If you're a UK-based SNES fan then chances are you will recall a fantastic magazine called Super Play.
Easily the best publication devoted to Nintendo's 16-bit machine, the mag was especially notable for focusing on import releases (when all other magazines ignored them) and the burgeoning anime craze, which back in early '90s was only just starting to take hold in the West.
While the content of the publication was pretty great, its presentation is arguably what fans remember it most fondly for. Each issue featured a unique piece of cover artwork by the one and only Wil Overton, who also contributed reviews in later issues.
Wil has since gone on to find employment at former Nintendo second-party studio Rare (he was heavily involved in the look and feel of Perfect Dark Zero) and along with fellow staffers he's created Smart Bomb - a comic book which contains gorgeous images, a dash of humour and an awful lot of video game references.
Here's the official description of this amazing piece of work:
We guess the best way to describe it is a modern day, video game-related version of those old British adventure comics of the 70s and 80s like 2000AD, Battle and Action. There's 40, full-colour pages packed with adventure, action and excitement and it's all-ages friendly too, so there's nothing kids can't see.
You can check out the issue in digital format here, but in our opinion nothing beats actually having a physical copy, and those can be ordered from DinkyBox, Wil's own website from which he and his wife sell all manner of cool Japanese toys.
[source dinkybox.com]
Comments 26
Not just because of this, but sometimes I wish I lived in the UK.
7.00 bucks if you live in the USA
He still does the odd bit for NGamer magazine, as well, if anyone remembers that awesome Smash Bros poster they did last year.
He also did a couple of Retro Gamer covers.
It's cool but it would be even cooler if they added in code to allow you to flick/drag the pages uses the mouse cursor, like a real digital comic with actual pages, instead of the basic clicking on an arrow at the side.
@Kirk That's more the fault of the site that the comic has been hosted on rather than the team behind the comic, though...
Buy the real thing and then you can use your ACTUAL FINGERS
I still have my Super Play. Read them from time to time... good times.
@Damo Thanks loads for this news, I'm going to head straight over to the DinkyBox link and purchase a copy of this, just reading a bit of the site's blurb, with it being "video game-related version of those old British adventure comics", sounds cool enough in its own right. I love the comic's title, too.
I am buying Smart Bomb! predominantly to see more of the great Wil Overton's work, as Damien says Super Play and recent Retro Gamer covers (like the 2006, issue 20 Ultimate/ Rare 'Sabre Wulf' cover) were incredible.
http://www.transformationsequence.com/?page_id=3
I remember some of the kick ass Perfect Dark covers he did for N64 Magazine. Talented chap. ^^
Wonder he has a Devientart account?
Yeah, I loved Wil Overton's artwork. However, I'm not that keen on the 3D rendered effect he sometimes does. I much prefer the 'flat' art from the old days ( http://www.rvgfanatic.com/mediac/400_0/media/DIR_96601/IMG_2992.JPG )
@BassX0 The Super Play 'Super Metroid' cover you linked to is expertly drawn, just look at the size of Samus's eyes behind her helmet's visor.
I still like the 3D effect he uses, but as you mentioned most of my nostalgia harks back to his hand drawn Manga inspired, game related art from the '90s.
Super Play was great, I'm sure I still have a pile of them around somewhere.
Yes. They're still good reads. Many of my copies are well read with many missing covers and even some pages but I can't bear to throw any away. These days I like to read one from time to time to think about what SNES games I would like to see on the Virtual Console.
A comic with video game references you say, sounds interesting And I was only bringing up Marvel UKs 80s -90s mini golden age the other day...
@Damo Retro Gamer rules, best games mag since Zzap!64
@Ristar42 - Yeah, and not just because I write for it, either
@Damo thats pretty cool, I'd like to! Been playing retro games since they were new and bought Retro gamer since issue 1, who can forget when it looked like it was gone for good...
Its funny to think how the interest in retro stuff has grown, it used to take a lot more effort than simple downloads.
I can only say good things about that mag. Also a bit of a comic fan - so this one also looks interesting!
@Ristar42 You have probably read lots of Damo's Retro Gamer features in a bunch of the last 68 issues, he has covered loads of top retro topics like, 'Castlevania: Symphony of the Night', 'Making of Starfox', 'Hudson Soft Profile', 'Sega Dreamcast' and one of my favourites 'The Spirit of the Mad Gamer' ( a C&VG 1996 -1999 special).
Look through your back issues & have a re-read or check this link:
http://www.meanmachinesmag.co.uk/media/32/damiens-writing.php
@BassX0 I seem to be flicking through an issue of Super Play every day recently, I just wish that I had the last 10 issues, I stopped buying it at issue 36... doh!
I read it, and I only liked the first story for some reason. I don't know...Maybe the other stories didn't feel game related (to me).
Thought this had to do with StarFox...
poopy.
N64 Magazine/NGC was and is still the best magazine I've read. I bought every issue from #18 (I think; it had Wipeout 64 on the cover, and I think I actually got it free with a game in Woolworths) to #100. Their reviews were ALWAYS spot-on in my opinion, and the magazine was often hilarious.
The Overton cover I remember most was a Perfect Dark one, and also Worldy bloke who was always there until he was replaced by that bloody Enjiki. Oh, and does anyone remember Overton's alter ego FuSoYa? A sort of guru character with a cotton wool beard.
And what about Dr.Kitts? Andrea Ball and her Big Stick? Jes Bickham as the bald one from Aqua?
Good times, eh?
@dimlylitmonkey
Don't forget long haired Paul and his van (Art Editor), Welshman Geraint, Little Tim Weaver, Similarly Little Steve Jalim, Dan Gearey (the Irish one) and the Mark Green.
I think I started reading from issue 24 right on to this day (missing a few along the way).
EDIT. Also, this comic interests me.
Yeah, I couldn't get into Ngamer though.
These days my daily fixes of videogame based reading consists of teletext's Gamecentral and Nintendo Life. Plus there's Retro Gamer, and I visit ScrewAttack.com quite often.
And of course the latest Angry Video Game Nerd episode is always essential viewing.
Back to Wil Overton, is there no way he could defect to Nintendo? Or, in return for Nintendo Life plugging his comic, how about contributing a mascot to the site? Perhaps dust off ol' Worldy Bloke. What say you, FuSoYa?
Ah Super Play, what a magazine that was. As well as the things mentioned in this article SP was also one of the standard bearers in campaigning for proper PAL optimisation of games and with its import coverage showing us PAL gamers exactly how poorly we were being treated.
@dimlylitmonkey - Not wanting to become one of those tiresome types who name-drops, but I worked with Jes Bickam recently. Top bloke, very nice and very hard-working.
Like the art, but I doubt I'll like the comic.
@dimlylitmonkey Hooray another Gamecentral fan. No one else I know reads it but I love their reviews and slightly snobby (though usually correct) view on games, to which they dont let hype get in the way of a true opinion. Glad it ain't going and will still be online after xmas.
Might pick this up just from a collection point of view ,not sure I'll be into the subject to much though. I always did like the N64/NGC magazine though before the day's of t'internet
Is there a place to buy pdf of issue one?
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