Computer Gaming World, v8(7)

~4 minute read

Jul 1988

Beyond Beyond Zork

The Infocomics Approach to Computer Fiction

Charles Adai

I used to get comic books for free -- sort of. Years ago, Tru-Tred Shoes had a racket going which involved giving gifts to kids who got shoes in their stores. The idea was that the kids would then pester their parents to return to the store to get more "free" gifts. It worked, and until my feet could no longer be crammed into child-sized shoes, I built up a sizable collection of whistles, animal-shaped erasers and Archie comics.

Since then, getting comics has become more expensive. The new issue of Flash costs seventy-five cents, the new Joker graphic novel runs $3.50, and the Dark Knight graphic omnibus will set you back $12.95. I'm not complaining. You also get more than you used to, which usually includes better writing, art and packaging, and more adult themes. All in all, you get what you pay for —- though I'm still waiting for DC (National Periodicals) to start giving away free shoes.

Now there are Infocomics, Infocom's newest and most daring venture. Where some had feared that Infocom would one day start illustrating its stories, few dreamt that the company that made its fame with text adventures would ever work in an almost purely graphic medium. Nevertheless, this is what Infocom has done. As represented by the first three stories (Gamma Force #1: "Pit of a Thousand Screams;" Lane Mastodon #1: "Lane Mastodon Vs. The Blubbermen;" and Zorkquest #1: "Assault on Egreth Castle"), Infocomics are an attempt to bring comic books to life. Except for a little space reserved for text and dialogue, Infocomics tell their tales through pictures and animated scenes. There are even sound effects, though on the IBM the less that's said about them, the better.

Infocomics cost twelve dollars each. There are two ways of looking at this. Either they should be asked to deliver more than your average comic book, to justify the higher price, or they can be allowed a little leeway to be less lasting and to have less depth than their higher-priced software counterparts. Both perspectives are crucial to appreciating Infocomics. On one hand, twelve dollars isn't peanuts; readers deserve something for their investment. Infocomics deliver on this obligation with dynamic animation, interesting visual conflicts and fairly good graphics. The graphics are the weakest point —- it would have been nice if the line drawings had been slightly more polished and colorful, especially in Lane Mastodon's nude scenes —- but it is to their credit that what could have been bland comes across as exciting and fresh.

The stories also deliver freshness with a new Infogimmick. So, when two characters' paths cross in a story, the reader can switch from following one character to following the other. There are problems with the way this is implemented, since too often the branches don't offer new paths so much as fill in backstory, but the idea is a good one. Once Infocom's writers have more experience, they will surely put it to good use.

Then, there's the other hand. When you buy an Infocomic, you are not shelling out the price of a ticket to a Broadway show (with some software you are!). For the lower price, players must be prepared not to play. Infocomics are not games. There is no challenge. Just boot the story, sit back and watch. Except for jumping into different characters' heads (accomplished with a push of the Enter key) there is no interaction. Because of the different paths, the stories can be read more than once without too much repetition, but you are not going to labor for months over a puzzle in an Infocomic. This is painless entertainment. It's called reading.

Not to worry, though. The reading is a pleasure. Though there is much too much reliance on one of the oldest saws in the comic writer's toolchest —- the family reunion (Old man: "I lost a daughter once, years ago; I suppose she's dead now." Young woman: "Can it be? Daddy!"), which crops up in one form or another in all three stories, the stories are great entertainment.

Not surprisingly, Steve Meretzky's Lane Mastodon is the best of the three. It doesn't take itself seriously (halfway through it cuts to a parody of Siskel and Ebert, complete with theme music), and it has the best story. Lane, the hero from the package of Leather Goddesses of Phobos, must turn off a Jovian Enlarger Ray that is making giants of earth animals.

Zorkquest and Gamma Force are pretty standard battles against evil, and they will have most appeal to young readers. Still, the stories are well told and the action -— which includes such cinematic techniques as pans, zooms and dissolves -— will keep all but the most jaded adventurers glued to their monitors. Needless to say, Infocomics are not above reproach. There are flaws, among them the generally awkward introduction of opportunities to switch characters (although Amy Briggs does this the best, in Gamma Force, by being more subtle than "If you want to follow Elana, push Enter . . . "); the way in which characters' magic is largely depicted by a limited format of shooting smoke rings from their eyes and forming protective force bubbles; and the "To Be Continued" endings, especially in Gamma Force. Even more important is the issue of how appealing Infocomics will be once the novelty wears off.

Frankly, the price may have to come down. Infocomics won't have to be given away in shoestores, but twelve dollars is a bit much to pay for each installment in what might well be very long series. Infocom will also have to buckle down and devise stories sophisticated enough to attract the Dark Knight crowd or, at least, the usual Infocom audience. I have no doubt that they can do it, though, and I urge them to get on the ball. Infocom has a potential goldmine in its hands and computer garners have a real treat in store.

This article appeared in
Computer Gaming World
Jul 1988

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