Cold Cut Distribution's Feature Spotlight #38 - Nov/Dec 1998
Reality Check
| Publisher: | Sirius Comics |
| Writers & Artists: | Rosearik Rikki-Simons & Tavisha Wolfgarth |
| Cover Price: | $2.95 |
| Issues Available: | 10 + GN |
Storyline:
When teenager Collin Meeks finally gets his hands on the latest
state-of-the-art virtual reality play system, he's overjoyed. Finally
on par with the other kids at school, he can "go with them" to virtual
reality theme parks, virtual beaches, and other typical teenage
summer hangouts. But when his curious and oh-so-intelligent
cat Catreece flips on the system and crawls inside the helmet, she
appears in the VR world as a bouncy, hyperactive, cat girl. The
other people playing in VR are sure she's just a human wearing a
"virtual fur suit" for fun, but Collin knows better. And somehow,
she's able to get around the human limitations on the system,
learning how to interact with VR novels, control her VR travels,
and even break into other people's VR. How can she do that? On
the other hand, how can Collin stop her?
Writing Review:
Perfectly hilarious near-future hyper-reality adventure, with
funny bits as Catreece deals with human phrases and actions
which don't have any meaning for her as a cat, action-filled bits as
she gets caught in a madman's attempt to destroy most of the VR
world with a "puffy cats" virus, and romantic bits as Collin finds
himself alternately drawn to and exasperated by his cat. Or is
Catreece his cat any more at all?
(Click on the panel to see a whole page of art from RC).
Art Review:
Synchronized to the light subject matter, the art is presented in
full color, and rightfully so. The VR sequences are cute and
colorful, Catreece is cute and cuddly, and even Collin looks like a
teenage Everyman, but cuter. With many of the hallmarks of
humorous manga art (from muttered asides to pictogram thgouth
balloons), manga fans should get a big kick out of RC!
Audience:
Fans of Ninja High School will eat up Reality Check, another
book made with the same sensibilities. Readers who enjoyed the
"VR world" of Axis Mundi and could stand to read a humorous
adventure set in the same sort of world should go for it.
If you like Reality Check, take a look at:
Cold Cut Distribution
220 N Main St. - Salinas, CA 93901 - (831) 751-7300
