In case you didn't get a chance to pick up the first issue of the Dead Space comic (or maybe you can't read ... in which case, what are you doing here?), they've just released an animated version and, we've got to say, it's got our attention. While it's a known fact that the entire staff of Joystiq suffers from a rare disease whose only symptom is intense concentration when presented with a combination of foul language and severed torsos – both present in the first installment tucked away safely after the break – we think we'd be interested regardless, disease be damned.

It's got that creepy space horror aesthetic they've been promising, along with a healthy dose of creepy space zealots and creepy space obelisks. We're sure the next five issues will add appropriate amounts of creepy space paranoia and, of course, creepy space monsters. After all that, we'll get the feature-length fully animated Dead Space prequel which picks up right where the comic lets off. After that? We presume the actual video game. EA better hope there's enough meat on these bones.

First comics and now cartoons, Electronic Arts isn't taking any chances that its upcoming space-meets-survival horror title Dead Space will go unnoticed when it drops this Halloween. The latest effort comes by way of a partnership with film company Starz Media for an animated prequel, which according to EA will pick up the story from the last page of the comic book and cover the events up the beginning of the game itself.

Starz Media is apparently in talks with unspecified networks to air the animated feature this Halloween, while a DVD release is also planned as well. Showing considerable hope for the project, or perhaps just being blinded by dollar signs, the pair have also cemented plans for further animation projects centered on two other EA franchises, but which ones? Inquiring minds want to know.

Players will be able to answer nature's call -- or any call for that matter -- in EA's upcoming survival horror title Dead Space. While an earlier report noted that the devs were considering dropping the ability to pause from the game altogether, EA's Glen Schofield has clarified things, stating that while Dead Space will let you pause the action and take a breather, inventory management will be left to the throes of real-time.

The executive producer told Stephen Totilo of MTV's Multiplayer blog that since combat in Dead Space is "happening live and in real time," players won't be able to pause their game to heal, reload, or write home while being gnawed on by whatever nasties the devs have cooked up. Noted Schofield, "You better ammo up before you begin your fight. Because you can't really be safe." Honestly, inventory we can handle; it was the fear of having to visit a urologist after having to hold it for too long that truly kept us awake at night.

While still gunning for a Halloween 2008 release, the developers of Dead Space managed to take some time off and bond through various culinary activities. In addition to a hot wings eating contest, executive producer Glen Schofield told MTV Multiplayer's Stephen Totilo about a cake-baking contest the dev team held. Pictured above is the winner, Ishi-s'more-a, based on the Ishimura (pictured right). MTV will have (less) important details about the actual game later this week; check out the article for another tantalizing (and deathly) pastry.

Electronic Arts has finalized an appropriate release date for its upcoming survival horror title Dead Space, announcing that the game will keep players in both North America and Europe oxygen-deprived starting this Halloween, October 31. If there was ever a reason for cosplayers to pore over the Sears catalog for toasters to affix to their heads this haunting season, this game is it.

The game is currently in development for the Xbox 360 and PS3, and promises a "chilling, claustrophobic feeling of being isolated in a dark environment." EA also notes that Dead Space will force players to face down alien horrors not as a hulking superman but rather as a lowly engineer, though if history has taught us one thing, it's to not underestimate the little guy.

We've known of EA's collaboration with Image for a comic book miniseries based on Dead Space for some time, though like the game itself any news beyond knowledge that something is coming has been scarce. Now EA has confirmed new details surrounding the project, noting that the six-part comic series will be penned by Wasteland's Antony Johnston and feature the unmistakable art of Ben Templesmith, best known for his work on Image Comics' own Fell.

As noted earlier, the comics will serve as a prequel to EA's nonstop scare-a-thon, which is expected to keep us playing from beneath the safety of our blankets when it drops this fall for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. We're unsure if the comics will have a similar effect on our psyche, though the above image taken from a limited edition version of the first issue creeps us right out. Just look at his eyes. He knows something. This special edition of the first issue will be given away at this week's WonderCon in San Francisco, while the series will begin showing up at your comic store of choice this March. In the meantime, if you need us, we'll be under the couch where it's safe.

