You liked Half-Life 2? You like Comics? You'd like to see what REALLY happened in the events of Half-Life 2?

Then you should read this comic - made by Christopher C. Livingston - it's so lovely written and simply hilarious, it's a pity that the story is already over.

But it's definitely worth a re-read every single time!

QUOTE:

This comic strip is based on the ground-breaking PC game Half-Life 2, by Valve software, and is created with the brilliant Garry's Mod tool, which allows users to enter the game and basically play God by spawning and manipulating physical objects, posing character models, creating special effects, and taking pictures.

Those who have never played Half-Life 2 will be in the dark on a lot of the goings-on in the comic strip, as much of the dialogue and situations are pulled directly from the game or are based on the game's plot, history, and background. For those who someday plan to play Half-Life 2, read this comic with caution as there will be major spoilers.

Concerned is the story of Gordon Frohman, former Black Mesa entry-level employee, survivor of the Portal Storms and the Seven Hour War, and now earnest and hard-working citizen of City 17. Frohman is a simple guy trying to earn an honest buck in a post-apocalyptic world ruled mercilessly by hordes of heavily armed alien hybrid soldiers (called Combine) bent on draining the Earth of its last natural resource and exterminating the human race. He also enjoys playing backgammon.

Gordon Frohman arrives on the scene a few weeks before Doctor Gordon Freeman -- scientist, hero, anti-citizen, and star of Half-Life and Half-Life 2 -- first appears in City 17. Due to the similarity in their names, Frohman is often initially mistaken for the crowbar-wielding Freeman, though due to Frohman's chatty nature and general incompetence the error is usually sorted out fairly quickly.

While Gordon Freeman is brought to City 17 to free the remaining human population from the iron grip of the Combine, our mild-mannered Gordon Frohman has no such goals. In fact, he rather likes the Combine, thinks City 17 is a great town, and absolutely idolizes Dr. Wallace Breen, whose television show he watches religiously.

Frohman progresses through the world of Half-Life 2 in much the same way Freeman eventually does, though Frohman is motivated by different reasons. Frohman's adventures begin in the train station of City 17, just like Freeman's, and he soon meets Barney Calhoun, Alyx Vance, visits Dr. Kleiner's lab, makes his way through the canals, arrives at Black Mesa East, then travels through Ravenholm -- while apartment hunting -- up Highway 17, through Nova Prospekt, and then finally back to the City 17 he loves so dearly.

Naturally, Gordon Frohman doesn't command the respect and admiration that Gordon Freeman does, and thus is not given access to the weaponry and transportation that the rebels later provide their scientist cum action-hero with.

Below, we see the low-tech version of Freeman's airboat (called simply "a boat") as Frohman attempts to flag down a ride from a (perhaps unfriendly) Combine chopper.

Frohman also doesn't get to use Freeman's tau cannon-equipped buggy, though he can achieve a turbo boost on his bicycle when properly motivated.

All good things must come to an end, however, and one day, the much-anticipated Gordon Freeman shows up and threatens to turn Gordon Frohman's beloved City 17 into a battleground. The revolution begins and it's all-out war with the ultimate fate of the human race in the balance.

There goes the neighborhood.