Multiplex (webcomic)
 | |
|---|---|
| Author(s) | Gordon McAlpin |
| Website | http://www.multiplexcomic.com |
| Current status / schedule |
Updates every Monday and Thursday Frequent additional updates also occur |
| Launch date | July 10, 2005 |
| Genre(s) | Comedy, Film Commentary, Film Criticism |
Multiplex is a humor webcomic written and drawn by Gordon McAlpin which debuted on July 10, 2005.[1] The comic focuses on the lives of the staff of the Multiplex 10 Cinemas and the movies that play there.[2] A print edition of the strip was published through Chase Sequence Co in September 2010,[3] which received a positive review from the Chicago Tribune.[4] McAlpin originally intended to create Multiplex as an animated short, but abandoned the idea and later decided to publish it as a webcomic.[5]
Synopsis
Multiplex is about the many unique employees and customers of the Multiplex 10 Cinemas located in a fictional suburb of Chicago. The Multiplex 10 employs a large number of young adults and has a wide variety of customers. Many of the strips revolve around how the staff interacts with their customers, while others deal with what happens with the staff after the cinema has closed.[6]
Characters
The cast of Multiplex consists mainly of the staff of the Multiplex 10 Cinemas, with some of the customers having recurring roles in the comic.
Main Staff
| Name | First Strip | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Kurt Bollinger | #1 | Kurt is at once the most immature and mature employee at the Multiplex 10, as he is often seen filling in for the largely absent managers when he's not behind a register, in booth, or concession. But when business has been taken care of, Kurt likes to make up games (in which he is often the only one willingly playing) to entertain himself and has been shown to be quite dangerous with a broomstick. He has been working at the Multiplex since he was 16. |
| Jason Atwood | #3 | Jason is a sharp tongued and aggressive half Filipino who does not hesitate to speak his mind, even to customers. Jason’s top five movies are The Incredibles, M, Throne of Blood, Why Has Bodhi-Dharma Left for the East? and the restored cut of Orson Welles' Touch of Evil. |
| Becky | #5 | Becky is shy, intelligent, and slightly nerdy. One of the most versatile staff members, she, like Jason, is known to work as a cashier, usher, concessionist, and projectionist. She has a crush on Jason, although no one besides her seems to know. |
| Melissa Recar | #19 | Melissa is a clever, worldly brunette who has seen in booth, working concession, and ushering. A recurring character known as Stalker Boy has a particular fondness for Melissa, even going so far as to live in denial of her long-standing relationship with Kurt. Her radio "callsign" is "Racer Asylum," which is (sort of) her name backwards. |
| Franklin Onassis | #21 | Franklin is probably the most sane staff member at the Multiplex 10. He shares his name with the character from Peanuts and is often called in to clean up very messy situations. His radio callsign is Black Panther, after the Marvel super-hero. |
Recurring Customers
The Blogger is the proprietor of "MovieMake-Out.com". He is an obese white middle-aged man, not unlike the Comic Book Guy. He has a running "feud" with Jason, who has been seen to rebuff his attempts at getting free entry into screenings. He later received a distributor's permission to enter one private screening, much to Jason's chagrin.
Creepy Loser once applied for a staff position at the Multiplex hoping to be able to meet some of the theater's (young) female staff workers. He can occasionally be found in the backgrounds, ogling various women.
Stalker Boy is a strange guy with an obsession for Melissa and can be occasionally seen in the background looking for her.
References
- ↑ "Movie Theater Parody, "Clerks" Style in MULTIPLEX Webcomic". Newsarama. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
- ↑ "Inside the Webcomic Studio with Gordon McAlpin". Comix Talk. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
- ↑ "Heading to the 'Multiplex' With Writer/Artist Gordon McAlpin". MTV Geek. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
- ↑ Crowder, Courtney (January 4, 2011). ""Multiplex: Enjoy Your Show: Book One" by Gordon McAlpin". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
- ↑ "An Interview with Multiplex's Gordon McAlpin". Comix Talk. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
- ↑ "All Is Full Of Linky-Love: 3 Questions With Gordon McAlpin, Creator Of Multiplex, By Dale Lazarov". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
External links
- The Official Multiplex Site
- The Triple Feature - A weekly movie-themed podcast hosted by Tom Brazelton of Theater Hopper, Joe Dunn of Joe Loves Crappy Movies, and Gordon McAlpin.