar.

Dr. Halsey has royally pissed off Jul ‘Mdama, a Sangheili who could snap her neck with a flick of his fingers, but typical Halsey doesn’t care. All she can see is her goal, and everyone else be damned who is in her path. As she reaches the Monitor guarding the entrance to the Absolute Record, she’s learning that she doesn’t always have command of the situation. In fact, if she really sat down and thought about it, she hasn’t had command of a situation since the Covenant first touched down on Harvest. The only people who would defend Halsey are few and far between, and I think they all belong to Spartan Blue Team.

Uh oh, did I give away part of what Halo 5: Guardians may be about? Eh oh well if I did.

We’re also in another situation with a Monitor who, like Guilty Spark 343, has had way too much time to sit alone and think. Therefore, he isn’t going to follow set protocol that the Librarian established thousands of years ago. I guess this is what happens when

Halo: Primordium spoiler

you create AIs from living beings, as in creatures (mostly humans) who are still alive.

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Halsey has never met Guilty Spark 343, and I doubt she had any clue that her life is once again on the line until the last couple of pages of this issue.

This is the third issue in the six-part sequel to the Spartan Ops story. After doing some quick math, the final issue will release after Halo 5: Guardians, which makes me now wonder how much this will really affect the next game. It’s possible rocks will fall and Jul ‘Mdama and Halsey will die, allowing ONI to clean up that mess and sweep it all away. That would also be the most disappointing ending to a series since Halo 2, and I’m going to pray 343 isn’t that stupid. Well now I’m paranoid that they could be. Dammit, I shouldn’t have done that.

All I can think of is how important the extended lore has been to the Halo-verse, and the comics have lead up to extremely important issues that should be tied to the game somehow. It’s a matter of faith at this point.

Regardless of what they do with it, the current arc in Halo: Escalation continues to build a steady and solid foundation for quite the amazing story. Just a few more issues to go before we find out what’s coming to Halsey. Maybe she’ll

Halo 4 Spartan Ops Spoiler

lose her other arm.

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Halo: Escalation #21 is available now via Dark Horse and Dark Horse digital.

Digital review copy received from publisher.

Book Review: Halo: Saint’s Testimony

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Halo: Saint's TestimonyI’m on a quest to complete all of the Halo books before Halo 5: Guardians releases in October. I finished three older books while on my vacation last week, allowing me to finally get back on track with the latest releases. Next up is a short story, Halo: Saint’s Testimony by Frank O’Connor, the series director. He’s the one who is essentially in charge of all of the Halo lore and making sure it flows between games and makes sense overall. I’m guessing he tapped out for Halo: Reach, but that’s a whole different diatribe. Point is, this is the first time he’s actually written a piece of Halo extended lore himself. Saint’s Testimony took awhile to warm up, but the climax gave me absolute chills, something that hasn’t happened with a book in a long, long time.

Saint’s Testimony features a smart AI, like Cortana or Roland, who is at the end of her seven-year set life cycle. As Cortana discussed throughout Halo 4, and what several AIs have mentioned numerous times throughout the books, a smart AI starts breaking down into rampancy at around 7 years. To prevent the AI from losing any pertinent data or literally going insane and destroying data, the UNSC has a policy in place to essentially kill the AI on its 7th birthday. Iona is now 7, and while she should have the plug pulled on her, she filed a claim with the UNSC court that she shouldn’t be terminated. Even crazier, she’s appealing to the idea that she is alive and has a right to live.

Unlike Cortana, she has no signs of rampancy, and therefore, why shouldn’t she continue to live and fulfill her duty?

It’s an interesting premise and one that really delves into the morals of the lives of AI, but not much about Iona’s testimony in the court of law grabbed my attention. She made her appeals to show how she is like a living and breathing entity (emphasis on “like”), and even goes as far as to show everyone in attendance her dreams. Yes, I admit I thought of Space Odyssey: 2010 and HAL-9000 asking if he would dream. And then I snickered, which completely killed any mood O’Connor was setting for Iona’s testimony.

What snapped me back in was everything that happened after the court hearing concluded. For the sake of avoiding spoilers, I won’t say anything else about the plot. Those events, however, gave me chills. I know I said, “Oh my God!” out loud at least three times in reading the final pages. I can’t get out of my head what was revealed in those last pages. It will haunt my thoughts for years to come, and I already know I’m going to have to read this short story at least one more time to garner everything I can from it.

I am dying to know how this will impact future Halo games or future Halo extended lore. O’Connor has opened a completely new sub-plot that Cortana was only knocking on in Halo 4, as well as Karen Traviss in her Kilo Five trilogy. I have a feeling that Halo is going to go down a far darker path than Bungie originally intended, but considering where the series started, I think this is a glorious thing to happen to the series.

Despite how amazing I think this short story is, I cannot recommend it for everyone for one reason and one alone: if you have not read Traviss’ Kilo Five trilogy, the big revelation will mean absolutely nothing to you. For everyone who has read the Kilo Five trilogy and played through Halo 4, Saint’s Testimony is required reading.

Don’t gripe too much; it’s only 30 pages and only costs $.99. That’s a small price to pay for something that will most likely blow your mind.

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