graphic novel
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Rockstar Games co-founder Dan Houser's next projects are a graphic novel and an audio drama
Rockstar Games co-founder and ex-creative director Dan Houser's new studio Absurd Ventures has announced its first projects: a graphic novel and an audio drama.
NASA's AR graphic novel is meant to recruit a new wave of astronauts
NASA has released an augmented reality graphic novel that could help recruit more astronauts... and teach you a few things in the process.
'The End of the F***ing World' returns to Netflix November 5th
One of Netflix's finest original series is coming back in just a few weeks' time. Season two of The End of the F***ing World will start streaming November 5th.
Valiant Hearts comic barks up the iOS tree for free today
Valiant Hearts: Dogs of War is a four-chapter, interactive comic book that tells the backstories of Walt, the dog star of the game Valiant Hearts: The Great War, and his canine sister, Cassie. The comic is free to all who own Valiant Hearts: The Great War on iOS, and the game is $5 for the first chapter and $4 each for the remaining three chapters. Or, get the final three installments in a three-chapter bundle for $9. "The loveable pair grew up together until one day events of The Great War sent them down vastly different paths," Ubisoft says in a press release. "In this tale of heroism, both dogs are thrown into the maze of trenches across the Western Front, and will have to navigate their own way towards survival amidst the horror of the war. Walt and Cassie won't share a common fate: While one will become a messenger, the other will become a medic who rescues fallen soldiers." Valiant Hearts: The Great War launched on iOS in September, following its release on consoles and PC in June. In our five-star review, we mentioned the emotional power working behind the comic book art style: "Valiant Hearts doesn't simply use comic portraits as a stylistic crutch. There are smart details in the art that connect to the story, sometimes in a simple foreground photo that tells you something about Anna's only family, and other times in a cutaway panel filled with peril – Freddie screaming for Emile to save him and quickly. Valiant Hearts won't always let you pass through its puzzles at a tranquil pace, and death can happen in an instant." [Image: Ubisoft]
Path of Exile comic books hint at upcoming expansion
We all know that you haven't made it as a video game unless you're immortalized in a comic book. Path of Exile has joined that very select club as it announced today that it will be the focus of an official comic book mini-series. The four upcoming Path of Exile graphic novels will be based on the lore of the game and penned by Dynamite Entertainment. The comics are slated for some time this summer and will be 22 pages apiece, with a compilation release in early 2015. So other than the cool factor, why should players care? Well, not only will the comics feature a lead-in to the game's unannounced expansion, but each issue will have codes for in-game goodies such as cosmetics.
EVE graphic novel based on real player stories out now
EVE: True Stories is a graphic novel based on real stories from EVE Online players, and the first issue is now available. The 17-page first issue "Thieves Among Us" has been made available for free by Dark Horse Digital, on both the publisher's site and via the iOS and Google Play apps. EVE: True Stories is written by Daniel Way, a writer credited on a number of Marvel Comics novels like Deadpool volume 3, Wolverine: Origins and the 18-issue Venom series from 2003. The first issue is illustrated by Tomm Coker, the artist of Homage Comics' Nightfall: The Black Chronicles, Marvel's Daredevil Noir mini-series and Image Comics' Near Death series. The EVE Online-inspired comics will see future installments on March 5, March 19 and April 2, each available for free until June. All four comics will be bundled in a hardback collector's edition book, set to go on sale on June 4. [Image: Dark Horse Comics]
PlanetSide 2 anniversary contest will turn EU player stories into graphic novels
War has been raging on Auraxis for a year now, and ProSiebenSat.1 is celebrating PlanetSide 2's first birthday with a special contest and an exclusive anniversary bundle. The contest will transform European players' stories of their PS2 adventures into graphic novels, drawn by artist Colin M. Winkler. Players who feel they have compelling "WarStories" can submit them for consideration between now and December 17th, 2013. Three first-place winners (one for each Empire) will have their stories transformed into graphic novels and will earn various other prizes. All finalists, along with six second- and third-place winners, get some goodies. EU players can also purchase a special anniversary bundle that contains camo, decals, weapons, and boosts. Additionally, all PlanetSide 2 players who joined the beta phase, played on the launch day, or played the game anytime in the last year will snag exclusive anniversary decals automatically. [Source: ProSiebenSat.1 Games press release]
The sci-fi all-stars behind Morning Star Alpha
