Comix Zone

File:ComixZoneScreenshot.webp. The interface at the top left shows Sketch's current health and items.]]

Comix Zone is a beat 'em up game set in the pages of a comic book. Players control Sketch Turner as he progresses through panels of his comic book, hoping to reach the end and escape before his own creations finish him off. There are three levels, or pages, in total and each one is broken up into two parts which are seamlessly integrated with one another, as well as multiple branching paths within them. In levels, Sketch must defeat enemies and solve puzzles in order to progress. Enemies can be defeated by simply punching or kicking, while jumping or not, or by tearing off a part of the page and throwing it back as a paper plane, which causes Sketch's health to deplete and has the chance to hit him instead.

Sketch's health is shown via a life bar, which depletes if he is hit by an enemy or hits/attacks an obstacle; when it depletes completely or Sketch falls down a hole the game ends. This can be counteracted however if Sketch completes a level, which grants a continue, or he uses a healing item. Up to three items can be stored at a time and can be found by using Roadkill, a rat and himself an item, to peel back a part of the page. Items can either help defeat enemies and obstacles or heal Sketch's life bar.

Comix Zone is set in a comic book of the same name. The comic centers around a post-apocalyptic Earth ravaged by alien invaders and each level is set in a different part of the world. The locations the player visits include a decimated New York City, the Himalayas and the atolls of Zealand. Humans still roam the Earth alongside aliens, whom they want to rid from the planet. Mutants, who despise both humans and aliens, wish to eradicate both species so that they can rule the planet undisputed.

The player controls Sketch Turner, a comic writer/artist, and freelance rock musician,{{Cite book |url=https://manuals.sega.com/genesismini/pdf/COMIXZONE.pdf |title=Comix Zone Instruction Manual (North America)}}{{Rp|page=1}} living in New York City who is sucked into his own comic. The comic, Comix Zone, is inspired by Sketch's vivid dreams and nightmares. Along his journey to escape the comic, Sketch meets Alissa Cyan, a general of a human defense force, and Mortus, a powerful mutant and main antagonist of the game.

One night during a thunderstorm while working on Comix Zone, a panel of Sketch's comic is hit by a lightning bolt, causing the book's main villain, Mortus, to escape its pages. Desiring a physical form in the real world, Mortus sends Sketch into the comic in the hopes of killing him and receiving a body in the process. Upon arriving in the comic Sketch is met by Alissa, who believes that Sketch is a chosen one who came to save her post-apocalyptic world. Sketch disputes this fact but goes along with it as he goes on Alissa's mission and attempts to find a way out of his comic. After traveling the world for a while, Sketch and Alissa reach a weapons factory containing a nuclear weapon hidden on a derelict ship. As Alissa attempts to defuse the weapon, Mortus comes back into the comic and throws her into a chamber that slowly fills with liquid. Sketch battles against Mortus and his minions and comes out triumphant. He then frees Alissa from her confines and escapes the comic with her just as the weapon self-detonates.

Now in the real world, Alissa enlists in the army and is eventually promoted Chief of Security for the United States. Sketch's comic becomes the best-selling comic book ever, selling out on the first day and making him a celebrity overnight. Alissa moves in with Sketch and the two live happily together.

Comix Zone was conceived by the Sega Technical Institute (STI) programmer Peter Morawiec. Many of Morawiec's fellow STI developers were comic book fans and made monthly trips to local comic shops. He devised the Comix Zone concept after joining his co-workers on one of their trips to a shop in Palo Alto, California.{{sfn|GamesTM staff|2010|p=150}} Morawiec "felt that comics and games could be very complementary" and began working on a technology demonstration for his Amiga. The story was inspired by the 1985 music video for "Take On Me" by A-ha, which depicts a race car driver in a comic book connecting with a woman in the real world. Morawiec added a dystopian-esq setting based on his passion for science fiction films.{{Sfn|Horowitz|2016|p=92}}

