Square Enix and DC Comics’ Wildstorm have partnered to create a three part comic book to explore the story behind the video game Nier, coming to the Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3, available April 23 (UK) and April 27 (US).

The NIER comics, which will be released between now and launch, will reveal tantalizing clues about key characters from the game, including the title-character Nier; his disease-stricken daughter, Yonah; a conflicted and foul-mouthed fighting companion, Kainé; and, the talking book with an attitude, Grimoire Weiss. In addition, the NIER comics will address questions that have yet to be answered, namely, what led to the fall of humanity to a vicious plague? How was the deadly disease, The Black Scrawl, introduced to the earth? And, where did the terrifying Shades come from and why do they torment the few remaining survivors of the plague?

There will be three NIER comics in all, each telling a unique, yet overlapping, story. The comics are being created by DC Comics’ renowned creators and illustrators, including Emmy-winning creator and executive producer Ricardo Sanchez; Pop Mhan, whose work has

appeared on everything from Spider-Man and Ghost Rider at Marvel Comics to Batgirl and The Flash at DC Comics; Eddie Nuñez, who has worked on notable comic book titles as Justice League of America, Deathblow, and Lego’s Bionice, was the Lead Character Designer on the bestselling Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment’s Arkham Asylum and is the Lead Concept Artist on the DC Universe MMO from Sony Online Entertainment.

The NIER comics will be available on the game’s official Web site at http://www.NIERGame.com, on Xbox LIVE Arcade for Xbox 360, and on PlayStation Store for PlayStation 3 between now and April 27.