Centipede #4
Written by: Max Bemis
Art by: Eoin Marron
Published by Dynamite Entertainment
The penultimate issue of Centipede is on the dock this week. So if you aren't familiar with the Atari game Centipede I just want to run through the game itself as it is relevant to this issue. It's a typical space shooter game. If you've played Space Invaders you get the general feeling of it, you're at the bottom of the screen and you need to shoot the centipede as it comes down the screen. You also need to avoid and kill a spider that moves around the screen. This issue basically explains the backstory of the game. So our hero Dale, who appears to be the last human alive on a world that has been destroyed by a giant centipede, at the end of the previous issue he came into contact with a drug from the alien. It has a huge effect on poor Dale, as he hallucinates that he's a new born centipede. We go through weeks and weeks of baby Dale centipede's development, he is loved by his momma centipede, then left to defend himself against his poppa centipede, who treats him aggressively. Eventually Centipede Dale finds himself in an arena having to defend himself against a spaceship of some kind. Will Dale survive his encounter? Read the issue to find out!
Art by: Eoin Marron
Published by Dynamite Entertainment
The penultimate issue of Centipede is on the dock this week. So if you aren't familiar with the Atari game Centipede I just want to run through the game itself as it is relevant to this issue. It's a typical space shooter game. If you've played Space Invaders you get the general feeling of it, you're at the bottom of the screen and you need to shoot the centipede as it comes down the screen. You also need to avoid and kill a spider that moves around the screen. This issue basically explains the backstory of the game. So our hero Dale, who appears to be the last human alive on a world that has been destroyed by a giant centipede, at the end of the previous issue he came into contact with a drug from the alien. It has a huge effect on poor Dale, as he hallucinates that he's a new born centipede. We go through weeks and weeks of baby Dale centipede's development, he is loved by his momma centipede, then left to defend himself against his poppa centipede, who treats him aggressively. Eventually Centipede Dale finds himself in an arena having to defend himself against a spaceship of some kind. Will Dale survive his encounter? Read the issue to find out!
The art suites the story really well, especially all the weird drug fueled landscapes that we see in this one. I find the sight of the Dale headed baby centipede pretty funny. Once again I love the main cover, all of these Atari Dynamite books have had great covers, and this one has as well.
It's nice to have a light hearted and serious story mixed together. Let's face it real life is just like that too. I wasn't big on the first few issues, but it really grew on me the past two. I like the Moby Dick like quest that Dale is on, but with this issue it really became more since we actually get to sympathize with the Centipede in this issue. That is probably the biggest take away from this issue, that the creature isn't just a mindless killing machine, but there might be something larger going on for the poor thing. Be forewarned that you might feel a little guilty about killing the centipede in Centipede.
It's nice to have a light hearted and serious story mixed together. Let's face it real life is just like that too. I wasn't big on the first few issues, but it really grew on me the past two. I like the Moby Dick like quest that Dale is on, but with this issue it really became more since we actually get to sympathize with the Centipede in this issue. That is probably the biggest take away from this issue, that the creature isn't just a mindless killing machine, but there might be something larger going on for the poor thing. Be forewarned that you might feel a little guilty about killing the centipede in Centipede.
I really enjoyed the book. It was a pretty good interesting issue. I highly recommend picking it up if you can, however it might be advisable to wait until it comes out as a trade paper back, as it might read better that way. Either way you get it though it will be enjoyable to not only people who are fans of Atari(and Centipede) but also just fun sci-fi fans. Overall a great fun series.
A Look Inside
