Here's another Kickstarter penguin.... but not the kind you likely were expecting. It's a penguin comic... about Carmageddon?
Quick crash course on Carmageddon. I will go on the record and say that it was THE driving game for me in my formative years. Made by Stainless Games in the dark depths of the 90s when things like this were 'allowed' without moral police cancel squad showing up, it's basically Death Race the Game. While it's sort-of about a car race, in addition to driving well, you can also win by killing your opponents and your score is based on how many pedestrians you run over. Wholesome family fun!
This comic book is a high-quality physical reprint of the online comic released free in promotion of Carmageddon: Reincarnation / Max Damage. Created by Stainless Games and published by Douglas Hamster Comics, the series was written by Neil Barnden, Simone McDermott and Daniel Tejnický – all featuring Tejnický's art.
As for penguins, they have been in the unfortunate pedestrian roster of Carmageddon in since Carmageddon II: Carpocalypse Now, so their inclusion in the comics – in the third issue 'Legs Apart' – is no surprise.
Is the comic good? Well it's just like Carmageddon itself – it holds no punches and aims to offend everyone with a pulse in the most in-your-face manner possible. I virtually grew up with this pure punk that oozes violence, so I'm in my element here, but knowing how the winds blow these days, look it – and the game – up at your own risk. However, I can say that personally I like this crazy, violent sleaze.
Since this physical version was part of the Kickstarter for the 'comeback of the series', I guess I have to address the elephant in the room. That elephant being that this Kickstarter was a disaster of nuclear proportions. Don't get me wrong – how the game ultimately wound up in Carmageddon: Max Damage was exactly as pitched and solid for classic Carma-fans. Everything else surrounding it? Oof!
Long story short, it was a double-whammy of non-transparent non-communication to backers, surrounding a project that was piss-poorly budgeted. Seriously, in hindsight it really looks like Stainless Games was banking on the game selling like hotcakes and those sales would fund the promised rewards. Obviously that failed – and so did most of the rewards. Die-cast cars? Replaced by this comic book. Mac and Linux versions? Nope! Physical copies? Ha – if you want that go and buy it again on consoles!
I'm 1000% convinced that the only reason we 100+ € backers got even these trinkets is because of THQ Nordic, who bought the Carmageddon IP from Stainless. If it weren't for those good folks, Stainless certainly would never have sent the stuff out. Even now, the stuff arrived several years after the game had launched... twice.
I've been part of three Kickstarters that collapsed. The other two I backed at low levels just to be a spectator on board, to see if they end up being great. For example, with Godus I knew whether it was any good or not, I'd be entertained – either I'd get to witness the redemption arch of Peter Molyneux, or get the front-row seats to one of the biggest dumpster fires in gaming history. Sadly it was the latter, but it was glorious to behold!
Carmageddon however, is the only crowdfunder that actually burnt me. As such, even though the comic is good and so is the game, I doubt I'll be buying anything from Stainless Games ever again. As for Carmageddon as a concept, my feelings aren't soured. On the contrary – the idea that the IP is now living under the same umbrella as Saints Row gives me a mad grin and some actual hope for the future. I mean, just imagine a Carmageddon game done by Volition!
