Dark Horse Comics and Ubisoft team up again to journey into the world of Assassin’s Creed in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Forgotten Myths. Penned by Alex Freed, illustrated by Martin Tunica, colored by Michael Atiyeh, and lettered by Jimmy Betancourt with covers by Rafael Sarmento, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Forgotten Myths is a prequel story to the upcoming game Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök!
Thor, Baldr, and Heimdall have discovered trouble lurking at Asgard’s borders once again. A mighty fire giant from Muspelheim is threatening the land of the Æsir. In the aftermath of the raging battle, Baldr discovers that the Muspels are now massing at the gates of Svartalfheim and begins a journey to bring peace to the realms.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Forgotten Myths #1 will be in comic shops March 16, 2022.
Aconyte, the fiction imprint of global games group Asmodee, has announced it has licensed its range of all-action novels set in the worlds of Ubisoft’s video games for French translation by noted pop culture publishing house 404 Editions, an imprint of Editis.
Beginning in early Summer of 2022, 404 Editions will kick off an ongoing range of novels from across some of Ubisoft’s most popular game worlds, including Assassin’s Creed, Watch Dogs, Tom Clancy’s The Division and Splinter Cell, and more. These series will explore never-before-seen parts of these deeply imaginative settings to create a variety of original stories, some revealing the hidden histories of fan-favorite characters, and opening up whole new possibilities for action and adventure.
The originals are being published in English by Asmodee Entertainment’s Aconyte Books imprint, with whom 404 Editions already has a multi-year partnership for several ranges of novels based on both Asmodee board games, and characters from across the Marvel universe.
Imagine a werewolf story where the coming of the full moon is the least of the main character’s worries given he’s surrounded by a group of people more invested in the construction of a pipeline than the prospect of being torn to shreds by a lycanthrope. That, in a nutshell, is Werewolves Within, directed by Josh Ruben and written by Mishna Wolff.
Based on the VR game of the same name, Werewolves Within centers on a group of people forced to stay together under a single roof, during a snowstorm, just as a series of grizzly happenings have scared everyone into thinking a werewolf is loose on the small town of Beavertown.
The story unravels like a game of Clue, where every character is a suspect, only in this case the suspicion revolves around the identity of the werewolf. And yet, the movie takes a sharp turn into oddball political paranoia, in which each suspect is a unique caricature of American politics that makes them as predictable as they are dangerous. It’s as if everything is split between party lines, right down to the way the group should go about solving the mystery.
The main divide that pits each character against each other is the potential construction of a pipeline through the natural beauty that surrounds Beavertown. A bullyish, macho oil man is all for the pipeline and is trying to get as many residents to his side as possible while an environmentalist, a forest ranger, a mailperson, the owner of the local inn, and a rich gay couple stand it total opposition to it.
Werewolves Within
A woman with small business aspirations (and a cute small dog called Chachi), her creepy grabby husband, and a money-hungry couple are all for the pipeline. Alliances are drawn from each side’s prejudices against the other and that’s where the movie finds its groove.
Werewolves Within’s two main leads, Finn and Cecily (played by Sam Richardson and Milana Vayntrub respectively), are the glue that keeps everything together. Finn is Beavertown’s new forest ranger and Cecily is the town’s mailperson. Their chemistry carries an undeniable pull that immediately places them as people worthy of trust in case of a werewolf crisis. They’re easy to root for, which makes all the violence around them bite that much harder.
What’s smart about the two leads is that they function as balancing agents, towing the line between the left-leaning suspects and the pro-pipeline right-wingers. To be clear, I don’t believe the movie is a right-wing bashing free-for-all where the more liberal camp comes out as the clear winner. Each side is a caricature of itself and the movie invites making fun of everyone.
You might’ve already noticed I haven’t mentioned the werewolf that much. There’s a reason for that, but I’ll let the movie do the talking on that front. I’ll say this, the direction they take it in is whip-smart and well worth the many twists and turns the movie throws at its audience at nearly every turn.
Werewolves Within is a remarkable satire of our current political climate and it uses horror conventions just as well as it subverts them to make it stand out. It serves a higher purpose and it’s all the better for it. It has quite a few tricks up its sleeves, and you’ll laugh hard through each one as you try to figure who is and who isn’t an asshole. I mean, who is or who isn’t a werewolf.
Ubisoft’s Far Cry franchise possesses a curious history in terms of how its narrative has evolved throughout each game. The first two, while top-tier sandbox fps games, were relatively light on story, letting the action and highly flammable environments take the lead. When Far Cry 3 came out in 2012, the franchise discovered its true identity: signature sandbox gameplay with a deep sense of narrative complete with an iconic villain, Vass Montenegro in this case. This is the format subsequent games adhered to and it’s what Dark Horse’s new Far Cry comic sets out to celebrate.
