Penny Arcade 1x25¢ Edition

(Dark Horse, 2005)
™ and ©2005 Jerry Hofkins & Mike Krahufik

Writer Jerry Holkins and artist Mike Krahulik must have drawn from their own experiences playing computer games, anticipating the next big game console, collecting comic books, and other typically geeky hobbies in creating Penny Arcade. This collection of the duo’s comic strips isn’t priced at the penny that is mentioned in the title, but the 25 cent price tag should still be appreciated by most video game players who have dropped their share of quarters at the arcade.

— Colin Chan

From the Comics Buyer’s Guide:

Dubbed “the comic strip for gamers by gamers,” Penny Arcade has been published on the Internet since 1998, making it one of the older Web comics in existence. The two main characters, Tycho Brahe and Jonathan Gabriel, are loosely based on the creators of the series, giving the material plenty of authentic gaming goodness. However, with dated references to now-defunct game systems like Sega’s Dreamcast and Nintendo’s Game Boy Color, it’s easy to tell that the issue is filled with reprints. But for 25¢, who cares, right?

Penny Arcade pokes fun at everything from the obsession some gamers have with a particular title or system to the mania surrounding videogame violence but it’s unafraid to indulge in lowbrow puns, such as when the guys have fun with a store clerk who is selling fuzzy tennis balls.

Fans of Electronic Gaming Monthly’s Hsu and Chan should enjoy Penny Arcade, but parents should take note that the latter has a nastier edge and a darker sense of humor when skewering games, gamers, and gaming.

— Brett Weiss

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Notes

Writer

Artist

#1

December, 2005
Cover Price: $0.25
5 copies available from $0.40

Jerry Holkins

Mike Krahulik