The best video game comics have more to offer than just a few easter eggs and some pretty colors!
Adaptations are usually met with mixed reviews, and video game comics are no exception. While movies and TV shows are aimed at a broader audience, comic books can typically reach fans with a lot of crossover interests, which is why they’re a popular choice for video game franchises to branch out with.
Comic books fans, however, are all too familiar with hyper-stylized tie-ins with an odd touch of the bronze age of comics added in because whoever ordered the run hasn’t read a comic book since 1980. But every so often, gamers and comic lovers are rewarded with a series that’s done right, with dedicated artists working passionately on a new piece of a beloved universe.
1. Overwatch Anthology: Expanded Edition
A collection of short stories about a handful of the playable heroes in Overwatch 2, this anthology builds on the one released in 2017. Including stories about McCree/Cassidy, Symmetra, and Junkenstein, this volume adds new tales like Doomfist: Masquerade and Zarta: Searching.
As a collection of work from multiple artists, each story has its own style and tends to have a tone that matches the personality of the protagonist. Every page has beautiful coloring work and the writing was clearly done by Overwatch team members and talented super fans. Fans who want a little more flavor to their favorite characters definitely need Overwatch: Anthology on their bookshelf.
2. World of Warcraft
With MMORPGs, lore is something that players get their fill of without much effort. Finding books, going on quests, or simply waiting for an NPC to finish their sentence (rather than just waiting for a quest marker to appear), all help to build an immersive experience for gamers. But of course World of Warcraft is too big to be contained online, so fans can explore the world even more through the exciting comic series!
Featuring a full cast of characters diving head-first into explosive action scenes, this comic book aims to be eye candy. The art is highly detailed and the plot, while not necessarily a nuanced story, delivers tons of fighting, magic, and drama that fans will love to see on display. Originally released starting 2008, this series has four volumes in total, making it a perfect dose of World of Warcraft art and storytelling for veterans and new players alike.
3. Sonic The Hedgehog
Just like with the video game, this comic can be a little childish at times, but overall it’s a ton of fun to read. Featuring fan favorite characters like Tails, Amy, Knuckles, and even Shadow, Sonic’s adventures are true to the game, keeping the signature “cool kid” attitude and humor closely tied to the writing. The art also mimics the game surprisingly well! Every page looks like a Sonic game cover, and action scenes are clearly styled after animation rather than standard comic books.
A quick read for adult fans and a great introduction to comics for gamer kids, Sonic The Hedgehog is a whimsical, nostalgic video game comic. This series is still ongoing, with the 13th volume due out in paperback on February 7th, 2023, so there’s plenty of time to catch up on Sonic’s adventures with his friends!
4. Minecraft: Wither Without You
Minecraft: Wither Without You is a YA graphic novel that’s aimed at older Minecraft fans. The story follows two adventurers as they try to save their mentor with the help of a new-found, magical friend. The art is a fantastic mix of detailed and bubbly, with a color palette that’s less in your face and more true to the game.
With this comic book, the writing carries it far beyond typical Minecraft fare. Not only is the dialogue realistic, it’s hilarious! The writing is in-line with many YA graphic novels, utilizing puns, wordplay, and visual gags to perfectly land jokes. Wither Without You manages to create a unique story that feels true to Minecraft and its players, successfully providing a bridge between gaming and comics.
5. Cuphead: Comic Capers & Curios
If the golden age of animation vibes that Cuphead exudes is your cup of tea, then Cuphead: Comic Capers & Curios needs to be added to your library. A fairly standard adventure, what makes this story shine is the perfectly vintage art style, vibrant color work, and writing that captures the spirit of Cuphead with expertise.
The overall aesthetic allows for the story to be absent of any surprises and creates lots of opportunities for comedy. This light, quick comic is a very enjoyable read, even for those who may not have played the video game. To those who enjoy vintage style comics even in the age of big superheroes and gut-wrenching visual novels, Cuphead: Comic Capers & Curios offers a refreshing reading experience.
6. Mega Man
Mega Man by Archie comics concluded in 2015, but remains one of the best adaptations of this story to date. While the original Mega Man games don’t offer too much story, there have been plenty of expansions through TV, books, and art over the years that provide a ton of context for the world of Mega Man.
This comic series can be hard to come by, but it has over 10 volumes and uses a retro anime art style that’s sure to please many readers. The plot itself isn’t overly complicated, but it does offer fully-fleshed out characters, awesome action scenes (they’ve got lasers!), and excellent moment-to-moment writing. The wonderful nostalgia aside, Mega Man is genuinely a great series for video game and non-video game fans alike.
7. Cyberpunk 2077: Trauma Team
The comic book based on Cyberpunk 2077 follows a new set of characters with a familiar story: a job gone wrong. Fans who have seen the anime Cyberpunk: Edgerunners will really think the story is something they’ve heard before, as it revolves around a paramedic who gets into a shootout, loses most of their friends, and decides to get revenge.
That’s the biggest catch with this comic: the story is very vanilla. It’s been told time and time again, and readers aren’t actually shown anything new. That being said, they are shown plenty of exciting things. The art used to depict action scenes is expertly done, with the atmosphere and overall dark vibes of the franchise perfectly captured through the color work and small details. Fans looking for an extra bit of Cyberpunk style in their space won’t be disappointed by this volume, and they might even enjoy hearing another story set in this dystopian world.
8. Mass Effect: The Complete Comics
This omnibus collection gives Mass Effect fans all six previously published comics in one volume. Each story focuses on characters that fans are very familiar with, providing more depth through backstory and vignettes not directly related to the games.
The art and writing can be hit or miss, depending on specific tastes, but overall this comic knocks it out of the park. Most importantly, the general feel of the Mass Effect world is clear and present in this omnibus. There‘s the colorful diversity of both aliens and humans, the undertones of inequality between those with power and those without, and of course the horrors of space that range from fleshy zombies to political meetings. Fans of the Mass Effect franchise who want to continue their journey through the Mass Effect universe will get plenty of entertainment from this thick volume.
