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Expanded the article (expanded the lead, moved and expanded "Publication history", changed "Plot introduction" to "Plot" and expanded, added "Reception", added images).
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| title = The Last of Us: American Dreams
| title = The Last of Us: American Dreams
| image = The Last of Us American Dream issue 1 front page.jpg
| image = The Last of Us American Dream issue 1 front page.jpg
| caption = The front cover of the first issue of ''The Last of Us: American Dreams'', with artwork by Julian Totino Tedesco.
| caption = The front cover of the first issue of ''The Last of Us: American Dreams'', with artwork by Julian Totino Tedesco. The covers were designed to bridge the realistic look of the game and the stylized look of the comic.<ref name="Art book"/>
| limited = y
| limited = y
| Horror = y
| Horror = y
| publisher = [[Dark Horse Comics]]
| publisher = [[Dark Horse Comics]]
| startmo = 3 April
| startmo = 3 April
| startyr = 2013
| endmo = 31 July
| endmo = 31 July
| endyr = 2013
| endyr = 2013
| issues = 4
| issues = 4
| main_char_team = [[Ellie (The Last of Us)|Ellie]]
| writers = [[Neil Druckmann]]<br>[[Faith Erin Hicks]]
| writers = [[Neil Druckmann]]<br>[[Faith Erin Hicks]]
| artists = Faith Erin Hicks
| artists = Faith Erin Hicks
| pencillers =
| inkers =
| letterers = Clem Robins
| colorists = Rachelle Rosenberg
| colorists = Rachelle Rosenberg
| editors = Rachel Edidin<br>Brendan Wright
}}
}}
'''''The Last of Us: American Dreams''''' is a four-issue comic book series based on the video game ''[[The Last of Us]]''. The series was written by [[Neil Druckmann]] and [[Faith Erin Hicks]], with illustrations by Hicks and coloring by Rachelle Rosenberg. The series was published by [[Dark Horse Comics]] between April and July 2013, and a collected edition was published in October 2013.
'''''The Last of Us: American Dreams''''' is a four-issue miniseries of [[comic books]] written by [[Neil Druckmann]] and lead artist [[Faith Erin Hicks]], published by [[Dark Horse Comics]] in 2013.<ref name="comicbookresources">{{cite web|url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=41595|title=NYCC: Neil Druckman, Faith Erin Hicks & Dark Horse Introduce &quot;The Last of Us&quot; - Comic Book Resources|publisher=comicbookresources.com|accessdate=2014-02-06}}</ref> It is based on the video game ''[[The Last of Us]]'' and serves as a [[prequel]] to the original story.<ref name="newsarama">{{cite web|url=http://www.newsarama.com/10541-the-last-of-us-comic-creators-building-on-game-s-world.html|title=THE LAST OF US Comic Creators Building on Game's World &#124; Newsarama.com|publisher=newsarama.com|accessdate=2014-02-06}}</ref>


The comics serve as a [[prequel]] to the game, chronicling the journey of the young [[Ellie (The Last of Us)|Ellie]] and her meeting with another young survivor, Riley Abel. Druckmann chose Ellie as the focus of the comic due to the uniqueness of her birth and upbringing in the post-apocalyptic world. Hicks joined the project after discovering about Ellie's role in the game, considering her an unusual character to include in a survival horror game. The comic's art style is different than the game art—a choice from Hicks to give the comic a unique feel and identity.
⚫
== Plot introduction ==
The comic series centers around [[Ellie (The Last of Us)|Ellie]], the character of ''[[The Last of Us]]'', nineteen years after a parasitic fungal outbreak that killed the majority of the world's human population. The thirteen-year-old Ellie has grown up in a quarantine zone, which is heavily guarded by soldiers. The story of ''American Dreams'' begins when she enters the military boarding school, where she quickly earns new enemies, a new fellow rebel called Riley and her first trip into the outside world, where the real danger lies.


The series received generally positive reviews. Critics particularly praised Druckmann's writing and character development, as well as the simplicity of Hicks' illustrations. The series was also a commercial success, with some issues requiring reprinting due to high demand.
== Publication ==
[[Dark Horse Comics|Dark Horse]] approached creative director [[Neil Druckmann]], who was working on ''[[The Last of Us]]'', to produce a tie-in comic book series for the game. Druckmann was initially wary of the idea, but eventually agreed when he realized Dark Horse "didn't want to do something tangential" with the opportunity of expanding their characters and universe beyond the game.<ref name="comicbookresources"/> Webcomic artist [[Faith Erin Hicks]] was chosen by Druckmann to work on the project.<ref name="comicbookresources"/>