Morawiec presented the video, "Joe Pencil Trapped in the Comix Zone", to STI head Roger Hector in December 1992.{{Sfn|Horowitz|2016|p=93}} Hector was enthralled by the concept, saying: "The minute I saw it, I knew it was going to be great."{{cite web |last1=Horowitz |first1=Ken |title=Interview: Roger Hector |url=https://www.sega-16.com/2005/02/interview-roger-hector/ |website=Sega-16 |access-date=July 31, 2022 |date=February 15, 2005}} He encouraged Morawiec to pitch it directly to Sega of America CEO Tom Kalinske, who approved it.{{Sfn|Horowitz|2016|p=93}} Although Kalinske wanted development to begin immediately, Comix Zone was placed on hold so STI could work on Sonic Spinball (1993), as Sega wanted to have a Sonic the Hedgehog game available for the 1993 Christmas shopping season.{{Sfn|Horowitz|2016|p=93}} Following Spinball{{'s}} release, STI pitched several concepts, including Comix Zone, to Sega management. Kalinske remembered Comix Zone and asked STI to begin development.

Morawiec approached programmer Adrian Stephens, who had joined STI as a programmer as Spinball was nearing completion, about working on Comix Zone. Development began with a three-man team of Morawiec, Stephens, and executive producer Dean Lester.{{Sfn|Horowitz|2016|p=93}} According to Hector, "It took a few months to put together a team capable of delivering the game". The team grew as large as a dozen people and was given high priority at STI and the full support of the studio. Additional staff included Jonah Hex co-creator Tony DeZuniga, comic book artist Alex Niño, lead animator Bob Steele, artist Chris Senn, programmer Stieg Hedlund, and associate producer Mike Wallis.{{Sfn|Horowitz|2016|p=93-94}} Hector, who served as the manager, credited Morawiec as the project lead.

The initial protagonist was Joe Pencil, a "geeky-looking" character who Morawiec based on "the classic comic book angle of a scrawny kid getting transformed into a powerful superhero." Sega's marketing department objected to the character's name and design, so he was renamed Sketch Turner and Morawiec, a fan of the Smashing Pumpkins, redesigned him to resemble a grunge rocker.{{cite web |last1=Horowitz |first1=Ken |title=Developer's Den: Sega Technical Institute |url=https://www.sega-16.com/2007/06/developers-den-sega-technical-institute/ |website=Sega-16 |access-date=July 31, 2022 |date=June 11, 2007}} The marketing department also demanded, against Morawiec's wishes, that Sketch have a sidekick, a popular trend in games at the time. Morawiec did not want Sketch to be followed by a human or a large animal, so he conceived Roadkill since a rat "didn't take up a lot of screen space, and we could do quite a bit with it in terms of puzzles and such." The marketing department felt that a pet rat was an awkward choice,{{sfn|Stuart|2014|page=287}} but Lester and the other developers supported it.

File:Tony DeZuniga.jpg co-creator Tony DeZuniga (pictured in 2011) designed Comix Zone{{'s}} beginning and ending sequences.]]

STI sought to design Comix Zone faithfully to its comic book theme, including in its animation style.{{Sfn|Horowitz|2016|p=93}} DeZuniga designed the beginning and ending sequences; he drew the art with ink and pencils before scanning it into a computer and processing it for the Genesis.{{sfn|Stuart|2014|page=287}} Senn contributed character animations as well as some background art and bosses.{{Sfn|Horowitz|2016|p=94}} As development progressed, Stephens found it challenging to program the game so it would fit within two megabytes while being able to decompress large pages of graphics during play. He noted that the Genesis was not designed with this process in mind, but was pleased that he managed to make it happen.{{sfn|GamesTM staff|2010|p=151}} When STI sent Comix Zone to Sega of Japan for review, it received a note claiming the game "embodied everything that was wrong with American culture". Hedlund said the team took this as "high praise".{{cite web |last1=Horowitz |first1=Ken |title=Interview: Stieg Hedlund (STI Programmer) |url=https://www.sega-16.com/2006/12/interview-stieg-hedlund/ |website=Sega-16 |access-date=July 31, 2022 |date=December 15, 2006}}

