Mass Effect Comics

I’m not a big comic book fan but in the spirit of looking at all things Mass Effect I checked out the Mass Effect comic books.  I actually went to a couple local comic book stores but they didn’t have any Mass Effect comics. 

Of course I next turned to the Internet.  First I went to the Darkhorse comics website.  

 On their website it was easy to find the Mass Effect comics and you can purchase them to view online or have them mailed to your home.  While surfing their website I discovered that Darkhorse had an application for the iPad.  Woo hoo!

So I went to the iPad app store and downloaded the app.  After creating the account I easily found the Mass Effect comics and was able to purchase digital copies of the Mass Effect comics. 

As with all things Mass Effect, if you are a Mass Effect fan you’ll like the comics.  For some light entertainment reading I found the comics an enjoyable diversion.  The comics I read complimented many of the story lines you find in the three Mass Effect video games and books.  The comics are well written and illustrated.  They allow you to spend some time with your favorite characters while finding out a little more about them and the Mass Effect world.

At $1.99 cents a comic book that shouldn’t be to great of a cost to anybody who has access to a computer, Apple iOS or Android device.  So take that change out of your pocket.

Reading with my iPad was easy.  You can swipe and read entire page or you can click and it zooms in on a section of the graphic for a close-up and then moves from segment to segment on the page in close-up mode.  This is great for reading the text and obviously for the graphics.

Full page view left and close-up right.

The cost for the digital versions was cheaper than actual paper comic, as you would expect for digital copy.  I believe they were $1.99 cents versus three dollars for the comic. Any comics you buy on your iPad you can also view on their website through your personal computer’s web browser.

 Remember, when you buy on the website or through the app store you don’t actually own the comic; just the right to read the book through the authorized device.  See Darkhorse FAQs.

“Do I own the digital comic I purchased?

You do not. As with Amazon, Nook, and other e-book companies, you don’t own the book you buy. You are licensing the right to read the book on supported and authorized devices.”

Grunt; Fighting to the End

Shepard and Grunt on Tuchanka.

Grunt gets a much better video cameo than other Mass Effect 2 characters such as Thane and Kasumi.  Grunt’s cameo even gets a surprising twist at the end.

Shepard goes to Utukku to investigate missing squad of Krogan soldiers.   Upon arrival at Utukku he discovers that Grunt is the commander of the Aralakah Company; a special company made up of Krogan warriors from the various clans on Tuchanka.  It’s not clear if the Aralakah are investigating the disappearance also or if the missing squad is from the Arlakah but it sets the stage for the Shepard / Grunt reunion.

With the help of the Aralakah Company and Grunt, Shepard explores the tunnels of Utukku and discovers that the Reapers are mutating a hive of Rachni into Ravagers much like they do with other species to create Husks or Scions.  Moving deeper into the maze of tunnels Shepard enters the hive’s central nest area while Grunt and the Aralakah hold off waves of Rachni.

In the central chamber Shepard discovers the Rachni Queen from Mass Effect that he let live during the battle with Matriarch Benezia.  Turns out the Reapers have captured the queen with advanced Reaper Technology.  (Nothing a few rounds from the M-8 Avenger won’t fix.) 

The queen was able to resist Reaper indoctrination.  To counter the queen and take control of the Rachni the Reapers trapped her isolating her influence and indoctrinated the other Rachni directly rather than through the queen.  Shepard and company have the choice to release the queen or leave her trapped by the Reapers.

Grunt charges into the Ravagers.

While holding the line against the now indoctrinated Ravagers Arlankah Company takes heavy losses.  When Shepard leaves the hive for the surface only Grunt remains of Arlankah Company.  Upon the way out they come to an intersection filled with Ravagers.  Grunt says goodbye to Shepard;  “The shuttle is down that path.  I’ll hold them off. Get out of here Shepard.”  Grunt charges into the path of the Ravagers giving Shepard the opportunity to escape.