Dead Space

Synopsis

The prequel to the all-new blockbuster sci-fi survival horror game from Electronic Arts!
On the distant mining colony of Aegis VII, something strange and alien lurks beneath the surface... a mysterious artifact that brings nothing but trouble to the isolated workforce. As the arrival of the famous planetcracker ship Ishimura fast approaches, security officer Bram Neumann finds himself caught between religious fervor, miners slowly going insane, and the machinations of the mining corporation itself as he races to discover the secrets of the Marker... before it destroys them all!
Collects Dead Space #1-6.

VOYA

Sergeant Abraham "Bram" Neuman, an ex-cop currently serving as a security officer in the mining colony of Aegis VII, has had several life-altering run-ins with the Unitologist Church. He left his wife when she became fanatically devout and punched his Mars Police Force commanding officer to stop his proselytizing. When the miners discover a huge, twisted, stone artifact, Bram is headed for another run-in—the Church of Unitology is sure the artifact is a "Marker," proof of the extraterrestrial nature of god, and wants it at any cost. After the artifact's discovery, the miners begin having sleep problems that lead to murders and suicides—and worse. As the corpses of the dead begin mutating into deadly necromorphs, Bram makes a valiant attempt to save as many on the planet as possible. Johnston's six-issue comic book mini-series collected here is a parallel story to the animated movie Dead Space: Downfall, a prequel to the mature-rated EA videogame Dead Space. Templesmith, co-creator of 30 Days of Night (Idea and Design Works, 2003/VOYA August 2003) adds his usual dark, grisly, and yet somehow still beautiful art for a near-perfect package. A snicker-worthy error in the character biographies preceding the story—substituting "Scientology" for "Unitology"—should silence debate about whether the latter is a parody of the former. The language and gore make this title as adult as the game, but its teen players will eat it with a spoon. Reviewer: Timothy Capehart