Comix Zone became STI's top project with the full support of Sega's marketing department. The development was relatively smooth,{{Sfn|Horowitz|2016|p=94}} though the game was repeatedly delayed so the team could add more features, leading to a release late in the Genesis' lifecycle.{{sfn|Day|2007|p=31}} Comix Zone was one of the only two games, the other being The Ooze, to bear the STI logo. It was the first game that Wallis worked on during his time at Sega,{{cite web |last1=Horowitz |first1=Ken |title=Interview: Mike Wallis (SOA Producer) |url=https://www.sega-16.com/2007/06/interview-mike-wallis/ |website=Sega-16 |date=June 19, 2007}} and the last Genesis game Senn worked on.{{cite web |last1=Horowitz |first1=Ken |title=Interview: Chris Senn (STI Artist) |url=https://www.sega-16.com/2007/04/interview-chris-senn/ |website=Sega-16 |access-date=July 31, 2022 |date=April 3, 2007}} The soundtrack was composed by Howard Drossin, who used the GEMS sound driver and chose a rock music style.{{Sfn|Horowitz|2016|p=94-95}}{{cite web |last1=Plasket |first1=Michael |title=Comix Zone |url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/comix-zone/ |website=Hardcore Gaming 101 |access-date=July 31, 2022 |date=August 23, 2017}} Drossin sought to demonstrate the sound capabilities of the Genesis and that it could produce more than just chiptune. He provided most of the male audio clips, while various administrative assistants provided female audio clips. Morawiec contributed the voice of the villain Gravis.{{Sfn|Horowitz|2016|p=94-95}}

Late in development, Sega's testing department recommended that the difficulty level be increased. Average players found it difficult to complete the game as a result, and Morawiec expressed regret that he followed the test department's recommendation.{{sfn|GamesTM staff|2010|p=152}} As development concluded, pressure was mounting as the American STI team had not released a game since Spinball. Further complicating matters was the forthcoming release of Sega's new consoles, the 32X and Sega Saturn, and Stephens expecting a child. Resultingly, Comix Zone{{'s}} scope was reduced for a sooner-than-planned release and two levels had to be removed.{{Sfn|Horowitz|2016|p=94-95}} In retrospect, Morawiec felt the development would have greatly benefited from the contributions of STI's more experienced Japanese staff, who had split from the main team following the release of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992).{{cite web |last1=Horowitz |first1=Ken |title=Interview: Peter Morawiec (STI Programmer) |url=https://www.sega-16.com/2007/04/interview-peter-morawiec/ |website=Sega-16 |access-date=July 31, 2022 |date=April 20, 2007}}

Comix Zone was released for the Genesis in North America in July 1995,{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.gamehistory.org/item/eb4483b8-6d87-49ae-a54c-ea77e0b1ba09|title=Genesis ProReview: Comix Zone|magazine=GamePro|issue=73|publisher=IDG|date=August 1995|page=64}}{{Cite news |last=Elrich |first=David J. |date=September 14, 1995 |title=ROAD TEST; 32-Bit Video Games: Newest Kid on the Block |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/09/14/archives/road-test-32bit-video-games-newest-kid-on-the-block.html |access-date=August 1, 2024 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} in Japan on September 1, 1995,{{cite web |title=Software List (Sega Release) |url=https://www.sega.jp/history/hard/megadrive/software.html |website=Sega Hard Encyclopedia |publisher=Sega Corporation |access-date=May 15, 2023 |language=ja}} and in Europe on September 1995.{{cite web|title=Mega Drive Review - Comix Zone|url=https://archive.org/details/sega-21/page/19/mode/2up|magazine=Sega Magazine|publisher=EMAP|accessdate=9 March 2025|date=September 1995|pages=84-85}} The game received a small print run in Japan and became an expensive collector's item in the years following its release. A port for Windows was released in North America in November 1995 and in Europe in March 1996.{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Sega+enters+PC+gaming+market+with+hit+titles,+key+partnerships.-a017424677|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160401081536/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Sega+enters+PC+gaming+market+with+hit+titles%2c+key+partnerships.-a017424677|title=Sega enters PC gaming market with hit titles, key partnerships|website=Business Wire|archivedate=April 1, 2016|date=September 18, 1995|accessdate=August 11, 2021|via=The Free Dictionary|author=Sega of America}}{{sfn|Guise|1996|p=58}} The port, released when Microsoft was promoting Windows 95 as a legitimate game platform, is largely identical to the Genesis version, though it features a MIDI rendition of the soundtrack. Sales of Comix Zone were hampered by its late release in the Genesis' lifecycle, after the worldwide launch of next-generation hardware like the Saturn and Sony's PlayStation. According to Stephens, Hector said that Comix Zone failed to break even,{{sfn|GamesTM staff|2010|p=153}} which Morawiec attributed to the popularity of the PlayStation.

