Overwatch: First Strike is a graphic novel that aims to tell the early days of Overwatch and how it handled the Omnic Crisis. However, it has now been cancelled due to some changes that transpired recently.
Blizzard Announces Graphic Novel Cancellation
Michael Chu, lead writer for the Overwatch game, made the cancellation announcement on Nov. 18 via the Battlenet forum. He said that the purpose of the graphic novel is to tell the origins of Overwatch and life stories of its founding members. Chu however, gave his assurance that they still intend to publish First Strike or its updated version.
Much of the origin story remains intact but Chu said that recent developments in Overwatch has forced them to cancel First Strike altogether. Blizzard has given out nine Overwatch comics for free from its online site. The cancelled graphic novel however, would have provided substantial insight about the various characters in Overwatch.
Overwatch has grown and currently accommodates 23 heroes including computer hacker Sombra. It's possible that Blizzard trying to squeeze all of them in the story. For example, Sombra witness the brutality of the Omnic Crisis while she was still a child.
The Overwatch: First Strike graphic novel is supposed to contain at least 100 pages. The cancelled origin story would have featured Gabriel Reyes (Reaper), Jack Morrison (Soldier 76), Ana (Amari), Reinhardt (Wilhelm), Torbjorn (Lindholm) and other Overwatch heroes. Mickey Neilson is the writer and Ludo Lullabi is the artist of the cancelled Overwatch novel.
The digital copy was intended to be released this November while the print copy was scheduled for distribution on April 2017 by Dark Horse Comics. Blizzard has not set a date as to when it will release an updated version for the Overwatch: First Strike origin story. There are rumors though that Blizzard is mulling the idea of an Overwatch TV series or even a movie due to increasing demands from the fans.
