Written by Kyle Wagner
One of the game-related stories of New York Comic Con that might have slipped under your radar was some new information about Square Enix’s Deus Ex: Human Revolution line of comics. Due in the first quarter of 2011 from DC’s Wildstorm imprint, the series will run for six issues and have a same-day and date digital release on both the DC and PSP comic apps. For anyone not initiated on the nuances of the digital comic book marketplace, it is still very uncommon for titles to be released digitally on the same day that they are released in stores, making this a significant feature of the release.
Writer Robbie Morrison stressed that the comic is not an adaptation of the game, and that it would revolve around the back-story of Adam Jensen, the series’ protagonist. Only a select few “very important” events from the game will appear in the comic; otherwise, the story will run simultaneous to the game, but feature all-original content.
The creative team seems well suited to the franchise. Morrison is best known for his work in 2000AD, a British science fiction weekly, and the Judge Dredd franchise, so he knows his way around a dystopian sci-fi setting. Editor Ben Abernathy has also worked on a significant number of licensed franchises, including Gears of War, Starcraft, God of War, Ratchet & Clank, and Fringe. While these titles have had varying degrees of quality, they have typically been about as good as their source material, rarely elevating above the cloth they’re cut from. So while it’s a virtual lock that fans of the Deus Ex franchise will enjoy the comic, the audience will probably be limited to existing fans.
Kyle is a comic book geek. He's been gaming long enough to know how to cheat at NES Track & Field and that CLVVRCEK is the password for the last level in Sega Genesis' Jurassic Park, but these days he can tell you more about Luke Cage's home life than Solid Snake's last mission.