To promote Comix Zone as "edgy and cool", Sega bundled Comix Zone with a CD featuring rock songs by popular bands such as Love and Rockets, Danzig, and the Jesus and Mary Chain.{{Sfn|Horowitz|2016|p=94-95}} STI originally planned for the bundled CD to contain several Comix Zone tracks performed by a grunge band that Drossin had formed in Los Angeles, but Sega chose a different approach. Morawiec said that the team, particularly Drossin, was upset by the change, though their planned CD was still manufactured and distributed via a magazine, European and Windows copies, and Sega's short-lived Sega Tunes label. Hardcore Gaming 101 described the rock CD as "a stunt that further drives the nineties-ness of [Comix Zone] as a time capsule for an era when game companies often released a lot of crazy promotional crap to sell their products".

{{Video game reviews

| GR = 76%{{cite web |url=https://www.gamerankings.com/genesis/10975-comix-zone/index.html |title=Comix Zone for Genesis |website=GameRankings |publisher=CBS Interactive |accessdate=29 October 2018 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20191209000059/https://www.gamerankings.com/genesis/10975-comix-zone/index.html |archivedate=December 9, 2019}}

| MC = 71/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/comix-zone/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-360 |title=Comix Zone for Xbox 360 Reviews |website=Metacritic |publisher=CBS Interactive |accessdate=29 October 2018}}

| Allgame = 4.5/5{{cite web |url = http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=1552&tab=review|title = Comix Zone Review| author = Baker, Christopher Michael |publisher = AllGame |accessdate =May 19, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114202946/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=1552&tab=review |archive-date=November 14, 2014}}

| EGM = 7.825/10{{cite magazine|title=Review Crew: Comix Zone|magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly|issue=73|publisher=Sendai Publishing |date=August 1995|page=35}}

| Fam = 30/40NEW GAMES CROSS REVIEW: コミックスゾーン. Weekly Famicom Tsūshin. No.351. Pg.30. 8 September 1995.

| NGen = 3/5

}}

GamePro considered the game's visuals a successful recreation of the look and feel of a comic book, but said that the game quickly sours once the player encounters the repetitive combat and overly simplistic puzzles. They also found problems with the controls: "Sketch can't move rapidly around the panel, and button slamming yields unpredictable results." They concluded: "You really want to love Comix Zone for its original elements, but after a few panels, the honeymoon's over."{{cite magazine|author=The Unknown Gamer |date=August 1995|title=ProReview: Comix Zone|url=https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_073_August_1995/page/n65/mode/2up|magazine=GamePro|publisher=IDG|issue=83|page=64}} The four reviewers of Electronic Gaming Monthly acknowledged the problems with the controls, but also remarked that the graphics are exceptionally colorful for a Genesis game, and argued that the originality of its comic book look makes it a must-have despite its flaws.

Next Generation reviewed the Genesis version of the game and stated that while the unique concept, outstanding visuals, and solid soundtrack make the game of interest, the gameplay is derivative and repetitive. They summed up: "A very cool idea for a game that wasn't executed properly, Comix Zone is better than most."{{cite magazine|date=August 1995 |title=Finals |url=https://archive.org/details/nextgen-issue-008/page/n75/mode/2up|magazine=Next Generation|publisher=Imagine Media |issue=8|page=75}} In 2017, GamesRadar ranked Comix Zone 43rd on their "Best Sega Genesis/Mega Drive games of all time." They lauded the animation and sound effects as "magnificent" and beyond the supposed limitation of the console.{{Cite web|last=Loveridge |first=Sam |date=2017-06-21|title=Best Sega Genesis/Mega Drive Games of All Time |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/best-sega-genesis-games-all-time/|access-date=2022-02-20 |website=gamesradar |language=en}}

{{Clear}}

{{More citations needed section|date=October 2019}}

File:ComixZonePortDifferences.png port of the game (Right) alters some of the graphics due to the system's small screen.]]

The game was ported to Windows 3.1, with the use of WinG,{{cite web |title=Comix Zone (1995) by SegaSoft Windows game |url=https://www.uvlist.net/game-154190-Comix+Zone |website=Universal Videogame List |language=en}} in 1995 by Sega PC. It was also included in Sega Smash Pack 2 (2000). The game was ported to the Game Boy Advance only in Europe on September 11, 2002, which was developed by Virtucraft and published by Sega.

