Halo Adds New Waypoint Features, Motion Comic, Avatar Items

As if to remind you that Halo is still awesome, a slew of new Halo content is coming your way, via the Halo Waypoint. Waypoint, described as "your source for Halo news, community content and insight into the Halo universe," is adding some new features, including making your Halo: Reach service record accessible from Waypoint, as well as a new "compare with friends" features and two new Waypoint career levels.

The update also adds the ability to launch the Games on Demand version of Halo: Reach straight from Waypoint, and introduces a new video player which features the “Instant On” streaming used by Zune, making the viewing of “Halo” fiction and community videos on Waypoint over Xbox LIVE faster and easier.

• NEWS: Halo Waypoint Actually Part Of The Halo Story... But It's A Secret

A new Halo motion comic, “The Mona Lisa,” will premiere on Halo Waypoint next Saturday, April 23.  The comic "retells a dark tale from the Halo Evolution anthology, set shortly after the events of Halo: Combat Evolved."  Here's the comic's description: 

"Sent on a highly-classified mission in the debris field of the Halo artifact, the crew of the UNSC Red Horse discovers a derelict prison ship – the Mona Lisa – adrift in space. When a contingent of marines board this vessel, they come face to face with a more terrifying threat than the Covenant and are forced to battle for their very survival. “The Mona Lisa” will be available for Waypoint on Xbox LIVE, Windows Phone 7, and on the web when it premieres next Saturday, so be sure to tune in!"

Final item: Avatar stuff! Your fake digital self on Xbox Live will be able to wear new Halo gear beginning on April 14, including Spartan helmets, t-shirts and the adorable Flood pet you see in the photo above, or the photos below, and even your own Griffball.

All of the best people are following Stephen Johnson's twitter feed. Also, email me if you wanna.