There's Some 'Splosion Man In My Comic Jumper

Comic Jumper will launch with its own share of comic-inspired levels. But it will also launch with unlockable levels for another Twisted Pixel Games game: 'Splosion Man. This is a continuation of a streak that kicked off in The Maw with its inclusion of a free Xbox Live theme. 'Splosion Man, Twisted Pixel's previous game, featured avatar-specific rewards.
 
Twisted Pixel hasn't dispensed the big details about the extra levels contained within Comic Jumper, but we do know two things: (a) the levels will be packaged together as DLC and (b) will be designated as single-player and multiplayer only, respectively. 
 
Comic Jumper is slated for a 2010 release and will be shown during E3 2010! In advance, Twisted Pixel has named and even shown (in trailer-form) the last two comic book influences that Captain Smiley and his in-chest partner, the ever-vulgar Star, will be adventuring in: manga and the "Silver Age." 

== TEASER ==The Silver Age, the third style employed in the game, pits the Captain against a dastardly foe who wants female equality. As you'll see in the gameplay footage below, the universe has a Demolition Man twist. Clean and sterile, the environment's mysterious overseer is forced to pile on fines and violations against the Captain and his in-chest partner, Star, for their vulgar and otherwise brutal behavior. 
 
Lean-and-mean, the Silver Age's simplistic art style looks fabulous on-screen. Over on the game's official blog, chief creative officer Josh Bear chimes in to explain why Twisted Pixel chose this genre for use in the game:    

The Silver Age was just a genre we couldn't pass up. As far as the writing and characters go, there was some really goofy/awesome stuff from those old comics from the early 60's, so it made sense for the tone of the game to go in that direction. And the hard-lined shadow and flat color look was a style that we knew would differentiate itself from the other comic styles we have going on in the game. There are a lot of great genres we didn't have the time to do in this first game, but the Silver Age is something that you can't not represent in a game that is supposed to be about a variety of comic books.    

If you take a gander at the trailer specifically for the Silver Age, you'll get a good look at how the game plays. It's a beat-'em-up that appears to lean on its mix of shooting in addition to the fisticuffs. You'll also get why dudes like me are so excited for the game: Twisted Pixel's signature playfulness is literally embedded into the world and its characters. Check it out: 
    
Manga, the last style, is wild. If you watch the new trailer, you'll see the Captain shredding a glut of sickeningly cutesy, anime-laced foes against a black-and-white background. Hilariously, one of the enemies is a massive JPEG of a non-descript boy's head that, when shot, jiggles in place for a second. I should note that this scene unfolds while the Captain is riding on the back of a unicorn. No, really:
     
These two influences compliment the other two which have already been announced: a 90's-style direction which is used as the Captain's native comic, and a Conan The Barbarian-type of direction. If you're up for learning more about either, the game's official blog is the place to go. Bear also speaks to the choices and design designs over there. 
 
I want this game so bad. Please launch soon, game.