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The Sam & Max Universe

Skippy the DemonSkippy the Demon
edited December 2008 in Sam & Max
Do all of the characters from the games, cartoons and comics live in the same "world"? Cuz it seems like each of them have their own Villains and support characters. Surely I'm not the only one who picked up on this, I'm just curious if Steve Purcell has ever talked about this. I really don't care if they're all separated... I just would like to know.

I'll give some examples... like Lorne "The Friend For Life"~ isn't in the comics or any of the games (that I know of). Well wait I was writing that sentence and thought that Mack Salmon is in the comics and the cartoon. I DUNNO! I would just like someone to help me clear this up because lately its been bugging me.

Comments

  • Harald BHarald B
    edited November 2008
    That kind of carryover is made difficult by the fact that Hit the Road, the animated series and the recent game series were made by different companies, who can't use each other's material without risking a lawsuit. So the official line will always be that these three are separate continuities all building on the original comics (which were licensed by all of them); besides what's in the comics, the sharing is limited to some references here and there.

    That said, some of these references can be pretty blatant, like Bosco and Jesse James' severed hand. There's some effort going on to give the impression that it's all tied together. But officially, never.
  • Skippy the DemonSkippy the Demon
    edited November 2008
    Ok, I didnt think that they were all different since they are based on the same core material (re the comics), but now that you mention it that does shine a new light on this. Its cool and sucks at the same time, because they each have their own cool shit... it'd be neat if they could use each others creations in every medium. Anyways thank you... I hadn't thought of Lawsuits.
  • JakeJake Telltale Alumni
    edited November 2008
    Sam & Max isn't really about that sort of continuity. (Even Sam & Max forget that they're in anything resembling a continuous universe most of the time!) I don't think any of the comic books had any common characters or places beyond Sam and Max, the DeSoto, the Commissioner, (sometimes Flint Paper), and their office. That's largely been the case in all the other mediums as well. The cartoons and Telltale's games have their own continuity within themselves, but beyond that, all that they have in common with each other, the comics, or Hit the Road are the above mentioned Sam and Max, the DeSoto, the Commissioner, (Flint) and their office. (Bonus points to the Mack Salmon storyline including Commander Blip and the Rubber Pants Commandos for managing to make the crossover from the comics to the cartoon, but they're an exception.)
  • 16_BIT_MARIO116_BIT_MARIO1
    edited November 2008
    The Rubber Pants Commandos are the best.
  • Skippy the DemonSkippy the Demon
    edited November 2008
    Jake wrote: »
    (Bonus points to the Mack Salmon storyline including Commander Blip and the Rubber Pants Commandos for managing to make the crossover from the comics to the cartoon, but they're an exception.)

    Now is that because they were part of the core material? Much like how Telltales has Flint Paper in Season 2? I dunno theres just so many great characters its a damn shame they all cant be in all the games/shows/comics... but again I understand that they cant due to companies suing, again thanks for telling me why, because I was just baffled why they were all separated.
  • StinkomanFanStinkomanFan
    edited November 2008
    You don't need contuity to have a good show. Just look at Chowder.
  • MaxilyahMaxilyah
    edited November 2008
    That makes me miss "the Geek". She was such a great character.
  • Skippy the DemonSkippy the Demon
    edited November 2008
    StinkomanFan wrote: »
    You don't need contuity to have a good show.

    Yes I know this... I was just wondering why they didn't reference each other, I shoulda known it was legal issues... they seem to mess up everything anymore. I would've liked to seen more Lorne "The Friend for Life"~, because I think its funny when they sing that. I seriously crack up each time I hear it. But yeah alot of shows and comics don't have continuity and are great! Much like Sam & Max, they can keep bringing in new characters and keep it fresh for a long time.
  • tredlowtredlow
    edited November 2008
    Maxilyah wrote: »
    That makes me miss "the Geek". She was such a great character.

    Really? I read the comics and played the first game before watching the series. So I always thought 'the Geek' was kinda annoying. Too "saturday-morning-children's-cartoon"-ish for my tastes.

    Although I never got the same problem with the other new characters (except the Soda Poppers).

    No, who I really miss was Mac Salmon, now that was a great villain.
  • JakeJake Telltale Alumni
    edited November 2008
    I'm always amused by Mack Salmon's staying power. He was was around for like four pages out of all of the Sam & Max comics, and maybe two half-episodes of the cartoon. He was never in a game, but people always ask for him to return. I'd like it if he did at some point, but there'd have to be a good reason, I imagine.
  • Hero1Hero1
    edited November 2008
    How many villains have a fish bowl for a head you just can't deny the brilliance of that original idea from Steve.. Probably why people keep bringin up.. I got flint paper in season 2 so I'm not gonna push my luck on this one hah
  • QuuuxQuuux
    edited November 2008
    Mac Salmon has the same appeal as Chairface (CHA) in my book/brain :)
  • BiggerJBiggerJ
    edited November 2008
    In both of Mack Salmon's appearances, Sam and Max didn't recognize him, despite his insistence that they were responsible for his current fishy form. If Sam and Max were to face him again, they'd probably have forgotten those first two encounters and mistake him for Mr. Spatula, making him even madder!
  • MaxilyahMaxilyah
    edited November 2008
    I'd imagine that is EXACTLY what would happen, since Sam and Max are... well, Sam and Max.
    "Look, Sam! Mr. Spatula's back from the dead!"
    "I'm not Mr. Spatula! I'm Mac Salmon!"
    XD
  • War-overlordWar-overlord
    edited December 2008
    BiggerJ wrote: »
    In both of Mack Salmon's appearances, Sam and Max didn't recognize him, despite his insistence that they were responsible for his current fishy form. If Sam and Max were to face him again, they'd probably have forgotten those first two encounters and mistake him for Mr. Spatula, making him even madder!