== Issues ==
== Publication history ==
[[File:Neil Druckmann SDCC 2014.jpg|150px|thumb|left|[[Neil Druckmann]], creative director of ''[[The Last of Us]]'', wrote the story for ''American Dreams'' in collaboration with artist [[Faith Erin Hicks]].|alt=A 35-year-old man with curly black hair talking into a microphone, looking at something to the left of the camera.]]
*''American Dreams #1'' (April 3, 2013)<ref name="darkhorse">{{cite web|url=http://www.darkhorse.com/Comics/22-392/The-Last-of-Us-American-Dreams-1|title=The Last of Us: American Dreams #1 :: Profile :: Dark Horse Comics|publisher=darkhorse.com|accessdate=2014-02-06}}</ref>

*''American Dreams #2'' (May 29, 2013)<ref name="darkhorse2">{{cite web|url=http://www.darkhorse.com/Comics/22-393/The-Last-of-Us-American-Dreams-2|title=The Last of Us: American Dreams #2 :: Profile :: Dark Horse Comics|publisher=darkhorse.com|accessdate=2014-02-06}}</ref>
[[Dark Horse Comics]] approached creative director [[Neil Druckmann]], who was working on ''[[The Last of Us]]'', to produce a tie-in comic book series for the game. Druckmann was initially wary of the idea, but eventually agreed when he realized Dark Horse "didn't want to do something tangential" with the opportunity of expanding their characters and universe beyond the game.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=41595 |title=NYCC: Nei lDruckman, Faith Erin Hicks & Dark Horse Introduce "The Last of Us" |last=Cheng |first=Jennifer |publisher=[[Comic Book Resources]]. Boiling Point Productions |date=October 13, 2012 |accessdate=June 28, 2015 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6ZckDQryY |archivedate=June 28, 2015 |deadurl=no }}</ref> Work on the comic began during [[Development of The Last of Us|the game's development]], which allowed the stories of the two projects to integrate, and influence each other. Druckmann requested webcomic artist [[Faith Erin Hicks]] as a collaborator on the project, after reading her comic ''[[Friends with Boys]]'' (2012) and appreciating "how personal it felt".<ref name="Wired"/> He also felt that Hicks could capture the "gritty" feel of the game.<ref name="Art book">{{cite book |title=The Art of The Last of Us |page=172 |last1=Druckmann |first1=Neil |authorlink1=Neil Druckmann |last2=Straley |first2=Bruce |authorlink2=Bruce Straley |publisher=[[Dark Horse Comics]] |location=United States of America |date=June 2013 }}</ref> When Dark Horse contacted Hicks regarding the project, she became excited, due to her high interest in video games. Hicks then sent some concept art to Dark Horse as a pitch for the job; they accepted, and she became officially involved with the project.<ref name="Nerdreactor"/> Hicks was drawn to the project after reading about the character of [[Ellie (The Last of Us)|Ellie]] in the game's script; she considered Ellie an unusual character to include in a survival horror game, calling her a "tough teenage girl who wasn't sexualized, and who seemed very much the equal of her male counterpart".<ref name="Wired">{{cite web |url=http://www.wired.com/2013/08/last-of-us-comic-book-ellie-prequel/ |title=See 15 Pages of the Last of Us Prequel Comic — And How It Influenced the Game |last=Hudson |first=Laura |work=[[Wired (website)|Wired]] |publisher=[[Condé Nast]] |date=August 6, 2013 |accessdate=June 28, 2015 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6ZcI3aaGM |archivedate=June 28, 2015 |deadurl=no }}</ref> Druckmann and Hicks worked closely on the comic, and spent a large amount of time collaborating, and collating ideas. Hicks was given access to various gameplay sequences and the game's script during development, to allow her to better understand the story. She was also given videos of the actors performing on set, which was helpful when illustrating the characters. "I get a look at these characters and I see them interacting as human beings, not just as concept art," said Hicks.<ref name="Saga"/>
*''American Dreams #3'' (June 26, 2013)<ref name="darkhorse3">{{cite web|url=http://www.darkhorse.com/Comics/22-394/The-Last-of-Us-American-Dreams-3|title=The Last of Us: American Dreams #3 :: Profile :: Dark Horse Comics|publisher=darkhorse.com|accessdate=2014-02-06}}</ref>

*''American Dreams #4'' (July 31, 2013)<ref name="darkhorse4">{{cite web|url=http://www.darkhorse.com/Comics/22-395/The-Last-of-Us-American-Dreams-4|title=The Last of Us: American Dreams #4 :: Profile :: Dark Horse Comics|publisher=darkhorse.com|accessdate=2014-02-06}}</ref>
Ellie's back story was originally intended to fit as a gameplay sequence within ''The Last of Us'', but this was ultimately scrapped. When Dark Horse approached Naughty Dog with the idea of a comic book, Druckmann had the opportunity to tell the story.<ref name="Nerdreactor">{{cite web |url=http://nerdreactor.com/2013/04/18/last-of-us-american-dreams-faith-erin-hicks/ |title=The Last of Us: American Dreams – Interview with Faith Erin Hicks and Neil Druckmann |last=Nguyen |first=John |publisher=Nerd Reactor |date=April 18, 2013 |accessdate=June 28, 2015 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6ZcUGAwm8 |archivedate=June 28, 2015 |deadurl=no }}</ref> Druckmann found that Ellie was the ideal character to focus on in the comic due to her birth and upbringing; while characters like Joel mostly lived in the world before the outbreak, Ellie is unaware of life prior to the outbreak. This created an interesting idea for Druckmann, who became intrigued in discovering the effects of everyday actions in a post-apocalyptic world.<ref name="Saga"/> Hicks enjoyed writing ''American Dreams'', particularly due to the humor featured in the comic. Druckmann allowed Hicks to design the character of Riley, including her physical appearance, characteristics, and most of her dialogue. "It felt like a good way to split it, where [Hicks] would own Riley and I would own Ellie," said Druckmann.<ref name="DLC interview">{{cite web |url=http://www.wired.com/2014/02/last-of-us-dlc-interview-long/ |title=Inside the Mind Behind the Brilliant New Last of Us DLC |last=Hudson |first=Laura |work=[[Wired (website)|Wired]] |publisher=[[Condé Nast]] |date=February 18, 2014 |accessdate=June 28, 2015 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6ZcGPFJ1P |archivedate=June 28, 2015 |deadurl=no }}</ref> When creating the comic's art style, Hicks avoided replicating the game art, instead opting to "draw it in [her] own style and to the best of [her] ability".<ref name="Saga"/> She felt that the art style is slightly "cartoony", which is particularly due to Ellie's young age.<ref name="Saga"/> "If [the comic] was hyper-realistic and super-rendered, I think it would undermine the story we're trying to tell", said Hicks.<ref name="Saga">{{cite web |url=http://ign.com/articles/2013/04/09/expanding-the-saga-of-the-last-of-us |title=Expanding the Saga of The Last of Us |last=Schedeen |first=Jesse |publisher=[[IGN]]. [[Ziff Davis]] |date=April 9, 2013 |accessdate=June 28, 2015 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6ZcVj0W3I |archivedate=June 28, 2015 |deadurl=no }}</ref> When designing the character Angel Knives for the comic's second issue, Hicks used ''[[Mortal Kombat]]'' characters for inspiration.<ref name="DLC interview"/>
*''American Dreams (Trade Paperback)'' (October 30, 2013)<ref name="darkhorse5">{{cite web|url=https://www.darkhorse.com/Books/22-396/The-Last-of-Us-American-Dreams-TPB|title=The Last of Us: American Dreams TPB :: Profile :: Dark Horse Comics|publisher=darkhorse.com|accessdate=2015-02-13}}</ref>

⚫
== Plot ==
At the Boston quarantine zone, [[Ellie (The Last of Us)|Ellie]] becomes caught in a fight with a group of boys who attempt to steal her belongings. Riley Abel steps in to break up the fight, beating one of the boys and making the others flee. Ellie becomes angered by this, claiming that she can take care of herself.<ref>{{Harvnb|Druckmann|Hicks|April 2013|p=7–10|ref=issue1}}</ref> Riley then advises Ellie to flee, but the latter is caught by one of the authority figures, who assigns her to cleaning duty. While she is completing the chore, she realizes that Riley stoke her [[Walkman]],<ref>{{Harvnb|Druckmann|Hicks|April 2013|p=11–15|ref=issue1}}</ref> and later demands that she return it; Riley reluctantly returns it, after making sarcastic comments.<ref>{{Harvnb|Druckmann|Hicks|April 2013|p=18–19|ref=issue1}}</ref>

At night, Ellie hears footsteps outside her room, and tracks them down. She finds that Riley is attempting to sneak out of the school, and demands to accompany her.<ref>{{Harvnb|Druckmann|Hicks|April 2013|p=20–21|ref=issue1}}</ref> Riley reluctantly agrees, and the two make their way to the mall, where they meet Riley's friend Winston.<ref>{{Harvnb|Druckmann|Hicks|May 2013|p=12|ref=issue2}}</ref> As Winston teaches Ellie how to ride a horse, Riley steals his radio, and discovers that an attack by the Fireflies—a rebel group opposing the quarantine zone authorities—has occurred nearby.<ref>{{Harvnb|Druckmann|Hicks|May 2013|p=22|ref=issue2}}</ref> Ellie and Riley make their way to the attack, and find that the Fireflies are wounded and outnumbered. To help, Ellie and Riley throw [[smoke grenade]]s at the military, allowing the Fireflies to retreat safely.<ref>{{Harvnb|Druckmann|Hicks|June 2013|p=5–6|ref=issue3}}</ref> They are spotted by the military, and escape into a nearby alley, where they narrowly avoid being bitten by an Infected.<ref>{{Harvnb|Druckmann|Hicks|June 2013|p=8–17|ref=issue3}}</ref>

