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Halo Graphic Novels
Halo: Escalation Volume 2
The Fall of New Phoenix, Master Chief's return to action, and a dark plot by the Office of Naval Intelligence--all in this volume collecting Escalation issues #7-#12 by Brian Reed ( Amazing Spider-Man ), Duffy Boudreau ( Blackacre ), Sergio Ariño ( Ms. Marvel ) and Ricardo Sánchez ( Green Arrow ).
144 pages, Paperback
First published April 21, 2015
About the author
Brian Reed
442 books21 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 27, 2015
A good, quick read. Nice artwork and brisk pacing. I enjoyed this one, and I should really read volume one (except my boyfriend failed to give me that one to read before this one, go figure). Having not really played through Halo too much, this helps me get all the info in less time and have more conversation opportunities with my boyfriend. Loving graphic novels is great. I was really impressed with the way all the characters were presented and the general art style. It isn't distracting, but it also isn't overly simplified.
May 27, 2015
Excelente! Morí con "Las Siguientes 72 Horas", es justamente lo que NECESITABA ver y leer. Impacientísima por el descenlace, pero habrá que esperar a setiembre.
July 1, 2015
More
This gives more depth to the Halo universe continuing after halo 4. This definitely is a good series to read.
This gives more depth to the Halo universe continuing after halo 4. This definitely is a good series to read.
September 24, 2015
awsome
May 21, 2017
Spartans Never Die
If you want to know what happen with Master Chief directly after the events of Halo 4, this is the volume you begin to find out. I found myself overjoyed when John is reunited with what's left of the legendary Blue Team and see that even as they are getting old they haven't missed a step. Meanwhile Palmer and Majestic Team are sent to an "abandoned" planet to investigate a shady looking Elite, and had a good laugh at the incompetence of the Kig-Yar. But my heart is pounding in fear as I grow suspicious of the UNSC itself.
Things are getting exciting as the stuff is hitting the fan, I recommend this volume to any Halo fan who read the first volume of Escalation and didn't find it interesting enough to continue.
If you want to know what happen with Master Chief directly after the events of Halo 4, this is the volume you begin to find out. I found myself overjoyed when John is reunited with what's left of the legendary Blue Team and see that even as they are getting old they haven't missed a step. Meanwhile Palmer and Majestic Team are sent to an "abandoned" planet to investigate a shady looking Elite, and had a good laugh at the incompetence of the Kig-Yar. But my heart is pounding in fear as I grow suspicious of the UNSC itself.
Things are getting exciting as the stuff is hitting the fan, I recommend this volume to any Halo fan who read the first volume of Escalation and didn't find it interesting enough to continue.
November 28, 2025
Another nice read. Story picks up after the Didact fired the composer at New Phoenix. Spartan Thorne had family there that he revisits the home. Blue team reunites and investigates an outpost, to discover the Didact still is alive. Black Team was murdered. Blue team fires a halo ring after detaching a portion of it and sending into a forerunner planet. Monitor of composer forge helps blue team. Jackal colony exposed with elite in possession of flood bioweapon.
April 25, 2020
Melhor que o primeiro volume em basicamente tudo.
Os diálogos estão melhores, plots melhores e mais interessantes, arte melhor, cores melhores.
No geral uma versão "tunada" do primeiro volume, o highlight é a primeira edição do compilado, Escalation #7 que é bem pé no chão e focada completamente no aspecto humano da(s) guerra(s).
Os diálogos estão melhores, plots melhores e mais interessantes, arte melhor, cores melhores.
No geral uma versão "tunada" do primeiro volume, o highlight é a primeira edição do compilado, Escalation #7 que é bem pé no chão e focada completamente no aspecto humano da(s) guerra(s).
October 20, 2024
So this is how the Didact goes ...
February 27, 2016
The Halo: Escalation series continues to impress. It's everything a great tie-in graphic novel should be.
While most of volume two continues the adventures of the Spartan-IVs, a section of the book is devoted to a somewhat surprising face: the Master Chief himself and the Spartan-II Blue Team. I mention this as a surprise because it seems like, aside from a few early novels, the Halo universe seems to shy away from depicting the big MC in the expanded universe fiction, preferring instead to save his exploits for the games themselves. It's nice to see Blue Team show up here, which I recognize is meant to prepare gamers for their appearance in Halo 5, but regardless, it's still fun.
The Master Chief storyline is a very nice segue between Halo 4 and 5, dealing with the aftermath of Halo 4's emotional ending. One thing that has continually struck me as odd is the Didact himself, however. Warning: spoilers for the comic and (possibly) Halo 5 to follow.
Still with me?
Halo 4 made it seem like the Didact was going to be a recurring antagonist; he definitely seemed "defeated, but not killed" at the end of that game. Which I'd thought would mean we'd see his big ugly mug again in Halo 5 . . . but Escalation makes it pretty clear that the Didact is done, since in this book, Blue Team hunts him down and kills him, and they kill him pretty decisively. I suppose it's still possible we'll see more of the Didact, but . . . it feels unlikely. I wonder if he wasn't as well received as 343 was hoping and so they steered away from him in favor of other villains in Halo 5.
