Tomb Raider Volume 1: Season of the Witch TPB

Lara and the other survivors of the Endurance are experiencing horrific visions after their ordeal in the lost kingdom of Yamatai. But the visions lead to a darker fate . . . Can Lara survive the calamities that await her as she struggles to piece this new mystery, and her life, back together?

I would have to say a fairly good percentage of people, gamers or not, have some familiarity with the bigger video game characters.  Although not up there with the likes of Mario or Sonic, Lara Croft  or more likely “Tomb Raider” has a decent chance of ringing a bell.  Having actually played and thoroughly enjoying the recent prequel Tomb Raider title, I was really looking forward to reading Tomb Raider Volume 1: Season of the Witch.

For those who know Lara but haven’t checked it out, the last game release is a very different look at Lara.  Once you start this collection of the first six issues of the comic, you’ll see how literal I mean that.  Without ruining too much of the game or this book, this extension of the story sees Lara unexpectedly caught up in the aftermath of the game’s events.  Yet again she has to face off against a group of people up to no good in a quest for power, having to save those close to her in the midst of it.

Whenever you have to visually adapt work from one medium to another, there’s always going to be some level of expectation for the fans.  Knowing what Lara and her crew looked like in the game, I think the team pulled if off well here.  The line art in these comics is super clean, and although it doesn’t jump out at you, the color work is well done.

As you would think, playing the game does certainly help with familiarity and making this more of a continuation to the story.  Both the writing and the artwork were definitely successful in making it feel like a natural next chapter for the game.  Even if you don’t know anything about Lara and her most recent (or technically first) adventure, this is a fun one to newly experience.  Either way, this is a fun book for both Tomb Raider and comic fans alike.

For more on Tomb Raider Volume 1: Season of the Witch or other Dark Horse titles, check out Dark Horse Comics.

Tomb Raider Volume 1: Season of the Witch will be available 11/19

Geek-o-Rama received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments and opinions are those of the individual reviewer.

Tomb Raider

She presses herself against the rock wall, breathing shallow and listening intently. Two men, a crackling campfire, conversation hushed, but casual. One of them bitching at the other about a book he'd found on the last freighter that washed ashore. She's outmatched, but she's got no choice.There's no way around them, only through. She waits for her moment. She may be smaller, weaker, but she's smart.

One of the men stands up, declares his intent to relieve himself, and wanders away from the campfire. Lara waits a moment, then creeps forward, silently. Pulling her bow from her shoulder, she moves behind the man warming his hands at the fire. In a flash of motion, she's drawn the bow across his throat, knee in his back. He makes wet, choking noises and struggles for a moment, but she's got enough leverage to put him out. She searches his pockets, finding a few bullets and a candy bar, and pockets them. Then..

"What the shit.. ?" He's back. The other man. He's got his gun, it's pointed right at her. She drops, scrabbling sideways to throw his aim off, grabbing a handful of dirt and launching it at his eyes. The man cries in frustration, wiping at his face, but Lara's already pulled her pry axe, and throws all her weight into a swing at his face. An ugly gash opens, and the man staggers back in shock. Dropping the axe, Lara pulls a large stone off the ground and bashes in the man's skull. Breathing heavily, hands shaking,she gathers her wits, checks the man for anything valuable, and moves on towards the temple.

The preceding is a scene that played out many times, with many variations, as I made my way through the newest Tomb Raider title. The game is simultaneously shocking and refreshing in its brutality and honesty in

the portrayal of Lara Croft, a character who, I have to admit, I have never found interesting previously. I'm one that plays female characters whenever available, especially if there's a character creator option, as I tend to skew towards playing the same character for immersion's sake. Lara Croft has always been portrayed as near-superhuman, and that's always bothered me. She's always seemed shallow, unbelievable in her portrayals. There's something different here.

The new Lara Croft is a rogue class, make no mistake. She relies on quickness, stealth, fighting dirty, and that wonderful archery skill to take out opponents that are bigger, stronger, and far more numerous than she is. So many changes have been made to the character and her world, and I feel these are changes for the better. Gone are the tombs that look like they were manufactured specifically for platforming, replaced by dank caves and temples that have been co-opted by the cult operating on the island. Gone is the cleanly rendered jumper and shorts, replaced by a sensible tank-top, cargo pants, and boots, with a progressive damage model that would make Arkham's Batman proud. Most importantly, gone is the Catwoman-by-way-of-Indy portrayal of Lara Croft, replaced with a young, upstart nerd with serious drive and grit. A believable student of archeology, and a believable human being. Gone are the silly ragdoll animations when you screw up a jump and fall to your death, replaced by positively brutal, sphincter-clinching death

scenes.

I've heard negative and positive reviews of the new Tomb Raider title, but I think it's simply put that this is the Tomb Raider for people who never finished the old Tomb Raider titles out of frustration. The game

offers a solid action-adventure storyline drawing elements from the Uncharted series and the Descent films while still remaining true to the overall spirit of Tomb Raider. I was patient and picked this game up for

about $20 on Greenmangaming.com, but I'd say this would be worth full retail. I'm hoping as time goes by, more people will purchase the game, as I hear it hasn't done as well as Squeenix had hoped, and Squeenix has been doing right by PC gamers lately, with titles like Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Hitman: Absolution, and Sleeping Dogs being good games with good PC ports.

