24th August 2011 / Daredevil / Dead Space / Interviews
I’m smack in the middle of a whole bunch of projects, so a couple of quick notes before I dash off:
— If nominative determinism was real, “Alex Zalben” would stockpile nuclear weapons in his Pacific island volcano base while MI6 sent dashing but worryingly misogynistic agents to neutralise him.
Alas, such aptonymic fate is bullshit fodder for the tabloids. So instead Alex writes for MTV Geek, where he does equally exciting and world-threatening things like interview Wellinton Alves and I about DAREDEVIL: SEASON ONE. Contains some previously-unseen and very lovely artwork from the book, by the way.
— DEAD SPACE iOS (which is now also available for Blackberry and Android, so I guess it should from hereon be plain “DEAD SPACE Mobile”) has been nominated for Best Mobile Game in the 2011 Golden Joystick Awards. Voting is open to the public, hint hint.
28th January 2011 / Dead Space / On Sale / Videogames
Not content to bundle it with DEAD SPACE 2, I’m informed that EA has now also made the PS3 version of DEAD SPACE: EXTRACTION available as a standalone download, from the PlayStation Network. It definitely seems to be getting a better reception this time around, which is nice.
Meanwhile, on the App Store, over 90% of all ratings for DEAD SPACE (iOS) are a full five stars. Also nice!
I’m off to the US for a week (up at 5am for a 12-hour flight! Joy!), so updates here — and the usual messages and replies on email, Twitter, Facebook, etc. — will be slow at best until I return.
25th January 2011 / Dead Space / On Sale / Videogames
DEAD SPACE for iOS is now on sale from the App Store (iPhone & iPod Touch / iPad).
This is another prequel to the main game of DEAD SPACE 2; you take on the role of a mysterious Sprawl engineer known only as ‘Vandal’, who’s on a mission to… well, I don’t want to spoil it for you. Suffice to say, this is DEAD SPACE and things don’t go well.
The iOS edition has been garnering rave reviews all over the place for its graphics and gameplay, which is truly as close as you can get to the original on a touch device. It’s a pretty astounding technical feat, and hey, the story’s not bad either.
Speaking of the main game, DEAD SPACE 2 itself is also on sale today, and if you cough up for the PS3 Collector’s Edition, you get a new HD version of DEAD SPACE: EXTRACTION thrown in. The PS3 version, as you might expect, is compatible with the Move controller (though you don’t need a Move to play it).
ADDENDUM: I’ve just been informed that Visceral devs say EXTRACTION is in fact included with all PS3 versions of DS2, not just the Collector’s Edition. Hurrah!
EXTRACTION was a bit of a lost gem in the DEAD SPACE series. It won awards, got some fantastic reviews praising its story, acting, atmosphere and pacing, from people who actually played it… but frankly, not enough people actually played it. So here’s hoping the game gets a new audience, and a new appreciation, on the PS3.
18th January 2011 / Dead Space / On Sale
DEAD SPACE: SALVAGE goes on sale today… again! The good folks at IDW have released a digital version for the iPad.
So now if you want some scares on the move, or if the thought of holding up a heavy graphic novel simply strikes you as far too much effort, your prayers have been answered.
*Insert joke emoticon here*
Click here to buy SALVAGE from the App Store.
23rd November 2010 / Appearances / Dead Space / Shadowland
Settle in, lot going on this week:
POST-BUBBLE
Thought Bubble was great, as always. How many shows end with a full-on (and, come to that, full) dancefloor? Thanks to everyone who came out to see me, and everyone who decided to try out WASTELAND — by mid-afternoon Saturday, every single copy of the first volume, both in paperback or hardback, had been snapped up either from me or one of the retailers. A good problem to have.
Old friend Al Kennedy, one half of the excellent podcast House To Astonish, recorded interviews at the con for their 50th anniversary show; in addition to myself, he also spoke to Jamie McKelvie and Kieron Gillen (in a much less noisy and chaotic environment, the lucky sods). You can listen to the podcast here.
ON SALE: 1
SHADOWLAND: BLOOD ON THE STREETS reaches its climax with issue #4. I’ll let the solicit do the talking:
It’s the chilling climax for the odd squad of Misty Knight, Paladin, Silver Sable and The Shroud! The unlikely quartet believe they’ve uncovered the real villain behind the mob murders. But the truth is even more shocking than they realize! To lay a trap for the death-dealing ninjas, the four fearless fighters must execute a daring plan, coming together to face off against The Hand…and one of them must face an ugly truth! Don’t miss this explosive, dark and bloody conclusion!
BLOOD ON THE STREETS has been a blast to write; one of the good things about working with second (and third!) string characters is that you have so much more freedom, precisely because they’re second string. I’ll miss them.
The order code is SEP100606, and you can read a four-page preview at Comic Book Resources.
ON SALE: 2
DEAD SPACE: SALVAGE is also out this week.
Illustrated by the inimitable Christopher Shy, SALVAGE is an original graphic novel that reveals what happened to the USG Ishimura after the events of DEAD SPACE, and its unfortunate discovery by a group of illegal miners…
The USG Ishimura, the most famous of the Planetcracker class starships, is flung from orbit around Aegis VII after the disastrous events of Dead Space. It is lost somewhere in deep space, and both the Government and a powerful religious sect called “Unitology” believe it may still hold the Red Marker, an alien artifact that promises great power for either side, and both will stop at nothing to reach it first!
