Comic booksand video games both offer thrilling adventures, compelling quests, and unforgettable characters. Yet, the way they tell their stories differs significantly. Comic book art brings a unique narrative style, offering a focus and depth that’s hard to replicate in video games.
Many video games extend their stories or explore their lore through comics. Unlike games, comics are tightly scripted, with complete control over what the audience sees and experiences. This format allows for intricate, fleshed-out storytelling without the distractions of open-world exploration or side quests.
9Atari Force
Atari Force began as a minicomics series designed to create a shared universe for five iconicAtarigames: Defender, Berzerk, Star Raiders, Phoenix, and Galaxian.
In the distant year of 2005, Atari Force, a team of humans piloting a multidimensional ship called Scanner One, is on a mission to search for a new habitable planet after Earth’s ecological collapse. Through thrilling adventures (and misadventures) across the cosmos, the team eventually finds a suitable world, helping humanity establish New Earth.
The second act picks up 25 years later. Humanity has settled into its new home, but Atari Force leader Martin Champion remains haunted by the possibility that their old nemesis, Dark Destroyer, survived. His fears are dismissed by most as paranoia, though his legendary status ensures people humor his suspicions. However, when Dark Destroyer resurfaces, it’s time for a new Atari Force to rise up and defend humanity once more.
8Duke Nukem: Glorious Bastard
Duke Nukem: Glorious Bastard is a four-part comic series that thrusts the legendary action hero into an alternate timeline where he must battle Nazis and aliens in World War II.
The comic’s title is a nod to Inglourious Basterds, a Quentin Tarantino movie about Nazi hunters.
The story introduces the Vrilerinnen, an enigmatic group initially allied with the Nazis to create an army of super soldiers. However, disillusioned by the Nazis' failures, they take drastic action by opening a portal to summon an alien force to Earth, threatening the future of humanity.
In the present day, Duke Nukem is tasked with traveling back in time to confront this threat. Armed with his signature bravado and firepower, Duke must ensure the timeline remains intact and secure the survival of the human race.
7Life Is Strange
Beware story spoilers for the first Life is Strange game.
The Life is Strange comics pick up one year after the events of the first game, continuing the story based on the Sacrifice Arcadia ending. In this timeline, Max saves Chloe, triggering a devastating hurricane that destroys Arcadia Bay, claiming most of its residents, including Chloe’s mother.
The Life is Strange comic series began as a four-part miniseries but gained such popularity that it expanded to 23 issues across five volumes.
Seeking a fresh start, Max and Chloe move to Seattle, where they help a local band, The High Seas, while trying to rebuild their lives. When they receive invitations to a ceremony commemorating the destruction of Arcadia Bay, they reluctantly return to their hometown. Once there, Max’s powers begin spiraling out of control, pulling her between timelines and visions. As they unravel the mysteries behind these events, Max is forced to face the far-reaching consequences of her choices and the true weight of altering fate.
6InFamous
The six-issue InFamous comic series bridges the gap between the first and second games, detailing Cole MacGrath’s journey from Empire City to New Marais. After the catastrophic explosion in the first game that gave Cole his electric powers, he is thrust into a moral and existential crisis. The explosion, and even the tragic death of his friend Trish, were orchestrated by his future self to prepare him for an inevitable confrontation with the Beast, a powerful superhuman bent on humanity’s destruction.
In this interlude, Cole grapples with the weight of his past actions and the choices that will shape his future. His journey isn’t just physical but also emotional, as he decidesthe kind of hero, or villain, he wants to become. Meanwhile, he is relentlessly pursued by the Department of Unified Protection (DUP), a government agency intent on eliminating Conduits, individuals like Cole with extraordinary abilities.
5Genshin Impact
Genshin Impact is a wildly popular gacha game by HoYoverse (formerly miHoYo), featuring an expansive, anime-style open world. But two years before its release, HoYoverse began publishing a web comic to build excitement for the game.
The Genshin Impact comic ran until May 13, 2025, and explores events leading up to the game’s timeline. Set mostly in Mondstadt,the first in-game region, the comic delves into Vanessa’s story, which unfolds a thousand years before modern Teyvat. It also provides rich backstories for characters like Jean, Kaeya, Diluc, Amber, and Collei. While the game enhances the comic with added context, the story stands on its own, making it accessible and enjoyable for newcomers and longtime fans alike.
4Tomb Raider
Lara Croft, the iconic archaeological adventurer, has captivated audiences for decades with her daring exploits to uncover ancient treasures and outwit rival treasure hunters. Her success in video games naturally extended into the world of comics, giving fans a deeper look into her thrilling adventures.
In the early Tomb Raider comics, Lara Croft is depicted with red hair instead of brown.
The Tomb Raider comics have seen two major runs:
Both comic runs captured the spirit of Lara Croft, providing fans with exciting tales of danger, discovery, and heroism.
3Horizon Zero Dawn
The Horizon Zero Dawn comic series expands on the games' story and world, remaining canon to their continuity. There are currently two main story arcs:
These comics add further detail and development to the Horizon universe. While rooted in the games, they can be enjoyed by anyone curious about the world of Horizon Zero Dawn.
2The Last Of Us: American Dreams
Written by Neil Druckmann, the director of The Last of Us, this four-issue comic series serves as a prequel, delving into Ellie’s life before she meets Joel (like the DLC Left Behind). Set in the Boston Quarantine Zone, the story follows Ellie as she forms a reluctant friendship with Riley Abel, a rebellious teenager and fellow survivor.
Riley introduces Ellie to the hidden dangers and wonders of life beyond the quarantine zone. Together, they encounter the Fireflies, a resistance group opposing the authoritarian control of the Federal Disaster Response Agency (FEDRA), which governs the zone. Their adventures thrust them into perilous encounters with infected creatures, tense military conflicts, and the harsh realities of their post-apocalyptic world.
1Sonic The Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog is almost as famous for its comics as its video games. In 2008, the series earned a Guinness World Record as the “longest-running comic series based on a video game” in the U.S. While some story arcs tie directly to the games, the comics primarily exist in their own continuity.
Initially, the comics followed Sonic and his friends, the Freedom Fighters, as they stood against Dr. Robotnik’s schemes on the planet Mobius, a world of anthropomorphic animals. Dr. Robotnik ruled Robotropolis with an iron fist and targeted the Kingdom of Acorn, while the Freedom Fighters worked to thwart his forces.
In 2013, a legal dispute between Archie Comics and Ken Penders, a former writer for the series, led to a full reboot.
After issue 247, the series experienced a dramatic shift. Dr. Eggman unleashes a Super Genesis Wave, destroying the original multiverse and rewriting the story’s universe. This new reality introduced fresh challenges, including the planet splitting apart and the awakening of Dark Gaia, setting the stage for a brand-new adventure.
