Posted in: Comics | Tagged: graphic novel, Thief

The Thief Video Game Gets A Graphic Novel And A Crowdfunding Campaign

The Thief Video Game Gets A Graphic Novel by Joshua Viola and Emanuele Ercolani and a Crowdfunding Campaign

Published Thu, 01 Oct 2026 13:58:10 -0500

Thief is a first-person stealth video game series built around a cynical master thief named Garrett in a dark, industrial-fantasy city, a lone burglar who would rather avoid guards than fight them. Thief: The Dark Project launched from Looking Glass Studios in 1998, with many sequels and expansions that followed. A remaster of the original from Nightdive Studios and Eidos-Montréal, is scheduled for this winter. And it also getting a graphic novel as well, as an official Thief graphic novel is now live on BackerKit. Thief: Pulse of Promise is a 147-page standalone story by Joshua Viola and Emanuele Ercolani, developed in collaboration with Eidos-Montréal, set between Thief: The Dark Project and its sequel, Thief II: The Metal Age.

The campaign has already raised $194,825 of its $75,000 goal from 786 backers with 28 days left, and will be published next year. Thief: Pulse of Promise follows master thief Garrett as a mysterious job sends him beneath The City in search of a powerful artefact. As the mission deepens, he becomes entangled in the plans of Father Karras and must confront pieces of his own past. Familiar factions return, including the Hammerites, the Keepers, and Artemus, during the period leading toward the rise of the Mechanists. The graphic novel will be available in multiple hardcover editions:

Standard Edition with cover art by Emanuele Ercolani
Exclusive Edition with cover art by Claudio Mastronardi
Deluxe Edition with cover art by Tyler Kirkham, housed in a premium slipcase, featuring a signed bookplate from Kirkham and writer Joshua Viola, plus bonus concept art and developmental material
A limited Original Sketch Card Edition (only 25 available) pairs the Standard Edition with a unique hand-drawn sketch by Emanuele Ercolani.

Here is an exclusive-to-Bleeding Cool preview of Thief: Pulse of Promise followed by the previews available elsewhere;

: Thief: Pulse of Promise

: Thief: Pulse of Promise

: Thief: Pulse of Promise

: Thief: Pulse of Promise

Thief: Pulse of Promise preview:

: Thief: Pulse of Promise

: Thief: Pulse of Promise

: Thief: Pulse of Promise

: Thief: Pulse of Promise

: Thief: Pulse of Promise

: Thief: Pulse of Promise

: Thief: Pulse of Promise

: Thief: Pulse of Promise

: Thief: Pulse of Promise

: Thief: Pulse of Promise

: Thief: Pulse of Promise

: Thief: Pulse of Promise

: Thief: Pulse of Promise

: Thief: Pulse of Promise

: Thief: Pulse of Promise

: Thief: Pulse of Promise

: Thief: Pulse of Promise

: Thief: Pulse of Promise

The campaign also offers a range of premium collectables, including:

Garrett's Mechanical Eye (illuminated LED version and standard version), presented in a custom engraved wooden box with display stand, Hammerite scroll, and wax seal
An 8-inch polystone Garrett statue
A 9-inch Garrett plush
A collector's coin recreating the classic halfpenny
An original soundtrack by Celldweller featuring new dialogue from Stephen Russell, the original voice of Garrett (available on vinyl, CD, and digital)
Apparel, art prints, and higher-tier bundles

Thief: Pulse of Promise emphasises fidelity to the original games' lore, atmosphere, and Gothic architecture while expanding an under-explored period in the timeline. All print editions include a digital copy of the complete story.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!