The girls are soon captured by Fireflies, who restrain them; Marlene, the leader of the Fireflies, recognized Ellie, and demanded that she remains safe.<ref>{{Harvnb|Druckmann|Hicks|June 2013|p=22–23|ref=issue3}}</ref> Riley later claims to Marlene that she would like to join their group.<ref>{{Harvnb|Druckmann|Hicks|July 2013|p=6|ref=issue4}}</ref> Marlene refuses this, stating the danger that it would involve. They argue about it, which results in Marlene threatening to shoot Riley.<ref>{{Harvnb|Druckmann|Hicks|July 2013|p=12–14|ref=issue4}}</ref> Ellie intervenes, holding Marlene at gunpoint and demanding for her to explain how she knows information about Ellie. When Ellie finally lowers the gun, Marlene informs her that she knew Ellie's mother, and had promised her that she would take care of Ellie.<ref>{{Harvnb|Druckmann|Hicks|July 2013|p=15–17|ref=issue4}}</ref> Ellie hands the gun to Marlene, who says that she would tell her more about her mother in the future, before telling the girls to leave.<ref>{{Harvnb|Druckmann|Hicks|July 2013|p=18|ref=issue4}}</ref> When Ellie and Riley reenter the quarantine zone, Riley says that there is no escape. Ellie becomes angry and suggests running away, but Riley informs her that this will just result in death. The two then walk back into the school.<ref>{{Harvnb|Druckmann|Hicks|July 2013|p=20–22|ref=issue4}}</ref>

== Reception ==
[[File:The Last of Us American Dreams art.jpg|thumb|right|The comic's artwork, with illustrations by Faith Erin Hicks, was praised for its simplicity.]]

''The Last of Us: American Dreams'' received generally positive reviews. Praise was particularly directed at the story and artwork of the comic, which were said to compliment each other.<ref name="IGN4"/> The comic was also a commercial success; the first issue sold out, and the resulting high demand led to Dark Horse reissuing the installment.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.darkhorse.com/Blog/1386/last-us-american-dreams-1-sells-out |title=The Last of Us: American Dreams #1 Sells Out! |publisher=[[Dark Horse Comics]] |date=May 1, 2013 |accessdate=October 10, 2014 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6TDkRdcP8 |archivedate=October 10, 2014 |deadurl=no }}</ref>

The comic's story received positive reactions. Lonnie Nadler of [[Bloody Disgusting]] felt unsure about the story in the first two issues due to their dedication to character development,<ref name="BD2"/> but praised the final issue for delivering "authentic drama and raw intensity" which was missing from previous issues.<ref name="BD4"/> [[IGN]]'s Jesse Schedeen felt that the story serves to enhance the world and characters,<ref name="IGN2"/> and later praised the comic's availability to readers who have not played the game.<ref name="IGN4"/> Conversely, Nathan Butler of ''Invisible Gamer'' felt that the introduction and development of the first two issues could have been shortened, and that the final issue attempts to fit too much content, ultimately calling the comic a "sub-part attempt at a video game tie-in series".<ref name="Invisible Gamer"/>

Reviewers also praised the comic's artwork. Alasdair Stuart of ''[[SciFiNow]]'' wrote that the art is "so expressive and relaxed", naming Hicks "one of the best artists of her generation".<ref name="SciFiNow"/> Jen Bosier of ''[[Forbes]]'' felt that the art style works well within the context of the story,<ref name="Forbes"/> and IGN's Schedeen felt that the comic heavily relies on the artwork, and that its art style gives it a unique "style and identity".<ref name="IGN4"/> Nadler of Bloody Disgusting called it "quite simplistic, but very clean",<ref name="BD2"/> and "visually expressive when it matters",<ref name="BD4"/> comparing it to ''[[Scott Pilgrim]]''.<ref name="BD2"/> Nadler also praised the choice of color, stating that it contains "the right palette of dark and murkey hues", as well as the cover artwork, calling it "consistently stunning".<ref name="BD3"/> Jennifer Cheng of [[Comic Book Resources]] also wrote that the colors fit with the setting of the comic.<ref name="CBR"/> Peter Jubinsky of ''Geeks of Doom'' particularly praised Hicks' depiction of the Infected as "in pain and desperate", calling this "especially harrowing".<ref name="Geeks of Doom"/>


== References ==
== References ==
=== Notes ===
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist|2|refs=

<ref name="BD2">{{cite web |url=http://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3235335/review-the-last-of-us-american-dreams-2/ |title=Review: 'The Last of Us: American Dreams' # 2 |last=Nadler |first=Lonnie |publisher=[[Bloody Disgusting]] |date=May 30, 2013 |accessdate=June 28, 2015 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6ZcXAokEd |archivedate=June 28, 2015 |deadurl=no }}</ref>
<ref name="BD3">{{cite web |url=http://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3240428/review-the-last-of-us-american-dreams-3/ |title=Review: 'The Last of Us: American Dreams' #3 |last=Nadler |first=Lonnie |publisher=[[Bloody Disgusting]] |date=June 27, 2013 |accessdate=June 28, 2015 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6ZcXn1nbX |archivedate=June 28, 2015 |deadurl=no }}</ref>
<ref name="BD4">{{cite web |url=http://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3246657/review-the-last-of-us-american-dreams-4/ |title=Review: 'The Last of Us: American Dreams' #4 |last=Nadler |first=Lonnie |publisher=[[Bloody Disgusting]] |date=August 1, 2013 |accessdate=June 28, 2015 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6ZcXr0oj6 |archivedate=June 28, 2015 |deadurl=no }}</ref>

<ref name="CBR">{{cite web |url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=user_review&id=5863 |title=Review: The Last of Us: American Dreams #1 |last=Cheng |first=Jennifer |publisher=[[Comic Book Resources]]. Boiling Point Productions |date=April 5, 2013 |accessdate=June 28, 2015 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6Zcb7AkRS |archivedate=June 28, 2015 |deadurl=no }}</ref>

<ref name="Forbes">{{cite web |url=http://www.forbes.com/sites/jenniferbosier/2013/04/05/the-last-of-us-american-dreams-1-comic-review/ |title=The Last of Us: American Dreams #1 Comic Review |last=Bosier |first=Jen |work=[[Forbes]] |publisher=Forbes, Inc. |date=April 6, 2013 |accessdate=June 28, 2015 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6Zcc35hu4 |archivedate=June 28, 2015 |deadurl=no }}</ref>

<ref name="Geeks of Doom">{{cite web |url=http://www.geeksofdoom.com/2013/11/06/comic-review-the-last-of-us-american-dreams |title=Comic Review: The Last Of Us: American Dreams |last=Jubinsky |first=Peter |publisher=''Geeks of Doom'' |date=November 6, 2013 |accessdate=June 28, 2015 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6ZcZPC2fP |archivedate=June 28, 2015 |deadurl=no }}</ref>

<ref name="IGN2">{{cite web |url=http://ign.com/articles/2013/05/30/the-last-of-us-american-dreams-2-review |title=The Last of Us: American Dreams #2 Review |last=Schedeen |first=Jesse |publisher=[[IGN]]. [[Ziff Davis]] |date=May 29, 2013 |accessdate=June 28, 2015 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6ZcYqOiL5 |archivedate=June 28, 2015 |deadurl=no }}</ref>
<ref name="IGN4">{{cite web |url=http://ign.com/articles/2013/08/01/the-last-of-us-american-dreams-4-review |title=The Last of Us: American Dreams #4 Review |last=Schedeen |first=Jesse |publisher=[[IGN]]. [[Ziff Davis]] |date=July 31, 2013 |accessdate=June 28, 2015 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6ZcYH5Pkj |archivedate=June 28, 2015 |deadurl=no }}</ref>

<ref name="Invisible Gamer">{{cite web |url=http://www.invisiblegamer.net/reviews/american-dreams/ |title=The Last of Us: American Dreams #1-4 Comic Review |last=Butler |first=Nathan |publisher=''Invisible Gamer'' |date=August 6, 2013 |accessdate=June 28, 2015 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6ZcaMLPZT |archivedate=June 28, 2015 |deadurl=no }}</ref>

<ref name="SciFiNow">{{cite web |url=http://www.scifinow.co.uk/reviews/the-last-of-us-american-dreams-graphic-novel-review/ |title=The Last Of Us: American Dreams graphic novel review |last=Stuart |first=Alasdair |work=[[SciFiNow]] |publisher=[[Imagine Publishing]] |date=March 7, 2014 |accessdate=June 28, 2015 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6ZcZrceSx |archivedate=June 28, 2015 |deadurl=no }}</ref>
}}

