Garth Ennis is a prolific writer, and yet another of his stories hit shelves Wednesday with the release of the first issue of World of Tanks: Roll Out. The comic is the first inspired by Wargaming’s massively multiplayer online game, World of Tanks.
Based in history, World of Tanks: Roll Out is a war story illustrated by Carlos Ezquerra. Ezquerra has previously illustrated Judge Dredd and War Stories Vol. 2. The series features cover art by Isaac Hannaford, whose work can be seen in Halo: Reach and The Punisher comics.
The comic takes place in 1944 during World War II. It follows a crew of young British tankers as they push deeper into Normandy post-D-Day. The tankers head toward trouble as they approach a battalion of seasoned German armored units. The inexperienced Brits must cross battle-worn France despite the danger around them climbing on all sides. The outcome of the war hangs in the balance, and every minor victory matters.
Premium Bundles
The debut issue rolls out alongside the first in a series of in-game premium tank bundles. Players can command the vehicles shown in the comics. The bundles will be available on Xbox One, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 4.
As part of the release, the Premium Shop for consoles will also be offering three limited-time bundles featuring the British Cromwell, known as “Snakebite.” Shown in the comics, the Snakebite comes with the Snakebite Crew Skill, which improves overall accuracy. World of Tanks describes the vehicle as highly maneuverable, darting across the map and trading armor for speed and power.
Authentic and Gritty
“As we explored the idea of a World of Tanks comic book, the first priority was ensuring that we told an authentic and historically based tale of combat that was in line with Warming’s commitment to military authenticity,” Wargaming’s Director of Marketing, Erik Whiteford said.
“Having the leading writer in the war comic genre, Garth Ennis, and legendary illustrator, Carlos Ezquerra, as the creative team behind World of Tanks: Roll Out guaranteed the execution of a story in true Wargaming fashion; gritty and packed with realistic and pulse-pounding tank combat.”
World of Tanks: Roll Out comic issue #1 is available digitally on Dark Horse Digital and in comic book stores in North America, Australia, and Europe. Four more issues will follow.