Video games are popular. I don’t know if you knew that, but they are. They’re also the youngest art form on the planet when you compare it to things like books, movies, radio, TV and comic books. That makes it an exciting medium to work in because there’s still the impression of it having endless possibilities. With any popular art from comes its popularity bleeding into other art forms. Video games and comics are nothing new and while Attack! Boss! Cheat Code! A Gamer’s Alphabet is more of a book, well it’s comic booky.

If you haven’t figured it out by now this is just an A-Z book using video game terminology. Most of the terms you’ll see a mile away, while others are strangely specific like Z. I won’t say what it stands for, but it’s a term that applies specifically to a game franchise and while some use it for other games in the real-time strategy genre, I don’t know if it’s as widely known and accepted. Sure that’s splitting hairs, but then if the hair can be split… yeah. The obvious ones, like the ones in the title, are just so “yup” that you won’t really care. There’s a paragraph explaining the word under each letter and they’re well-written, informative and… yup.

The art is okay. It looks digitally created and kid friendly. It’s very bland though. The style of art didn’t strike me as being very video gamey. It’s just looks like something a clueless parent would get for their kids because again its safe looking. I will say that the artist does a fine job of keeping the book looking consistent throughout.

I imagine that this book is for children, but then I don’t know why any kid would want to read it. Some of the terms wouldn’t be interesting to them, others probably hold different meaning to them and the rest they would probably roll their eyes at. So really I have no idea who this book is for. I can see a bunch of people getting it as a gift from a relative that doesn’t understand video games, but knows you’re into them… but it wouldn’t be a very good gift to receive. But if you’re that relative that doesn’t understand video games, well then this is the perfect gift for you to give!

Score: 2/5

Attack! Boss! Cheat Code! A Gamer’s Alphabet Writer: Chris Barton Artist: Joey Spiotto Publisher: POW! Price: $14.95 Format: Hardcover; Print