Mass Effect 2, in Comic Book Form

Mass Effect: Redemption, a series of prequel comics to Mass Effect 2, hit shelves last year. Now, a new Mass Effect comic about the events of the latest game is on the way. The comic spin-off plans to "follow the second game" -- hopefully that means new light shed on the story, rather than just a retread.

Comic spin-offs of video-games may seem like an obvious marketing choice, but not every gamer also happens to love comics. Sometimes the books feel like little more than a pathetic attempt to squeeze more money out of a lucrative franchise. However, if the job's done well, the fans -- even those who wouldn't buy a comic otherwise -- will indulge.

A few gems have emerged: for example, the Gears of War comic gave us a female Gear, and with her came a handful of rumors about her potential appearance in Gears 3 (cross your fingers along with me, now).

My other personal favorite -- an oldie-but-goodie -- is the canon Metroid manga. The pages are a gift for anyone who longs to learn the backstory behind the mysterious, über-armored bounty hunter Samus Aran. That link only includes the first two volumes, but it's my favorite translation; the rest of the story (in more awkward language) can be found here.