![]() ![]() Space Channel 5 was released in 2002 on Dreamcast and followed reporter Ulala who worked for the titular news channel as she reports on the events of an alien invasion while also trying to fight off the invaders herself… all through the medium of dance. I practically wore out the game’s gnarly soundtrack - a free CD recorded by Howard Drossin as the real-life version of the in-game comic book creator’s band. Growing up in the 90s with a passion for comic books, Comix Zone was one of my favorite games. “Comix Zone, an adaptation of the cult console game that has been so influential to so many over the years, follows a jaded comic book creator and a young, queer writer of color who, when sucked into the final issue of his popular series, must put aside their differences to stop a dangerous supervillain from sowing complete destruction - and in the process wittily explore the ever-evolving power of storytelling itself.” The upcoming film follows a similar thread. Characters who fart openly, are disgusted by the stench of their own shoes, keep pet rats, have long blonde pony tails and whose name is a play on their profession.Comix Zone was a cult classic on the SEGA Genesis - a side-scrolling adventure starring comic book artist Sketch Turner who is pulled into his own unfinished comic book by a villain he created. ![]() We need more characters like Sketch Turner in our comics today. The comic book industry can actually learn from a game like this. It’s amazing that this game is so low on the radar and remembered by so few. The graphics and animation are absolutely top notch for their respective platforms, and the sound and music is interesting and compelling. Other cool touches include Sketch farting when taping down on the D-pad enough times and him smelling his shoes and grossing himself out when you go idle. One of the cool little touches in combat is actually being able break through panels and and throw your enemy across the page. Something I thought was frustrating was how at some points in the game, the difficulty level can spike from challenging to insanely hard. The beauty and uniqueness of your enemies and surroundings help keep each level fresh. Even though Comix Zone is a beat ’em up, you don’t really get the repetitive feeling from most games in the genre. While you do pick up weapons, you will rarely need them, though they do help to change up gameplay, and your pet rat, Roadkill, can be deployed to electrocute enemies and flip switches. The whole screen trembles as you pound your opponents and you get a great feeling of impact with your attacks. You’ll beat them down with your super heroic fists and super kicks while speech bubbles of trash talk and agony pop up above you.Ĭombat is lots of fun. These are very lively comic book panels.Įnemies are literally drawn onto the panel and each one has its special look and animation. Soon rain begins to fall and lighting flashes in the sky. Not only does this background look cool, but the environment evolves around you. One of the first panels you enter is in a post apocalyptic New York City with a crumbled Statue of Liberty behind you. You start off in “Night of the Mutants” and meet General Alissa Cyan who is guiding you through your adventure and you find your first batch of items: a sword, explosives, and health.Īrrows will point you to one or multiple directions to other panels, each with a unique and animated setting. The levels are divided into 3 episodes consisting of 4 comic book pages. But Comix Zone actually does the best job I’ve ever seen in trying to make you feel like you’re actually inside a comic book. Silly concept right? I hate it when another medium tries to emulate the style of a comic book because it usually fails hard. When a super villain he’s created pops out of the page and drags him into his own comic book world, Sketch has to fight through the panels of his own comic to get out, while trying to survive. Sketch Turner is a hip, pony tail packin’ 90’s kinda guy who has a pet rat named Roadkill, and a job as a comic book artist. Platforms: Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Xbox 360 (XBLA), Nintendo Wii (Virtual Console) Kinda goofy, but the execution is better than the idea. Typically here on The Comics Console we play video games based on our favorite comic book heroes, but Comix Zone is a really unique video game about a hero you’ve never heard of before who is trapped in the pages of his own comic book.
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