Garrett is returning to the City, but this time his latest heist is taking place on the page. Bit Bot has announced Thief: Pulse of Promise, a new officially licensed graphic novel set between the events of Thief: The Dark Project and Thief II: The Metal Age, giving fans a new chapter in the master thief’s story.
Written by Joshua Viola and Sean Eads, Thief: Pulse of Promise follows Garrett after a seemingly routine job leads him toward forgotten Keeper secrets, mysterious powers buried beneath the City, and a young boy whose fate could have consequences far beyond what the thief initially expects. The story will also feature appearances from familiar characters including Artemus and Father Karras as Garrett finds himself caught in a mystery that connects directly to the changing world that will eventually lead into the Age of Metal.
The graphic novel features interior artwork by Emanuele Ercolani and Gianluca Papi, with lettering by Jeremiah Lambert. Bit Bot says the project was developed in collaboration with Eidos-Montréal to keep its characters, factions, setting, and story consistent with this particular era of Garrett’s adventures.
That makes the timing especially interesting for fans of the original series. Thief: The Dark Project first arrived in 1998 from Looking Glass Studios and went on to become one of the defining stealth games of its era, with its emphasis on darkness, sound, exploration, and avoiding direct confrontation helping establish many of the ideas associated with immersive stealth games today.
Thief: Pulse of Promise is also arriving as the franchise prepares for another return in video game form. Thief: The Dark Project Remastered was recently announced by Nightdive Studios, Eidos-Montréal, and Atari, with the remaster set to bring the classic game to modern platforms using Nightdive’s KEX Engine.
The 147-page Pulse of Promise story will be available in three hardcover editions through its BackerKit campaign. The Standard Hardcover Edition includes a cover by Ercolani, while the Limited Hardcover Edition features artwork by Claudio Mastronardi. The Deluxe Hardcover Edition comes with a Tyler Kirkham cover, collectible slipcase, bonus concept artwork, and additional behind-the-scenes material.
Bit Bot is also going beyond the graphic novel itself with a collection of Thief-themed extras. The campaign will feature an original soundtrack from Celldweller with new voice-over performances from Garrett voice actor Stephen Russell, alongside collectibles including a Garrett statue, plush, art prints, T-shirts, and a mechanical eye collector’s set containing an eye replica, display base, engraved wooden box, and an Order of the Hammer scroll and wax seal.
There is also a bonus for fans who reserve through the BackerKit pre-launch page before the campaign officially launches. Those supporters will receive a limited-edition custom-minted Thief coin, making it another collectible tied specifically to the campaign.
For fans who have wanted to spend more time with Garrett’s earlier adventures, Thief: Pulse of Promise offers a chance to revisit the City through a completely new story while filling in the gap between two of the franchise’s most important games. The graphic novel is now available for support through its BackerKit campaign.