Morning Star is a huge gamble. It's an interstellar FPS for mobile devices built by a crack team of geek-industry experts at Industrial Toys, all hoping to break stigmas of handheld, hardcore gaming. Morning Star Alpha, the tie-in graphic novel for the game, is an even bigger risk. Add-on apps for games have earned the reputation of being rushed, shallow and of poor quality, and most players don't take these digital comics seriously, no matter how fanatical about the series they may be. Convincing people to play a new shooter on their iPhones is one thing – getting them to read a digital comic about that game is another world of salesmanship. So far, Morning Star Alpha has three things working in its favor: It's free, it offers a new way of reading on-screen comics, and it comes from an all-star team, written by award-winning sci-fi author John Scalzi, drawn by Marvel and DC artist Mike Choi, and overseen by Halo creator Alex Seropian. And a fourth thing – it looks really cool.%Gallery-193419%
Enter to win World of Warcraft: Dark Riders
Have you ever wondered just what's up with the Dark Riders of Deadwind Pass? Now's your chance to find out. We've got not one, but two hardcover copies of World of Warcraft: Dark Riders to give away. The latest graphic novel to hit the shelves courtesy of DC Comics, Dark Riders is written by Mike Costa and features some amazing art by Neil Googe. It's 144 pages of Alliance entertainment, filling in the gaps in the story of the mysterious Scythe of Elune, as well as the mystery of the Dark Riders themselves. Thanks to Blizzard Entertainment, we've got a couple of these graphic novels to give away. Take a look at our spoiler-free review if you'd like more information on the graphic novel -- it's a amazingly well-done book, well-deserving of a spot on the bookshelf. To enter for a chance to win, leave a comment on this post before 11:59 p.m. ET, Wednesday, June 26, 2013. You must be 18 years of age or older and a legal resident of the United States or Canada (excluding Quebec). You can only enter once. Two winners will be chosen at random and we will contact you via whatever method you've used to comment. Official rules here.
Why Kojima wanted MGS Legacy to include graphic novels
Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima has taken to Twitter to add some insight into why he decided to include two graphic novels by artist Ashley Wood in the upcoming Metal Gear Solid Legacy Collection.The first two Metal Gear Solid have "got different control feeling" compared to modern games, says Kojima through a translator. The graphic novels are meant as more of a "watch MGS" mode for those raised on modern control schemes.With more remakes and longer series lately, it's not uncommon to see developers help players get players caught up on a universe one way or another. Including a graphic novel for backstory is an interesting way to make up for gameplay differences over a series' lifetime.The Legacy Collection will be out in June for PS3 and include the first two games, if you're up for the challenge, along with MGS 3, Peace Walker, MGS 4, and MGS: VR Missions.
Apple patent turns in-game choices into a customized comic book
In 2009, Apple filed a patent to transfer players' unique video game story paths, choices and customized characters to book form, available automatically after the game was finished as an e-book, book or graphic novel. The USPTO granted Apple that patent today and made it public, complete with scores of Mass Effect-themed mock-ups demonstrating how the system would work.Today, we can see this program working well with a narrative-driven game such as Telltale's The Walking Dead: At the end of each episode, Apple's system would spit out a single-issue comic populated with each player's individual choices, dialogue trees and screenshots, shown directly on the console or PC and transferrable to tablets or other mobile devices. It's the circle of undead life, according to The Walking Dead – comic to game and back to comic, with some other lucrative multimedia stops along the way.Of course there's no telling if Apple is still interested in its patent, or how it would implement the system if it were. It could, however, prove a nice fit for those iPads people seem so fond of.
Storyteller preview: In the eye of the beholder
"Wait, save that. No one's done it that way before. You made it more complicated."Daniel Benmergui reached out to grab the mouse and save a screenshot of my panels in his comic-book narrative game, Storyteller, where I had just concocted a tale of love and loss based on the page's prompt, using a trio of static characters. One click and Benmergui let me regain control – he resumed his place over my shoulder in a quiet room off of the main GDC concourse, paper and pen in hand, taking notes on my visible thought processes as they played out on-screen.It didn't feel as if he were judging me for any missteps or silly lapses in narrative logic – In Storyteller, there are no right or wrong answers, as long as the setting is satisfied. It's up to the player to concoct her own story, based on prompts such as "Adam is heartbroken but recovers," "Tim betrays Adam for money but kills himself out of regret" and "A mother murders her own daughter out of jealousy."
