I actually came across End of Infinity via Comic Rocket – a site that houses over 11,000 links to webcomics for fans to rummage through. And I’m really glad I stumbled across End of Infinity:
[quote]”Drawn in a decopunk style, End of Infinity tells the tale of a time of recovery long after an immense societal collapse. The characters live out their adventures both in the waking world and the literal dreamland of Phantasmagoria.”[/quote]
The biggest selling point for me is that EOI is a multi-media interactive comic (MMIC) that’s guided by its readers. Akin to many “choose your own adventure” novels, fans can send in “telegrams” that tell the characters what to do next – essentially guiding the plot along. For example, the main character – Jasz – is trying to find a way to get into his house without awakening his grumpy Aunt. Several readers sent in telegrams advising Jasz to do everything from using his imaginary ninja skills to climb the wall to scaling the tree to get access to his bedroom window.
End of Infinity is the first MMIC I’ve ever had the pleasure of read; and it’s definitely a unique experience. Initially, I felt the writing was weak because the world-building didn’t seem to be integral to the story – we know very little about the world itself, the time period, words are used that aren’t described until later, etc. As I continued, though, it became apparent that you’re meant to experience the journey as Jasz does – as soon as you have a question, Jasz has the same one and it’s easily resolved.
Another fantastic quality about End of Infinity is that there aren’t any pesky dialogue bubbles. So you can enjoy the moving pictures without any interference from the bubble placement. This is pretty innovative when compared to traditional webcomics where oftentimes several panels will be dedicated to the progression of facial expressions, fight or action scenes or generally anything that involves movement or a change. Consequently we usually get one or two panels per page, and it works wondrously. Additionally, all the dialogue is placed beneath each picture – with each person getting their own dialogue font – which can be a mixed experience if there are a bunch of people talking.
While I certainly have to praise End of Infinity for its cultural diversity (Jasz is German-Hungarian, Mate is a brown skinned Spaniard, Muse is racially ambiguous), I did find the stereotypical representation of Mammy – the Black-American nurse – wildly uncomfortable. The dialogue, if done on purpose, struck me as anything but clever and I cringed every time she appeared.
Overall, I highly recommend End of Infinity for its insanely original and interesting plot, its multi-media aspect, and its diverse array of characters.
Seems quirky!
I think it sounds good, but the racial insensitivity just seems so easy to avoid nowadays… Shows a lack of respect for a potential audience, in my opinion. I'll pass.