=== Issues ===
*{{cite comic |writer=[[Neil Druckmann|Druckmann, Neil]] |cowriters=[[Faith Erin Hicks|Hicks, Faith Erin]] |artist=[[Faith Erin Hicks|Hicks, Faith Erin]] |colorist=Rosenberg, Rachelle |letterer=Robins, Clem |editor=Edidin, Rachel, Wright, Brendan |title=The Last of Us: American Dreams |issue=#1 |publisher=[[Dark Horse Comics]] |date=April 3, 2013 |ref=issue1 }}
*{{cite comic |writer=[[Neil Druckmann|Druckmann, Neil]] |cowriters=[[Faith Erin Hicks|Hicks, Faith Erin]] |artist=[[Faith Erin Hicks|Hicks, Faith Erin]] |colorist=Rosenberg, Rachelle |letterer=Robins, Clem |editor=Edidin, Rachel, Wright, Brendan |title=The Last of Us: American Dreams |issue=#2 |publisher=[[Dark Horse Comics]] |date=May 29, 2013 |ref=issue2 }}
*{{cite comic |writer=[[Neil Druckmann|Druckmann, Neil]] |cowriters=[[Faith Erin Hicks|Hicks, Faith Erin]] |artist=[[Faith Erin Hicks|Hicks, Faith Erin]] |colorist=Rosenberg, Rachelle |letterer=Robins, Clem |editor=Edidin, Rachel, Wright, Brendan |title=The Last of Us: American Dreams |issue=#3 |publisher=[[Dark Horse Comics]] |date=June 26, 2013 |ref=issue3 }}
*{{cite comic |writer=[[Neil Druckmann|Druckmann, Neil]] |cowriters=[[Faith Erin Hicks|Hicks, Faith Erin]] |artist=[[Faith Erin Hicks|Hicks, Faith Erin]] |colorist=Rosenberg, Rachelle |letterer=Robins, Clem |editor=Edidin, Rachel, Wright, Brendan |title=The Last of Us: American Dreams |issue=#4 |publisher=[[Dark Horse Comics]] |date=July 31, 2013 |ref=issue4 }}

== External links ==
*{{gcdb series|id=74701|title=The Last of Us: American Dreams}}
*{{comicbookdb|type=title|id=292304|title=''The Last of Us: American Dreams''}}


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{{The Last of Us}}
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[[Category:Comics based on video games]]
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[[Category:Works based on Sony Computer Entertainment video games]]

Revision as of 14:59, 28 June 2015

The Last of Us: American Dreams
The front cover of the first issue of The Last of Us: American Dreams, with artwork by Julian Totino Tedesco. The covers were designed to bridge the realistic look of the game and the stylized look of the comic.[1]
Publication information
PublisherDark Horse Comics
FormatLimited series
Genre
Publication date3 April – 31 July 2013
No. of issues4
Main character(s)Ellie
Creative team
Written byNeil Druckmann
Faith Erin Hicks
Artist(s)Faith Erin Hicks
Letterer(s)Clem Robins
Colorist(s)Rachelle Rosenberg
Editor(s)Rachel Edidin
Brendan Wright

The Last of Us: American Dreams is a four-issue comic book series based on the video game The Last of Us. The series was written by Neil Druckmann and Faith Erin Hicks, with illustrations by Hicks and coloring by Rachelle Rosenberg. The series was published by Dark Horse Comics between April and July 2013, and a collected edition was published in October 2013.

The comics serve as a prequel to the game, chronicling the journey of the young Ellie and her meeting with another young survivor, Riley Abel. Druckmann chose Ellie as the focus of the comic due to the uniqueness of her birth and upbringing in the post-apocalyptic world. Hicks joined the project after discovering about Ellie's role in the game, considering her an unusual character to include in a survival horror game. The comic's art style is different than the game art—a choice from Hicks to give the comic a unique feel and identity.

The series received generally positive reviews. Critics particularly praised Druckmann's writing and character development, as well as the simplicity of Hicks' illustrations. The series was also a commercial success, with some issues requiring reprinting due to high demand.

Publication history

A 35-year-old man with curly black hair talking into a microphone, looking at something to the left of the camera.
Neil Druckmann, creative director of The Last of Us, wrote the story for American Dreams in collaboration with artist Faith Erin Hicks.

Dark Horse Comics approached creative director Neil Druckmann, who was working on The Last of Us, to produce a tie-in comic book series for the game. Druckmann was initially wary of the idea, but eventually agreed when he realized Dark Horse "didn't want to do something tangential" with the opportunity of expanding their characters and universe beyond the game.[2] Work on the comic began during the game's development, which allowed the stories of the two projects to integrate, and influence each other. Druckmann requested webcomic artist Faith Erin Hicks as a collaborator on the project, after reading her comic Friends with Boys (2012) and appreciating "how personal it felt".[3] He also felt that Hicks could capture the "gritty" feel of the game.[1] When Dark Horse contacted Hicks regarding the project, she became excited, due to her high interest in video games. Hicks then sent some concept art to Dark Horse as a pitch for the job; they accepted, and she became officially involved with the project.[4] Hicks was drawn to the project after reading about the character of Ellie in the game's script; she considered Ellie an unusual character to include in a survival horror game, calling her a "tough teenage girl who wasn't sexualized, and who seemed very much the equal of her male counterpart".[3] Druckmann and Hicks worked closely on the comic, and spent a large amount of time collaborating, and collating ideas. Hicks was given access to various gameplay sequences and the game's script during development, to allow her to better understand the story. She was also given videos of the actors performing on set, which was helpful when illustrating the characters. "I get a look at these characters and I see them interacting as human beings, not just as concept art," said Hicks.[5]