New World of Warcraft: Bloodsworn teaser images
Once upon a time, World of Warcraft had its very own comic series. The series ended in 2009 with a special one-shot issue that shared a tantalizing glimpse of more comics to come. Since then, the world of WoW comics has been by and large silent, except for rumors of two graphic novel projects. The first, Dark Riders, is slated for release this May. And now we have some new information and images to share from the other project that has until now been under wraps -- World of Warcraft: Bloodsworn. Along with some exclusive images from the graphic novel, Blizzard has shared with us a summary of the story. As the Cataclysm rips through Azeroth, Warchief Garrosh Hellscream orders the best warriors of the Horde to come forward and serve in a new army, lest their foes in the Alliance sense weakness and attack. We meet these warriors as they come forward - from very different lands, backgrounds, traditions...Will they be able to overcome their deep differences and work together to serve the Horde, especially when challenged by a powerful, unfamiliar race claiming to be the real rulers of Azeroth? From both the summary and the amount of time its been in development, it looks as though Bloodsworn takes place prior to Mists of Pandaria. While we likely won't see any of our pandaren pals, getting a closer look at the Horde and Hellscream's war machine during the tumultuous events of Cataclysm is apt to be fascinating. And what's up with that powerful, unfamiliar race? Ordinarily I'd say mogu, but I doubt we're dealing with Mists content. World of Warcraft: Bloodsworn is now available for pre-order on Amazon for the low price of $14.28. Although Amazon currently has the release date for the graphic novel listed as August 13, 2013, please note that release dates may change. And if you'd like a further glimpse of what's in store, take a look at our gallery for an exclusive sneak-peek of the graphic novel. %Gallery-181316%
Sony shuts down PSP Comic Store after October 30th, leaves most of us in the lurch for now
PSP Comic Store, we hardly knew ye. No really, we hardly knew ye -- which is probably why Sony is warning PSP owners that its comic book portal is shutting down after October 30th. Come Hallowe'en, we'll lose the option to download the necessary app or buy additional titles. Any currently owned comics will be available to download again until mid-January, but readers will be on their own to preserve existing libraries after that. Outside of Japan, that creates significant problems for literary PlayStation fans: while PS Vita owners in Sony's home country will get a Manga store and reader in October, there's no equivalent crutch for other countries (or any PSP owners) at this stage. The console maker is non-committal and says there's nothing it can discuss "at the moment," which to us is a hint that we shouldn't plan our reading hours around a PSP or PS Vita in the near future. [Thanks, Sooraj]
Kindle app updates bring children's books, graphic novels and comics to iOS, Android and Cloud Reader
Put down War and Peace for just a second. If you're a Kindle user on iOS, Android or Amazon's Cloud Reader, a new update brings children's books, graphic novels and comics to your virtual library. The children's titles will support Kindle Text Pop-Up to help boost the size of the words and spare your little one's eyes. Comics, however, get the Kindle Panel View treatment -- on supported titles -- that'll keep that analog format's frame-by-frame style. An iOS-only tweak adds title- and author search of your library, plus smaller margins on the iPad. Android tablet owners and Cloud Readers, on the other hand, can now enjoy a two-page view. The updates are available starting today, so fold the corner on the source links, or head straight to the next chapter.
Assassin's Creed 3 Ubiworkshop Edition has 500 pages for $100
The Assassin's Creed 3 Ubiworkshop Edition will include the Assassin's Creed Encyclopedia Second Edition and Assassin's Creed Subject 4, a compilation of the graphic novels The Fall and The Chain. It will also include the game, but when you have an encyclopedia and some comic books, what self-respecting nerd needs video games?The Ubiworkshop Edition is for Xbox 360 and PS3 and costs $100 in a special pre-order price, valid through July 4, and $110 following that completely random day, exclusively on Ubiworkshop. Ubisoft promises this edition includes more than 500 pages of narrative content: The encyclopedia alone runs $50 and each comic is $20 separately on Ubiworkshop, so on top of a $60 game, this edition is a steal.
