Halo: Initiation

Halo: Initiation
Attribution information
Author(s):	Brian Reed (writer) Marco Castiello (artist) Michael Atiyeh (colorist) John Liberto, Terry Dodson, Rachael Dodson, Paul Richards & Kenneth Scott (cover artists)
Publication information
Publisher:	Dark Horse Comics
Publication date:	Issue #1: August 14, 2013 Issue #2: September 11, 2013 Issue #3: October 9, 2013 Hardcover: January 8, 2014

Halo: Initiation is a three-part comic book series produced by Dark Horse Comics. It acts as the origin story for Commander Sarah Palmer and is presented as a lead-in to Halo: Spartan Assault, which also stars Palmer. The series follows her career from her time as an Orbital Drop Shock Trooper to the leader of the SPARTAN-IVs aboard the Template:UNSCship.

Issues

Issue 1

Official summary: Template:Article Quote

Synopsis
In January 2553, Commander Musa-096, a former SPARTAN-II, has arranged an audience with several admirals in HIGHCOM Facility Bravo-6. Despite reprehending the morality of the SPARTAN-II Program, Musa stresses the importance of the Spartans in the Covenant War and argues that they are still necessary, revealing that he has created a new generation of the supersoldiers. Three months earlier, in October 2552, a group of ODSTs, including Sarah Palmer, are deployed on a planet under Covenant attack. On the surface, Admiral Kovalic, protecting an important AI, is heading to an extraction point, but his Warthog is attacked by a Brute Chieftain. Palmer's drop pod lands nearby and she defends Kovalic from the Chieftain and other Covenant forces converging on their position. Even though she is wounded by a Needler shard, Palmer eventually kills the Brute and saves the admiral. Three months later, while still recovering in a UNSC medical facility, Palmer is visited by Jun-A266, who invites her to join the SPARTAN-IV Program.

Issue 2

Synopsis
A group of Insurrectionists have stolen plans to the UNSC Infinity. While some stand in disbelief, others feel it will be used to control the colonies; the leader, Isla Zane, plans to take the ship for the Insurrectionists instead. Meanwhile, Sarah Palmer undergoes the augmentation procedures to become a SPARTAN-IV. Later, during a training exercise against several Marines, she rushes ahead of her Spartan-IV teammates, who are disabled in the process, to accomplish the objective. Jun-A266 and Musa-096 berate her for this, with the latter emphasizing the importance of Spartans working as a team. Later, while the new SPARTAN-IVs are given a tour of Infinity by Thomas Lasky, the Insurrectionists make their way aboard the ship disguised as a construction crew. They take Captain Del Rio hostage and make their way to the bridge, taking control of the ship and hold the crew hostage. After realizing that the ship's AI, Aine, has been shut down, Palmer decides to take the initiative and outfits herself with MJOLNIR armor, picking the Scout variant from the armor bay's limited selection of suits.

Issue 3

Template:Article Quote While trying to control the Infinity, the Insurrectionists detect the Spartan-IVs. Ilsa activates the S-deck's decompression system, sending several of the Infinity staff to the space, with Thomas Lasky and Jun being saved by Palmer and Davis. The Insurrectionists go to the S-deck to eliminate the Spartans. Lasky contact with Andrew Del Rio, informing him that there are only three Spartans in the S-deck, with Palmer and Davis trying to reach Infinity bridge from outside the ship.

Appearances

Characters Aine Andrew Del Rio Bossman (First appearance) Catherine Halsey (Mentioned only) Edward Davis Mattius Drake Template:First mentioned Isla Zane (First appearance) John-117 (Mentioned only) Joel Thomas (First appearance) Jul 'Mdama Jun-A266 Kovalic (First appearance) Musa-096 (First appearance) Ryder (First appearance) Sarah Palmer Thomas Lasky Vladimir Scruggs (First appearance) Yeong-hao Holst (First appearance) Locations Sol system Earth Africa East African Protectorate Republic of Kenya Voi Voi Memorial Australia Sydney HIGHCOM Facility Bravo-6 Oort cloud Species Human Jiralhanae Sangheili Unggoy Organizations United Nations Space Command UNSC Defense Force Spartan SPARTAN-IV Program UNSC Marine Corps Orbital Drop Shock Troopers UNSC Navy Naval Special Warfare Command SPARTAN-II Program Office of Naval Intelligence SPARTAN-III Program Alpha Company Covenant Insurrectionists

Vehicles Lockhart medical station (First appearance) CAS-class assault carrier CCS-class battlecruiser M12 Light Reconnaissance Vehicle UNSC Infinity Unidentified civilian transport craft Unidentified UNSC frigate class Weapons M6H Personal Defense Weapon System M9 High-Explosive Dual-Purpose grenade MA5D Individual Combat Weapon System Type-2 Energy Weapon/Hammer Type-25 Directed Energy Pistol Type-33 Guided Munitions Launcher Technology Armored matrix Artificial intelligence Jiralhanae power armor Chieftain variant MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor MJOLNIR [GEN2] MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/AA variant MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/Aviator MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/R variant MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/Recruit MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/S variant MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/Soldier ODST armor Sangheili combat harness Warrior variant Single Occupant Exoatmospheric Insertion Vehicle Unggoy combat harness Storm variant Imperial variant

Production notes

In Issue 2, when Palmer proceeds to don her MJOLNIR armor via one of the robotic assembly stations, she is erroneously depicted as lacking the titanium nanocomposite bodysuit on which the "hard" armor components are affixed; she is only shown wearing the innermost undersuit.

Gallery

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  Issue #1 cover art by John Liberto.

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  Issue #1 variant cover art (concept) by Terry Dodson and Rachael Dodson.

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  Issue #1 variant cover art (final) by Terry Dodson and Rachael Dodson.

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  Issue #2 cover art by Paul Richards.

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  Issue #3 cover art by Kenneth Scott.