Halo: Escalation #9 Review

Written by: Brian Reed

Art by: Sergio Arino

Publisher: Dark Horse

After a really rough (well, frankly, horrible) first arc, Halo: Escalation really found its footing with last month’s issue #8. It was the start of an entertaining story about Master Chief reuniting with the rest of Blue team (Kelly, Fred, and Linda) to investigate the missing Spartan Black team. As those who read the last issue know, it ended with the reveal that the Didact had, in fact, survived the ending of Halo 4, and was once again on a rampage, and dealing with Black team was just the beginning. But what is the Didact’s real plan? That, dear readers, is revealed in this issue.

As it turns out, the Didact is planning on repairing a damaged Halo ring, presumably to wipe out all living organisms. His motivation? Well, I’m not entirely sure, but we’ll probably find out soon enough. Anyways, this issue sees Blue team going up against a sizable Promethean force, led by none other than the Didact. After a quiet intro, the comic becomes a blaze of gunfire as the two sides begin their battle. It’s awesome to see the Spartan II’s really kicking ass in this scene, especially for long time Halo fans. Many casual Halo fans really may not find much enjoyment here, but Halo fans versed in the lore will understand how great it is to see Blue team fighting together again. The battle also brings quite a bit of suspense into the book. Aside from Master Chief, all of Blue team could be taken out, and so the stakes are high. Unfortunately, the “cliffhanger” at the end of the book is pointless, as pretty much any reader will be able to see the red herring, at least once the initial shock has worn off.

They are also the people who will know that Brian Reed has nailed the voices of each of the Spartans. Even though there isn’t much dialogue, he gets the characterizations down almost perfectly. I do wish that there was more dialogue, however, because it would allow for some substantial character growth, and possibly plot progression. Most of the dialogue in this issue is exposition on the part of the monitor, Static Carillon. Sure, seeing a monitor talk is pretty cool, and what it’s saying isn’t exactly disinteresting. I just feel that the page space could have been better used developing the book’s lead cast. New readers won’t have the benefit of having read all the novels concerning these characters, and so they may come across as stale and boring to new readers attempting to break into the world of Halo’s lore.

All in all, Halo: Escalation #9 is a perfectly good comic. It’s the best issue Dark Horse has put out since they got the license, and it seems that the creative team is really starting to slip into the world, and get to know it better. Sure, Halo Escalation is far from the best comic on the stands. The plot is fairly thing, and it relies heavily on the assumption that readers already know everything about Halo’s lore. Halo fans will definitely get a treat with this issue, but I can see it falling completely flat for most readers, even those with a casual interest in Halo. So it comes down to this: If you’re a Halo fan, you’ll probably enjoy this. If not, well, you may find something in here to like, but it probably just won’t be the same experience.