Comic book fans have long since accepted that most comics based on video games simply aren't very good. One of the few companies to successfully challenge that notion is Ubisoft. Their Assassin's Creed spinoff, Assassin's Creed: The Fall, was a surprisingly enjoyable series that avoided the usual mistakes and managed to add something memorable to the franchise. Ubisoft followed up that series with another graphic novel, Assassin's Creed: The Chain, that proved equally enjoyable.
Now the question is whether they can find the same magic with another franchise entirely. Today Ubisoft announced that Splinter Cell will be their next property making the transition from games to comics. But whereas the Assassin's Creed comics focused on a new lead hero, Splinter Cell: Echoes will remain focused squarely on Sam Fisher. This full-length graphic novel is written by Nathan Edmondson (Ultimate Comics: Iron Man) and illustrated by Marc Laming (Planet of the Apes), and will bridge the gap between Splinter Cell: Conviction and the 2013 sequel, Splinter Cell: Blacklist.
We had a chance to talk with Edmondson about the project, including his take on Fisher and the challenges in adapting video game characters to other media.
IGN Comics: Nathan, can you describe your experience with the Splinter Cell franchise? Are you a big gamer in your spare time?
Nathan Edmonson: I'm a gamer, but not a big one. I was certainly familiar with the Splinter Cell franchise, though--as one might guess from my work, it's up my alley.
IGN Comics: Comics based on video games don't necessarily have a great reputation for quality. How are you working to make sure Splinter Cell doesn't fall victim to the same mistakes?
Edmonson: We wouldn't have agreed to work on the book if we didn't know we'd able to do something special, something top-notch. Nothing has been dictated to us. The Splinter Cell Toronto team and the Tom Clancy folks have been partners with us all the way, giving input, encouraging ideas, helping us to better understand the Splinter Cell world, but they have never harnessed our creativity.
IGN Comics: Ubisoft has ventured into the comics realm before with the Assassin's Creed comics. What made Splinter Cell the right choice to follow Assassin's Creed?
Edmonson: Sam Fisher is a character so bad ass, so cool with a history so truly rich he lends himself obviously and easily to storytelling beyond the game.
IGN Comics: You've tackled several genres in your previous comics work. Was it difficult for you to transition from your previous comics work into Sam Fisher's world?
Edmonson: I've written one horror-esque title, one sci-fi book, and five espionage/spy-fi titles, plus Ultimate Iron Man which is grounded in the military-industrial complex world and seasoned with geopolitics. It was my work in particular on The Activity, a military thriller at Image Comics that got Ubisoft's attention. I brought to the table much of my experience and research from my other Black Ops-type work--as well as an artist who has drawn a guest issue of The Activity, and whose style and talent I knew would help to make this book something truly great.
IGN Comics: What period in Fisher's life does this series explore? Does it tie into the events of Blacklist?
Edmonson: Splinter Cell Echoes bridges the events of Splinter Cell Conviction and Blacklist. I can't say much more than that at this point, as Sam Fisher's path has some very interesting turns post-Conviction.
IGN Comics: What about Fisher's personality and ongoing journey appeals to you as a writer? What sets him apart from other gaming heroes?
Edmonson: Sam is a complicated character with a broken and dark past. His attitude, his technique is all very anti-Bond, anti-superhero, which appeals to me in a big way. He's also something of a slave to his ideals and his country; he's always been in service--he's never really been free. What he has ever done, has been done out of duty.
IGN Comics: How closely intertwined is this comic with the games? Could readers theoretically enjoy it without ever having played Splinter Cell?
Edmonson: Absolutely. One of our goals was to create a book that was enjoyable to gamers and non-gamer crowds alike. There's certainly some fun fan-service in there, but we treat the characters and story in the same way we would if this was our original creation.
IGN Comics: Are there any other recurring characters from the franchise that fans can expect to see here?
Edmonson: There sure are--though I'm not sure how much of a spoiler I can drop at this time. But this is Sam Fisher--and his world.
IGN Comics: Can you reveal the artists you'll be working with on this series?
Edmonson: Marc Laming, of Planet of the Apes and The Activity fame!
IGN Comics: What are the challenges in converting Sam Fisher's stealth-oriented action sequences to the printed page?
Edmonson: Marc and I have a great deal of fun dropping in signature Sam moments--the precise cuts and blows and shots, the panther-like movement in the shadows, for example. After playing the games it's exciting as a storyteller to bring those little moments to the pages. I don't think we've found it particularly challenging to do, so far--remember, we're fans too, so fan-service in the action serves we the creators!
Splinter Cell: Echoes will be released in 2013. Scroll down to see a non-sequential sample of pages from the comic.
Jesse is a writer for various IGN channels. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter, or Kicksplode on MyIGN.
Source : feeds[dot]ign[dot]com
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