In Review: Dead Space - Liberation

By Ian Edginton and Christopher Shy
Publisher: Titan Books
Out: Now
Warning: Contains violence and swearing - not for younger readers

The Book: Following the events of the video game Dead Space 2, we follow Earthgov Sergeant John Carver whose wife and son are attacked by fanatics trying to liberate the Marker site where she works. Racing to solve the clues his wife left behind, Carver teams up with Ellie Langford, survivor of an earlier Necromorph outbreak on the Sprawl, and EarthGov Captain Robert Norton. Together they unlock deep secrets about the Markers in an epic adventure that will determine the fate of mankind.

The Review: For the benefit of non-gamers, Dead Space is a series of best-selling games centering on a carefully crafted mythos in which humanity is being influenced - and distorted - by alien 'Markers', whose 'technology' includes the gruesome ability to turn the dead into slavering, murderous zombies. In short, it's Aliens meets Dawn of the Dead, but the makers of the games have, I'm told, taken this concept and made it an impressive saga.

In the games, the chief protagonist, systems engineer Isaac Clarke, takes on not just space zombies but the might of a dangerous religion that has protected and actively sought out the deadly 'Markers', a cult that has backers in high places.

Promotional art for Deep Space: Liberation - an example of all the right things about the art on this book...

This third graphic movel - Titan have also re-released the first two - is something of a curate's egg as it blends an ongoing comic story with the overall narrative. In this prequel to the latest game, Ian Edginton offers more character building to the story's main characters and, as the race to find Marker secrets hots up, there are some great insights into the battle hardened, emotionally-scarred Carver and his companions.

Christopher Shy also delivers an atmospheric take on the tale, with some genuinely impressive scenes, particularly those involving spacecraft and aforementioned 'space zombies'. The panels where the parasitic, visceral zombies spring from some dark corner are truly haunting and visually impressive.

There's a fantastic sequence, also, in which Carver returns from a foray against his enemy bathed in what I assume is the blood of his foe, that emphasizes how far he's prepared to go to defeat them.

-- but the lettering style proves a major stumbling block in terms of best presentation of the tale

Sadly, though, these impressive elements of the art are let down by the static, wooden, possibly photo referenced figure work in scenes where characters discuss tactics or helpfully move the plot forwards. There's little or no animation to the faces - although perhaps this is a deliberate choice, suggesting the human characters are as dead as their enemy. But the results are rather disappointing and stilted.

What really lets down the whole story, for me, is the lettering. In dispensing with traditional word balloons in favour of a chalk marker, which lack much emphasis and sensible placement at times, this jars with the storytelling rather than enhances it. Good lettering should be 'invisible'; that is, it should complement and not distract from the art and story. This design choice fails achieve that objectives and consequently mars the delivery of this Dead Space tale.

A good game tie in? Yes. A good comic? In part yes, in terms of script and some of the art - but largely, could be better.

Dead Space Liberation a top seller for Titan Books

Titan Books new graphic novel, Dead Space: Liberation hit The New York Times Best-Sellers List at Number 3 in the Hardcover Graphic Books category this week.

Following the events of the smash video game hit Dead Space 2, the new adventure by Ian Edginton and Christopher Shy, a prequel to the Dead Space 3 video game launched last month,  follows Earthgov Sergeant John Carver, whose wife and son are attacked by fanatics trying to liberate the Marker site where she works. Racing to solve the clues his wife left behind, Carver teams up with Ellie Langford, survivor of an earlier Necromorph outbreak on the Sprawl, and EarthGov Captain Robert Norton.

Together they unlock deep secrets about the Markers in an epic adventure that will determine the fate of mankind.

The title is the third release in the Dead Space saga, and Titan have also re-released both Dead Space and Dead Space - Salvage in new editions.

• New York Times Graphic Novel Bestsellers: March 3 2013

Johnston to promote Dead Space at next Expo

Promotional art for Dead Space 2. © EA Games

British comics writer Antony Johnston will be on hand to help promote the new EA Games title Dead Space 2 when it's trailed at the next London MCM Expo, which will be held at Excel on 29-31 October 2010 and closes out the month-long London Games Festival.

By then, his new Dead Space graphic novel, drawn by Christopher Shy and published by IDW, may also available - if not, check out the official Dead Space web sites.

The Dead Space 2 game ramps up the horror action even further than the original, as lone survivor Isaac Clarke struggles to keep his sanity while taking on relentless necromorph onslaughts. EA say players will be kept on the edge of their seats as Isaac fights bigger, scarier and more epic battles than ever before aboard an all-new space installation known as ‘The Sprawl’.

Having trailed the original Dead Space at London MCM Expo, Midlands MCM Expo and Memorabilia, the videogames publisher returns to offer show visitors an über early sneak peek of the much-anticipated sequel, set to hit shelves in January 2011.

London MCM Expo is also delighted to announce that award-winning British author Antony Johnston, whose has written several Dead Space projects, will also be attending the show.

His latest Dead Space story is Dead Space: Salvage, a self-contained 120-page graphic novel, billed as a “sidequel” and taking place between the first and second Dead Space games. It tells the story of the missing, necromorph-infested planet-cracker USG Ishimura, presumed lost and drifting somewhere in the Aegis system.

Then the ship is discovered by a band of ‘magpies’ -- unlicensed miners and salvage merchants -- who quickly realise it’s not the bountiful haul they were hoping for.

Anthony also wrote the Dead Space webisodes based on the saga and the Dead Space: Extraction comic and graphic novel.

Christopher Shy, who is illustrating the new graphic novel, is the founder of Studio Ronin and an accomplished film and concept designer, whose graphic novel projects include Silent Leaves, Soul StealerAscend, Good Apollo, work for Marvel, DC, as well as set design for concerts, and film.

Recently, Studio Ronin and Christopher Shy completed work on the graphic novel Pathfinder, released by Dark Horse Comics, which was made into a film directed by Marcus Nispel. Studio Ronin handled design on the film in almost every aspect, from simple sword and helmet designs, to miniatures, and customs concepts, as well as the promotional materials, including the international and domestic movie poster.

• For more MCM Expo information, visit our new website at: www.londonexpo.com

• Click here to visit the official EA site for Dead Space