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Deus Ex Universe #comic 1
Deus Ex: The Graphic Novel
The legendary video game franchise from Eidos Interactive comes to comics, in advance of the highly anticipated new game. Adam Jensen is a cybernetically enhanced security operative for the powerful Sarif Industries in a future where biological enhancements have become increasingly commonplace . . . but fanatically opposed by many While recovering the kidnapped niece of the founder of Sarif Industries, Jensen uncovers a mystery that goes all the way back to his fully human SWAT origins in Detroit - and an adventure of violence and betrayal that'll span the globe begins.
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First published August 9, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 31, 2021
This is a enjoyable but brief first installment, it just sets everything up for the next one in the series.
It's filled with violence, blood, gore alongside an interesting storyline which is all beautifully illustrated.
This is based on the video game franchise, which I've never played. So basically this can be enjoyed by anyone.
It's filled with violence, blood, gore alongside an interesting storyline which is all beautifully illustrated.
This is based on the video game franchise, which I've never played. So basically this can be enjoyed by anyone.
August 24, 2017
As a review for the entire (and very short) series, I can confidently say this is a take it or leave it. The story is incredibly rushed considering everything had to be crammed into 6 very short issues, but that doesn't really feel as though it's a viable excuse. Plenty of other comic series have the same length and are able to accomplish quite a bit in their arcs without making me feel cheated. So, what's your excuse, Deus Ex?
Before I start harping on the problems with this, I will emphasize that the artwork is quite well-done in this. While the video game seemed to try and avoid the brown shooter trope by instead being a yellow shooter, the comics actually managed to add a splash of color here and there. They also managed to make the world look a little less dirty unless it was in a place that warranted looking dirty. Who knew that was possible based on the video game? But really, that's about the only nice thing I can say about this.
While I understand the video game industry's need to be a (white) male power fantasy, there was something about Deus Ex: Human Revolution that made it more than that. While I wouldn't say the video game was out to deconstruct that, the machismo sheen the developers may have wanted to put on Jensen was largely overshadowed by the larger philosophical debate(s) about capitalism, transhumanism, the size/involvement of the government, religion, etc. The problem with the comic? All of that is removed. Sure, the video game can be a little pedantic and might beat you over the head with how blunt it is (need I remind you that God awful quote about Darrow being like Daedalus or the simple fact the protagonist is named Adam), but it made it a little more than a male power fantasy. The comic does nothing to even hint around at this, instead having a former superior officer who advises Adam to shoot to kill suddenly being like "Hey, let's shoot to kill all humans." after undergoing some severe augmentation to save his life.
And then there's the love interest who is promptly killed off after they do the nasty. I won't even touch the problems with that with a ten foot pole. I think people who follow my reviews are well-aware of what my feelings about this are likely to be. But when you have the antagonist accusing your protagonist of "falling for" the female lead after they've known each other for all of maybe five to ten minutes? My irritation cannot be put into words and more into loud shrieking and frustrated grunting with dramatic eye rolling and launching the book across the room (if I had a physical copy, anyway).
So does this add anything at all to the canon? Maybe a tiny little drop. It doesn't really add a whole lot, however, because much of this I felt I already knew from contextual clues around Adam's apartment and just from the way he talks/presents himself/prioritize certain tasks over others. If you didn't know that Adam puts protecting everyone above everything else, that he will not talk about his feelings/mental well-being surrounding both the trauma of the attack and the trauma of replacing 50% of his body with machines, then I don't know what video game you were playing. You don't even have to try to pick that up.
Like I said, this is a very take it or leave it series. It's brief enough that you can probably read it in a half hour. It's pretty enough that you might spend more time oogling the artwork as I have than you do reading it. But it's shallow and empty enough that you can probably find better things to do with those 30 minutes.
Before I start harping on the problems with this, I will emphasize that the artwork is quite well-done in this. While the video game seemed to try and avoid the brown shooter trope by instead being a yellow shooter, the comics actually managed to add a splash of color here and there. They also managed to make the world look a little less dirty unless it was in a place that warranted looking dirty. Who knew that was possible based on the video game? But really, that's about the only nice thing I can say about this.
