Joe Madureira kicks fans of Battle Chasers in the heart via Darksiders

by Kevin Kelly { Jun 10th 2009 at 3:00AM }

During our hands-on experience with Darksiders, Joe Madureira joked that he could hide all of Battle Chasers #10 throughout the game. Cruel, Madureira, cruel. If you're a fan of the comic, then you'll know that issue has been a long time coming. Like eight years long. Eight. very. long. years. Even at the glacial pace the book was used to, that's been more than enough time to finish the series.

We asked Madureira if there would be any hidden easter eggs featuring his artwork through the game, and he joked "Yeah, actually Battle Chasers #10 is scattered throughout the levels! Maybe I can finish it before the game comes out." We won't hold our breath, Joe. But seriously, when this game goes gold, please think about returning to the drawing board and putting that thing to bed. We'd love to read it.

Tags: Battle-Chasers, Darksiders, joe-madureira, THQ, Vigil-Studios

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

ryanpaulmcgowan @ Jun 10th 2009 3:55AM

I don't know what Darkchasers is. Sounds like a graphic novel or a book series.

How is he tied in with the game? Is he the script guy?

Ameen @ Jun 10th 2009 6:16AM

OMGWTFBBQ ! Its "Darksiders" and if you haven't heard about it, you're no Action game fan ! Darksiders is an awesome game by Vigil Games, published by THQ (!).. Joe Mad is the co-founder of the studio. And the gameplay is known to be solid -> http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/04/hands-on-darksiders-xbox-360-ps3/

ryanpaulmcgowan @ Jun 10th 2009 7:01AM

I know what Darksiders is. I made a typo.

I want to know what Battle Chasers is. What exactly is it and how does it relate to the game other than "This dude works on both things."

ryan @ Jun 10th 2009 2:02PM

It relates to it by:

"This dude ditched his Battlechasers comic to help make a video game and his comic following is pretty pissed about it....but will probably check out the video game anyway...but they still won't give a rat's ass because they feel wounded pretty deep."

Deadpool @ Jun 10th 2009 4:25AM

I wonder if it's anything like that game Gekido?Does anyone remember Gekido?Anyone? Anyone at all? Come on! Anybody?!

*stomps out of room*

*stomps back in room with crappy quality youtube video*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAH6IdCsBvE

Nigeria @ Jun 10th 2009 5:31AM

That game was pretty bad, the GBA version was anyway. A real poor Streets of Rage clone.

That PS1 footage looks a little more interesting though.

waynski1457 @ Jun 10th 2009 4:27AM

Ouch. That hurt worse than I ever thought it could.

Also, I didn't know Madureira was working on this so I am instantly excited to play it.

MrKlorox @ Jun 10th 2009 5:40AM

Kicked in the heart? It seems like he was saying all his work on DS is essentially a playable version of what he would have done with BC #10.

I'd consider it more of a bonus for fans of his series.

MrKlorox @ Jun 10th 2009 5:42AM

Or DS is a side story that would passively tell what happened in the BC 10 timeline?

Dulmassquirrel @ Jun 10th 2009 1:14PM

oh my! i read the battlechasers "series" awhile back and remember loving the characters and art. although we may not get the inevitable conclusion, how cool would it be to have unlockable character skins for war (ie the golem character as playable skin!). now that would be battlechaser fans props! please joe mad, listen to the fans...

Slaziman @ Jun 10th 2009 8:55AM

lolwut

Julius Caezure @ Jun 10th 2009 8:56AM

Bite me you deadline-blowing prima donna.

Ebichu @ Jun 10th 2009 9:02AM

haha I almost chocked on my apple when I read this.

Johnny Neat @ Jun 10th 2009 8:58AM

Exactly one big reason, among many others, I won't buy this game. Joe can draw somethings well without a doubt but how he did us with Battle Chasers still stings. Hey it's like how I dug Kevin Smith for a second till his movies went down hill and his comic book stint sucked tardy anti-climatic balls.

chenry @ Jun 10th 2009 9:00AM

Oh jeez. I used to read Battlechasers. It was pretty good, I liked the art.

I'll be damned if I can remember any of the story though.

superberg @ Jun 10th 2009 10:19AM

Does Joe Mad even matter anymore?

I remember reading Battle Chasers TEN YEARS AGO and I pretty much forgot about it because, you know, the guy wrote one issue every 16 months.

Honestly, if you can't finish a story in ten years, you don't deserve to tell it.

*eyes unfinished novel* Umm... yeah.

SidearmS @ Jun 10th 2009 10:26AM

Collector's Edition of the game to be packaged in a replica of Red Monika's breasts.

XBox 360 - Has it been EIGHT years since issue #9? Geez.

Blue_Falcon @ Jun 10th 2009 10:31AM

I am infinitely less interested in this game now because of Joe Mad. It has little to do with this comic in question, but the only thing I can think about when I see his name is Ultimates 3. And that's just something I'd rather not be reminded of.

zhine @ Jun 10th 2009 10:45AM

Ultimates 3 was undoubtedly one of the worst pieces of shit I've ever had the displeasure of reading. What the hell happened to Jeph Loeb? How is this the same guy that wrote The Long Halloween and Daredevil: Yellow?

And Marvel wonders why its Ultimate line needs to be completely rebooted...

Wilson @ Jun 10th 2009 10:37AM

Fuck Madureira, unprofessional sob ¬_¬

Creech @ Jun 10th 2009 10:59AM

I was such a huge fan of Battle Chasers, and have always hated Joe Mad for not finishing what was a great comic.
I will always be a fan of his art, but there is a small place in my that will always hate him for not finishing Battle Chasers.

trunks @ Jun 10th 2009 11:30AM

I was always wondering why he so suddenly stopped, I am sure the comic was a huge success....he is probably just a dick

Letters2Kay @ Jun 10th 2009 10:59AM

Battle Chasers is the reason I'm so jazzed for Darksiders. I love his art style. Who cares if he never finished the series? I've read tons of comics over the years that never wrapped themselves up into neat little packages. Tim Vigil has taken 20 years with Faust (which would make the BEST game ever) and it's still not going to be done anytime soon. I don't mind waiting for a book that will blow my mind. I'm sure Madureira will get back to BC eventually...

michael @ Jun 10th 2009 11:03AM

agree 100 percent. i thought when you get hired your asked, "when you have trouble finishing a project do a-finish any way or b-give up". i guess joe mad lied to someone and said a. just so everyone knows DS is probably going to have a cliffhanger ending and joe is going to start a movie project and say "f*** you DS fans, wait 8 years and i might let you know what happens in the special features of my movie".

ZEN @ Jun 10th 2009 4:58PM

I always admired his work, but never Joe MAD's work ethic which was shotty... it felt like he could never finish what he started (his own comic series Battle Chasers, the last game he worked on got canceled, etc.) and never really has a passion for what he does.

I mean, its almost like he works on something for a year or so, develops a fan base, then gets bored and moves onto something else, screwing over the aforementioned fan base.

Anyway, I hope his artwork is reflected well in the transition to a videogame. And, I agree Joystiq... it'd be nice if he'd bang out 2-5 issues and actually conclude the story - I loved the artwork, characters and plot.