Lots of cool new characters, a few twists, and some events that reveal just a little more of the grand tapestry that is the DEAD SPACE universe. Good stuff, and you can get a sneak peek at preview art on the DEAD SPACE Facebook page.
The order code is SEP100397 for comic stores, or the ISBN for bookstores and online is 978-1600108150.
THRILLING WONDER STORIES
Finally, I’ve been invited to appear at this year’s Thrilling Wonder Stories, which takes place at the Architectural Association in London on Friday.
This is an event that also features Will Self, Jeff Vandermeer, Paul Duffield, and other frighteningly talented people, and has alumni including Warren Ellis, Ian Macleod and Jim Rossignol. Heaven knows what they want me there for. Nevertheless, I’ll be talking about WASTELAND, the building in stories, the stories in buildings, and the Mystery of the Unopened Door.
Entrance is free, but limited; but even if you can’t make it to the venue, you can watch a livecast of the entire event at the AA website.
…And that’s all she wrote (also, most definitely all I’m writing) until I return from London.
21st October 2010 / Dead Space
Not that I’d know anything about that, of course.
12th October 2010 / Dead Space / On Sale / Videogames
DEAD SPACE IGNITION, the “prequel / prologue / sidequel / whatever you can want to call it” to DEAD SPACE 2, is available today to download on Xbox Live. I’m pretty sure it’s out on PSN today, too, but I don’t have confirmation of that. From the official release when it was announced:
IGNITION will show fans what happens in the hours leading up to the beginning of DEAD SPACE 2 with gameplay that is fast-paced and accessible.
[It] combines an interactive comic-style story with three unique hacking games; Hardware Crack, Trace Route and System Override. Each game offers a fun arcade experience that will challenge players with puzzles and twitch gameplay.
IGNITION features a unique ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ type narrative, allowing players to survive the initial Necromorph outbreak on the Sprawl in multiple ways, with four different endings.
And for the gotta-have-that-edge hardcore players among you, each different ending also rewards the player with an unlockable for use in DEAD SPACE 2. Probably a spare pair of underpants, or something.
DEAD SPACE IGNITION costs 400 points on XBLA, $5 on PSN — or if you’re a smart cookie and pre-ordered DS2 in the US, you should receive a free download token to get it.
24th July 2010 / Dead Space
Another day, another DEAD SPACE project, this time announced during a panel at San Diego Comic-Con.
The project is DEAD SPACE: SALVAGE, a self-contained graphic novel. Billed as a “sidequel”, SALVAGE takes place between the first and second DEAD SPACE games and tells the story of the missing, necromorph-infested planetcracker USG Ishimura. Presumed lost and drifting somewhere in the Aegis system , the ship is discovered by a band of ‘magpies’ — unlicensed miners and salvage merchants — who quickly realise it’s not the bountiful haul they were hoping for.
DEAD SPACE: SALVAGE is illustrated by Christopher Shy, published by IDW, and will be available later this year.
21st July 2010 / Dead Space
Some new details about DEAD SPACE IGNITION are surfacing, including screenshots of the comic art and mini-games. IGN seems to have the most screenshots of all the places talking about it.
Hopefully I’ll be able to fill everyone in on some more details myself as things get rolling.
ADDENDUM: Joystiq has now published a more detailed article than their original coverage, with a closer look at one of the minigames and a full complement of screenshots.
ADDENDUM 2: I’ve been given the all-clear by EA. More details on IGNITION here.
10th July 2010 / Daredevil / Dead Space / On Sale / Shadowland / Wasteland
Typical. I go on vacation for a week, and it all kicks off. While I was away…
WASTELAND
WASTELAND #29 went on sale. This is the fourth part of the “Enemy Within” story arc, and is a big issue for several reasons. First, here’s the solicit:
The ENEMY WITHIN story arc continues, and this issue Watchman Dexus is in the spotlight! Recent times have been tough for Dexus, as his attempts to control the Newbegin council have apparently come to nought. Now things are about to get even trickier… but the Watchman is nothing if not devious, and the Sunner rebellion might be just the help he needs.
The order code is MAR101107.
Second, this issue marks the departure of regular artist Christopher Mitten, who’s moving on to creative pastures new. Filling his inestimable boots is Remington Veteto, a fresh-faced graduate of SCAD.
Finally, we’ve revamped the official website, thebigwet.com — with a funky new look, cleaner layout, and better organization.
DEAD SPACE
Next up is the news that, yes, I’m working in the DEAD SPACE universe once again. DEAD SPACE IGNITION is an interactive fiction/motion comic/game/experiment that lays the groundwork for next year’s DEAD SPACE 2 with a brand new story, characters, locations and events.
IGNITION will be released this fall, for download on XBLA and PSN. More information on that as and when it’s available.
DAREDEVIL
In DAREDEVIL news, SHADOWLAND #1 went on sale this week, written by Andy Diggle and kicking off this summer’s DD-centric event. You can read a preview of it here…
…And you can also read a preview of DAREDEVIL #508, by Andy and myself. #508 is the first issue of the “In The Shadows” story arc that runs alongside SHADOWLAND itself, and goes on sale next week.
And that’s all she wrote. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a couple of hundred unread emails to plough through…
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