While I understand the video game industry's need to be a (white) male power fantasy, there was something about Deus Ex: Human Revolution that made it more than that. While I wouldn't say the video game was out to deconstruct that, the machismo sheen the developers may have wanted to put on Jensen was largely overshadowed by the larger philosophical debate(s) about capitalism, transhumanism, the size/involvement of the government, religion, etc. The problem with the comic? All of that is removed. Sure, the video game can be a little pedantic and might beat you over the head with how blunt it is (need I remind you that God awful quote about Darrow being like Daedalus or the simple fact the protagonist is named Adam), but it made it a little more than a male power fantasy. The comic does nothing to even hint around at this, instead having a former superior officer who advises Adam to shoot to kill suddenly being like "Hey, let's shoot to kill all humans." after undergoing some severe augmentation to save his life.
And then there's the love interest who is promptly killed off after they do the nasty. I won't even touch the problems with that with a ten foot pole. I think people who follow my reviews are well-aware of what my feelings about this are likely to be. But when you have the antagonist accusing your protagonist of "falling for" the female lead after they've known each other for all of maybe five to ten minutes? My irritation cannot be put into words and more into loud shrieking and frustrated grunting with dramatic eye rolling and launching the book across the room (if I had a physical copy, anyway).
So does this add anything at all to the canon? Maybe a tiny little drop. It doesn't really add a whole lot, however, because much of this I felt I already knew from contextual clues around Adam's apartment and just from the way he talks/presents himself/prioritize certain tasks over others. If you didn't know that Adam puts protecting everyone above everything else, that he will not talk about his feelings/mental well-being surrounding both the trauma of the attack and the trauma of replacing 50% of his body with machines, then I don't know what video game you were playing. You don't even have to try to pick that up.
Like I said, this is a very take it or leave it series. It's brief enough that you can probably read it in a half hour. It's pretty enough that you might spend more time oogling the artwork as I have than you do reading it. But it's shallow and empty enough that you can probably find better things to do with those 30 minutes.
March 27, 2021
And now I have to play the games again. I'm facing even more time away from reading. As if I wasn't slacking off enough...
The story raises sone interesting questions. In a world where cybernetic augmentations are common, when does a cyborg lose its humanity? Some argue that you can't lose your humanity from any amount of augmentation, while others believe that the human body must be left as is, with its flaws and scars. Of course, violence breaks out between the supporters of each belief. The comic could have afforded to look better and be less like most scifi action movies with its big explosions, unimaginative enemies from the main character's past and the ever-present love interest, but it's still easy to recommend as a quick read.
Adam Jensen is an 'aug' working as a bodyguard for Sarif Industries. The company is under assault both from purists called 'natches' and from rival companies that manufacture augmentations. It started when the announced that they have a way to make augmentations available for everyone, not just the rich.
The story raises sone interesting questions. In a world where cybernetic augmentations are common, when does a cyborg lose its humanity? Some argue that you can't lose your humanity from any amount of augmentation, while others believe that the human body must be left as is, with its flaws and scars. Of course, violence breaks out between the supporters of each belief. The comic could have afforded to look better and be less like most scifi action movies with its big explosions, unimaginative enemies from the main character's past and the ever-present love interest, but it's still easy to recommend as a quick read.
Adam Jensen is an 'aug' working as a bodyguard for Sarif Industries. The company is under assault both from purists called 'natches' and from rival companies that manufacture augmentations. It started when the announced that they have a way to make augmentations available for everyone, not just the rich.
December 31, 2015
The story isn't very good and it doesn't seem to have much to do with the series' universe aside from the name. The romance subplot seemed forced since it's the first and only instance of it appearing in the series. The antagonist goes on killing sprees while randomly yelling, "Deus Ex!" which is really silly.
October 25, 2017
Wow, videogame tie-in I don't rage about! The story is distilled cliché about femme fatale and personal nemesis without single novelty, but as a pulp grade stuff, it's readable - an astonishing success in this corner of popular literature.
September 11, 2014
About as bad as the remake's story. Art's not bad. Pretty much what you'd expect from a tie-in comic.
December 9, 2019
A decent tie-in into the game, but I don't like some of these characterizations. Also, Lady Sutherland was not only unnecessary to include in the story, but she was completely wasted as well.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews