DRW Dead Rising: Road to Fortune

Dead Rising: Road to Fortune is an four-issue series comic book by IDW Publishing. The first issue was be released in October 2011, and the other three will be released monthly. This official story takes place between Dead Rising (September 2006) and Dead Rising 2: Case Zero (September 2008). It is written by Tom Waltz with art by Kenneth Loh. Road to Fortune tells the story of what happened to Frank following the events of the Willamette Incident. The official IDW press release stated Road to Fortune is "the only official story of the Las Vegas outbreak and what happened to Frank West, Chuck Greene, Rebecca Chang, and other popular Dead Rising characters during that time period in the Dead Rising story canon."

Each issue is 32 pages full color. A couple of months after all four issues is released all four books will be combined and sold as a full trade, with a lot of extras, maybe new artwork, maybe new cover art.

The comic book begins with Frank on a tank at the end of Dead Rising and shows how he escapes Willamette. Later Frank's career takes a weird turn and ultimately collapses.

Comic #1
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Dead Rising: Road to Fortune #1 is the first of the four comic books. It is 22 pages in full color. It shows Frank right after the events of Dead Rising, then him 2 years later talking to his agent, and Chuck heading to Vegas with his family. there is 10 pages of escaping Willamette, 9 pages of Frank walking around his house and talking to his agent, and three pages of Chuck's family.

Story
At the end of Dead Rising, Frank and Isabela are attempting to flee the Willamette Incident in a Humvee. Brock Mason, the leader of the Special Forces attacks them with a XM3 Prototype Tank. While Frank drives the Humvee, Isabela Keyes operates the mounted heavy machine gun on the vehicle, eventually destroying the tank's automatic system. Brock switches the tank to manual control mode and quickly rams the Humvee, causing it to tip over on its side. Isabela is knocked unconscious while Frank stumbles out. Frank kills Brock atop the tank, as large hordes of zombies surround the tank, separating Frank from Isabela. As Road to Fortune begins, Frank sits on the tank after Dead Rising, telling himself he is not going to die here. Isabella yells for his help, so Frank gets up and opens the tank. He finds a machine gun and starts shooting the zombies, and he and Isabella make there way across the construction site. In the sky is a helicopter that is about to land. Frank and Isabella continue to mow through the undead, until the guns runs out of ammo. With the zombies still blocking the only way out, Frank reales an RPG rocket from the gun and clears the path. As the chopper lands ahead, Frank and Isabella prepare to take it and get out of Willamette, but then Isabella turns and starts eating Frank alive.

Frank awakes at his home in Hubberd Gultch, Nevada two years later. The last part of his dream wasn't real, Isabella is still alive and they did escape. There is alcohol all over the place, and Frank looks more miserable and older. He takes his medicine (Zombrex) and heads over to the kitchen, where he finds out on the radio that reports of a small outbreak about 50 miles outside Las Vegas has occurred. Rebecca Chang, who is a radio reporter covering the story, talks about how this is not the first time this has happened and she believes this it is a Government conspiracy. Frank then calls his agent, Clay Hurlton to talk about having Rebecca on his show, "Uncovered", but his agent informs him that the network is canceling his show. Now surprised, Frank asks why. His agent explains the ratings have gone down, and they can't afford to produce the show anymore. Now enraged, Frank explains he will not give up his show without a fight. His agent replies that it is not his show, and it never was. He was just the host, and it was the network's show, proclaiming: "You were just the small time host of a fringe talk show paid for and owned by the network, the same network that's now decided to replace you with real reality TV." Frank, now as angry as ever, screams into the phone: "REAL REALITY?! YOU WANNA KNOW WHAT REAL REALITY IS, YOU SMUG SUNUVABITCH?! TERROR IS REALITY, THAT'S WHAT!" before hanging up on him. His agent sits there for a moment, then smiles and calls Tyrone King. He tells TK that he has a new idea for a show called Terror is Reality, and TK can host it. Back at Frank's home, he calls KDED news and says he needs to talk to Rebecca Chang.

Chuck Greene is riding to Vegas with his family, Pam Greene and Katey Greene for a motocross competition. Pam tells Chuck that she doesn't think this is a good idea because of the outbreaks happening around Vegas. Chuck reassures Pam that there isn't anything to worry about, and just to think about all the money he will win her and Katey tonight. Then he proclaims that tonight, their lives are going to change like you won't believe, foreshadowing the inevitable outbreak that will occur.

Comic #2

 * ''10 page preview

Synopsis: As Frank West and Rebecca Chang meet to form their conspiratorial alliance, the mysterious Phenotrans director Marian Mallon and her fearsome head of security, Harjit Singh, initiate a gruesomely deadly plan against Las Vegas.

Story
Soldiers attempt to kill all of the zombies in a quaratined city. Outside the quarantine, Rebecca Chang press the guard for more information.

Comic #3
Synopsis: Phenotrans has launched its diabolical plot against Las Vegas and all hell has broken loose. Chuck Greene and his family desperately try to escape to safety while Frank West and Rebecca Chang dig deeper into the zombie conspiracy.

Comic #4
Synopsis: Las Vegas has been fully infected and Chuck Greene and his daughter Katey run for their lives trying to escape the rampaging zombie horde. Meanwhile, Frank West and Rebecca Chang continue to dig deeper for answers into Phenontrans' suspected involvement in the zombie outbreak.

Future events
There will be an explanation of:
 * 1) the Las Vegas Outbreak, why Chuck is in Las Vegas, Chuck's wife, her fate,
 * 2) how Frank meets Rebecca Chang,
 * 3) Isabela and Carlito and the child plants and how the Special Forces are out cleansing some of these little outbreaks. While the government and Phenotrans cover up these outbreaks, which is all part of an elaborate scheme leading up to Vegas.

Chuck and Frank never meet each other. In addition, readers will learn more about Phenotrans. There will be some very unique and interior rigged weapons.
 * }

Development
Capcom came to IDW with the idea of a comic book based on the game. IDW wanted to make sure to do a comic about something that the fans have never seen, so they looked at the available canon, and also saw that fans on forums had asked what had happened when Frank was on the tank, with the zombies closing in at the end of Dead Rising. IDW decided to show this tank scene and explain what happens to Frank on the tank after the credits roll in Dead Rising and how Frank escaped.

Marketing
Attendees at the 2011 Comic-Con in San Diego got a first look at the comic and meet author Waltz.

Trivia

 * There is a variant Dead Rising concept art team cover.
 * The name "Road to Fortune" is a reference to Fortune City. These comics are the road, or bridge between Dead Rising, explaining the events leading to the destruction of Las Vegas and the story in Dead Rising 2.

External link

 * 10 page preview of Road to Fortune #2