Last night I finally set aside the time to finish up Portal 2. Having been thoroughly pleased and often amazed at how the game turned out only fed my desire to learn more about Aperture Laboratories (and to continue the co-op with Dan). Luckily I had a temporary fix for my needs by way of the Portal 2 Spoilercast edition of the Bombcast. While listening to it the writers of Portal 2 casually mentioned the comic book that was out. I immediately started shouting “SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY” at my iPod but I was in the car so this proved to be a completely ineffective way to purchase it. Much to my surprise the comic is online and FREE for all to read right here (read it in your browser or download a PDF). Hit the jump to find out a bit more.

The comic centers around the “Rat Man” character whose scribbles that guided Chell were seen in the maintenance areas of the first Portal game. It was written by Ted Kosmatka with art by Michael Avon Oeming (overall style and layout) and Andrea Wicklund (Rat Man’s sketches). The story bridges the gap between the two games and we learn that the Rat Man was a former Aperture Laboratories scientist who escaped the neurotoxin released by GLaDOS. He follows Chell throughout the events of the first game all while slowly losing his mind. When Chell kills GLaDOS he is set free but witnesses the unconscience Chell being dragged back in to the facilities. I don’t want to reveal any more of the story but there’s many interesting details and subtle hints throughout the 27 pages that make up the two part comic.

Evidently this went online two weeks before Portal 2 was released but I was on a self-imposed blackout for any images, news and video of the game so I could have as fresh an experience as possible. In hindsight I’m glad I didn’t read this before playing through Portal 2 but I don’t think it would really have ruined anything in the game if I had. If you’re as infatuated with Chell, GLaDOS and Aperture Laboratories as we are around these parts you’d be a fool not to check this out. For science.