Top 5 Greatest Rare Comic Specials
The transition between films and games remains a little shaky at best, so gamers can often be forgiven for feeling a bit uneasy when they spot one of their cherished games being reincarnated as a loosely-translated Blockbuster. Move that visual media to something like a graphic novel or erotic fanfiction (in the case of Mr. Pants) however, and more often than not the material has managed to stay faithful to its original game, making for an impressive read. We’ve dug up at least five paperback tributes for the purposes of this list, scrutinizing every panel, reading aloud every speech bubble and enunciating every Biff!, Bang! and Pow! for your reading pleasure. These are the Top 5 Greatest Rare Comics!
#5. JUGGERNAUT, THE GATHERING STORM & BIG BANG THEORY – BLAST CORPS. (N64)
Originally published between the pages of Nintendo Power, the explosive trio “Juggernaut“, “The Gathering Storm” and “The Big Bang Theory” followed the pursuit of the infamous run-away Nuclear Missile Carrier of Blast Corps. fame. While “Juggernaut” set the scene with a faithful recap of the prologue and hiring of the Blast Corps team, “The Gathering Storm” and “The Big Bang Theory” knocked more than buildings down with its explosive finale, destructive action and dynamic art. While all three issues were released separately in Nintendo Power, publisher Dark Horse smashed the saga together in one brilliant package via official paperback release. If you’re a fan of mindless destruction, panels packed with shrapnel and the looming threat of nuclear annihilation, don’t miss this triple helping of Blast Corps. action!
#4. THE BATTLETOADS DOUBLE ISSUE COMICS – BATTLETOADS (NES)
Before Donkey Kong Country and Killer Instinct, the Battletoads were on top of the world – their stardom had ballooned to proportions so massive that they received not one, nor three, but two comics to their name within Nintendo Power magazine. While the former issue grappled with an incredibly detailed preface that would satisfy any self-respecting ‘Toad fan, the latter took place during the events of the original Battletoads game, drawing parallels and generally serving as a handy overview. While the comics ultimately lead up to an unresolved cliffhanger that forced players to endure untold difficulty in the Battletoads game to see the ending, it filled the gaps with some clever fourth-wall humor, cringe-worthy puns and Psyko Pig stomping action! It’s worth a read if you still can’t get past the Turbo Tunnel…
#3. DAS HORRORHAUS DER GEFANGENEN JINJOS – BANJO-KAZOOIE (N64)
While this German comic may not have been intended for English eyes, countless fan translations have proven that this brilliantly executed Banjo-Kazooie comic can be enjoyed by everyone. Seeking shelter during a storm, the bear and duo find themselves on-route to Mad Monster Mansion where a series of events has them searching about the decrepit manor for the lost Jinjos. While the premise of the comic itself is fairly cut and dry, the attention to detail and impressively accurate locations within the gates of Mad Monster Mansion is a joy to see play out on the page. Mix in a fair share of quirky odd-ball humor, dated horror movie references like “Psycho” and just a bit of expected self-awareness from Mumbo-Jumbo and you have a haunted house romp that Grabbed by the Ghoulies could only pine to be.
#2. GRADUATION DAY & HUNTING SEASON – PERFECT DARK (N64)
While Perfect Dark Zero received an excellent manga-esque iteration all its own in “Janus’ Tears“, we are quite partial to the richly detailed “Graduation Day” and Hunting Season” found as an exclusive feature within Perfect Dark‘s strategy guide. The issues follow the events before and after Perfect Dark respectively, with “Graduation Day” paying homage to Perfect Dark Game Boy Color and “Hunting Season” seeing Joanna and Elvis team up against dataDyne‘s latest plot. Each page turned has Joanna Dark dishing up more damage than the last, somehow finding enough time for a few witty quips before heralding even more destruction in the panels following. Both issues expand the lore of Perfect Dark while remaining faithful to the original title, a feat that still remains impressive today.
#1. KILLER INSTINCT TANDEM COMIC SERIALS – KILLER INSTINCT (ARCADE)
Ultra Combo is the only means to describe the Killer Instinct comics, as seven solid issues of KI grit released after one another in 1996. “Enemy of my Enemy“, “Tiger Bomb“, “The Price of Freedom“, “Tiger Fury“, “Fire & Ice“, “Brothers” and “Supreme Victory” deliver outstanding visuals, high-suspense, high-thrills that had previously only been seen within Killer Instinct Arcade. With UltraTech at the helm, each fighter has entered the familiar tournament as the series leads the reader through a detailed albeit loyal prologue, a tailored version of events that doesn’t skimp on the action of the first Killer Instinct title and even deals with the consequences after the tournament, just before Killer Instinct 2. Whether you’re enamored with the art, or just rooting for your favorite, this series has that killer feeling!
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