Review: 'The Zen of Steve Jobs' graphic novel
I just took ten minutes (hey, it's a comic book) and read Caleb Melby and Jess3's The Zen of Steve Jobs graphic novel and I think anyone who is a fan of comic books or Steve Jobs is going to like it. As I told you in September, the 60-page graphic novel is a re-imagining of Steve Jobs' life during the mid-1980s after he left Apple and before he founded NeXT. Specifically, it deals with Jobs' relationship with Kobun Chino Otogawa, a Zen Buddhist priest (who also married Jobs and his wife, Laurene Powell). The writer, Caleb Melby, makes it clear from the get go that the graphic novel is not fact. He combines existing Jobs/Kobun interviews and biographies with his own interviews of several Kobun students who were contemporaries of Jobs. The result, enhanced with Melby's imagination is a really interesting story. In the graphic novel, Jobs and Kobun clearly have a Luke Skywalker/Yoda thing going on (although Jobs is more of a jerk to Kobun than Luke was to Yoda). As the story progresses, the reader is treated to flashbacks and flashforwards of how the Buddhist principle of Ma eventually affected Apple's designs after Steve's return. Speaking of style, Jess3's art is beautiful -- a combination of manga and western styles with clean lines and sweeping, single-color tones. While this graphic novel is about Steve Jobs, Kobun is the most interesting character. His real-life death eerily mirrored the fictional Joseph Knecht's death in Hermann Hesse's The Glass Bead Game almost exactly, and Melby depicted that well (readers of both will probably note the similarities between the two before they even finish Zen). The Zen of Steve Jobs finishes with some extras, like a fascinating afterword from the author about why he brought Steve Job's to life in comic book form, a mini-biography of Kobun and some interesting behind-the-scenes looks as to how the project was created. The Zen of Steve Jobs is available in print from Amazon (US$10.28) or on the iBookstore ($9.99).
Rise of Nightmares graphic novel tells the story of Roland Childs
While we certainly found the Kinect-fueled experience of Rise of Nightmares to be novel, we never expected it would spawn an actual novel. We're talking about the graphic variety, as Sega has just announced and released Rise of Nightmares: The Lost Tapes of Roland Childs. The novel tells the story of private detective Roland Childs, who was investigating the strange goings on in Romania before Rise of Nightmares protagonist "Josh" fell into the mix. Throughout the adventure, Josh can collect Childs' audio tapes, piecing together the mystery of the Romanian castle and its freakish inhabitants. Granted, story isn't exactly the game's strong suit, but then Sega is offering the graphic novel free of charge, so who's complaining? You can read the whole thing on Sega's Flickr account (starting here) or download the novel as a PDF (here). As far as we know, the graphic novel does not require a Kinect.
Preview: 4 pages from forthcoming Steve Jobs graphic novel
Forbes has published four pages from the upcoming Zen of Steve Jobs graphic novel. The 60-page book is brought to you by Forbes and the people at JESS3, who specialize in data visualization. The Zen of Steve Jobs is a re-imagining of Steve Jobs' life during the mid-1980s after he left Apple and before he founded NeXT. During that time Jobs befriended Kobun Chino Otogawa, a Zen Buddhist priest. The two shared a passion about art, design and innovation. The graphic novel imagines how their friendship influenced Steve Jobs' later decisions when he returned to Apple. Yeah, it's a little weird that Forbes is publishing fictional Steve Jobs comic books, but I'm sure it'll be a best-seller. The graphic novel will have its digital release in late fall. In the mean time you can check out four preview pages by clicking the link above and another page here.
Chris Ware releases iPad-only comic via McSweeney's app
Chris Ware is an amazing cartoonist out of Chicago, and he's done a lot of work with McSweeney's, the literary journal run by novelist Dave Eggers and his company. Now, Ware has released an iPad-only comic, released inside the McSweeney's app, and co-developed with Spaces of Play, the studio behind the recent iOS game Spirits. The comic is called Touch Sensitive, and it's apparently 14 pages of art and animations by Ware, featuring his great style and pace. The piece itself is a 99 cent purchase inside the McSweeney's app, which is a free download available now. There's a lot of other content in there, too, including a month long subscription to their service called The Small Chair, featuring stories, essays, interview, and other works from the McSweeney's stable. If you haven't checked the app out yet, you should definitely pick it up. And the Ware comic is a great first purchase in there, too -- it's completely exclusive to the iPad, so this is your only chance to read it.