Ellie's back story was originally intended to fit as a gameplay sequence within The Last of Us, but this was ultimately scrapped. When Dark Horse approached Naughty Dog with the idea of a comic book, Druckmann had the opportunity to tell the story.[4] Druckmann found that Ellie was the ideal character to focus on in the comic due to her birth and upbringing; while characters like Joel mostly lived in the world before the outbreak, Ellie is unaware of life prior to the outbreak. This created an interesting idea for Druckmann, who became intrigued in discovering the effects of everyday actions in a post-apocalyptic world.[5] Hicks enjoyed writing American Dreams, particularly due to the humor featured in the comic. Druckmann allowed Hicks to design the character of Riley, including her physical appearance, characteristics, and most of her dialogue. "It felt like a good way to split it, where [Hicks] would own Riley and I would own Ellie," said Druckmann.[6] When creating the comic's art style, Hicks avoided replicating the game art, instead opting to "draw it in [her] own style and to the best of [her] ability".[5] She felt that the art style is slightly "cartoony", which is particularly due to Ellie's young age.[5] "If [the comic] was hyper-realistic and super-rendered, I think it would undermine the story we're trying to tell", said Hicks.[5] When designing the character Angel Knives for the comic's second issue, Hicks used Mortal Kombat characters for inspiration.[6]

Plot

At the Boston quarantine zone, Ellie becomes caught in a fight with a group of boys who attempt to steal her belongings. Riley Abel steps in to break up the fight, beating one of the boys and making the others flee. Ellie becomes angered by this, claiming that she can take care of herself.[7] Riley then advises Ellie to flee, but the latter is caught by one of the authority figures, who assigns her to cleaning duty. While she is completing the chore, she realizes that Riley stoke her Walkman,[8] and later demands that she return it; Riley reluctantly returns it, after making sarcastic comments.[9]

At night, Ellie hears footsteps outside her room, and tracks them down. She finds that Riley is attempting to sneak out of the school, and demands to accompany her.[10] Riley reluctantly agrees, and the two make their way to the mall, where they meet Riley's friend Winston.[11] As Winston teaches Ellie how to ride a horse, Riley steals his radio, and discovers that an attack by the Fireflies—a rebel group opposing the quarantine zone authorities—has occurred nearby.[12] Ellie and Riley make their way to the attack, and find that the Fireflies are wounded and outnumbered. To help, Ellie and Riley throw smoke grenades at the military, allowing the Fireflies to retreat safely.[13] They are spotted by the military, and escape into a nearby alley, where they narrowly avoid being bitten by an Infected.[14]

The girls are soon captured by Fireflies, who restrain them; Marlene, the leader of the Fireflies, recognized Ellie, and demanded that she remains safe.[15] Riley later claims to Marlene that she would like to join their group.[16] Marlene refuses this, stating the danger that it would involve. They argue about it, which results in Marlene threatening to shoot Riley.[17] Ellie intervenes, holding Marlene at gunpoint and demanding for her to explain how she knows information about Ellie. When Ellie finally lowers the gun, Marlene informs her that she knew Ellie's mother, and had promised her that she would take care of Ellie.[18] Ellie hands the gun to Marlene, who says that she would tell her more about her mother in the future, before telling the girls to leave.[19] When Ellie and Riley reenter the quarantine zone, Riley says that there is no escape. Ellie becomes angry and suggests running away, but Riley informs her that this will just result in death. The two then walk back into the school.[20]

Reception

The comic's artwork, with illustrations by Faith Erin Hicks, was praised for its simplicity.

The Last of Us: American Dreams received generally positive reviews. Praise was particularly directed at the story and artwork of the comic, which were said to compliment each other.[21] The comic was also a commercial success; the first issue sold out, and the resulting high demand led to Dark Horse reissuing the installment.[22]

The comic's story received positive reactions. Lonnie Nadler of Bloody Disgusting felt unsure about the story in the first two issues due to their dedication to character development,[23] but praised the final issue for delivering "authentic drama and raw intensity" which was missing from previous issues.[24] IGN's Jesse Schedeen felt that the story serves to enhance the world and characters,[25] and later praised the comic's availability to readers who have not played the game.[21] Conversely, Nathan Butler of Invisible Gamer felt that the introduction and development of the first two issues could have been shortened, and that the final issue attempts to fit too much content, ultimately calling the comic a "sub-part attempt at a video game tie-in series".[26]

