Why you don't need to play Mass Effect to enjoy Mass Effect comics

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Why you don’t need to play Mass Effect to enjoy Mass Effect comics

09/29/2011 2:43pm

Mac Walters, Lead Writer for Mass Effect 2 and our Mass Effect comic series shares a few thoughts about why you should pick up Mass Effect Comics...right now!

In less than a month I’ll be heading to New York for my fourth comic con (and my second in Gotham). I like to think I’m starting to get the hang of it after three visits promoting the various Mass Effect comics. The first two were a crazy blur of comic culture, amazing art, late-night dinner (parties), and fans, fans, fans everywhere. And of course I had to get my geek on, and hunt down my favorites. But once I started to get the hang of it (relax, breathe…don’t be nervous), I started talking to the fans in depth, and…I started asking questions.

A couple of the questions I often asked were “Have you played the games?” and “Do you have a favorite character?” And after three cons (and a PAX), I’ve learned something. About 70 percent of the fans have a quick and ready response: “YES!” and “Insert awesome story about favorite character here.” Then there’s about another 10 percent of the people I talk to who aren’t necessarily fans of the games themselves, but they “know someone who is.” But there’s another interesting demographic found in the last 20 percent. This group is mostly made up of fans of the comic and the comic alone. When asked about playing the game, the usual response is something like, “I’m not really into games.”

Fair enough. We can’t all be into games. But the fans are there just the same—eagerly asking to know more about the characters and their stories, enthralled by the Mass Effect world that we’ve created, and thrilled to learn there’s more comics, books, and movies coming.

Now whether it’s due to my dusty psychology degree, or just my irrepressible curiosity about human nature, I couldn’t help but ask myself, “How’d they become such fans of Mass Effect, without ever playing the game?” To be certain, Dark Horse and I tried our damnedest to make sure that every Mass Effect comic would stand on its own. And that each series would be as accessible to the existing fan as to the first-time reader. But the why of it all is what I was interested in.

Walk into any comic-book store, and you’ll instantly know what I mean. If you’re not there to find something specific, it can be more than a little intimidating. So, among thousands of possible stories, why choose Mass Effect?

Mass Effect isn’t like most video games. We’ve created a living, breathing future world and filled it with compelling characters and epic scenarios. But more importantly, the characters are deep. Believable. Real.

It’s that realness that allows the characters—who, let’s face it, carry the story and give meaning to the world—to transcend genres. To go from game to novel to comic and one day on to movies.

So…why choose Mass Effect? There’s many reasons, but most of all…for the characters. The ones portrayed by our fans at every comic con as they continue to out-cosplay each other. Don’t believe me? Meet me in New York this year and see for yourself. Or send me your questions on Twitter @macwalterslives.

Looking forward to it.

Mac Walters

Dark Horse Comics

Why you don’t need to play Mass Effect to enjoy Mass Effect comics

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