Gears of War – Comic Review
I have only recently started being what you would call a comic book collector. While I had a few lying around I wasn’t what you would call a true fan of the medium. It was cool and stuff but I was a little intimidated by the depth that they go into and I honestly didn’t know where to begin. I also have an addictive personality so I was worried about where collecting comics might take me. So I invested my nerd money in beer and games. Much better says my bloodshot eyes and beer gut. That all changed recently. A little older now I’m a bit more responsible with my cash now. I had a totally nerd moment the other day however. Watching season 6 of Buffy: the Vampire Slayer, I was putting the cardboard inserts in my comics and plastic bagging them for safe keeping and storing them in ridgy didge the proper box I bought from out local comic book store. Sad stuff really.
Anyway, one of the comics I am collecting is the DC Wildstorm Gears of War comic book series. Now some more experienced connoisseurs may scoff at this choice as not being a particularly great choice to begin a collection (I’m also collecting anything to do with Hellboy from B.P.R.D to Abe Sapien). I’m sure there is far better out there for me to collect. The thing is the mythology and cannon with much of well known comic book characters and series are still beyond me and still overwhelm me. Fuck, until 3 moths ago I still though Barry Allen was the Flash!
Some nice interiors, not Jim Lee nice. but still cool.
One thing I do know is Gears of War. I frigging love the game. Sure it has its detractors but it also has its fans. It also has a universe ripe with potential. I emphasise the word potential here. Note: During the course of this review I will make many references to the game as well as the actual thing I’m reviewing- the comic. But hell, I was more proud of the non review part of my review of Sesame Street Volume 2 than the actual review (cheap plug- I made my boss and Q-dog cry when they read it. Read it). Back to the review.
Set in between games one and two, penned by Gears 2 writer Joshua Ortega and like the second game, the comic series tries valiantly to broaden the Gears universe. It was a valid criticism of the first that here was an apparent back story but we didn’t really know much about it beyond- pasty muscular monsters from underground and guys with guns with chainsaws fighting them. Take cover, kill the buggers¦ Look- yellow fuel, take cover, kill the buggers, ooh chainsaw bayonet! Repeat. There was an implied history there that I wanted to know more about. It just did very little to explain any of it.
While the second instalment did dig deeper it had an equally frustrating element, in setting up more plot devices than it actually answered. Why are there no children Locust? Why are the only females a human looking Queen and the Berserkers? What were the Pendulum wars? What happened to Tai and Dizzy? There are a lot of characters referred to by name: Jayce for example. How is Marcus’ farther involved? What the hell are the Sires? There is a back story however and if the series takes a typical trilogy format in regards to storytelling- establish, evolve and resolve, then ultimately neither games have done anything wrong and we just have to be patient.
The comic book¦ oh yeah the actual comic book. I found myself appreciating this series probably more than the average fan. This is based upon my appreciation of the game. I had some connection with the source material that made emotionally investing in the story easier. I don’t think it’s going to increase in value a great deal and I don’t think it’s not particularly collectable. I don’t care, it’s cool to me.
Jayce fights a big bug!
The first six episodes deal with Jayce a relatively green Gear and his brief connection with Delta squad fighting its way back to Jacinto after a mission kind of went FUBAR. It was kind of cool to remember that we see Jayce (from a distance) and talk to him in the second game. It enables some connection with the character that we simply pass in between all the bullets and chainsaws. That arc takes 6 issues and includes flashbacks to Jayce being saved as a child by a Gear and transferring that emotional recall into taking a guardian role for the little girl whom the squad encounters and rescues.
In playing co-op the second game where we are separated from Tai and Dizzy my mate asked me what happens to them? I didn’t know. The game does little to answer that question apart from meeting a broken Tai who kills himself when found my Marcus. Issue # 7 answers that question and from here the series takes a different turn. The focus is now one off stories filling in the gaps about Tai beginnings and what happened to him and why the nearly superhuman Tai kills himself. It’s not Citizen Kane but it’s probably the best in the series up to this point and gives some nice background to a character you were screaming to want to know more about. He dies. Bugger.
hot chick, big gun. Gold.
