Halo: Helljumper

Halo Graphic Novels

by Peter David, Eric Nguyen (Illustrator)

When the colony planet Ariel sends out a mysterious distress signal, it is up to the Helljumpers of the 105th Marines to check it out, but soon Helljumpers Dutch and Romeo find their friendship and their lives on the line.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Video Games, Fiction, Action, Adventure

120 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

aka David Peters

Peter Allen David, often abbreviated PAD, was an American writer of comic books, novels, television, films, and video games. His notable comic book work includes an award-winning 12-year run on The Incredible Hulk, as well as runs on Aquaman, Young Justice, SpyBoy, Supergirl, Fallen Angel, Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2099, Captain Marvel, and X-Factor.
His Star Trek work included comic books and novels such as the New Frontier book series. His other novels included film adaptations, media tie-ins, and original works, such as the Apropos of Nothing and Knight Life series. His television work includes series such as Babylon 5, Young Justice, Ben 10: Alien Force and Nickelodeon's Space Cases, which he co-created with Bill Mumy.
David often jokingly described his occupation as "Writer of Stuff", and he was noted for his prolific writing, characterized by its mingling of real-world issues with humor and references to popular culture, as well as elements of metafiction and self-reference.
David earned multiple awards for his work, including a 1992 Eisner Award, a 1993 Wizard Fan Award, a 1996 Haxtur Award, a 2007 Julie Award and a 2011 GLAAD Media Award.

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Covenant comes to a remote world scouring it for some ancient tech. Two badass Helljumpers get separated from the rest of their platoon and do what they can to stop the Covenant.

I really liked this. Peter David has written some great characters in Romeo and Dutch. It's exciting with a great dynamic between the two. My only complaint is Eric Nguyen's weak linework sometimes makes it difficult to tell what's happening in a panel.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this! My boyfriend wanted me to read it, so I gladly went for it. He is really big on ODSTs so this was a perfect chance for him to show me what ODSTs do and introduce me to the main ODST characters. While I have had a couple brief previous forays into Halo (through the beginning of the Fall of Reach novel, the first few levels of Halo 1 and some multiplayer randomness), and had some basic knowledge, I'm really only starting to get into the world of Halo (thanks to my Halo-loving boyfriend).

The art style is very clean and enjoyable. The story is straightforward. It gets right to the point, giving you only what you need and staying on task. It presents every challenge the ODSTs must face sharply. If I had to choose one word to describe this comic collection, it'd be precision. Everything is sharp and precise. The characters are easy to identify and empathize with and nothing get stoo over the top or melodramatic. The characters react and take initiative, refusing to just hunker down and wait things out or for anyone to save them. They take command of the situation and it makes for a really good time. I love the friendship between Dutch and Romeo, its nice to see a comic that addresses friendship in this way instead of being all about combat. The combat present however is every bit as awesome as I would hope to get from a Halo comic.

Since I'm a "noob" I found this comic very helpful. I recently watched Halo Legends and this helped me to solidify the divisions between the covenenant forces, to see the elite and grunts and each of their positions clearly. This comic also gives clear motives for the Covenant presence on the planet Ariel and doesn't just leave them as some kind of mysterious entity. They want something, they're going for it. As if it wasn't clear enough, I was very fond of the direct approach this comic took to every angle and aspect it dealt with.

Concise storytelling, characters developed as much as necessary to carry the heart of the story, and nice artwork made this a very enjoyable read. I blasted right through it and will pry read it a few more times and probably even read some other Halo comics if given the opportunity.

[Frédéric · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5*

This mini-series is a real pleasant surprise. Peter David—who I never imagined would write in the Halo universe—has embraced the lore enough to write a story full of action and humour, as he knew so well how to do.

The plot revolves around the Covenant searching for some kind of McGuffin, which justifies a good dose of action, but it's Dutch and Romes, two Helljumper Marines and their interaction as partners in old-couple mode, that make the story so pleasant to read. It's funny but not silly, and it doesn't defuse every tense scene.
As always with David, the dialogue/inner monologues are very well written. Good pacing and good cliffhangers.

The artwork, on the other hand, is rather ugly. Poor pencils done on a graphics tablet and colouring to match make for stiff and garish scenes. I would have given it a full 4* without that.

[Ian · Rating 3 out of 5]

When the Covenant invade an otherwise unimportant archaeological site a squad of ODST Helljumpers is sent in to ruin their day and find out what it is the aliens are digging for.

This is a pretty bare-bones story, with the 'Covenant hunting for Forerunner artefact with humans in the way' plot feeling pretty derivative and unremarkable.
However, I did like that this story doesn't feature the superhuman Spartans at all for a change and instead we get to see how elite (pardon the pun) but ordinary soldiers fare against the Covenant. Even the Grunts manage to seem more threatening here and it adds an air of danger that probably wouldn't be present if the Master Chief was there, guns blazing.

Honestly, my biggest problem with this book, and what tempted me to rate it lower, is Eric Nguyen's artwork. It's mostly pretty solid, but every two to three pages there's a big splash panel that's such a jumbled mess that I had to stop every time and try to puzzle out what was supposed to be happening. This seems to be a case of the artist forgetting that they're not just there to create images but it's also their job to help tell the story.

* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.page *

[Jesse Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Art and visual style was nice. A lot of moments brought back fond memories of playing ODST. However, this is all a bit overshadowed by a storyline that felt rushed, predictable and somewhat dissatisfying.

[Zee Ahmad · Rating 4 out of 5]

While it does not break new ground in terms of plot, the strong writing and dynamic artwork make it a worthwhile read for both Halo ODST fans and newcomers interested in military science fiction.

[Thezachespinoza · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you played Halo 3:ODST and wanted more of those characters, THIS is the comic for you.

[47Time · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a solid military science fiction story with strong characters and plenty of action. I bet it would look great as a movie. The humor is also welcome and humanizes the soldiers that could face a numerically superior army without flinching. The Halo universe has opened up to me somewhat and I think I'm hooked. I gotta read more stuff like this.

An archeological site on the planet Ariel is invaded by the Covenant, though their usual modus operandi doesn't match. The elite marines named the Helljumpers are sent in to investigate.

Two marines named Romeo and Dutch discover that the Covenant are digging for something, so the enemy didn't go for the scorched earth tactics they've been using on other planets. The two are unable to transmit their status to their sergeant because their communicators are scrambled when they contact the enemy. They are left to their own devices in action scenes that might be considered over-the-top, but at the same time are immensly entertaining.

The two are attacked by the Covenant and cause a massive explosion that forces the rest of the squad to retreat. Romeo and Dutch both survive and intend to reunite with their squad, but they have to go through a couple of thousand Covenant troops to do it. They draw some of the Covenant their way, crash an enemy ship into them and eventually discover the human archeologists. The latter were used to dig for something called the Knowing, an item the Covenant consider important.

The Knowing is an AI created by an extinct race superior to Covenant and humans alike. Romeo is convinced that the device must be destroyed, lest it get into the wrong hands. A most moving line from the Knowing highlights its desire to survive. Then it sighs as it self-destructs. The Covenant lose interest in the planet and retreat.

[Billy Fuss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4 - Solid for a Halo fan
Never heard of David or Nguyen, but they did really well! Either they were halo fans or somebody filled them in on the terminology. Personally, I love stories that focus on the little guys. In this case the "little guys" are ODST helljumpers. The comic isn't perfect. Some of the dialogue is cheesy, but it manages to capture that soldier bond so many novels and comics try to evoke. It manages to do so in only 5 issues while still having a tons of action. Good job guys.

[Erin Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just two guys, being best friends, chatting, having a good time...
while aliens attempt to take them out to recover even more ancient alien tech that could possibly spell doom for the entire human race. What's not to love?

I'm more partial to Spratans than Helljumpers but honestly I'm just happy to have a Halo comic in hand to read. I'm not the biggest fan of the art style for when they are out of armor as the faces just don't look so good to me but the armor art is awesome. The story is a bit short but still real good.

[Luke Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Halo: Helljumper really had me in the first three issues. Two charismatic characters from the game thrown into some action with an interesting conflict in their relationship? Witty dialogue that feels straight out of the game? Sign. Me. Up.

By issues four and five, the dynamic starts to wear a little thin. The focus shifted to action over the dialogue, and the conflicts resolved in what I felt were juvenile ways.

For a Halo fan, this is still a worthy read. It's just a shame that the story doesn't fully deliver on what is shown in its first half.

[Luke Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tem um vícios narrativos chatos e que tiram o impacto de muitas cenas que deveriam ser épicas, a arte as vezes não tem fluidez e não parece seguir um "flow" de um quadro pro outro, fazendo com que a leitura fique meio travada.

Porém ainda assim divertidíssima, com personagens muito bem escritos e variados, eles tem PERSONALIDADE.
Arte no geral muito bonita e cumpre satisfatoriamente o papel apesar de parecer meio rushada as vezes.

Peter David é foda

[Shellie Price · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this one in the Halo Legacy Collection.

I really enjoyed this one! It's narrated though the whole story, and it helps you connect to the characters. The story was fast paced, kept my attention, and the art was so well done. This one had more humor than the first story I read, and it was more than welcome. This can be sad, heavy content since it revolves around war... but this one had humor and a satisfying ending instead of the tragic one I was expecting.

[Graham Barrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Read in 2010, review from 2026)

A somewhat forgettable Halo comic with a pretty standard Halo story (Covenant are looking for a Forerunner artifact, they invade a human colony, UNSC soldiers have to save the day) but still an enjoyable one. As someone who likes the ODSTs this was fun seeing some of the characters from the ODST game kicking ass. Not needed but entertaining enough.

[Orrin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The character drama is well set up and paid off though the plot is somewhat derivative as it is forced into using the same plot coupons found across almost every Halo comic, novel, and game. The artwork is the always fine work from the folks at Marvel.

[Nagic · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I saw a comic of my favorite characters in Halo I had to read it, and I loved every bit of it. To see my favorite game be put into comic form was great. I love Halo 3: ODST. It’s my favorite game ever.

[Fazli · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up**

Pretty fun and short Halo story. I liked the video game Halo 3: ODST; it was great getting to know the human-covenant war from the perspective of soldiers who weren’t Spartans.

