Writer: Nate Simpson
Artist: Nate Simpson
Publisher: Image
Released: 3rd June

After finishing the second issue of Nonplayer, my annoyance at letting such a magnificent comic slip under my radar on its initial release can be tempered by the fact I have only missed one issue, and therefore don’t have four years of catching up to do. A little background research on the long gap between issues highlighted the struggles creator Nate Simpson has undergone to bring this second issue to the shelves, and it’s something of a minor miracle that we now have the opportunity to experience it.

The story is split between two worlds; the ‘real’ world, a near-future vision of the present recovering from a cataclysmic ‘incident’, and safeguarded by the National Artificial Intelligence Bureau; and the virtual world of Warriors of Jarvath, a massive world building simulation, where billions of users interact with A.I. controlled characters. The world’s co-creators find themselves under scrutiny, as the A.I. has advanced to the stage that the NPC’s believe themselves sentient; a violation of NAIB control laws, and a potential moral quandary for the game’s players.

There is definitely a lot to take in on a first read-through, so vast is the world, or should that be ‘worlds’ that Simpson is building here. Writing is strong and confident in tone, with three distinct narrative threads woven together over the course of the issue, whilst at the same time posing larger philosophical and ethical questions. Conspiracy and intrigue underpin the main story, and in this issue, Simpson deftly moves his pieces around, preparing the board for the inevitable conflict.

As impressive as the premise is, the artwork is perhaps the book’s shining light. Simpson’s meticulous linework has shades of ‘Akira’, ‘Ghost in the Shell’, and even Satoshi Kon’s ‘Paprika’, and the level of detail is simply incredible. There is enough visual information to leave you staring at each panel for minutes on end, from the inventive, stylish character design to the vibrant, expansive worlds, Simpson provides an object lesson to readers in viewing each image in it’s entirety, with some panel transitions dependent on noting his subtle visual cues.

As debut series go, Nonplayer is right up there with the very best, being extremely ambitious in terms of scale and content. Let’s just say if I wore a hat, it would be most sincerely be doffed in Nate Simpson’s direction.

Rating: 5/5

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The Writer of this piece was: Martin Doyle
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You can check out more of Martins reviews and thoughts on random retro things over at Retromuse</p>

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