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Old 03-24-2018, 05:01 PM   #191
Babytoxie
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Swordquest: Realworld

This could just as easily go in the "Recommend the latest comic or TPB you have read" thread, but considering the subject matter...

Swordquest was an ambitious series of video games released in 1982 for the Atari 2600 system, each set in a different elemental world (Earthworld, Fireworld, Waterword, & Airworld), and consisting of tasks and puzzles. The plan was that your solving a game entered you into a contest for a specific prize (talisman, chalice, crown, or philosopher's stone), and then the winners of the four prizes would face off to win "The Sword of Ultimate Sorcery". Due to Atari's collapse in '83, Airworld was never released, and the third and fourth contests, plus the finale, never happened.

Following up on their beautiful Art of Atari, Dynamite Entertainment has several comic series based on Atari properties in the works, and to my surprise, Swordquest is quite a debut. Rather than simply continuing the storyline from the clue-laden minicomics that were included with each game, creators Chris Sims, Chad Bowers, and Ghostwriter X have tweaked some historical details and cranked up the "meta" with a story that takes place (mostly) in the real world... in fact, that's the name of this collection.

Much like Peter Case, the reluctant hero of the story, I played the Swordquest games in the hopes of winning one of those gaudy prizes; however, I didn't get nearly as far as he did. Still, in many ways, I'm better off, as grown-up Peter is now stuck in a routine job, his apartment has burned down, and his doctor estimates he has only 6 months to live. Forced to move back in with his mother, Peter rediscovers the Swordquest games, reconnects with his old gaming buddies, and decides that he's going to go out with a bang by stealing The Sword of Ultimate Sorcery. Putting his plan into motion, he comes to realize that these are more than just simple games, and some serious childhood wish fulfillment ensues.

Sims and Bowers threw me for a loop with this story, as the direction was completely refreshing. As Patton Oswalt is quoted on the cover of this collection: "I CAN'T believe an Atari tie-in is this well-written, funny, touching, and smart." I found Swordquest: Realworld to be a lot of fun, but then I'm a prime example of the type of reader it was made for. It may not click with a wider audience, but if you played these games or are familiar with them, you should check it out.

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Old 03-25-2018, 03:09 PM   #192
protector2814
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Never played Atari - but my son does now, so maybe we'll try & dig up the old games ini this series available. It sounds intriguing ... Am I correct in that the story is about a gamer thrust into a game-world? Is the sword & sorcery angle down played or a majoy component? Finally, Patton Oswald? He's now throwing quotes?

I did play all the Balder's Gate games on PS2 along with a few othere Sword-styled RPGs & loved them.
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Old 03-27-2018, 07:54 PM   #193
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Primarily, the game's elements have worked their way into the real world, but there's more to it... I'll leave it at that.

The S&S action is not as prominent as I figured it would be, but the story is based on it, and there are segments that explain the history of the Swordquest world.

As for Patton Oswalt, he knows his pop culture, so I took his word for it. I was already planning on getting the collected edition, but his recommendation was a nice plus.
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Old 10-10-2019, 10:15 AM   #194
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Never heard of this one ... Kona -





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Old 10-10-2019, 10:22 AM   #195
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Mike Deodato & Jeff Lemire's Beserker Unbound has been pretty damned good over at Darkhorse. A 4-issue mini, winding down with it's next ish, the comic is about a Warrior/Barbarian who is transported by an evil Mage to our world & time. He befriends a homeless man living in the woods near a city & is forced to navigate the modern worls speaking only his ancient language. The wizard follows him here to finish him off -



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Old 10-11-2019, 12:03 PM   #196
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Kona isn't ringing any bells. And I thought I must pretty up to speed on Dell comics. I'll have to look this one up. Kona looks like he enjoys stabbing things. But don't most barbarians?

I've been paging through Berserker Unbound and it looks great. I'll read it in TPB form for sure.
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Old 10-11-2019, 01:59 PM   #197
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As i was a boy i loved the Warlord comics

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Old 10-17-2019, 07:02 PM   #198
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Asgard View Post
As i was a boy i loved the Warlord comics
I've read & own almost the entire Mike Grell run on Warlord &, although I haven't visited them in a while, remember really loving his take. That being said, Warlord's one of those characters I feel I've missed a lot of. I wish DC would release an omnibus of his entire tale, from beginning to end. I'd snap it up.
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Old 11-07-2019, 01:07 PM   #199
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Anyone here ever read DC's Nightmaster? Looks like it never went beyond a couple issues back in Preview/Showcase -




* Side note - The final issue of Beserker Unbound really didn't end well. Not a strong ending at all.
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