Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great book. Good reveals. Sweet storytelling, August 1, 2006
Don't believe the naysayers. If you enjoy Halo and you have an open mind towards graphic novel storytelling then you will enjoy this book. The guys below obviously have no taste in art nor any taste in storytelling---how can Moebius, Nihei, Bisley, etc. have contibuted terrible art? They are all sought after graphic novel artists. The reviews below seem more reflective of wanting to see this book do badly than actually have real criticisms beyond "this is bad, that is bad, etc." My fave stories in this book was Nihei's and Moebius's. Really strong art and moving story lines. Don't buy the hype just buy the book and enjoy the read. Let the haters hate. Halo will always reign supreme.
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bungie Proves Itself Once More , August 3, 2006
As the book is a collection of stories, rather than a single graphic novel, a brief review of each is warranted:
The Last Voyage of the Infinite Succor
This first story, the longest of the group and centerpiece of the book, recounts a mission of a Covenant Spec Ops squad, lead by the Sangheili commander "Half-Jaw" that the player fights alongside in Halo 2. As the Master Chief flees from the newly-released Flood menace on the first Halo, a hijacked Covenant dropship crashes its way into an agricultural ship and proceeds to infect the crew. The Spec Ops squad is dispatched to find out what happened, retake or destroy the ship, and rescue the Prophet who is trapped onboard.
I'm not a big connoisseur of comics, but I do read through them from time to time, and I think I can tell when the artist is into his work. He was here. The art may not be the most realistic, sacrificing clean lines for the gritty and even hideous imagery that derelict corridors and Flood monstrosities entail, but it is very engaging nonetheless. Though Bisley takes some artistic license with Covenant aesthetic and look of the Flood, their essence is preserved. Especially well done are the Sangheili warriors, both while in repose and engaged in blistering death duels with the marauding parasites. And the extensive usage of dual energy swords is a very cool touch, and never overdone.
My only issues with the story was the dialogue early on, which seemed rather clunky, but that cleared up quickly, and the plot was quite easy to follow. The bits of background on the Covenant included and the expansion of the Flood were welcome additions as well.
Armor Testing
This short depicts, as the name suggests, a field test of the new Mjolnir Mark VI armor Master Chief receives at the beginning of Halo 2, conducted at the Songnam research facility also mentioned in the game. The art used for this story couldn't be more different from that of Infinite Succor, clean, clear lines and vibrant colors, but it suits the more familiar human setting. I really liked the art in this one as well, and the action was depicted well. Indeed, my only problem with Testing is the odd depiction of the Spartan at the center of the tale, and I'm not talking about gender. Nevertheless, it's an enjoyable read.
Breaking Quarantine
Essentially a retecon for a controversial part of the novel First Strike, this piece recounts the unkillable Sgt. Johnson's escape from near-certain doom after Captain Keyes accidentally releases the Flood from stasis. Its short and completely free of dialogue, but both of those factors only heighten the desperate and confused mood the story is trying to convey. A mid-ground between the previous two styles, with a good deal of Japanese influence (the artist is a manga author, after all), I think that this piece had the overall best art of the collection.
Second Sunrise Over New Mombasa
The last and most original short in the book, Second Sunrise shows the Covenant invasion of Earth from the point of view of a photographer working in ONI's (UNSC Intelligence) propaganda department. The piece follows him as he attempts to balance artistic credibility and the demands of the military (his job is essentially filtering and editing remote news footage of the war to make it seem as though thing aren't going as badly for humanity as they really are), and then his desperate flight through embattled streets as the Covenant descend upon the city. It also contains a brief lead-in, if a rather obvious one, for Halo 3.
As much as I liked the story of this one, I couldn't really get into the art. Although it shifts from place to place, the overall style is very modern, urban-abstract, a artisitic method I've never been very fond of. Nevertheless, it never gets to over-the-top, although it comes close in places. Another small issue I had was with the portrayal of Covenant weaponry and of the soldiers themselves; it didn't really distract, but I think the artist drew a little too much from older Scifi imagery (although the homage to a Martian tripod was neat).
The collection is completed by a gallery of twenty or so stand-alone pieces of art, each from a different artist, among them Craig Mullins. It was an unexpected touch, and really helped fill out the book. Among my favorites was one by Bungie artist Lorraine McLees (who also wrote the foreword), of the Chief surrounded by a truly formidable arsenal of human weaponry.
Overall, the graphic novel is a must buy for any Halo fan, or anyone with a appreciation for high-quality comic artwork. I have high hopes for the future of the franchise (and Bungie proves that it's the best company ever. Again.)
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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Simply awesome, November 13, 2006
I'm not the biggest Halo fan in the world, but this graphic novel is awesome! It has beautiful art and simple but well told stories. Each of the different artists has a unique style that make this book worth while. Definitely not for children because of the gore factor which is done tastefully, but this is definitely not Reading Rainbow material. My guess is anyone over 13 should be okay reading this if they are allowed to watch PG-13 movies. This definitely PG-13 from the 80s not the 00s so there is no sexual content. Overall good teen/adult reading without too many words to ruin the real experience which is the artwork. With that being said buy this if you enjoy great graphic novel art.
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