Far Cry: Rite of Passage #1, written by Bryan Edward Hill and illustrated by Geraldo Borges, sets out to establish the father/son relationship that seems to be at the center of Far Cry6, the newest yet-to-be released entry in the franchise, in which a dictator named Anton Castillo tries to prepare his son Diego on the day of his thirteenth birthday for the things he must do when he grows up.
Issue 1 tries to establish a lineage of villainy for the Far Cry universe and it starts with Anton telling his son the story of Vaas Montenegro, a man that represents a kind of aspirational but cautionary tale about how morality can shackle power. Vaas’ trajectory is laid out like a triumph of self-determination that led to self-destruction after underestimating the challenges he met during the third game’s story.
The way Vaas’ story is laid out positions him as an imperfect example to follow, but an example nonetheless. The setup works beautifully as Anton’s narration comes off as an extension, in weight and tone, of the narrative trailer Ubisoft released for Far Cry 6. As of the writing of this review, details on the actual game and its characters are scarce, so Rite of Passage is a much needed look at what FC6 might end up being about, especially for fans.
Anton is played by Giancarlo Espositoin the game and the comic manages to capture the measured intensity the Breaking Bad actor brings to the character. Borges gets Esposito’s likeness most of the time and it helps the reader see the trailer and the comic as both being part of a whole. The same goes for Vaas, who is played by Michael Mando in FC3. His likeness is also a highlight and helps differentiate the two Far Cry stories from each other.
Hill’s script succeeds in creating an environment that isn’t just a mere transfer of the game into the comics page. He’s not afraid to lean heavy on narrative at the expense of action. Rite of Passage isn’t a retread of past games nor is it a giant action set-piece. It’s all character development and character study. Hill goes out of his way to give Far Cry ‘s villains the attention they deserve.
The remaining entries of Far Cry: Rite of Passage will each take on one of the main bad guys from parts four and five of series. The next issue will focus on FC4’s Pagan Min, with Joseph Seed being the focus of issue #3.
Seed presents the possibility of controversy as his characterization in FC5 responds to American gun worship and cult politics. Previous villains feel distanced enough from the American experience that they can be taken as foreign threats in foreign lands, thus a reflection of crime and corruption elsewhere. Seed casts a more complex reflection of American behavior and the country’s relationship with fringe groups. Issue #3 has the potential to really explore some dark themes.
Far Cry: Rite of Passage is an ambitious character study of bad people. Hill and Borges treat the subject matter with the seriousness it deserves while also celebrating Far Cry’s rogues gallery. It’s a strong companion to the game series and even deepens our understanding of the sandbox world Far Cry presents gamers with. Hill and Borges make it a treat to get up close and personal with evil men.
Writer: Bryan Edward Hill Artist: Geraldo Borges Colorist: Michael Atiyeh, Letters: Cover: Matt Taylor Story: 9.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy and make sure to brush up on your survival skills.
Dark Horse Books, working closely with Ubisoft, expands the innovative battle royale game, Hyper Scape, in this story written by Christofer Emgård with art by Gabriel Guzman and colors by Michael Atiyeh now collected in full in paperback format!
Hyper Scape collects a series of six two-part digital comics and covers created in close collaboration with Ubisoft. Digital single issue comics of this series are already available through Dark Horse’s digital comics platforms and the Hyperscape official site, with more currently in production and slated for release in the future.
The year is 2054. The world has turned darker over the last three decades, making for a hard day-to-day existence. People have found solace in the HYPER SCAPE—a virtual landscape run by the world’s most powerful megacorp, Prisma Dimensions, where recreation, entertainment, and social gatherings are accessed in the blink of an eye. An upgrade to the system is about to be unveiled, revolutionizing the experience . . . but an early rollout could have fatal results. When faced with glitches in the system, suspicious behavior of Prisma staff, and a mysterious death that reeks of a cover up, HYPER SCAPE players who seek the truth will have to search for it within the virtual simulation.
Hyper Scapeis available in paperback everywhere books are sold starting January 18, 2022. It is available for pre-order on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and at your local comic shop and bookstore. Hyper Scape TPB will retail for $19.99.
Writer Ben Kahn and artist Georgeo Brooks take you on a fun, humorous, action-filled adventure through the world of Greek mythology to discover what it truly means to be a god in a new all-ages graphic novel from Dark Horse Comics and Ubisoft, Immortals Fenyx Rising: From Great Beginnings.