Reviewers also praised the comic's artwork. Alasdair Stuart of SciFiNow wrote that the art is "so expressive and relaxed", naming Hicks "one of the best artists of her generation".[27] Jen Bosier of Forbes felt that the art style works well within the context of the story,[28] and IGN's Schedeen felt that the comic heavily relies on the artwork, and that its art style gives it a unique "style and identity".[21] Nadler of Bloody Disgusting called it "quite simplistic, but very clean",[23] and "visually expressive when it matters",[24] comparing it to Scott Pilgrim.[23] Nadler also praised the choice of color, stating that it contains "the right palette of dark and murkey hues", as well as the cover artwork, calling it "consistently stunning".[29] Jennifer Cheng of Comic Book Resources also wrote that the colors fit with the setting of the comic.[30] Peter Jubinsky of Geeks of Doom particularly praised Hicks' depiction of the Infected as "in pain and desperate", calling this "especially harrowing".[31]

References

Notes

  1. ^ a b Druckmann, Neil; Straley, Bruce (June 2013). The Art of The Last of Us. United States of America: Dark Horse Comics. p. 172.
  2. ^ Cheng, Jennifer (October 13, 2012). "NYCC: Nei lDruckman, Faith Erin Hicks & Dark Horse Introduce "The Last of Us"". Comic Book Resources. Boiling Point Productions. Archived from the original on June 28, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ a b Hudson, Laura (August 6, 2013). "See 15 Pages of the Last of Us Prequel Comic — And How It Influenced the Game". Wired. Condé Nast. Archived from the original on June 28, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ a b Nguyen, John (April 18, 2013). "The Last of Us: American Dreams – Interview with Faith Erin Hicks and Neil Druckmann". Nerd Reactor. Archived from the original on June 28, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ a b c d e Schedeen, Jesse (April 9, 2013). "Expanding the Saga of The Last of Us". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on June 28, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ a b Hudson, Laura (February 18, 2014). "Inside the Mind Behind the Brilliant New Last of Us DLC". Wired. Condé Nast. Archived from the original on June 28, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ Druckmann, Hicks & April 2013, p. 7–10
  8. ^ Druckmann, Hicks & April 2013, p. 11–15
  9. ^ Druckmann, Hicks & April 2013, p. 18–19
  10. ^ Druckmann, Hicks & April 2013, p. 20–21
  11. ^ Druckmann, Hicks & May 2013, p. 12
  12. ^ Druckmann, Hicks & May 2013, p. 22
  13. ^ Druckmann, Hicks & June 2013, p. 5–6
  14. ^ Druckmann, Hicks & June 2013, p. 8–17
  15. ^ Druckmann, Hicks & June 2013, p. 22–23
  16. ^ Druckmann, Hicks & July 2013, p. 6
  17. ^ Druckmann, Hicks & July 2013, p. 12–14
  18. ^ Druckmann, Hicks & July 2013, p. 15–17
  19. ^ Druckmann, Hicks & July 2013, p. 18
  20. ^ Druckmann, Hicks & July 2013, p. 20–22
  21. ^ a b c Schedeen, Jesse (July 31, 2013). "The Last of Us: American Dreams #4 Review". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on June 28, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  22. ^ "The Last of Us: American Dreams #1 Sells Out!". Dark Horse Comics. May 1, 2013. Archived from the original on October 10, 2014. Retrieved October 10, 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  23. ^ a b c Nadler, Lonnie (May 30, 2013). "Review: 'The Last of Us: American Dreams' # 2". Bloody Disgusting. Archived from the original on June 28, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  24. ^ a b Nadler, Lonnie (August 1, 2013). "Review: 'The Last of Us: American Dreams' #4". Bloody Disgusting. Archived from the original on June 28, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  25. ^ Schedeen, Jesse (May 29, 2013). "The Last of Us: American Dreams #2 Review". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on June 28, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  26. ^ Butler, Nathan (August 6, 2013). "The Last of Us: American Dreams #1-4 Comic Review". Invisible Gamer. Archived from the original on June 28, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2015. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  27. ^ Stuart, Alasdair (March 7, 2014). "The Last Of Us: American Dreams graphic novel review". SciFiNow. Imagine Publishing. Archived from the original on June 28, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  28. ^ Bosier, Jen (April 6, 2013). "The Last of Us: American Dreams #1 Comic Review". Forbes. Forbes, Inc. Archived from the original on June 28, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  29. ^ Nadler, Lonnie (June 27, 2013). "Review: 'The Last of Us: American Dreams' #3". Bloody Disgusting. Archived from the original on June 28, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  30. ^ Cheng, Jennifer (April 5, 2013). "Review: The Last of Us: American Dreams #1". Comic Book Resources. Boiling Point Productions. Archived from the original on June 28, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  31. ^ Jubinsky, Peter (November 6, 2013). "Comic Review: The Last Of Us: American Dreams". Geeks of Doom. Archived from the original on June 28, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2015. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

Issues

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