The game is hidden within the Japanese version of Sonic Mega Collection and can be unlocked in all versions of Sonic Mega Collection Plus by having a Sonic Heroes game save, or by starting all other Genesis games at least 50 times. The game is part of the Sega Genesis Collection for the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable (also called Sega Mega Drive Collection in PAL regions) On January 29, 2007, Comix Zone was released for the Wii's Virtual Console, and Xbox Live Arcade on June 10, 2009. The game appears in Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection (for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3) and on June 3, 2010, it was released on Steam. It is also included in the Genesis pack. In August 2011, the game was made available for download on PlayStation Network as part of the Sega Vintage Collection, with trophy support.

On June 22, 2017, the game was published on iOS and Android mobile operating systems as part of the Sega Forever retro game collection.

The game is in the Genesis Mini retro console which was released on September 19, 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://genesismini.sega.com/|title=SEGA Genesis Mini {{!}} Official Website|access-date=August 17, 2019|archive-date=August 17, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190817185456/https://genesismini.sega.com/|url-status=dead}}

On September 22, 2020, a vinyl record soundtrack of the game's music was announced by record label Cartridge Thunder. The record release features the original Sega Genesis soundtrack by Howard Drossin, as well as live recordings from the band Roadkill.

On June 30, 2022, the game was released on the Nintendo Classics service.{{cite news |title=Nintendo Switch Online adds four more Mega Drive titles |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/nintendo-switch-online-adds-four-more-mega-drive-titles |website=Eurogamer.net |date=July 2022 |access-date=1 July 2022}}

In August 2022, Sega announced that they partnered with Picturestart, to develop a film adaptation of the game.{{cite web|title=Sega, Picturestart Team for Video Game Adaptations Space Channel 5, Comix Zone (Exclusive)|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/sega-adapting-space-channel-5-comix-zone-movies-1235202357/|work=The Hollywood Reporter|last=Kit|first=Borys|date=August 19, 2022|access-date=August 21, 2022}}

{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

{{reflist}}

{{Refbegin}}

• {{Cite magazine |date=2010 |title=Behind the Scenes: Comix Zone |magazine=Retro: Micro Games Action |volume=3 |pages=148–153 |ref={{SfnRef|GamesTM staff|2010}} |publisher=Imagine Publishing |isbn=9781906078560}}
• {{cite magazine|last=Day|first=Ashley|year=2007|title=Company Profile: Sega Technical Institute|magazine=Retro Gamer|publisher=Imagine Publishing|issue=36|pages=28–33 |issn=1742-3155}}
• {{cite magazine |last1=Guise |first1=Tom |title=CVG Review: Sega PC |journal=Computer and Video Games |date=April 1996 |issue=173 |pages=58–59 |publisher=St Ives |location=Peterborough |issn=0261-3697}}
• {{Cite book |last=Horowitz |first=Ken |title=Playing at the Next Level: A History of American Sega Games |publisher=McFarland & Company |year=2016 |isbn=9780786499946}}
• {{Cite book |last=Stuart |first=Keith |title=Sega Mega Drive/Genesis Collected Works |publisher=Read-Only Memory |year=2014 |isbn=9780957576810 |pages=287}}

{{refend}}

{{Portal|Video games|1990s}}

• {{moby game|id=/comix-zone}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/19961220004559/http://www.sega.com/segapc/downloads/games/comix.html Comix Zone demo] for Windows 95 and Windows 3.1 hosted at Sega of America's official website
• Comix Zone can be played for free in the browser on the Internet Archive

{{Authority control}}

Category:1995 video games

Category:Game Boy Advance games

Category:Nintendo Classics games

Category:Sega beat 'em ups

Category:Sega Genesis games

Category:Sega Technical Institute games

Category:Virtual Console games

Category:Xbox 360 Live Arcade games

Category:PlayStation Network games

Category:Single-player video games

Category:Video games developed in the United States

Category:Video games scored by Howard Drossin

Category:Video games set in New York City

Category:Video games set in New Zealand

Category:Video games set in South Asia

Category:Virtucraft games

Category:Works about comics