By Ryan Penagos
What's there to say about Halo that hasn't already been said? Halo has become more than a video game—in more than just the literal sense. Aside from the comics (we'll get to those in a sec.), there're action figures, tabletop games, soundtracks, machinima series and even the ever-present possibility of a big-screen adaptation. In short, Halo is a behemoth. A giant, awesome, behemoth of a video game that's centered around war, religion, loss, redemption and lots of stuff blowing up.
And the comics...well, the comics take all that manic kinetic energy and bundle it together for some very special projects.
July 2006 saw the release of the Halo Graphic Novel, an anthology featuring four stories set within the Halo universe, backed up by a host of pin-ups.
The talent list was stacked with a who's-who of comic writers and artists, including Simon Bisley, Tsutomu Nihei, Geof Darrow and many more. Digging deeper than the exploits of Master Chief and the Arbiter—stars of the Halo games—the Graphic Novel featured stories on the Covenant, Sgt. Johnson, battle-testing the armor that Master Chief's fellow Spartan soldiers wear and a look at the human/Covenant war from the eyes of innocent civilians.
The Halo Graphic Novel added to the Halo mythos and built upon the drama created by the Halo games, but it's the monthly Halo comic that has driven Halo fans into a frenzy.
Driven by the massive skills of writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Alex Maleev—the team behind DAREDEVIL—HALO UPRISING officially bridges the gap between Halo 2 and Halo 3. We won't get into too much detail right now, but suffice to say, it's the can't-miss comic for anyone following Bungie's storied saga.
So, whether you're a comic fan brought in by all the amazing talent, a video game fan following the allure of all things Halo, or just checking out something cool, enjoy the Halo Visual Guide, your one-stop depot for all the Halo comic book covers.
Updated on 4.15.09 with HALO UPRISING #4 cover
