The world of Mirror’s Edge is filled with dangerous factions trying to gain power during a time where everything is controlled by a single, ruthless, conglomerate. All privacy and personal freedoms have been removed and it is up to those deemed runners to work against the system for the betterment of the people.

It is in this world, Faith finds herself struggling for her own sense of belonging and identity, while coming to terms with the mysteries of her past. In this single issue, many larger ideas and people are presented in a way that seems natural and not overbearing on the introduction of Faith and who she is. The crime lords of Rebecca and Dogen are discussed, along with Faith’s mother, her family’s demise, the Krugersec, as well as Noah’s Cabal, who she currently works for. There is also a small cast of nameless runners who work with and against her. With all of these parts being addressed the story does a commendable job not losing focus on Faith and her development. The twist at the end does seem a bit forced though, as there was not enough set up between Faith and Noah’s Cabal to truly make her final decisions as impactful as it could have been. Instead, moving through so many factions and people causes the narrative to miss out on building some of Faith’s relationships.

The art itself also helps to create an interesting world for Faith to run through. At the issue’s beginning, dialogue is very minimal, which allows the narrative to fully display the free running abilities that the Mirror’s Edge video game became famous for. When Faith is in motion, her movements seem quick and natural. There is a fluidity as she moves from jumping off a rooftop to sliding under a row of pipes. The cityscape also helps build the idea of motion, with every rooftop seemingly designed as a unique free running course to be tackled by the runners. The one place the artwork did miss an opportunity is in the interior designs and more intimate moments. Many rooms lose the futuristic look that the exterior world has and, it breaks the environment down into two distinct entities, rather than one cohesive unit where one looks like an extension of the other.

Overall, Mirror’s Edge Exordium #1 is a very strong first issue that builds a deep and interesting world with countless and exciting opportunities for Faith’s journey.

Story: Christofer Emgard Art: Mattias Haggstrom, Robert Sammelin
Story: 8 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.25 Recommendation: Buy

Dark Horse Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review