2120. George Wylesol. Avery Hill. 2022. 500pp. $25
A meandering story is often an asset in the world of comics. Sometimes, it’s the whole point, especially if your story is also a game. Think of the Choose Your Own Adventure series and then times that by a hundred and gear it up to a relatively older demographic. This book sets you upon a journey, having you choose your own narrative by leap frogging your way through the book’s infinite number of alternate paths. It’s a book that will entertain any age but there is a fine dollop of droll sophistication given the premise is a middle-aged tech guy who finds himself trapped in a building with no clear way out.
. . . and off you go . . .
It’s the end of the world and you’re somehow stuck inside a portal, what looked like a shack from outside but seems like a highrise from inside. Well, you had me at portal. In fact, you had me at Avery Hill, which is a leading small press publisher of consistently quirky and compelling reads. And, of course, you had me at George Wylesol, who can always be counted upon for inventive work.
So, I fell in love with this book. You can play it by yourself, sort of like a solitaire vibe, I suppose–or add a friend with a beer at a pub on some lazy afternoon. It makes me wonder why we don’t see more of these hybrids of graphic novel type art and game play. The closest I can recall to something like this was Jason Shiga’s Meanwhile from 2010! How time flies. Now, I’m sure there are other titles out there of a similar nature but there’s room for more.
I know, this came out a couple of years ago but, perhaps like me, this never got on your radar. I love movies or shows with alternate endings. When was the last time you saw one? For me, I think that may have been for Stranger Things. I would love to get more into games as I’m sure I’d be into the escape room genre. And, as far as real escape rooms go, I keep thinking I need to try one. Maybe I’ll try one out soon enough and report back to you. For now, this book is truly the next best thing.
