If you're a Gears of War fan, you're more than ready to return to Sera, the fictional planet where the apocalyptic war between humans and underground-dwelling Locusts rages. It's a safe bet that you've already read our coverage of Gears of War 2, and chances are that you've seen the trailer and videos, too.

But, maybe you haven't read the comic yet, thinking that it's just a cheap attempt to cash in on the mega-popular franchise. Well, we've got two big reasons for you doubtful COG soldiers to put those fears aside. One: Joshua Ortega handles scripting duties on both the comic and the game. Two: The Seattle-based scribe knows a little something about adapting concepts across different media, having also written Spider-Man for Marvel and created stories for the works of master fantasy artist Frank Frazetta. Read on to hear Ortega talk about putting words in the mouths of iconic characters from the worlds of fantasy, comics and videogames.

Crispy Gamer: When do you remember first getting grabbed by the world of videogames?

Joshua Ortega: It was undoubtedly at a pizza parlor, but my first really memorable experience was playing Atari 2600 at my uncle's house ? man, I loved that console! Combat, Boxing, Air-Sea Battle, that weird circus game, he had a ton of games at his place. I didn't get my own 2600 until I was older, but I was able to play for hours at my uncle's pad. I still have a 2600 now, actually ? and yes, I actually still do dig a lot of the games!

Crispy Gamer: What are some of your strongest comics memories?

Ortega: As a reader, I got hooked on comics during the late '70s; my dad would pick up issues for me. The earliest ones I remember were the Avengers issues during the late Perez era, when Beast and Wonder Man were on the team. I also enjoyed the Fantasy Masterpieces reprints of the original Silver Surfer issues from the '60s ? those both made a strong impression on me, especially the Surfer stories.

Ortega's first comics work appeared in this Spider-Man anthology
title. Fun fact: Joe Hill, another writer whose debut comics work was
in this issue, is writing legend Stephen King's son.

As a professional, my most memorable experience would probably be the day I saw my first comic in print. I don't think any pro forgets that day, or which issue was their first. Mine was Spider-Man Unlimited #8, and I was lucky enough to have the very talented Ryan Sook on pencils. Joe Hill also had a story in there -- it was his first comic as well -- and the late Seth Fisher also turned in some great work on that book.

Crispy Gamer: You started out as a journalist. What's it like being on the other side of the equation?

Ortega: Ultimately, more fulfilling. I really enjoyed journalism, and still do occasional pieces for the Seattle Times, but -- at least while covering art -- I found quickly that I'd rather be doing the art than reporting or commenting on it. When I do journalism now, it's to get the word out on something, or to explore an issue. I did a piece, "Water Wars," for the Times a few years back, about how wars will soon be fought over water rather than oil, and how companies affiliated with arms dealers are buying up world water supplies ? it's been reprinted a bunch, appeared in a number of college textbooks, and was quoted by Jane Goodall in her last book. A friend of mine was teasing me recently how I must be the only writer to have been quoted by Jane Goodall and written Spider-Man and Star Wars ? it's a weird combo, right?

Crispy Gamer: How'd you get into videogames?

"((Frequencies))," Ortega's debut novel, tells a tale of the near-future
where technological terrorism and corporate conspiracy threaten an
ultra-connected society.

Ortega: It was basically one of those "one thing leads to the next" deals. My first novel "((Frequencies))" landed me my comic gigs; then my comic gigs caught the attention of game companies. The one that really helped was my Knights of the Old Republic story for Dark Horse Comics and Lucasfilm. A lot of people don't know that BioWare's KOTOR game was actually based off the Tales of the Jedi comics done by DH in the '90s. That's actually where the source material is from, though James Ohlen and BioWare did an amazing job fleshing out the era. My story, "Shadows and Light," served as a bridge between the comics and the game, and it helped put me on the radar of both comic fans and videogame companies.

Crispy Gamer: How will Gears 2 raise the emotional stakes of the characters?

Ortega: In a lot of ways, especially with the Dom/Maria story. I don't want to spoil too much for the gamers, but rest assured that we've definitely upped the emotional ante in Gears 2. I don't think any fan of the original Gears will be disappointed.

"It was imperative that we make the first few issues feel a little like the game."

Crispy Gamer: In writing the Gears comic, how hard was it to work in the franchise's signature moments -- like a chainsaw duel, the importance of cover, Marcus' dialogue?

