Behold, This Team Fortress 2 Comic: A Holiday Marvel

Before titles like Overwatch and Marvel Rivals hit the scene, Valve’s Team Fortress 2 was the go-to for fans of wacky, character-driven hero shooters. Despite its 2007 release, this iconic game has managed to keep a loyal fanbase engaged. The recent and unexpected drop of a new Team Fortress 2 comic—marking a whopping seven years since the last issue—took fans by surprise and sparked excitement across the internet.

The latest installment in the Team Fortress comic series, titled “The Days Have Worn Away,” kicks off with a heartfelt tribute to Rick May, the voice behind the Soldier, who sadly passed away in 2020. Heather Campbell, a talented artist at Valve, breathes life into the eccentric and beloved characters with her expressive artwork. In this issue, we meet a boisterous Scout surrounded by family, discover a newlywed Soldier who amusingly calls his wife a “roommate,” and witness a chilling, body-horror scene involving the Administrator. With a little something for everyone, it’s a comic that knows how to entertain.

For those who haven’t yet dived into the comics, it’s worth starting from the beginning. The series kicked off in 2013 with “Ring of Fired,” exploring the deep backstory of both main and side characters like Miss Pauling. Valve captures its narrative evolution perfectly on the TeamFortress.com Comics page, noting how “over the years, the comics have spawned ancillary characters, then assistants to the ancillary characters. Companies mentioned in passing became global empires three generations old. The game that started as a handful of guys in a desert shooting at each other slowly blossomed into the most labyrinthine story in Valve history.”

The good news is, you don’t need to have played much of the game to appreciate the depth of this captivating storyline. Thanks to the comics and the classic “Meet the Team” videos, Team Fortress 2 has maintained its presence in gaming culture well beyond its peak years. It’s heartening to witness these characters finally get their hard-earned happy endings, even as it seems this might be the last comic chapter we’ll receive.