To hear the devs of EA's upcoming Dead Space tell it, the pause option is the wimp's way out, just a way for you to grab a vine and pull yourself, breathless, out of the lightning sands of terror which they have crafted. In fact, they're so down on it, they're considering leaving the tride-and-true pause feature on the cutting room floor (or, perhaps, recycling it into uncomfortable silences or theatrical intermissions).

But are we the only ones who don't normally use the pause button to catch our breath but rather when life gets in the way of gaming? Is EA telling us we shouldn't interrupt our play to enjoy a refreshing soda or answer a creditor's phone call? Either way, the decision to remove pause is theirs, but if their pauseless game scares the crap out of us, we're sending them the cleaning bill.

Toaster-headed space horror news now, with EA outlining its intentions to get Dead Space running equally well on both of its intended console platforms. When asked if the PlayStation 3 version would suffer any Madden-ing technical shortcomings (as we've sadly come to expect from certain publishers), executive producer Glen Schofield told Videogamer.com, "The plan has to be, and it will be, on parity with the 360."

EA Redwood Shores is currently developing the sci-fi screamfest with the Xbox 360 as lead platform, with a shift to the PS3 following in the next few months. "That is so that you're not downgrading the PS3 later," said Schofield. "We're putting all our engineering muscle into making the PS3 great, and then we'll know that the 360 will be great."

Great news, especially if Dead Space turns out ... great.

Sure, Dead Space isn't out yet, but given its business-savvy publisher (Electronic Arts), talk of sequels is inevitable. Speaking to EuroGamer Germany, executive producer Glen Schofield explained how he envisioned the game as a franchise. "I'd love for this to become a well established franchise; we've created a huge and rich back story and universe, so other games could easily be made."

New details about the survival-horror game were also revealed. You play spaceship engineer Isaac Clarke, who stumbles upon space zombies on a routine mining vessel call. Your goal is to survive, rescue survivors, and probably kill monsters while you're at it. Schofield said that the game will feature in-game cutscenes (à la Half-Life) and upgradeable weapons and skill trees (à la BioShock). He also said that there will not be a cluttered HUD to distract immersion, which leads us to believe it might have something to do with those lights on the backpack seen in the concept art (pictured).

Schofield mentioned downloadable content, which is reportedly under way for the game (here's an idea: put that content in the game now and work on DLC after it goes gold). Dead Space, with fun hyperboles like "scariest video game ever," is expected this fall for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

We are so excited for Dead Space. It's going to be so awesome that we're sure when it's released, even our strongest hyperbole will fail to describe its greatness, even though we don't technically know anything much about it. So, how are we so sure it will be great? Well, for starters, Mr. Smarty Pants, we've seen a trailer that made the game look amazing. How would that be possible if the game itself wasn't amazing? It wouldn't, that's how. Also, EA said it was "brilliant, bold and often bloody." They're making the game! Don't you think they'd know?

Finally we have Exhibit C: Image Comics is going to be turning Dead Space into a six-part comic miniseries. It's coming in March and it's a prequel, which means that there's so much good story, they couldn't even fit it all into the game! Awesome! Well, that's all for now, we'll be sure to keep updating you on why Dead Space is awesome as soon as we ... you know, learn something about it.

Though science fiction is often optimistic about mankind's mastery of technology, it rarely doles out the same assurances when it comes to our intelligence or capability to make decisions. For instance, when faced with exploring a monster-infested set of steel corridors floating in space -- frequently an exploding barrel research facility where something has gone horribly wrong -- the best solution is to stay at home, where there's safety and oxygen.

But no, it seems all that clichéd sci-fi dreck we've watched and played has taught us nothing. If EA's recently unveiled horror, Dead Space, is anything to go by, it seems our future is still mired in mysterious distress signals (it's a trap!), poorly lit space stations and snarling tentacle things. See for yourself by watching the trailer embedded after the break. And before you jump to conclusions, note that the protagonist's head sadly does not fire high-velocity slices of atomic toast (it's been done).