Ortega: It was a bit challenging, but overall, not too bad. Mainly, I wanted to make sure nothing was forced, but at the same time, it was imperative that we make the first few issues feel a little like the game, and also acknowledge the cornerstones of Gears gameplay. As far as Marcus' dialogue, that's fun stuff to write ? he's a great character, and I can always hear John DiMaggio's voice in my head. Luckily, I only hear him when I'm writing Marcus, not all the time. [Laughs]

Crispy Gamer: Is the Gears comic is supposed to be an ongoing series? Will you be able to create your own story arc, or is there a strict five-year plan document that you have to adhere to?

Ortega: It's an ongoing series, and I've actually had a lot of freedom in regards to the story I wanted to tell. Epic and DC/WildStorm have been great to work with. I thought the time period between the first two games was a perfect, juicy setting for some great stories, and Epic heartily agreed. It also served as a nice "prequel to the sequel," and since I also wrote Gears of War 2, I had a lot of knowledge about the game and the franchise that only a few others had. On the art front, Liam Sharp has been turning in some of the best work of his career, so it's been a good experience all around.

Crispy Gamer: Ironically enough, you once wrote an article about non-lethal weapons. Is there a big brain shift necessary to write about all-out war in Gears or up-close combat in the Frank Frazetta works?

"I'm shocked no one has done a Death Dealer game yet ? we now actually have the technology to make an animated Frazetta painting, to make a Frazetta world in the videogame space?"

Ortega: Not really, because the non-lethal piece was more of a warning about "non-lethal" weapons than it was a celebration of them. I think lethal weapons can be ultimately less freaky than non-lethal weapons, depending on the context [in which] they're used. They're made to kill ? for one purpose only. They're very straightforward. There's also a certain nobility in intimate violence -- as portrayed in Gears or Death Dealer -- when you have to get your hands dirty rather than just, say, turning "off" a crowd with microwave or ultrasound weapons. The less intimate the violence, the easier it is to use. That's not to say that true non-lethal weapons don't have their place in the world -- they do -- it's just that not all "non-lethal" weapons are actually non-lethal.

Crispy Gamer: Why do you think Frank Frazetta's work is so compelling? These pieces were often created with no apparent context, yet have captured the imaginations of people for decades. Do you feel pressure in trying to create some connectivity between these works?

Ortega: There is some pressure in that everyone creates their own story when they see a Frazetta painting. At the same time, it's a lot of fun to tell your version of a Frazetta painting, and since [artists Nat Jones, Jay Fotos and I] are working so close with Frank and his family, it's nice to know that we're telling stories that he approves of. I'd say that his vision is completely unique, and no one can really do what Frazetta does.

Crispy Gamer: How would you approach a Death Dealer [Editor's note: a Frank Frazetta character] game? Because he was created so long ago, uninitiated gamers might think he's the kind of character that comes a dime a dozen in the videogame space. How would you make gameplay elements surrounding this character stand out from, say, Kratos?

Published by the WildStorm imprint of DC Comics, the Gears of War
comics will cover the gap between the events of the two games.

Ortega: I'm shocked no one has done a Death Dealer game yet ? sheesh, talk about a perfect IP! And we now actually have the technology to make an animated Frazetta painting, to make a Frazetta world in the videogame space, and I think that's one thing that would set the game apart from the rest. If you do the horse right -- get the gameplay solid, with getting on and off the horse, fighting while on the horse, etc. -- I think it could make for some pretty rockin' gameplay. Plus, the character now has an official story because of the "Shadows of Mirhan" comic, so it'd likely have a solid plot to it, as well.

Developers out there, take note: I want to play a Death Dealer game. Make it happen!

Crispy Gamer: You've written in lots of different forms: comics, novels, games. For games, it seems like you have to surrender control and realize that you won't be the final arbiter of the end result. Do you get a different reward from working collaboratively?

Ortega: It's great working collaboratively when you've got the right team. Cliff Bleszinski, Rod Fergusson, Mike Capps and all of the guys at Epic are team players, so you have to go into it knowing that you're all a team; you're all working together. If you go in thinking you're the all-star that's going to shoot the ball every time, you're just setting yourself up for disappointment, and you're going to piss off your teammates.