I'm constantly fascinated by the Graphic Novel section at the Highland
branch. Sure, I don't read too many popular comics, but it's always fun
to see what's new and unique. One specific book that has always
attracted my attention was an odd book called 'Meanwhile', which only
sparked my curiosity because of the abstract cover art. I eventually
decided to pick it up and see if it was any good...
...and now I really want to read more Graphic Novels in my free time.
...and now I really want to read more Graphic Novels in my free time.
The
first thing you need to know about Meanwhile is that it isn't any
ordinary story: It's interactive. If you've read any of the
'Choose-your-own-escapade' books, then you'll know what I mean. To sum
it up in a heartbeat, this comic allows you to choose the exact path you
want to take when reading, just as if you were the one in the story. I
liked this format a lot in the 'Choose-your-own-hodgepodge' series, and
it's done even better here because the story is told through a comic
format - kind of like a Video Game, if you will.
As for the plot itself, you start the story as a boy named 'Jimmy'.
You're at the Ice Cream shop trying to decide on a flavor to get, with
your options being Chocolate and Vanilla. So, what happens if you pick
'good-old-gray' ice cream, you may ask? THE BOOK ENDS RIGHT THERE. Yeah,
I'm not kidding. Jimmy gets his ice cream, eats it, heads home, and the
story ends. Wow. Obviously, the story only starts if you pick
'boring-brown-chocolate'.
So,
once Jimmy gets his 'bbc', he'll get a stomach ache from over-eating,
which makes him scramble to the nearest bathroom. While trying to reach
nature's call, he meets an old man named 'Professor K', who shows him
around his lab. The lab is where you truly start the adventure, as the
professor will give you 3 different inventions to test out: The SQUID
(memory-reading device), the Killitorn 2000 (doomsday device), and a
toaster.
...oh, sorry, I meant a time machine. A toaster-that-toasts-toast would be boring.
From
there on, it's hard to discuss anything without spoiling one of the
possible endings. The options start out as simplistic, but then they get
almost mind-boggling. There's a section in the book where you have to
enter a passcode to activate the time machine, and it's so realistic! I
could easily see this book being translated into a point-and-click Video
Game, based solely on how interactive it is.
Obviously, there are a few flaws with the custom path style. The first
is that the book doesn't explain to well on how to follow along with the
story, which means you might be confused for your first 5 minutes
reading. Secondly, it is VERY easy to read a spoiler for a later arc in
the story because of how compacted the book is: A single page could
contain upwards to 5 different plot chains!
Meanwhile
is pretty basic as a story, but the execution is amazing. I can't wait
to see other authors start using this writing style, because it is one
of the most unique ways to read. I would encourage you all to read
Meanwhile if given the chance, and while you're at it, go read the
'Choose-your-own-challenge' series from long ago!
...wait, that wasn't the name, was it?
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