Back to Escalation itself; although the Master Chief storyline is the standout here, the rest of the book is quite good. There's a good balance of world building that I enjoy and the work that's gone into the Spartan-IVs really shows. Ray and Thorne are back and even Palmer's characterization has smoothed out from her rocky start in a previous graphic novel. Despite how good it was to see the Chief in a book, it also reminds one that the universe is much, much larger than just the Chief. I appreciate that.
Final verdict: good stories, good art, good pick for a Halo fan. I'm happy to recommend this one.
While most of volume two continues the adventures of the Spartan-IVs, a section of the book is devoted to a somewhat surprising face: the Master Chief himself and the Spartan-II Blue Team. I mention this as a surprise because it seems like, aside from a few early novels, the Halo universe seems to shy away from depicting the big MC in the expanded universe fiction, preferring instead to save his exploits for the games themselves. It's nice to see Blue Team show up here, which I recognize is meant to prepare gamers for their appearance in Halo 5, but regardless, it's still fun.
The Master Chief storyline is a very nice segue between Halo 4 and 5, dealing with the aftermath of Halo 4's emotional ending. One thing that has continually struck me as odd is the Didact himself, however. Warning: spoilers for the comic and (possibly) Halo 5 to follow.
Still with me?
Halo 4 made it seem like the Didact was going to be a recurring antagonist; he definitely seemed "defeated, but not killed" at the end of that game. Which I'd thought would mean we'd see his big ugly mug again in Halo 5 . . . but Escalation makes it pretty clear that the Didact is done, since in this book, Blue Team hunts him down and kills him, and they kill him pretty decisively. I suppose it's still possible we'll see more of the Didact, but . . . it feels unlikely. I wonder if he wasn't as well received as 343 was hoping and so they steered away from him in favor of other villains in Halo 5.
Back to Escalation itself; although the Master Chief storyline is the standout here, the rest of the book is quite good. There's a good balance of world building that I enjoy and the work that's gone into the Spartan-IVs really shows. Ray and Thorne are back and even Palmer's characterization has smoothed out from her rocky start in a previous graphic novel. Despite how good it was to see the Chief in a book, it also reminds one that the universe is much, much larger than just the Chief. I appreciate that.
Final verdict: good stories, good art, good pick for a Halo fan. I'm happy to recommend this one.
July 24, 2015
The second volume of Halo Escalation collects issues seven through twelve of the eponymous comic series. It takes place in between Halo 4 and Halo 5 and helps flesh out some of the characters and events that set the stage for the more recent game.
Issue 7 is a one-off focusing on Spartan Thorne, whose family lived in New Phoenix prior to the Didact's attack in Halo 4. We get some nice backstory to the character introduced in the Spartan Ops missions and some insight into what happened after the events of Halo 4.
The next three issues make an arc focusing on the Master Chief and his desire to finish the fight with the Didact. We get to see Fred, Linda, and Kelly again and see Blue Team in action prior to Halo 5. It delves a bit into John-117's psyche as well, and his drive to fight and win.
The final two issues go back to the Spartan IVs, where Spartan Ray and Thorne investigate a potential bio-weapons research base and get pulled into something much bigger.
The writing throughout is spot-on and pulls you deep into the Halo universe. The characters match their appearances in other media and behave how you'd expect. The action is there too, which is of course required for most things Halo.
The art is rather stylized, which at times detracts from the story and pulls you out of the immersion. The characters' appearances change from frame to frame here and there, which can be jarring. The environments and vehicles are beautifully rendered though, and look like they came right out of the game.
Escalation Volume 2 is a great read for any Halo fan, especially issues eight-through-ten, which bring Blue Team back together with the Master Chief for the first time in a while. Other science fiction fans would probably enjoy the series too, but it helps to have the knowledge of the universe already.
Issue 7 is a one-off focusing on Spartan Thorne, whose family lived in New Phoenix prior to the Didact's attack in Halo 4. We get some nice backstory to the character introduced in the Spartan Ops missions and some insight into what happened after the events of Halo 4.
The next three issues make an arc focusing on the Master Chief and his desire to finish the fight with the Didact. We get to see Fred, Linda, and Kelly again and see Blue Team in action prior to Halo 5. It delves a bit into John-117's psyche as well, and his drive to fight and win.
The final two issues go back to the Spartan IVs, where Spartan Ray and Thorne investigate a potential bio-weapons research base and get pulled into something much bigger.
The writing throughout is spot-on and pulls you deep into the Halo universe. The characters match their appearances in other media and behave how you'd expect. The action is there too, which is of course required for most things Halo.
The art is rather stylized, which at times detracts from the story and pulls you out of the immersion. The characters' appearances change from frame to frame here and there, which can be jarring. The environments and vehicles are beautifully rendered though, and look like they came right out of the game.
Escalation Volume 2 is a great read for any Halo fan, especially issues eight-through-ten, which bring Blue Team back together with the Master Chief for the first time in a while. Other science fiction fans would probably enjoy the series too, but it helps to have the knowledge of the universe already.
October 3, 2015
Нормас
Нормас ваще. Очень даже нормас. Угорел прямо вот очень. Сейчас пойду следующую покупать. Жалко на бумаге не достать этот комикс.
Нормас ваще. Очень даже нормас. Угорел прямо вот очень. Сейчас пойду следующую покупать. Жалко на бумаге не достать этот комикс.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews