Everybody's favorite turion, Garrus Vakarian from the hit video game series Mass Effect, just got some new art thanks to acclaimed comic artist Declan Shalvey. In the past, Shalvey has worked with Image Comics and Marvel, and showcases epic skills depicting Garrus in a recent fan commission. Thanks to the new Mass Effect Legendary Edition, Commander Shepard's original crew are mainstream once again. This isn't the first time Mass Effect characters have been captured in comic art, also starring in Dark Horse's Mass Effect comics.
Although the turian has never starred in any comic series of his own, fans can read Garrus' origins in Mass Effect: Homeworlds #3 (by Mac Walters, John Dombrow, Jeremy Barlow, and Garry Brown). This emotional story shows the reader that Garrus' father was very strict with him. He tells his son that he won't make it anywhere in life if he gives up, which foreshadows his development in the first game. The story eventually flashes forward to Omega. Garrus has taken up the name "Archangel" and braces for incoming fire from the Blue Suns, Eclipse, and Blood Pack gangs (moments before the player finds him in Mass Effect 2).
One of the most well-regarded artists in comics, Declan Shalvey is always working on something, from a stunning poster celebrating The Walking Dead to Marvel's new digital-only X-Men Unlimited for Marvel Unlimited. Shalvey has also written for comics, such as for Savage Town, written with Philip Barrett with art by Barrett and Bellaire, published by Image. Somehow, Shalvey also finds the time to perform commissions as a Kickstarter project reward, and proud fan Albert Santos recently shared an awesome portrait of Garrus on Twitter from the artist.
Although Garrus is known for his blue and gray color scheme, Declan Shalvey's artwork in black and white has never made Garrus look cooler. His iconic holo-visor eye lens, which helps him target his opponents, matches with the linework in his armor. Garrus stands in front of a black, inked background as he presents a determined expression. No matter how the player interacted with Garrus in playthroughs, Shalvey's artwork resembles a perfect amount of personal connection.
Mass Effect has a loose definition of "canon" because it's up to the player to determine the fate of the characters, especially in the original trilogy. With that said, the comics have also done a great job at providing flexible backstories to the lore and supporting characters. Declan Shalvey's art does a fantastic job of capturing Garrus while leaving enough room for the reader to project their own history onto the character - as fans observe under the post, Dark Horse knows who to call if and when it returns to the Mass Effect universe.
Source:Â Albert Santos