Codename: Iceman Comic

[Tawmis]

A conversation in another thread about when Codename: Iceman takes place, notbobsmith mentioned the comic says it takes place in 2010.

I had all the InterAction/Sierra News magazines way back in the day; but in one of my many moves, they were shuffled away, forever lost. But I have PDFs of most of them now. And found the comic. So since I couldn't find any reference of the comic anywhere online (Google, you have failed me) except for the FIRST page which was TINY on the now defunct SierraPlanet website (thanks Archive.org!) - I found all of them and captured them to full size; figured I'd post them here in the event anyone else ever looks for it.

Click on the images for larger size.

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[Collector]

Do you know what issue it appeared?

[DeadPoolX]

I know this comic is only meant as a tie-in to the game, but it's so full of inaccuracies, I don't even know where to begin...

[Tawmis]

Do you know what issue it appeared?

Interaction/Sierra News Magazine; tracked it down to Volume 3, Issue #2, Summer 1990

I know this comic is only meant as a tie-in to the game, but it's so full of inaccuracies, I don't even know where to begin...

Where? The comic is pretty much a "walk thru" of some of the near end game sequences (the disguise, the contact on the beach, hiding from the enemy).

[Collector]

Thanks. http://wiki.sierrahelp.com/index.php?title=InterAction

[Tawmis]

Thanks. http://wiki.sierrahelp.com/index.php?title=InterAction

I put all the ones I had on PDF on the LarryLaffer.net site also: http://larrylaffer.net/non-lsl-games/in ... n-magazine

You can see if I have any you don't or whatever (or I can see if you have some I don't).

Sierra Dynamiz News Magazine V4#2 (Summer, 1991) is my favorite issue...

[DeadPoolX]

I know this comic is only meant as a tie-in to the game, but it's so full of inaccuracies, I don't even know where to begin...

Where? The comic is pretty much a "walk thru" of some of the near end game sequences (the disguise, the contact on the beach, hiding from the enemy).

Maybe it's accurate for the game, but I was referring to the inaccuracies regarding real world military information.

For instance (and this is only one example) if the main character was a Navy SEAL, he wouldn't also be the XO of a submarine. Those are two completely different positions requiring drastically different training and experience.

Again, I realize the comic is meant more as a tie-in and entertainment, so being accurate isn't nearly as important, but it's still jarring if you know better.

[notbobsmith]

I actually found a copy of the magazine here (https://www.sierragamers.com/interaction/). I really regret having tossed these out ages ago. The issue with the mini-comic was actually the first one that I received. Aside from the mini-comic, there are a few references in the game that place it "in the near future." Mainly the reference to the global oil shortage.

Sierra Dynamiz News Magazine V4#2 (Summer, 1991) is my favorite issue...

Any particular reason? I remember Spring 1991 because that's when I got both Manhunters for $29.90.

[Tawmis]

Sierra Dynamiz News Magazine V4#2 (Summer, 1991) is my favorite issue...

Any particular reason? I remember Spring 1991 because that's when I got both Manhunters for $29.90.

Heh. I am in that issue of the magazine; for the Leisure Suit Larry contest - they used a photo I had sent in to them (just as a fan) and turned around and asked me if they could use it for a contest (inspired by my photo).
See more over on LarryLaffer.net.

Maybe it's accurate for the game, but I was referring to the inaccuracies regarding real world military information.
For instance (and this is only one example) if the main character was a Navy SEAL, he wouldn't also be the XO of a submarine. Those are two completely different positions requiring drastically different training and experience.
Again, I realize the comic is meant more as a tie-in and entertainment, so being accurate isn't nearly as important, but it's still jarring if you know better.

Interesting. I am not denying what you're saying (don't know enough about the US Military Ranking systems myself, despite my father being Navy) - but it's odd if there's a lot of glaring mistakes, because in the intro of Codename: Iceman, there's specifically a special thanks to The US Navy (and I think someone's name) - so you'd think they had a SME (Subject Matter Expert)/Consultant of some kind.

Maybe they thought in 2010 these things would be a thing?

[OmerMor]

There was a short discussion about the year this game takes place in here:
https://github.com/scummvm/scummvm/pull/770

[Tawmis]

There was a short discussion about the year this game takes place in here:
https://github.com/scummvm/scummvm/pull/770

That is interesting. Why does asking the girl the date even work?

When we first began discussing the date (see the first post in this thread, for the original discussion) - I tried looking at the magazine (sitting on the table next to him at the start), then ran, got my change, and bought the newspaper - neither of those reveal a date (which is where it would have made the most sense to reveal some kind of date).