Strong recommendations on this one and as a final note, I will say to anyone concerned about the interview that went around in development: As I play through this game, I don't feel any need or concern to 'protect' poor helpless Lara. This woman is forged steel, a person who may cry for help because of inexperience, but will not stop fighting and will find a way through. The first few hours left me with the distinct feeling that, in her position, I would not have survived what she did. It's not me protecting Lara, it's the other way around.

Tomb Raider is available on Steam at http://store.steampowered.com/app/203160/

Crystal Dynamics and Dark Horse Bring Lara Croft Back to Comic Books!

MILWAUKIE, OR – Crystal Dynamics™, a Square Enix® studio, and Dark Horse Comics, today revealed they have partnered to bring the re-imagined Lara Croft back to print in the world of comics. Look for news on the new series following the release of TOMB RAIDER®, the highly anticipated origin story for Lara Croft®, available March 5, 2013, and will chronicle Lara’s journey after her harrowing adventure in the Dragon’s Triangle.

 To kick off the partnership, Crystal Dynamics and Dark Horse have teamed up to create “TOMB RAIDER: The Beginning.” This will be the first installment in the new TOMB RAIDER comic book series, and is a prequel to the events in TOMB RAIDER. “TOMB RAIDER: The Beginning,” was written by lead game writer Rhianna Pratchett. Fans can get the first series early when they pre-order TOMB RAIDER at Best Buy.

A 48-page, six-part hardcover omnibus, “TOMB RAIDER: The Beginning” follows the story of how the crew came together for The Endurance's fateful mission to discover the lost Japanese kingdom of Yamatai. Originally intended to feature as the latest instalment of Dr. James Whitman's successful archaeology show, Whitman's World, the show-biz archaeologist gets more than he bargained for when he enlists the help of Captain Conrad Roth. As Roth's unique and eccentric crew gradually come together and share their stories and secrets, the expedition faces unexpected threats before it's even begun.

“Lara Croft is an icon across all forms of media, including comic books,” said Karl Stewart, global brand director for TOMB RAIDER and Crystal Dynamics. “The team at Crystal Dynamics has worked closely with Dark Horse on ‘The Beginning’ to bring the relatable, re-imagined Lara Croft back to the comic book world.”

"Whilst penning Lara’s origins story for the game I had lots of ideas about the world she and the other characters inhabited, and the story behind their voyage: as great to be able to flesh out the world of TOMB RAIDER and work with the talented team at Dark Horse to bring Lara Croft back to comics,” said Rhianna Pratchett, lead game writer for TOMB RAIDER.

"The bold new vision of the game demanded we bring an equally fresh approach to the comics," said Dave Marshall, editor at Dark Horse. “We’re excited for TOMB RAIDER fans to experience a new side of Lara Croft as they accompany her on the earliest parts of her first adventure.”

To celebrate the partnership, Crystal Dynamics and Dark Horse revealed four pages from “TOMB RAIDER: The Beginning.” The full comic is available as a bonus when you pre-order TOMB RAIDER at Best Buy. More news on Tomb Raider comics will be available in the coming months.

Related Links
Official Homepage: www.TOMBRAIDER.com
Official Twitter: @TOMBRAIDER
Official Facebook page: http://facebook.com/TOMBRAIDER
Official Tumblr: http://officialTOMBRAIDERblog.tumblr.com/
Official YouTube Channel: http://youtube.com/TOMBRAIDER

About Dark Horse
Founded in1986 by Mike Richardson, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. The company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. In addition to publishing comics from top talent such as Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Brian Wood, Gerard Way, Felicia Day, Guillermo Del Toro and comics legends such as Will Eisner, Neal Adams, and Jim Steranko, Dark Horse has developed its own successful properties such as The Mask, Ghost, Timecop, and SpyBoy. Its successful line of comics and products based on popular properties includes Star Wars, Mass Effect, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Emily the Strange, Tim Burton’s Tragic Toys for Girls and Boys, Serenity, Game of Thrones and Domo. Today Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic book publisher in the US and is recognized as one of the world’s leading publishers of both creator-owned content and licensed comics material.


About Square Enix, Inc.
Square Enix, Inc. develops, publishes, distributes and licenses SQUARE ENIX®, EIDOS® and TAITO® branded entertainment content throughout the Americas as part of the Square Enix Group. The Square Enix Group operates a global network of leading development studios and boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property, including: FINAL FANTASY®, which has sold over 100 million units worldwide; DRAGON QUEST®, which has sold over 59 million units worldwide; TOMB RAIDER®, which has sold over 35 million units worldwide; and the legendary SPACE INVADERS®. Square Enix, Inc. is a U.S.-based, wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.

More information on Square Enix, Inc. can be found at http://www.na.square-enix.com.



TOMB RAIDER, CRYSTAL DYNAMICS, DRAGON QUEST, EIDOS, FINAL FANTASY, IO INTERACTIVE, LARA CROFT, SPACE INVADERS, SQUARE ENIX, the SQUARE ENIX logo and TAITO are registered trademarks or trademarks of the Square Enix Group. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.