Review - Halo: Lone Wolf #1 (@DarkHorseComics)

"Take the shot if you can."

Halo is an institution at this point. The universe created nearly twenty years ago continues to grow and Halo: Lone Wolf #1 from Dark Horse Comics is the latest incarnation of that growth. The issue is written by Anne Toole, penciled by Keiran McKeown, inked by JL Straw, colored by Dan Jackson and lettered by Simon Bowland.

Sent on a covert mission without the rest of her team, Spartan Linda-058's skills in infiltration and marksmanship are called upon to end the threat posed by a wanted scientist on a distant planet. With only an ONI AI at her side, Linda must fight through both the dregs of the Covenant and the hostility of a lost human settlement to stop the rogue scientist in his tracks.

The Halo franchise has certainly grown and expanded throughout its tenure--something that Toole taps into very well. As a protagonist, Linda-058 is very well-written, with Toole emphasizing her combat abilities and general savviness on the latest mission. Toole also works in some Halo familiarity in terms of making references to established aspects of the Halo universe to give the book a sense that it does belong in that mythos. The story itself is pretty enjoyable as well, with Toole jumping from world to world and giving Linda-058 plenty of obstacles to contend with and overcome. Toole also does a good job with the dialogue between Linda-058 and the ONI AI, allowing both to express their personalities as well as playing off of one another.

McKeown's pencils are sound, primarily when it comes to drawing the Spartans in their battle armor. McKeown does a lot of work with negative space, emphasizing the characters and panels amidst blank backgrounds and emptied gutters. This affords McKeown some flexibility in the presentation, but he doesn't stray from the Halo style. Straw's inks are solid throughout, emphasizing the various armor colors and settings. This is further bolstered by Jackson's colors throughout the issue.

Halo: Lone Wolf #1 is a strong new entrant in the series. Linda-058 is extremely qualified for the mission at hand and her mission is exciting to follow along with. Toole's script is pretty methodical in its presentation and delivery. The artwork by McKeown and Straw is a good fit for the story as it unfolds. Halo: Lone Wolf #1 is a lot of fun and definitely worth checking out for fans of the series.

Halo: Lone Wolf #1 is available January 2.