''Sword of Justice'' is a five-issue, limited edition, Diablo III comic book. This title was revealed[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/sword-of-justice-diablo-3-comic-book-announced] during the Blizzard Merch panel at the 2011 San Diego Comic Con, and it went on sale in early 2012. So far two issues have been released, the most recent in late-January, 2012.

The first (story is set just before the beginning of events in Diablo III, around 20 years after the conclusion of five) issues Diablo II. The main character is set to go a young warrior named [[Jacob]], on sale November 23, 2011the run from bounty hunters from his homeland in the far north, who finds Tyrael's sword (Tyrael is the Archangel of Justice) and travels with the powerful weapon and should retail a female wizard named [[Shanar]] as they struggle for survival. Each issue retails for $2.99USD, and can be obtained at comic stores or purchased online. Blizzard has not yet announced plans to collect all five in a graphic novel, for though many fans who would prefer are hoping to buy the whole thing at oncesee such a convenient option. * [http://www.comicshoplocator.com/ Local Comic Retailer Locator].* [https://read.dccomics.com/comixology/ Buy it online from DC Comics].

This series of comics is being written by Aaron Williams, with artwork by Joseph Lacroix and coloring by Dave Stewart.The announcement press blurb read as follows: <blue>"From the world and legends of Sanctuary, the setting for the award-winning Diablo video game, comes the tale of a hero's birth. Jacob has fled from his homelands in the north, hunted by his kinsmen for the crime of murder. Led by the visions of an ancient prophet, pursued by his childhood friend, Jacob finds his destiny in a desert cave at the foot of a mountain carved in two by the sword of an archangel-- Tyrael. But will Jacob be able to claim the sword that could save his people, if not the world, before he's brought to 'justice?'" </blue> Few details were initially revealed about the story, but the official quote during the panel is short and informative:<blue>It's got a mortal hero, it’s got barbarians, it’s got demonic corruption, and a sexy wizard. Everything you could want.</blue> Full video of the presentation [http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/sword-of-justice-diablo-3-comic-book-announced can be seen here], courtesy of Gamespot. The Sword of Justice comic is revealed at about 29:40 into the panel.  <br><br> ==Story Synopsis==

Here is a brief summary of he plot events from the five comics that made up the mini-series, with a focus on story and plot info that relates to Diablo III itself. The official press blurb reads as follows:<u>following contains spoilers for the comic</u>; you may wish to skip this if you're going to read the whole series and want to retain all surprises. Key pages from the comic are included with each issue.

[[File:Comic-sword-justice-cover-color.jpg|thumb|250px|Cover artwork for issue one.]]Issue one opens with the protagonist, Jacob takes , speaking with an aged mystic in a town square. It's something of an homage to [[Deckard Cain]], as the sage provides a quick summary of the weapon creation of Sanctuary.... and by it then the reader realizes the old man is compelled a common beggar, con-man, and pick pocket in a city square in some town that looks a lot like Lut Gholein. He tells Jacob to proceed to serve as a great mountain across the “avatar of justice” on Sanctuarydesert, where he will find his destiny.

Few details were revealed about the storyWhile speaking, but the official quote during the panel is short and informative:<blue>Itold man steals Jacob's got sword, which he takes to a mortal herofence. There is is waylaid, it’s got barbariansinterrogated, it’s got demonic corruptionand murdered by the bounty hunters who are pursuing Jacob, and who learn where he told the young man to go. The action then cuts to Jacob as he trudges across a long desert, finally reaching a cave within a hollow mountain, where he finds a mighty sword driven into a rock within a sexy wizard. Everything you could wanthuge cavern, the walls of which are covered in carvings that show scenes from his life.</blue>

Full video of The comic then depicts flashbacks as Jacob remembers battling against the presentation maddened, feral, ravaging [http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/sword-of-justice-diablo-3-comic-book-announced can be seen here[Barbarian]]s in the frigid Northlands, courtesy while attempting to protect his fortified city of GamespotStaalbreak from their incursions. The Sword fact that many of Justice the Barbarians were driven mad by the destruction of the [[Worldstone]] is revealed at about 29:40 into the panela key plot event in Diablo III.

==Critical Reaction=Issue Two===

[[File:Sword-of-justice2.jpg|thumb|250px|Sample image Cover art from issue twoIssue Two.]]The second issue pics up directly where the first review was posted ended, with Jacob's insane father attacking him. Jacob slays the man in self defense, then flees from his home, events that clearly led to his efforts to evade pursuers in November 2011 on IGN.[http://comics.ign.com/articles/121/1213301p1.html] They gave it an 8.0/10 scorethe start of issue one.

