We’re very excited to announce that we are working with Dynamite Entertainment to create a comic book based in the HITMAN universe. The new series, titled Agent 47: Birth of the Hitman will delve into the origins of Agent 47 and is directly connected to the overarching story that we introduced with HITMAN. Issue #1 is scheduled for release on November 1st 2017!
The team here at IOI has full creative control of the story and character development that is presented through the comic book. We feel that is best to ensure all story elements fit together seamlessly and to deliver a comic book that our players will enjoy reading and exploring more of Agent 47’s past.
We’ve been working with the talented team at Dynamite to also make sure that the look of Agent 47 fits perfectly with the stories that we want to tell in the comic books, as well as Diana and the other recognisable characters from their past. Writer Christopher Sebela (Hellraiser, Injustice: Ground Zero, Green Lantern/Space Ghost) and artist Jonathan Lau (Bionic Man, Battlestar Galactica) are both fans of the Hitman games and can’t wait to get ‘Birth of the Hitman’ out in the world. Neither can we. This is our chance to add a new chapter to the story of Agent 47 and reimagine some of the themes to fit with the current tone and creative vision of our latest game.
As the game’s Lead Writer, Michael Vogt is in the best position to talk a bit more about what that creative vision is and give some insights into what to expect from ‘Birth of the Hitman’:
”During the release and promotion of HITMAN, we said very little about the overarching story or where it was heading, preferring to let it linger in the background and give players space to explore our world of assassination on their own terms.
However, as became clear after Colorado, the new emerging story line has deep ties to Agent 47’s untold past.
Exploring 47’s young adulthood, while updating his origin story to a new generation of fans, is something we have wanted to do for a while. This story, however, is much too big for the game. That is where the comic book by Dynamite Entertainment comes in.
The comic, which is an integral part of the HITMAN universe and is directly connected to the game’s unfolding story line, will focus on key events of the past – starting with the intertwined origin stories of; 47, his friend Subject 6 and his future handler Diana Burnwood. The comic will add new layers of character depth to our main cast, while allowing us to tell stories that simply don’t work in a sandbox game. I am super excited about this and I hope new and old fans alike will embrace the comic book as well.“
It’s important to note that the game’s story and the comic book are complimentary and intertwined, but can also be enjoyed separately.
We can’t wait to see the reaction to issue #1 in October.
Comic book fans are encouraged to reserve copies of Agent 47: Birth of the Hitman #1 with their local comic book retailers. Agent 47: Birth of the Hitman #1 will also be available for individual customer purchase through digital platforms courtesy of Comixology, Kindle, iBooks, Google Play, Dynamite Digital, iVerse, Madefire, and Dark Horse Digital.
