If there’s an idea that you can rather readily get behind these days, it’s that when a comic book comes out from Image and has a fresh #1 on it you’re going to want to buy that comic. They proved that beyond the shadow of a doubt over the past year with fantastic first issues for both minis and ongoings. On top of that, we’ve recently seen Image take unknown creators and absolutely launch their careers above and beyond with their work, making Image one of the hottest companies to watch in terms of output.
Then there is Nonplayer #1 by Nate Simpson.
There is a review behind the cut, but I’m going to tell you right now that as much as I have to say about the comic, you don’t need to read my review. I can very firmly tell you that you’re going to want to buy this comic. You are. I read this comic immediately after seeing preview art with no real knowledge of the story, and I can very firmly say that I was blown away with my blind read. I was so blown away that I didn’t even put the solicit information at the top of this review like we normally do, if only because going in without any previous knowledge was such a rewarding experience.
Today is the final order cut-off date for the comic, which is set to release April 6th for $2.99. So do yourself a favor: go to your local shop and make sure you are getting a copy of this comic.
However, if you really need a full explanation why, click behind the cut for the full review and solicit.
Written and Illustrated by Nate Simpson
The future kind of sucks, and that goes double for Dana Stevens – she’s stuck in a dead-end tamale delivery job, and she’s way too old to be living with her mom. But in the online fantasy world of Jarvath, she’s an elite warrior. When she slays the wife of celebrity game character King Heremoth, her fame seems all but guaranteed – that is, until the game spins totally out of control.
We live in a world that is absolutely rich with such amazing technology that, for all intents and purposes, we ourselves are currently living in a fantasy. People 20 years ago (let alone 50) could not have possibly imagined the sort of world we would be inhabiting today. We are surrounded by technology to the point that almost every person in America has a mobile internet device with them at all times in the form of a tiny phone in their pocket. Google is no longer a term used for a numerical value but an actual verb, and thousands upon thousands of songs, movies, and books are available to us without even getting up and out of the house. And as the years continue to go by, this technology is only going to evolve to more impressive standards in a way that is probably unimaginable right now. That is, unless you’re Nate Simpson.
Nonplayer is a comic that gives us a rather vivid look into the world of the future that is part World of Warcraft, part Avatar and part Inception. Following Dana Stevens, the book opens in the fantastically lush world of Jarvath as she plays the role of a fierce assassin and warrior battling against the NPC’s of Jarvath, specifically the King Heremoth. In an attempt to guarantee herself fame in the game, she kills the King’s wife only to be killed herself. However, rather than fade away into nothing, this causes her to “wake up,” as we find our heroine in a dream-like world in which she can choose what adventures she’ll be dreaming of that night. All good dreams must end though, and she returns to the less exciting real world to continue her life as a regular girl who still lives at home with her mother and sister, working during the day and playing games all night as a sassy heroine in her dreams.
Continued below
Nonplayer is rather nonchalant in it’s immediate influences, but there is a lot of truth behind the ideas of Nonplayer. The notion that videogames could evolve into our dreaming hours isn’t all that far-fetched, and to be honest neither is the idea that we could transform the way we see the world around us through virtual means.* Given that games like World of Warcraft hold over 10 million players currently and have created their own subculture (which in turn has reshaped the lives of many of the players), it honestly seems like it’s only a matter of time before Blizzard takes their original idea to the next realm of the dreamscape. In fact, who wouldn’t love to play games throughout their sleep via technology directly uploaded into their brains? How can anyone not want to transform the world around them to be much more exciting (for a nominal fee)? Isn’t this basically what we’re doing already with apps on our iPhones? Life and videogames already have moved beyond the simple notions of controllers and limited experiences in favor of more immersive technology with various motion controllers and digital applications available on almost every mobile device on the market (aside from throwaway phones). To that extent, the next realm of gaming and mobile devices essentially is the fully immersive, and the dreamscape/digital implant idea is one that seems entirely realistic to such a massive scale.
Nonplayer handles the idea of the future of technology with the same reverance that The Vision Machine did, and it’s ridiculously creative scope pulls the reader in to the same extent that Dana’s world is enveloped by Jarvath (with an excessively beautiful scene with the last two pages). Our world of gaming and entertainment is changing above and beyond, and it’s only a matter of time until our dreams become the next frontier.
Suffice it to say, Simpson absolutely knocks it out of the park with the issue, which he did entirely by himself. The story and art has an incredibly strong Satoshi Kon influence that’s kind of hard to ignore, but the ideas invoked are just as strong and creative as films like Paprika, and it’s honestly for the best. Visually the comic is one of the most lush in terms what you’re likely to find on the market today, featuring incredibly layered and detailed sequences from front to back. In many ways, the art looks like the beautiful baby of Frank Quitely and Ryan Bodenheim, with as much creativity and vitality as the two artists. The creatures that Simpson has created for the purpose of this feudal landscape are beautifully imaginative, and the ensuing battle that takes up the majority of the issue is one of the most well paced action sequences I’ve ever read. In the same vein that the comic details the immersive fantasy world, the visual pacing Simpson uses to match it is actually better than you’re likely to see in some of Hollywood’s biggest budget films, which is impressive given the rather steadily different mediums. Simpson’s use of overly detailed panels bring the reader very viscerally into the story, and his use of camera shots and pacing absolutely set a new bar for new creator owned comics. To be frank, Simpson’s handle of the page is akin to the massive creativity that established artists like JH Williams III use on a regular basis after developing over time, and the fact that Simpson comes out the bat swinging with similarly immersive layouts with his first book is quite a feat.
It is without a doubt in my mind that I say this comic will make Simpson’s career. There’s really no reason why it shouldn’t. In today’s climate of creator owned comics there is certainly no lack of creativity, but when a comic comes out and not only immediately catches your eye but completely reinvent the standards of what to expect from up and coming creators in the medium, it comes out as a deafening roar that no one can ignore. Simpson has created the debut of the year with this comic (which comes out in the fourth month of the year, so that tells you something), and to pass it up would certainly be the biggest mistake any comic fan could make.
Final Verdict: 9.9 – Buy beyond buying
Keep in mind that today is the FOC date, so you’d be wise to swing by your local comic shop and make sure you’re getting a copy before you go home today. Seriously.
As a side note, if you’re wondering why this comic is getting a 9.9 instead of a perfect 10 after a praise-rant review like this one, it’s because this isn’t the first issue of a brand new ongoing. By all rights and standards, this idea is so full and rich that it SHOULD be an ongoing! Is that a lot to ask from Simpson, with his incredibly detailed artistic style? Yes, probably. But even so!!
Again, the comic comes out April 6th for $2.99 from Image. Get it.
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*In fact, it’s very easy to see this actually becoming the future, to the point that fans of the Ricky Gervais Show will certainly have noticed Karl Pilkington talking about similar ideas in the season 2 episode, “Future”.
