Halo: Uprising

The Halo Uprising series was announced at the NY Comicon 2007. The first issue was pushed back for an unknown reason from July 18, 2007 to August 22, 2007. The Halo Uprising Series is a 40 page, 4 issue, comic series, with full color that is meant to bridge the gap between Halo 2 and Halo 3. The comic book series are published by Marvel Comics. All release dates are to be considered highly tentative and delays are highly probable.

Issue #1 (first edition) of Halo Uprising sold out in less than 24 hours. Due to its popularity they have become rare and are selling in comic book stores for anywhere from $7.00 to $12.00. Graded copies are priced at $65.00 on Amazon.com. A second edition was also printed. It has a black-and-white cover but the inside contents are in color.

Issue #2's release was put off for almost 3 months. It was finally released on November 21st, 2007.

Issue #3 has been delayed AGAIN and is set for release on March 26, 2008.

As of mid-October 2007, Amazon.com (possibly along with other online retailers) is taking preorders on a single-volume hardcover collection of the series. It's listed under ISBN 978-0-785-12838-0.

Issue #1 Summary
Official Marvel Summary: ''The Eisner Award-winning team of superscribe Brian Michael Bendis and artist extraordinaire Alex Maleev unleash an epic story of mankind's struggle against the alien threat of the Covenant. Picking up from the conclusion of blockbuster video game Halo 2, the must-read issue reveals how the Master Chief, while on board a hostile ship headed towards Earth, is battling against Covenant forces! Intertwined with Master Chief's interstellar one-man-war is the saga of a great American city's rebellion and downfall, two desperate lives' collision and shared fate, and the Covenant's hunt for an ancient relic of untold power and value. With hope dwindling and the fate of humanity hanging by a thread, is there any chance for a future? Read this debut issue to start the journey into the Halo universe!''

On some pages the Covenant speak... well Covenant... See Covenant language

In the comic, the Master Chief is depicted in an unknown ship of apparent Forerunner design, with doors very similar to the sort found in 343 Guilty Spark and a room similar to the one which contains a Seraph in the Halo 2 level The Arbiter. He is contacted by a base on Io, one of Jupiter's moons, but demands silence and moves on, killing a group of four Grunts, then a pair of Jackals, then another Grunt quartet. As this happens, the scene cuts to an interrogation of Colonel James Ackerson, captured by the Covenant aboard the Covenant Cruiser Triumphant Declaration. He is about to be killed in celebration of the defeat of Earth before he vexingly states that if "[The Covenant] attack earth...[they will] never find the key.". The Brute Captain is intruiged by this and uses a large knife to lacerate Ackerson until he reveals that this key, if not found, will force the Halos to malfunction "like they did before", that it is hidden in the city of Cleveland, and that it is called the Key of Osanalan. Before he can reveal more he either falls unconscious or dies, leaving the Brutes confused and worried. A new, self-doubting character named Ruwan is introduced who serves as a concierge for a high-line motel in Cleveland under attack by the Covenant. He meets Myras Tyla, a performer staying there who comandeers several weapons from a dead marine and manages to escape with Ruwan. They try to flee in vehicles but find the road blocked, and are finally herded together with what seems to be most of the population of the area into a stadium, where the Covenant declare that to live they must find and give to them the Key of Osanalan. Myras is confused, but Ruwan states with certainty that he "knows exactly what that is." The Chief, in the meantime, finds himself faced by an extremely large force of Covenant troops, including at least three Hunter Pairs who fire on him simultaneously. He is hit by several beams and falls to the floor. A Brute Chieftan begins to crush him with his boot, saying that the Chief will tell them where the Key is...after they remove enough parts of his body.

Issue #2 Summary
Official Marvel Summary: ''The Eisner Award-winning team of Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev unveil a new chapter in the Halo mythos. Master Chief is captured and interrogated by Covenant forces. While back on Earth, a star-crossed human couple tries to stay alive as every single thing they hold dear is taken from them. Earth is falling to alien invaders, and no one knows what or where the mysterious artifact known as “the Key” is. The human race is at the brink of destruction---can the bravery of a few turn the tide?''

When we last left the Master Chief in the last issue, things looked perilious. The brutes want to know where the "key" is and try to question what appears to be an unconsious Chief. "WHERE IS THE KEY, WHAT DOES OSANALAN MEAN!" demands the brute. The chief replies "It means...always strip your enemy of weapons before you interrogate him". The brute looks down to see a plasma grenade stuck between his legs. Killing the brute and scattering and confusing the grunts, the chief makes his escape. Meanwhile on Earth, the covenant begins to roundup humans into a stadium in old Cleveland. A daring rescue attempt by the UNSC allows many captured humans, including Ruwan and Myras, to escape during the chaos into the war ravaged city. later, Myras and Ruwan share an intimate moment before being interupted by a near-by Scarab. Back on the forerunner ship, the chief armed with a covenant carbine makes his way through the ship only to find the Prophet of Truth. Spartan-117 reports to the UNSC that one Prophet Hierarch is aboard and will transmit more to follow as he takes aim on Truth.

Issue #3 Summary
Official Marvel Summary: ''The Earth is burning!!! Humans are running for their lives, caught in a war they did not start. How can two star-crossed lovers find their way to happiness when everything and everyone they knew is being destroyed around them?? And will the Master Chief discover the mysterious “key” that could end the war in time to save what is left of humanity?

Issue #4 Summary
Official Marvel Summary: ''Here it is -- the blistering conclusion to HALO: UPRISING!!! The story that connects the video games: Halo 2 and Halo 3. Find out where Master Chief has been and where he is going, before you pick up an Xbox 360 controller and finish the fight. Meanwhile, Earth is under siege -- the human resistance is faced with impossible odds with no hope in sight against the overwhelming Covenant forces. Be there to see the event that may turn the tide of the entire war. From the creative collaboration of the Eisner Award-winning creative team of Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev (New Avengers, Daredevil) comes the final issue of this explosive interstellar epic arc!''

Author Quotes/Information
A:"Not too much. It is referenced but it's not really the focus of the story." A:"I can't say much about the Flood for now, but Cortana and the Master Chief were separated at the end of Halo 2, and our story is with him - so no Cortana." Quotes and entire interview on IGN can be found below.
 * "We get to fill the story for Master Chief in between Halo 2 and 3. We get Master Chief from the end of that story to the beginning of the new one."
 * "...new characters down on Earth that will allow a fresh perspective on the human level to the near holocaust that is taking place on Earth."
 * "...can enjoy what they are reading without needing anything else but the book in their hand."
 * "...honor the die hard fans with references and nods to the games and novels."
 * "...you will see plenty of Master Chief in every issue."
 * "The (American) city is an important key city to the war on Earth."
 * Q:"How much of this civil war plays into your Covenant-based plot?"
 * Q:"Will the Flood and/or Gravemind be involved? Will Cortana?"
 * "Cliffhangers galore from issue to issue. But the story itself should have some resolution and a lot of hope for the future Halo stories."

Credits

 * Alex Maleev - Covers, Penciling, Inking
 * Matt Hollingsworth - Coloring
 * Chris Eliopoulos - Lettering
 * Brian Michael Bendis -Author

Issues

 * Issue #1
 * Issue #2
 * Issue #3
 * Issue #4