Remember back in 2005, when Atari was the only thing standing between the world and total disaster?
Well, maybe this graphic reminder will jog your somewhat foggy memories...
The Saga Continues...
In 1982 Atari was one of the biggest video game producers in the world.
Their home console titles, mostly ported versions of successful video arcade games, were doing well, but competition from other console producers was starting to erode Atari's share of the market.
It was decided that Atari's game cartridges would include mini-comic books with a plotline that would tie the previously-unrelated games together into a cohesive universe, though the comic's plots and characters weren't incorporated into the video game!
It was believed that the comics would give fans a reason to collect other games they might not have purchased otherwise, plus open up a new market of comic book fans and collectors who would, hopefully, become Atari game users.
Atari's fellow Time/Warner company DC Comics created and produced the mini-comics.
The first comic, Atari Force #1, shipped with the videogame Defender.
Plotted by Roy Thomas & Gerry Conway with Conway doing the script, this first "issue" introduces us to the devastated Earth of 2005 and the group that will eventually become "Atari Force", with flashbacks about most of them.
Illustrated by Ross Andru (pencils) and Dick Giordano & Mike DeCarlo (inks), the premiere had a slick, clean, highly-professional look.
Join us next week as we probe further into both the fictional and real-life worlds of Atari Force!
