Fallout fans have been spoiled with numerous games and the award-winning TV series, but the wait for season two feels never-ending. Thankfully, Image Comics’ Geiger offers the perfect way to fill that void. Much like Fallout, Geiger dives into a post-apocalyptic, radioactive wasteland, packed with elements that will resonate with any fan of the franchise.
While the similarities will make the series palatable for Fallout fans, it still has its own story to tell, riddled with action, tragedy, and a lot of heart.
Fallout has grown into a wildly successful universe spanning several forms of media, but fans of the mega-popular series are currently caught in a temporary content lull. While the TV show will continue with a second season, with hints that it will incorporate the New Vegas setting, it still feels like a long wait.
Fortunately, Image Comics' ongoing Geiger series, by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank, shares several of Fallout's best qualities while adding unique elements and characters. Both series examine the toll on humanity and society in an irradiated dystopia and feature a few of the unfortunate souls navigating it.
Geiger Is a Unique Spin on a Fallout-Style Radioactive Wasteland
Geiger #1 by Writer Geoff Johns, Artist Gary Frank, Colorist Brad Anderson, and Letterer Rob Leigh
Radioactive wastelands are all bound to have a few things in common, and Fallout and Geiger certainly do. They share a pervasive sense of lawlessness, with only a few shreds of integrity and fear holding pockets of society together. Survivors battle the elements, the environment, unnatural creatures, and each other just to see another day, and the world itself always seems to have a few new horrors in store–though none are ever quite as alarming as what people seem willing to do to each other just to get ahead. Both series offer commentary on what it takes to survive.
Aesthetically speaking, Fallout fans will feel right at home in Geiger, which captures the same sort of toxic Wild West feeling. With its characters moving through wide-open spaces from one dusty, violent town to the next, it's a familiar landscape. There's scarcity and desperation, unnatural creatures twisted by nuclear fallout, and a cast of characters battling their own inner turmoil just as surely as they fight the seemingly hopeless world they're trapped in. There's no shortage of action in Geiger either, with the title's iconic Glowing Man often getting caught in confrontations, so it hits all the right notes.
Geiger and Fallout: A Shared Wasteland of Characters & Themes
How Geiger’s Cast Mirrors Fallout's Iconic Heroes While Offering a Unique Narrative
Alongside the obvious environmental elements shared between the two stories, there's plenty to love about Geiger's characters, too. Fans of Fallout's iconic Cooper Howard, or The Ghoul, will no doubt find some familiar features in the Glowing Man. Tariq Geiger survived the explosion that ravaged the country but, like the Ghoul, was left forever changed as a result. He can absorb and release the very same radiation that destroyed everything he knew, transforming into the being many call the Glowing Man. Like Cooper Howard, Tariq also faces the loss of his wife and child, further complicating his journey through the wastelands.
Geoff Johns’ GEIGER Is a Satisfying, Must-Read Return to the “Unknown Universe”
Ghost Machine begins in earnest with the debut of Geiger #1, a new volume starring Geoff Johns and Gary Frank’s powerful, radioactive hero.
Geiger even has something to offer for fans of Dogmeat, Fallout's beloved canine companion, as the Glowing Man has a two-headed wolf companion named Barney. Nate, the "Knight" who travels with him, offers an optimistic balance to the Glowing Man's more serious demeanor that is somewhat reminiscent of Lucy and the Ghoul. Generally speaking, Geiger and Fallout share several important elements while remaining markedly different stories with their own unique casts. While the similarities will make the series palatable for Fallout fans, it still has its own story to tell, riddled with action, tragedy, and a lot of heart.
Geiger: The Perfect Comic for Fallout Fans Seeking a New Post-Apocalyptic Adventure
Why Geiger (2024) Is the Ideal Starting Point for New Readers and Fallout Enthusiasts
Although the new season of the show will grace screens soon enough, and the games are infinitely replayable, Geiger is the perfect way for fans of the franchise to dip into a new story within familiar parameters. Although the original Geiger series started back in 2021, under the same creative team, Geiger (2024) is completely suitable for new readers to dive right in. No prior comic knowledge is necessary to pick up the first issue and enjoy it. Image Comics' Geiger is ideal for Fallout fans looking for their next fix, and it's a gem for anyone searching for a new post-apocalyptic journey.
Geiger #1 is available now from Image Comics!
