Mirror's Edge: Exordium #1 - Review

If you're impatiently counting down the days until EA finally releases Mirror's Edge: Catalyst, perhaps Exordium can fill the gap. This mini-series serves as a prequel to the upcoming game, focusing on central protagonist Faith and her efforts to rise among the Runners of the vast, futuristic metropolis in which the games are set. This first issue packs a solid (if not especially groundbreaking) narrative that easily channels the vibe of the source material. In terms of the visual style, though, Exordium doesn't quite capture that Mirror's Edge feel.

The comic has a certain authenticity that doubtless comes from the fact that the entire creative team are employees of DICE. Writer Christofer Emgard also write Catalyst, while the art team are all in-house artists at DICE. This first issue offers a smooth, easy gateway into the Mirror's Edge universe regardless of your prior experience. Most of the background information is conveyed in the recap page, leaving Emgard free to focus on Faith and her struggles for the entire issue. There's an efficiency to Emgard's writing style that is greatly appreciated. No heavy-handed narration or exposition here - just solid dialogue and action. By the end of this first issue, the book makes it clear who Faith is and what drives her. The plot progression is a bit predictable and lacking in any real narrative hooks, but there time to address that in future installments.

Again, it's the art where this series struggles a bit right now. Compared to a lot of video game-based comics, Exordium is no slouch. Mattias Haggstrom and Robert Sammelin give each character a distinct appearance and a palpable sense of weight to their movements. Appropriately, the characters look ready and primed to burst into a sprint at any moment. The problem comes when they actually begin running. There's not a great flow to the free-running sequences in this issue, particularly the short, choppy sequence where Faith tests her mettle against another Runner. The coloring also fails to channel the source material (an all too common flaw with video game comics). There's a bright, sterile sheen to the world of Mirror's Edge that isn't conveyed in the flat colors at work in this book.