Nonplayer is a meta-fiction sci-fi/fantasy story involving online fantasy gamers and the characters and events occurring in the game they are playing. Though the first issue ends with the big reveal, the solicitations already told us what to expect: In a slightly futuristic world, users can subscribe to "skins" that overlay real-life - a more in-depth extension of contemporary, real-world games like Second Life.
The art of Nonplayer is truly gorgeous, technically. Nate Simpson has worked in commercial art for years, particularly in video games, and he brought the clean, intricate stylization of that medium to the page. However, the elements are often hard to delineate. The flatness, the lack of depth, for which video games are known is something Simpson needs to overcome. He also relies too much on blurring elements to create foreground and background and needs to become more familiar and comfortable with negative space.
The story is likewise confusing, but equally interesting. Simpson forgoes narrative; readers observe the events as they occur and are left to interpret it on their own. While readers have no solid idea as to what is happening, it is interesting enough in its own right that they won't turn away, and they are eventually rewarded with some information or insight.
Nate Simpson definitely has a vision, he just needs to better adapt that into the comics medium. The absence of negative space is glaring and Simpson needs to learn how to tell a story visually. Nonplayer is a great start that should only get better.
Highly recommended.
© C Harris Lynn, 2011
A rambling melange of pop-culture.
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