::Diablo #1 isn't what one would call a rousing fantasy epic. Where it succeeds is in terms As the flashback ends, Jacob moves forward and seizes the sword, to the great relief of characterization. Writer Aaron Williams displays a knack Shanar the Wizard, who had been waiting for dialogue. His execution ensures that Jacob comes across as more than another fantasy hero him, trapped by the "angelic resonance" of humble origins. The frequent humor also helps lend this story a distinct voice the [[Crystal Arch]] (see sample image below), while she awaited the coming of its own. The book is somber when it needs to be a slightly silly in other spots. Not unlike a lot of Blizzard games in that regardthe one for whom the sword was destined.

::The art style doesn't necessarily evoke the Diablo games, either. This is probably Men hunting Jacob for the bestslaying of his father, as whenever adaptations struggle who tracked him thanks to capture the look of information given them by the source material readers usually wind up aged seer in issue one, suddenly appear. Jacob urges Shanar not to slay them with her magics, but Jacob is captured after a fight, largely due to his being careful to incapacitate the hideous CG visuals of God of War or men without killing them. Luckily and conveniently, Shanar is able to rescue him the "crosshatch like it's 1993" approach in Gears of War. Joseph Lacroix's pencils are fairly loose next night, and scratchy but packed with plenty after a brief battle they escape when she teleports them some distance away, into the [[Black Marsh]] of energyDiablo II fame. The real star (Which is Dave Stewart, who proves why he's still one of the best colorists in the businessmore swamp than marsh.)

::There's not much about Diablo #1 that overtly cries "Diablo!!!" But it is a satisfying readthey trudge to the [[Forgotten Tower]], and thathide from Jacob's something far too few pursuers just as a horde of [[Goatmen]] appear, scenting after the humans in the projects can ever claimarea.

<brgallery>File:Sword-of-justice2-pg8.jpg|Jacob seizes the sword while Shanar provides exposition.File:Sword-of-justice2-pg21.jpg|Jacob and Shanar flee to the Black Marsh.File:Sword-of-justice2-pg22.jpg|Jacob and Shanar hide from Goatmen.</gallery>

::'''''How did you design Jacob? Is he based on any existing character in the Diablo III universe?'''''::Certain characters are directly and 100 % inspired by the characters of Diablo III: a sorcerer, monsters, and many others… I am forced to remain vague because these characters will appear in the issues to follow. They are directly from the universe of Diablo, so they must be faithful to it: the anatomical details, the attitudes, and the clothes. Jacob, on the other hand, is a young man who has not found his way yet. To take the parallel of the creation of a character, he is this young, light-leather-dressed, human being who has not chosen Not yet which class he is going to play. He comes from a walled village in the Badlands next to mount Arreat. His people are in conflict with wild and hostile barbaric tribes. He is propelled into an adventure that is much bigger than he isreleased. At the beginning, he seems weak and resourceless but he’s going to reveal himself little by little and his fate (as we can see on the cover of the first issue) is going to cross that of Tyrael and his legendary swordDue March 2012.

Issue ::Diablo #1 isn't what one opens with the protagonist, speaking with an aged mystic would call a rousing fantasy epic. Where it succeeds is in terms of characterization. Writer Aaron Williams displays a town squareknack for dialogue. It's something His execution ensures that Jacob comes across as more than another fantasy hero of an homage to Deckard Cain, as the sage provides humble origins. The frequent humor also helps lend this story a quick summary distinct voice of the creation of Sanctuary..its own.. and then the reader realizes the man The book is somber when it needs to be a common beggar, conman, and pick pocket slightly silly in other spots. Not unlike a city square lot of Blizzard games in some town that looks a lot like Lut Gholeinregard. He tells

::The art style doesn't necessarily evoke the Diablo games, either. This is probably for the best, as whenever adaptations struggle to procede to a great mountain across capture the look of the source material readers usually wind up with the hideous CG visuals of God of War or the desert"crosshatch like it's 1993" approach in Gears of War. Joseph Lacroix's pencils are fairly loose and scratchy but packed with plenty of energy. The real star is Dave Stewart, where who proves why he will find his destiny, while stealing his sword 's still one of the best colorists in the processbusiness.

==Issue Four==Not yet releasedAn interesting tidbit was revealed by the author during an interview with IGN Australia in December 2011:[http://au. Due April 2012comics.ign.com/articles/121/1215018p1.html]

==Issue Five==Not yet released::'''Williams:''' I had quite a lot of freedom, so long as I didn't contradict or run into game content that Diablo III was going to establish. Due May 2012That is, I had to make sure my wizard character, Shanar, used the spells at her disposal in the game, especially in combat. I also had a scene that was going to take place at the Forgotten Tower, but that area is, shall we say, "spoken for" and we didn't want to either spoil it or have the player think, "but this comic says two people came here and trashed the place already. How come it's not a smoking crater?" This wasn't as restrictive as it sounds, really, as most of the story takes place in an unexplored area of the Dreadlands.