Issue 8 is one I am looking forward to above all the others. All though the second game you collect info for your War Journal many of the collectables involve a Gear called Sgt. Jonathan Harper who is captured, escapes and helps a family escape before dying. You never meet him in the game but he is well known if you take the time to read his part in the story. # 8 fleshes out his story and you get to know an engaging character that you don’t actually know but you know of and his selfless sacrifice to save a family of innocents. I don’t know what follows but it is pleasing to see that hey are giving the universe more scope so you are able to make these connections in game.
The next two issues appear to streamline the Aspro Fields story and has this redhead female gear with alancer and tight bum on the cover. Sing along: These are a few of my favourite things!
The writing is better than I initially feared- generally lacking clumsy exposition I was dreading from a game come comic book. That being said much of the story in #1-#6 is a tad repetitive- shoot the drones, shoot the Theron, shoot the Bloodmounts, kill the Brumark, run away from the Berserker, but after 6 issues it was bound to repeat itself a little. This predictable anvil tied to its feet hamstrings the whole series. There is a story here but being confined within an action game hampers it, so the story could never be anything within the same hemisphere as say The Watchmen for example. It’s not trying to be that either. It’s taking a universe that has the potential for an engaging mythology but storytelling viewpoint limited by its very nature and core concept. It is what it is: guns, bullets and blood. Just like the game.
Graaahhhhh! Big guns and big men.
The art is pretty good. I think. Different perspectives and angles remove it from being one dimensional. This is one part of the review process where my inexperience with comics is obvious. It looks cool but I couldn’t name the style for you or anything about the artist. I could research it but I think that stuff is poo boring and I’m not going to do lots of research to try and fool you into thinking I’m this expert in the visual medium- ask QDog- that’s his bone. (Besides I currently really should be writing my school reports!) The style is not overly stylised, it is a cartoon rendering of relatively accurate (albeit heavily scarred and muscular) faces and features from the game. Yeah so the artwork is fine¦ I think. NEXT.
Maybe in 10 years when I’m a more enlightened with what’s hot and what’s not with comics I’ll be more judgemental with my opinion of this series. Until then and as someone who has some investment in the mythos I’ll give this a COOL judgement. For some it may be a COOL+ for many I may just be a MEH. Make your own judgement. It’s also not a bad starter for a comic book collector just to get into when the next issue is coming out and bugging the local comic book store owners.
Yes, its her bum again. Thanks Noel.
Still I’m sure they’re going to look all nice in lined up together in their plastic enveloped and cardboard inserts. Man that bum was nice¦ I think I’ll go hire Buffy: the Vampire slayer season 7.
Noel
Rattle your goddamn head!
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Both comments and pings are currently closed.
The Great Movie Never Made – Podcast Special
Mass Effect 2 – Game Review
The Chaser – Podcast Review
Planet Hulk – Movie Review
Avatar – Podcast Review
Up In The Air – Movie Review
Gamer’s Roundup – Week One, February 2010
Signs of the Apocalypse Roundup – January 2010 – Week 4
Comic News Roundup – January 2010 – Week 4
TV News Roundup – January 2010 – Week 4
The Top and Bottom 5 films of 2009 – A (Cool) Shite Poll
The (official unofficial) Top 5 Video Games of 2009!
Australia’s R18+ Discussion Paper and Submissions – The Great Debate
Planet Hulk: Josh Fine – Interview
Star Chicks – Interview
Van Diemen’s Land: Jonathan auf der Heide – Interview
Daybreakers – The Spierig Brothers Interview
Mao’s Last Dancer – Interview
Fallout New Vegas – Game Trailer
Bioshock 2 – Launch Trailer
Tekken – Movie Trailer
The Hitchhikers Guide to the Daleks – Comedy Clip
Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief – Movie Trailer