Fenyx enjoys her new life on Mount Olympos, but when her hometown suddenly gets hit by strange earthquakes, she has to investigate. Back at home, she reunites with her human father —to his shock, he learns that gods are real. Fenyx’s mom, who had kept her godhood under the radar, cautions her that such a life has its drawbacks and things get messy when Zeus makes an appearance. As the earthquakes continue to rupture the earth, dangerous creatures emerge, past foes return, old flames reignite, and history is once again in the making! It’s time for the gods to team up to fight as a family!
Immortals Fenyx Rising: From Great Beginnings trade paperback will be in comic shops on September 22, 2021 and in bookstores on October 5, 2021. Immortals Fenyx Rising: From Great Beginnings will retail for $12.99 and sits at 64-pages.
Dark Horse Comics and Ubisoft are teaming up to expand the universe of the hit game seriesFar Cry into comics with Far Cry: Rite of Passage. Written by Bryan Edward Hill, illustrated by Geraldo Borges, colored by Micheal Atiyeh, and lettered by Comicraft, Far Cry: Rite of Passage features covers by artist Matt Taylor!
Bringing in fan-favorite villains, Far Cry: Rite of Passage is a gritty tale of the intricate road that leads to the ascension to power. The story kicks off as President Antón Castillo’s only son, Diego, has just turned thirteen. But this birthday is more than a celebration—it’s a rite of passage. Antón wishes to teach Diego important lessons in leadership and recounts cautionary tales he has heard about the undoing of three legendary men: Vaas Montenegro, a pirate, Pagan Min, a dictator, and Joseph Seed, a preacher.
Far Cry: Rite of Passage #1 (of three) will be in comic shops on May 19, 2021.
After being delisted six years ago, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game will return. Ubisoft surprised everyone with the announcement about the game based on the popular Bryan Lee O’Malley comics published by Oni Press that also spun out a cult film.
The video game will be available holiday 2020 for Google Stadia, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, and Xbox One. There’s no word on a physical release.
The release will also be a full release with DLC that was added to the original game including Knives Chau and Wallace Wells as playable characters.
Dark Horse Books and Ubisoft present The Art of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, the official art book of the next installment in the Assassin’s Creed series. Available this holiday 2020, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla offers players a captivating Viking experience in a dynamic and beautiful open world set against the brutal backdrop of England’s Dark Ages.
The Art of Assassin’s Creed Valhallais a masterfully designed oversized hardcover art book that invites the reader on a visual journey through the world of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: a world defined by the harsh beauty of Viking life, rich with fascinating characters and breathtaking landscapes. The book offers an insider’s look at the immersive art direction of the game, through an exhaustive collection of never-before-seen concept art, production material, and creator commentary. Readers will explore the visual development of the game’s stunning environments, intricate characters, props, and weapons designs.
Dark Horse is also proud to reveal The Art of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Deluxe Edition, a limited edition that includes an exclusive cover, a decorative slipcase, and a gallery-quality lithograph art print. The Art of Assassin’s Creed Valhallaand The Art of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Deluxe Edition will be hitting shelves later this year timed with the release of the game.
The Art of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is available for pre-order on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and at your local comic shop. The Art of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Deluxe Edition is available for pre-order on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and at your local comic shop. At nearly 200 pages, the Standard Edition will retail for $39.99 and the Deluxe Edition will retail for $79.99.
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Dark Horse Comics and Ubisoft have revealed more information from their upcoming comic series—Tom Clancy’s The Division: Extremis Malis. Dark Horse and Ubisoft tapped writer Christofer Emgård, artist Fernando Baldó, colorist Michael Atiyeh to further explore the world of Tom Clancy’s The Division in Tom Clancy’s The Division: Extremis Malis. The gorgeous Tom Clancy’s The Division: Extremis Malis covers are by J.P. Leon. A must-have for fans of intrigue and tales of survival, this three-issue comic series is the perfect introduction to the post-pandemic world of Tom Clancy’s The Division 2, the sequel to Ubisoft’s record-breaking videogame Tom Clancy’s The Division.
Months after a bioweapon attack devastated New York City, the Division agents are the last hope of a United States struggling to hold itself together. During a mission gone horribly wrong, Division Agent Caleb Dunne’s partner is gruesomely killed and Dunne vows to track down the mysterious woman responsible. As he gathers clues to her whereabouts, he uncovers a grave threat to a nation already on the brink of total collapse.
The first issue of Tom Clancy’s The Division: Extremis Malis goes on sale January 9, 2019.
