Halo: Escalation

Halo: Escalation is a twelve-issue comic book series produced by Dark Horse Comics. It focuses on "how the events of Halo 4 have helped define the destiny not only of the Chief but of the galaxy as a whole". The story centers on the being assigned escort duty for a diplomatic mission between the Arbiter and the Jiralhanae around a month after the events of Spartan Ops. However, the escort team soon has to fend off an attack meant to thwart the negotiations.

Issue 1
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Issue 2
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Issue 3
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Issue 4
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Issue 5
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Characters

 * Andrew Del Rio
 * Bradley
 * Catherine Halsey
 * Dellert
 * Gabriel Thorne
 * 'Gajat
 * Gomez
 * Hogan
 * Jespersen
 * Jul 'Mdama
 * Lydus
 * Nicolas Strauss
 * Paul DeMarco
 * Ray
 * Roland
 * Ryder
 * Sarah Palmer
 * Serin Osman
 * Tek
 * Terrence Hood
 * Thel 'Vadam
 * Thomas Lasky
 * Vladimir Scruggs

Species

 * Forerunner
 * Human
 * Jiralhanae
 * Kig-Yar
 * Skirmisher
 * Mgalekgolo
 * Sangheili
 * Unggoy

Organizations

 * Covenant remnant
 * Sanghelios government
 * Ascetics
 * United Nations Space Command
 * UNSC High Command
 * UNSC Security Council
 * UNSC Defense Force
 * Spartan
 * SPARTAN-IV Program
 * Fireteam Bailey
 * Fireteam Jackknife
 * Fireteam Majestic
 * UNSC Air Force
 * UNSC Army
 * UNSC Marine Corps
 * Orbital Drop Shock Troopers
 * UNSC Navy
 * Fleet Command
 * Orbital Defense Command
 * Office of Naval Intelligence

Locations

 * Epoloch system
 * Requiem
 * Sol system
 * Luna
 * Mare Imbrium
 * Ankara
 * Earth
 * Australia
 * Sydney
 * HIGHCOM Facility Bravo-6
 * United Republic of North America
 * New Phoenix
 * Ealen IV

Events

 * Great Schism
 * Human-Covenant War
 * Reclamation conflict
 * Battle of Earth (2557)
 * Second Battle of Requiem
 * Battle of Ealen IV

Vehicles

 * AC-220 Vulture
 * D79-TC Pelican
 * Diplomatic shuttle
 * DS-004
 * F-41 Broadsword
 * Freighter
 * M12 Warthog
 * OF92 Booster Frame
 * Type-25 Chopper
 * Type-25 Spirit
 * Type-26 Banshee
 * Type-27 Banshee
 * Type-52 Phantom
 * Type-56 Lich
 * Type-26 Banshee
 * Type-27 Banshee
 * Type-52 Phantom
 * Type-56 Lich

Weapons

 * ARC-920
 * BR85 Heavy Barrel Service Rifle
 * Combat knife
 * Hardlight blade
 * M395 Designated Marksman Rifle
 * M45D Tactical Shotgun
 * M6H Personal Defense Weapon System
 * M739 Light Machine Gun
 * MA5D Individual Combat Weapon System
 * Type-1 Plasma Grenade
 * Type-1 Energy Weapon/Sword
 * Type-2 Energy Weapon/Hammer
 * Type-25 Plasma Pistol
 * Type-25 Spiker
 * Type-33 Needler
 * Type-50 Concussion Rifle
 * Type-50 Particle Beam Rifle
 * Type-51 Covenant Carbine
 * Type-55 Storm Rifle
 * Z-250 Lightrifle

Technology

 * Artificial intelligence
 * Avatar
 * Promethean Knight
 * Promethean Watcher
 * Combat simulation deck
 * Holography
 * Holotank
 * Data pad
 * Deployable lookout tower
 * Gravity lift
 * Jiralhanae combat harness
 * Captain Major variant
 * Chieftain variant
 * Minor variant
 * Kig-Yar combat harness
 * Minor variant
 * Sniper variant
 * Storm variant
 * Kig-Yar point defense gauntlet
 * Kig-Yar targeting headgear
 * MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor
 * MJOLNIR [GEN2]
 * Commando variant
 * HAZOP variant
 * Infiltrator variant
 * Recon variant
 * Recruit variant
 * Scout variant
 * Soldier variant
 * War Master variant
 * Requiem slipspace artifacts
 * Sangheili combat harness
 * Arbiter body armor
 * Ascetic variant
 * Assault variant
 * Commander variant
 * Minor variant
 * Ranger variant
 * Storm variant
 * Warrior variant
 * Zealot variant
 * Unknown Sangheili variant
 * Skirmisher combat harness
 * Champion variant
 * UNSC Navy uniforms
 * UNSC Navy Service Uniform
 * Unggoy combat harness
 * Heavy variant
 * Imperial variant
 * Minor variant
 * Storm variant

Production notes
Though the series primarily uses Halo 4 ' s designs for the Covenant species and their equipment, the Halo 3 and Halo: Reach incarnations of certain elements also appear in some panels. Most notably, Lydus resembles the Brutes seen in Halo: Reach, yet his bodyguards are clearly drawn in their Halo 3 likeness. Pre-Halo: Reach and post-Halo: Reach Banshees are shown side-by-side in Issue 2, and a Halo 3/Reach-style Grunt makes a cameo in the same issue. Curiously, despite his recognizable classic appearance, Escalation depicts the Arbiter much like the Sangheili in Halo 4 with regard to his skin tone and mouth structure.

Mistakes

 * In some panels in Issue 1, Kig-Yar are seen with four fingers instead of three.
 * In Issue 1, the visor color of the Spartan with War Master armor is orange, yet in Issue 2 it is blue.