Story: Mac Walters
Script: John Jackson Miller
Art: Omar Francia
Colors: Michael Atiyeh
Lettering: Michael Heisler
Cover Art: Massimo Carnevale
Designer: Stephen Reichert
Asst. Editor: Brendan Wright
Editor: Dave Marshall
Publisher: Mike Richardson
Mass Effect: Invasion treads ground unfamiliar, yet familiar as well. Any story in the midst of the chaotically tense period between the second and third games in the Mass Effect series is bound to be highly anticipated. The Blade Runner inspired cesspool known as Omega was host to some great in-game plot lines, and so far the battle for Aria’s refuge for brigands and bounty hunters is—decent?
Fans of Mass Effect 2 are most definitely familiar with Aria, the powerful Asari ruler of Omega. Invasion #1 finally puts her in the spotlight, and gives fans a taste of her impressive biotic capabilities. Before any impression can be made by her words or her actions, something appears to be seriously wrong. Last time the Alliance Codex was updated, members of the Asari race were still blue. In the sequences of ME 2 involving Aria, she is always bathed in the red light of the Afterlife club, which gives her blue skin a purplish hue. In the game, no statement is made about her skin actually being that color, so one can only assume that she is blue like all other Asari. So why in the name of The Enkindlers is she consistently a pinkish color? Maybe someone had the notion that because Liara was in a previous volume, and she is also an Asari, that readers would somehow become confused. Taking into consideration the fact that most readers who pick up this title are fans of Mass Effect, there is really no possibility of Aria being mistaken for Liara. Maybe this strange phenomenon will be addressed in issue #2?
Her dialog, and that of the minor characters, is not terrible, but not too compelling either. The story itself, and the appearance of an as-yet-unseen enemy, will keep the book interesting, but it still feels rather rushed, like the entire purpose of the script is to get to the next part of the story as quickly as possible.
Overall, it’s a satisfactory read, but it would be wonderful if it substantially improves in the next issue.
Alexander Lorenzen
alex@comicattack.net
@A_Lorenzen
Oh man, you weren’t kidding. She is BRIGHT PURPLE. What the fuck.
It really makes no sense. How could such an important detail be screwed up?
Whoa! Makes no sense at all. I’m debating on even picking this up in single issues or waiting until DH collects it in one volume.