PRESS START: Broken Age and Lucky Cats

by Andrea Purcell

A new year means new games to play, so climb down from your horde of year-end releases and find your wallet after the Steam sales die down because the January PRESS START column has the comics, graphic novels, and figures you need to complete your video game collection!

Get your blood boiling with a hardcore run-through, or get everyone together for a party game, and watch the room heat up. Once you’ve kicked everyone out or rage-quit your game, cuddle up next to your computer to read this month’s PRESS START: Video Game Comics and Collectibles Column. Video game-related items are sprinkled through each month’s PREVIEWS catalog, and we go through to pick out the coolest products. With everything from comics and art books to statues and toys, the January PREVIEWS catalog is full of everything a gamer needs.

Put your game on pause and head to your local comic book shop to pre-order all of the cool items in this month’s column and many more!

Double Fine Adventure

Double Fine is a game developer like no other; Tim Schafer and his team have brought to life beloved and cult classic games like Grim Fandango, Psychonauts, and now Broken Age.

Created from a record-breaking Kickstarter campaign, this point-and-click adventure is full of lush water-colored scenery and uniquely designed characters. Dark Horse Comics has collected all of the beautiful art from this critically acclaimed game and put it into the Art of Broken Age hardcover (JAN160169).

This art book allows fans to get an intimate glimpse into all of the hard work and dedication put into this amazing game, featuring commentary by Double Fine’s founder and legendary video game developer Tim Schafer. 

Nothing is True; Everything is Permitted

Titan Comics is taking you back to 1927 in Assassin’s Creed Templars #1 (JAN161663), an all-new adventure from Ubisoft’s world of Assassin’s Creed, 

The Templar Order has sent Darius Gift on his first assignment to Shanghai; but a minor misstep brings everything crashing down around him. Mixed up in the shadowy underworld of the International Settlement, and having crossed paths with the enigmatic Black Cross, Darius must find a way out!

Featuring covers from artists such as Paul Pope, Mark Laming, Dennis Calero, and more, this entry in the Assassin’s Creed mythos should hold you over until Ubisoft announces the next game in this beloved franchise. 

Cue Guile's Theme

Capcom’s Street Fighter Alpha introduced several new characters to the Street Fighter universe, including fan favorite Charlie Nash.

Guile’s comrade in arms (and sonic booms), Nash was kidnapped by M. Bison and Shadaloo but manages to save Guile and Chun-Li from their clutches only to appear to die in the process. But as every video game fan knows, death is only temporary, and Udon Entertainment is resurrecting him in Street Fighter V: The Life and Death(s) of Charlie Nash (JAN161728).

This oversized special one-shot will tie together Nash’s troubled past and explain how his character appears in the highly anticipated Street Fighter V. With cameos from Chun-Li, Bison and more, you get the whole story here. Start practicing your combo moves. 

It's a Me, Meow-io!

Fans of Super Mario 3D World will want to get their paws on this new statue from PBM Express USA.

An adorable addition to the Tanooki Mario piece release last year, the Super Mario 3D World Cat Mario Statue (OCT158204) will bring luck to your gaming adventures. Posed as the traditional Japanese Maneki-neko, or Beckoning cat, Mario has a paw on his coin and a paw raised to bring you good fortune.

Measuring fifteen inches from the question mark base to the top of Mario's furry ears, this piece is limited to only 2,000 piece worldwide. Don’t think that you’ll get lucky finding this statue, head to your local comic shop and pre-order today!