Life is Strange Vol. 1: Dust (Graphic Novel)

Please Note: This review will give some spoilers for the original game upon which this comic is based. "Life is Strange" is perhaps one of the most beloved cult-games in recent memory. A tale of friendship and loss, it struck a chord with many players, and still continues to remain popular and relevant four years after its initial release. The game followed protagonist Max Caulfield, a teenage photography student, who discovers she has the ability to rewind time. Together with her hot-headed friend Chloe Price, Max sets out to use her powers to solve the mystery of a missing girl named Rachel Amber... but solving this riddle will come at a great cost, which can play out one of two different ways depending on the ending the player chooses... While the original game did receive a prequel of sorts with 2017's spin-off "Life is Stange: Before the Storm," a full-on sequel never materialized, with the follow-up "Life is Strange 2" instead shifting the focus to new characters in a new storyline. It began to look as though we might never see Max and Chloe ever again. But thankfully, Square-Enix and Titan Comics have finally returned to the world of "Life is Strange" with a new series of comics continuing the story of the original game. Written by the talented Emma Vieceli, the comic explores what happens to Max and Chloe after the heart-stopping climactic choice players made four years ago, and sees them off on a new adventure. And while it does have some minor faults, the fact remains... if you're a fan of "Life is Strange," you owe it to yourself to check it out! "Life is Strange Volume 1: Dust" compiles the first four issues of the comic. Picking up one year after the game's somewhat infamous "Sacrifice Arcadia Bay" ending, Max and Chloe are attempting to move on with their lives. But something is amiss... as Max begins to uncontrollably leap between what appears to be different timelines. Not knowing what to do, the duo decide that their only option is to return to where their troubles began- Arcadia Bay. But little do they know, a dark and emotionally devastating journey lies before them... one that may change their lives forever. Part of the great appeal of the comic is that it is able to continue the story in a way that pays respect to both endings of the original game. From the start, the comic makes it clear that this is only one of many possible stories that can occur, and without spoiling anything, the events that transpire give credit to both the "Sacrifice Arcadia Bay" and "Sacrifice Chloe" endings in a unique way. It allows the reader to enjoy the journey even if it doesn't continue on from their preferred ending. (Though I admit I am in the "Sacrifice Arcadia Bay" crowd myself.) Writer Vieceli really captures the tone of the games in the best of ways. Max and Chloe are written flawlessly, to the point you can practically hear the original actresses Hannah Telle and Ashly Burch in your head as you read. Their voices are captured wonderfully. And the story is peculiar and fascinating in the way you've come to expect from a "Life is Strange" story. Nothing is quite what it seems, and the emotional toll it takes is breathtaking. And ultimately, though the story does end on a bit of a head-scratching cliff-hanger, it's still incredibly rewarding to read. (Especially now that the second wave of comics is being released.) The artwork by Claudia Leonardi and Andrea Izzo is also quite fantastic. It translates the game to the page wonderfully. And there are a ton of small details to look out for that encourages multiple read-through's. I've gone through it several times already, and I'm still picking up on small details I hadn't notices the first time. "Life is Strange Volume 1: Dust" is a peculiar and engrossing follow-up that serves as a splendid sequel to the iconic original game. And while I will admit I have some minor gripes with the pacing, the fact remains- this fan of "Life is Strange" absolutely loved the story that has been crafted thus far. And I look forward to the new issues as they come. I'm giving it a 4.5 out of 5. (Rounding up to an even 5 for Amazon.)

I have been a Massive Life is Strange fan since it’s first foray onto consoles and have not been disappointed since. Life is Strange and the prequel Life is Strange: Before the Storm are 2 of my absolute favorite games of all time with beautiful animation, setting, characters and of course story. I am also continuing to enjoy Life is Strange 2 but as that is an all new cast and characters, I’ll leave that out of the mix, but I have to say if you are a fan of Max and Chloe’s story..... this is an absolute MUST! Seeing these characters stories continue in such an awesome and elegantly written way is just amazing and I couldn’t be happier, I was first very weary hearing there would be more on a story that I thought couldn’t have ended any better, and to say I had my expectations blown would be and understatement and I HIGHLY recommend if you are a massive Life is Strange fan.

Artist and story writer did a phenomenal job. I can't express enough just how satisfying this comic is. The story is very respectful to the fans by including a line that states something like "There are infinite possibilities in our Max's world, and this is just one of the realities that could exist." I love that because the author isn't trying to tell fans that they have to accept this as canon; you can if you want to (like I do, because the decisions here are a continuation of my in-game-choices), or you can reject it and just say this is fluff. Not a lot of comic book writers have the maturity to include that and they often destroy some beloved characters (Look at Halo's Didact and the upcoming Walking Dead Clementine comic lol). The art is worthy of so much praise- really beautiful drawings. You can tell that there were no corners cut, even the comic frames are creatively drawn in a way that is very deserving of the LiS franchise. My comments and praise go for the entire series, which I have ordered from Amazon and received in perfect condition. All books except one arrived in good packaging without any creases. Can't wait for the 5th book to come out this fall!

Love this comic. Reading it makes you love “Pricefield” even more. The artwork is great and super engaging. If you’ve played the first LiS game and wanted some more from the characters, you’ll find it here. Highly recommend!

"Wherever I end up, in whatever reality, all of the moments between us were real...and they'll always be ours." -Chloe Price, Life is Strange That about sums up the first volume of this follow-up comic series. Fans of the original game - and Max and Chloe in particular - will greatly enjoy leaping back into the world of LiS, a year after making the choice to save Chloe during the storm that destroyed their town. Now they have to go back, and figure out what exactly is happening to Max. This is a beautiful story, with equally beautiful art, that stays true to the time-bending lore of LiS. I'm excited to see what the next set of issues has in store.

I enjoyed everything about this - the story, the pictures, the cinematic experience. Really good stuff! You are all very talented!

She likes “The Life Is Strange” games so was hoping she would like the book! She loved the story and art, she said a little different the game but still enjoyed it!!!

Beautiful words, beautiful art. Together they weave a clever and bewitching story of our favourite couple from the Life Is Strange games. Take your emotions for a breathtaking ride and read this book.

Si te ha gustado el juego lo disfrutarás!

A fantastic comic showing Chloe and Max post-Arcadia Bay! It really pays homage to the first Life is Strange game!

元々デジタルバージョンで見て、実物も欲しいなと思っていたので買いましたが、とても綺麗で画面では楽しめないリアルな感じが良かったです。Life is Strangeの大ファンなら買うことをお勧めします！I had watched this on the digital vol before I bought.This is so beautiful and so surreal. I recommend it if you are a big fan of LIS! Of course I am super fan^ ^

La livraison a été plus rapide que prévue, merci Amazon ! Concernant le comic en lui-même c'est un must-have pour les fans de la franchise, pour peu que vous ayez préféré sauver Chloe bien sûr. Histoire intéressante, très joli graphiquement, vous avez aimé le jeu vous aimerez le comic (et ses suites) !