I’ve rediscovered Destiny 2 for myself, as you already know. But I’m also actually a fan of comics and manga. This became clear to me at the latest when my girlfriend gave me the first volume of the Asterix comics for Christmas. Probably because I always used to wander through the comic/manga section whenever we visited a bookstore.

Compared to the reading time and number of pages, comics and manga have a relatively high price. That was my reason for holding off on buying them until now. Until now. I decided to give comics and manga a try. I chose a Japanese manga, a Korean manga, and a Western comic. The Western comic fits with my current main game, Destiny 2.

This post is about the Destiny Comic Collection Volume 1, which was already clear from the title. The external presentation is a positive, which is fitting for a price of 20 euros, but not a given. The cover is made of sturdy cardboard, which means the comic qualifies as a hardcover book. Besides the beautiful and simple colored print of three protagonists within the Destiny logo, the text is not just printed on but embossed. This immediately creates a feeling of quality. That feeling continues on the inside. The pages are relatively thick and smooth, and the comics and everything else are printed in full color. It feels good and looks even better.

Since this is a comic collection, the 144 pages don’t contain one continuous comic, but three, plus a small one. The first story is about Osiris’s exile and is split into two parts. Ana Bray’s past and her search for the Warmind is told as the second story in three parts. A very short story about a cleaning bot in the Last City separates Ana’s story from the last one: Cayde-6’s hunt for the Scorn Barons with his fireteam. The comics were written by different authors and drawn by different artists. Only in Ana Bray’s story are parts 1 and 2 by the same team. Between the different parts, the comics are supplemented with texts from the Destiny lore as well as commentary from the authors and artists. Some people might not be interested in that, but I think it’s great. At the end of the book, there’s also a “making-of” section with concept art and a pin-up gallery. And of course, the bookmark with the code for an in-game emblem.

The stories are not very surprising in their progression. The plot takes place in the game’s past, and the protagonists are well-known. This means the narrative framework is familiar, at least if you’ve engaged with the lore surrounding Destiny. If not, you probably wouldn’t be buying this book anyway. This is likely why the authors took pains to enhance the stories with a personal touch for the protagonists that is barely, if at all, present in the game. I really liked that, and it even surprised me at times. To avoid spoilers, I won’t go into more detail. With the art styles, you can tell there were different artists. Each artist has their own style, ranging from colorful to action-packed to more sketchy. I stumbled over this while reading. Since I started reading right away, I didn’t realize that different artists and writers were at work here. In hindsight, however, it’s not a disadvantage, but rather a reason to go through the book multiple times.

For me, the Destiny Comic Collection Volume 1 was definitely worth it. For those who haven’t delved into the Destiny lore and aren’t interested in it, these comics are not for you. To offer something to the fans, the stories start right in the middle of the action; there is no introduction to the world. Ana’s story could almost stand on its own, but the others definitely cannot. Since the target audience is therefore rather small, and considering the quality, I find the price reasonable. For Destiny fans who are interested in the game’s backstory, the Destiny Comic Collection Volume 1 is definitely recommended.