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. It is said that its delay was due to a last minute change in Halo 3's plot, and it was decided that Halo: Uprising needed reworking. 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 is 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 nearly 3 months. It was finally released on November 21st, 2007.

Issue #3, after being delayed for nearly a year, was finally released on August 13, 2008.

Issue #4 has also been delayed again and is now set for March 18th, 2009.

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 Keisner 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!''

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?''

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

Delays
Due to a last minute change in a major plot point of Halo 3 by Bungie Studios, it was decided that the plot for Halo: Uprising needed reworking. However, due to writer Brian Michael Bendis' concurrent work on the "Secret Invasion" series, the release of all issues of Halo: Uprising was pushed back.

Issue #1's original date of August 15, 2007 was pushed back a week to August 22, 2007, which was met. #2's original date of August 29, 2007 was pushed back a couple times and released on November 21, 2007. #3 was originally slated for a September 26, 2007 release but has been pushed back around ten times to its current expected release of August 13, 2008. #4 has also seen a similar number of delays from its original October 31, 2007 release, to its current expected release on March 18, 2009.