[notbobsmith]

Sierra Dynamiz News Magazine V4#2 (Summer, 1991) is my favorite issue...

Any particular reason? I remember Spring 1991 because that's when I got both Manhunters for $29.90.

Heh. I am in that issue of the magazine; for the Leisure Suit Larry contest - they used a photo I had sent in to them (just as a fan) and turned around and asked me if they could use it for a contest (inspired by my photo).
See more over on LarryLaffer.net.

Cool. So that's what you looked like back in the day.

Maybe it's accurate for the game, but I was referring to the inaccuracies regarding real world military information.
For instance (and this is only one example) if the main character was a Navy SEAL, he wouldn't also be the XO of a submarine. Those are two completely different positions requiring drastically different training and experience.
Again, I realize the comic is meant more as a tie-in and entertainment, so being accurate isn't nearly as important, but it's still jarring if you know better.

Interesting. I am not denying what you're saying (don't know enough about the US Military Ranking systems myself, despite my father being Navy) - but it's odd if there's a lot of glaring mistakes, because in the intro of Codename: Iceman, there's specifically a special thanks to The US Navy (and I think someone's name) - so you'd think they had a SME (Subject Matter Expert)/Consultant of some kind.

Maybe they thought in 2010 these things would be a thing?

I think Hollywood has a tendency to G.I. Joe-ify the military: e.g. a person has training in being a paratrooper AND scuba diving AND piloting a jet AND fluent in several languages, etc. I think they just take whatever advice the give as long as it doesn't interfere with the story they are telling. As for Codename: Iceman, I don't think it's mentioned if he's a SEAL or not. Although he is placed as XO of a sub even though it says that he is still qualifying for submarine operations which is not a good idea.

There was a short discussion about the year this game takes place in here:
https://github.com/scummvm/scummvm/pull/770

That is interesting. Why does asking the girl the date even work?

When we first began discussing the date (see the first post in this thread, for the original discussion) - I tried looking at the magazine (sitting on the table next to him at the start), then ran, got my change, and bought the newspaper - neither of those reveal a date (which is where it would have made the most sense to reveal some kind of date).

I just tried it and the woman said "1/30/40". I'm surprised that this hasn't fallen victim to a Y2K bug or something. If I am reading the discussion correctly, this will still work correctly until 2047? And I think this is a joke. You ask the woman for a date ("ask for date") and she snarkily gives you the date.

[Tawmis]

Cool. So that's what you looked like back in the day.

Hah! Yes, when I combed my hair to the side to try and mimic the look and pose of Larry from the cover of LSL1 EGA.
But yes... when I had hair on my head and no beard.

I think Hollywood has a tendency to G.I. Joe-ify the military: e.g. a person has training in being a paratrooper AND scuba diving AND piloting a jet AND fluent in several languages, etc. I think they just take whatever advice the give as long as it doesn't interfere with the story they are telling. As for Codename: Iceman, I don't think it's mentioned if he's a SEAL or not. Although he is placed as XO of a sub even though it says that he is still qualifying for submarine operations which is not a good idea.

It's just a nuclear sub... what could go wrong?

I just tried it and the woman said "1/30/40". I'm surprised that this hasn't fallen victim to a Y2K bug or something. If I am reading the discussion correctly, this will still work correctly until 2047? And I think this is a joke. You ask the woman for a date ("ask for date") and she snarkily gives you the date.

Yup, so the day/month is a reflection of whatever the current date is on your computer, and then the 40... the 40 I don't get though. Even after reading the conversation on the thread.
You figure if the game is supposed to be in 2010, it'd just look at MONTH/DATE of your machine - and then put 2010 at the end.

[OmerMor]

I just tried it and the woman said "1/30/40". I'm surprised that this hasn't fallen victim to a Y2K bug or something. If I am reading the discussion correctly, this will still work correctly until 2047? And I think this is a joke. You ask the woman for a date ("ask for date") and she snarkily gives you the date.

Yup, so the day/month is a reflection of whatever the current date is on your computer, and then the 40... the 40 I don't get though. Even after reading the conversation on the thread.
You figure if the game is supposed to be in 2010, it'd just look at MONTH/DATE of your machine - and then put 2010 at the end.

I guess they wanted the game to be futuristic, regardless of the year you play it in. So they just used CURRENT_YEAR + 20.

[Tawmis]

I guess they wanted the game to be futuristic, regardless of the year you play it in. So they just used CURRENT_YEAR + 20.

Curious if that's because Codename: Iceman came out late 1989 / early 1990 (I believe?) - so you +20 to the year; that puts you in 2010 (where the comic claims it takes place).

EDIT: Wiki puts it at released November: Release November 1989