[Quan Byrd · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it it was funny and exciting

[Sam Nicholson · Rating 4 out of 5]

8/10

[fer]

Demorei MUITO pra achar essa hq na epoca e fiquei muito feliz quando li. Ate hoje sou muito feliz por ter na minha estante

[Joseph Cano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chill read. Not very deep, but it was nice seeing Dutch and Romeo's interactions.

[Dddddddane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like this book satisfied me and hopefully any halo fan. It's main story follows 2 Orbital Drop Shock Troopers [ODST] Dutch and Romeo, on their mission to find out what the covenant are doing on a human colony planet and why they invaded it. It's a action thriller with friendship, action, and guns.

[Matthew Ciarvella · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me, the best Halo stories are the ones that dive headfirst into the Halo universe's deep well of lore. Most of the games barely scratch at the surface of this universe, only lightly touching or referencing the deep mythology. And that's not necessarily a bad thing, since the action of the games themselves is so deeply satisfying.

"Helljumper" has the problem of trying to be more like the games than other stories. It's very light on the story, focusing on the bond-of-brother-soldiers thing between Romeo and Dutch, two of the characters from Halo: ODST. Romeo was always my least favorite of the ODST cast, although to my surprise, he reads very differently than his game counterpart. Regardless, the focus of the book is largely on ODST action, kicking butt and killing aliens. Which is . . . okay, but the games handle this action-first focus far better.

Things like "the Knowing" which could be deeply interesting questions to ponder and investigate are instead reduced to a McGuffin that needs to be kept out of enemy hands or humanity is doomed, though we're never told how exactly, as the McGuffin is blown up about four pages after it's revealed.

Helljumper doesn't really do anything wrong, but it doesn't play to the strengths of its medium. Dutch and Romeo are likable and their bond is a good one, and I did like how the story ended on the question of whether they will transfer out or not. So while Helljumper doesn't make any mistakes, it plays things too safe.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helljumper is a side story in the Halo universe focusing on the Orbital Drop Shock Troopers (ODSTs) rather than the Master Chief or other Spartans.

The two main characters are Dutch and Romeo, who you may remember from Halo 3: ODST. The story takes place before the game, and we get some insight into their personalities and why they act like they do. You also get a glimpse at how the Helljumpers see the Spartans, which differs greatly from the general populace. As far as the story goes - it's very tight as a comic should be. There's plenty of action with a few respites for character development. It gets the job done and is thoroughly enjoyable.

From an art perspective, I found things just okay. The artist went for a more stylized approach at times, with some panels being a bit lacking in detail. You can still see what's going on, but it wasn't my thing. Other panels are very crisp, and the art captures the moment perfectly.

All in all I enjoyed Helljumper, especially from a story perspective. If you're a Halo fan you should definitely give it a read. People interested in space-marine fiction or general sci-fi will probably not be disappointed either.

[Joshua · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it as part of my Halo: Legacy Collection. Easily the best of the 3 Halo comics in that collection. I love ODST stories. like in New Blood. Dutch and Romeo are 2 of my personal favorite Halo characters. And they get a great backstory here in this comic. The story is really good and shows us a new ODST squad and a new Forerunner entity called the Knowing The art is a great fit for the gritty ODST element of the Halo universe. I would recommend this especially if you liked Halo 3: ODST. Score: 10/10!

[Eric Piotrowski · Rating 2 out of 5]

There's nothing really wrong with this book, but it bored me to sobs. I'm not a fan of Halo in general, so I didn't expect much from the story -- good thing too, because it delivered exactly what I was waiting for: Fighting and more fighting and bundled-up bro-motions befitting a cliched repressed military narrative. Oh, they're so loyal to each other! (Don't get me wrong, loyalty is beautiful of course, but it is not a story in itself, and certainly not just because it's surrounded by aliens.) The art style is good, but the enemies are hard to distinguish from the "good guys" -- Dude, maybe that's the point! WOAH. Whatever.

[Alex Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art was probably what popped the most, it was really good art with the style of kinda paint splatter for blood and stuff, and yes theres a lot of blood. Its a little slow at first but gets much better towards the end. Plenty of action with a descent story and was overall really entertaining. Kind of short though. The only thing i didnt like was the ending was kind of fast, like the whole book was steadily paced but the end was just really fast like they rushed the last few pages.
ART:8
STORY:6
CHARACTERS:5
ACTION:6
(out of ten)

[Kaleb Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mostly good.

It was fun, but mainly because it features characters from ODST. Honestly not a lot of plot structure, but a lot of good character interaction and some funny dialog. I would have liked to have seen how they came to serve with the others from ODST, but oh well. It seemed rushed, and didn't have a huge impact on the Halo 'verse, but it was entertaining enough.

[Andre Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was great gave me more information about characters in the halo universe. Got to see how freindships were formed and how vicious the covenant are when it comes to dealing with humans even if they are civillians.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every Halo story has the same infuriating plot. "We just found the most amazing piece of technology in the history of mankind. But another species wants it, so let's just destroy it."

That trope aside, it was enjoyable.