Atari resurrects cult classic Swordquest after 30-year absence

In the early '80s, DC comics collaborated with Atari to bring the latter's Swordquest videogame series to life in comic form. Packaged with each game, the comics expanded on their respective games' plot (the 2600's crude graphics struggled to portray deep and meaningful narrative) while also offering part-solutions to each game's puzzles—the sum of which, if solved, would net players prize money of $150,000.

The series was sadly abandoned before that prize could be won as a result of Atari's financial troubles at the time, however it seems Swordquest is set to live on in comic book book once again.

That's thanks to Dynamite Entertainment who have taken up the mantle, minus the glamourous prize pot. Following the game's Earthworld, Fireworld, and Waterworld, the comic series will adopt a more meta-leaning approach, following a participant in the original Swordquest contest who seeks to play the ill-fated fourth game Airworld and, ultimately, win the prize for himself.

Here's Dynamite with a brief synopsis:

"Peter Case was a boy on a quest... the quest to win the prizes from Atari's Swordquest challenge! He was counting down the days to the release of the final game, AirWorld, only to be shattered when the news surfaced that it would never be released. Now Peter is an adult... and things aren't going well. The bad news is he has to move back in with his mother. The good news is she still has all of his old Atari stuff. With nothing else to look forward to, his obsession with Swordquest is reignited, in a more daring—and fantastic—way!"

Penned by Chad Bowers and Chris Sims (X-Men '92, Down. Set. Fight!) and illustrated by Scott Kowalchuk (Batman '66, Down. Set. Fight!), the first issue of the new Swordquest is due in May, 2017 and will cost just 25 cents.

Here's a gander at some early cover artwork, including one from George Perez and Dick Giordano—both of whom were involved with the original series: