Halo: Escalation #1

Dark Horse kicks off this 2013 Halo: Escalation series with a cover that immediately signals high-stakes science fiction — two armored soldiers, a woman raising a rifle and a man leveling a pistol, stand back-to-back against a star-field backdrop while the massive UNSC Infinity looms overhead. Anthony Palumbo's painted cover work gives both figures a grounded, human intensity that contrasts beautifully with the sheer scale of the warship behind them. With Chris Schlerf writing and Sergio Ariño on interior art, this launch issue promises an expanded look at the Halo universe that fans of the games will want on their shelf.