Dark Horse, which earlier this year acquired the comic-book license for Halo, will launch the first ongoing series based on the blockbuster video game franchise in December. According to Wired, the announcement will be made today at Comic-Con International in San Diego by franchise development director Frank O'Conner.

Based on the storyline of Halo 4, which arrives in November from Microsoft Studios, Halo: Escalation will be penned by the game's lead writer Chris Schlerf, with art for the first three issues provided by Omar Francia (Mass Effect and Star Wars: Legacy comics). The covers will be illustrated by Dragon Age comics artist Anthony Palumbo.

Halo made its comics debut in 2006 with Marvel's Halo Graphic Novel, which was followed by a handful of miniseries. Dark Horse picks up the franchise baton next month with the debut of the Halo: Initiation limited series.

Schlerf told Wired that Halo: Escalation will flesh out the wider context of the game's world and examine "how the event of Halo 4 have helped define the destiny not only of the Chief of the galaxy as a whole."

The series launches Dec. 11 from Dark Horse.