    I agree with this. The best thing about Mack Salmon is the fact that he wants to take revenge on Sam & Max for turing him into a fish and that Sam & Max cannot remember how, when and to who it happened. Sam's best guess is that is was a "Freak boating accident". However I doubt Sam & Max will mistake Mack for Mr. Spatula, not taking in to account the numerous physical differences, Sam & Max used to be somewhat attached to their former Pet and they will not mistake any old fish for Mr. Spatula. Personnaly I think it would be funnier if Sam & Max would taunt Mack by saying that Mr. Spatula was a better villain or something of the like.

    The second best thing about Mack Salmon is that he is able to be an relatively effective villain, despite being a salmon in a fishbowl on a mannequin-body. It takes a special kind of evil to be evil without being able to physically do anything. This is especially complemented by the fact that Mack is verry arrogant and eloquent, which gives him a realy special air of misplaced superiority.

    Lastly, I have to agree completly with Jake. Telltale should only bring Mack Salmon back, if they have a good, realy good, reason to do so. Mack would lose his speciality if he appeared every other episode. Also, I my humble and honest opinion, it should never be revealed how Mack became a salmon, because it would ruin his persona. (Unless Steve Purcell wants to, but I doubt that.)
  • Gman5852Gman5852
    edited December 2008
    I have scene a few episodes of Sam and Max on youtube and so far Mack Salmon is the best villan. What I think is wierd is that on some show ( I think it was Yin Yang Yo.) There was a villan that was a fish in a bowl on a robot sute:eek: I wonder if it's a reference to him
  • sam&maxfreelancepolicesam&maxfreelancepolice
    edited December 2008
    tredlow wrote: »
    Really? I read the comics and played the first game before watching the series. So I always thought 'the Geek' was kinda annoying. Too "saturday-morning-children's-cartoon"-ish for my tastes.

    Although I never got the same problem with the other new characters (except the Soda Poppers).

    No, who I really miss was Mac Salmon, now that was a great villain.


    Yep,I'd have to agree with you there too!
    I always found the geek character annoying and unecessary,but according to Steve Purcell the character was forced upon him by Fox.
    Thats not to say the cartoon didnt have its moments,but it got toned down for the saturday morning crowd and lacked the violent gunplay and more subversive adult humor of the comics.

    Mack Salmon is great! that must have been one heck of a boating mishap!

    Now,if you'll excuse me there's some dry elastic corn dogs being sold at the local carnival that need confiscating and Max is just itching to shoot some of those pointy pom hats off the clowns!
  • ShwooShwoo
    edited December 2008
    What I heard was that Fox forced them to make the Geek a girl, not that they forced them to put her in.

    But I'm not sure.
  • BadwolfBadwolf
    edited December 2008
    Well (IIRC), they wanted a girl character, and the choice was either add the Geek, or give Max a sex change.
  • light_riseslight_rises
    edited December 2008
    Badwolf wrote: »
    Well (IIRC), they wanted a girl character, and the choice was either add the Geek, or give Max a sex change.

    Yup. And Shwoo is right, too—the Geek was slated to be in the show at least as early as the Series Bible, and was going to be male (there's a picture of him at the Geek's Wiki page).
  • yoshimicksteryoshimickster
    edited December 2008
    I think their in the same universe seeing how in Season one they made references to Hit the Road.
  • War-overlordWar-overlord
    edited December 2008
    yoshimickster wrote: »
    I think their in the same universe seeing how in Season one they made references to Hit the Road.

    As far as I know, that was just to please the fans. The Sam & Max universe isn't continuous. The fact that several chars, locations etc. are owned by different companies and people make it virtualy impossible to be able to maintain continuity. As far as I'm concerned, Telltale should maintain continuity within their series and if anyway possible with the comics. Asking more of them, is asking them to either spend a lot of money or risk lawsuits for even a few secs of chars out of the cartoons or HtR.

    But if Telltale wants to please the fans, I would like to see some more reffs to Bone and SBCG4AP if possible. I loved it when in S1 Ep2 you saw part of the Barrelhaven Tavern as a scrapped Tvset.
  • yoshimicksteryoshimickster
    edited December 2008
    Or a Strong Bad Sam & Max Crossover! Come on, we were all thinkin it!
  • AshtonAshton
    edited December 2008
    I wouldnt have a problem with Mac becomming a recurring villian, even being the driving force behind the problems in a series just like turned out to be the case in the apst 2 seasons.

    I would also like to know more about how he became a salmon... though it might be simple reincarnation, I doubt it...

    The Geek has been replaced by Boscotech though I do miss the sub-basement. As I said a long time ago I'd love to hear a joke about "didnt we used to have a really deep basement under here?" or something equivolent

    Also while impossible due to legalities I think it owuld be funny for sam and max to get stuck in an episode of the TV series and run into their hand-drawn selves, etc. (or maybe, more legally plausible, the original comic)
  • AvelAvel
    edited December 2008
    Jake wrote: »
    I'm always amused by Mack Salmon's staying power. He was was around for like four pages out of all of the Sam & Max comics, and maybe two half-episodes of the cartoon. He was never in a game, but people always ask for him to return. I'd like it if he did at some point, but there'd have to be a good reason, I imagine.

    Y'know, considering how much actual Sam and Max stuff there is in total it really isn't all that surprising. He's pretty much the only real villain that shows up more than once, so he has a more sizable percentage then any of the other villians...
    Gman5852 wrote: »
    What I think is wierd is that on some show ( I think it was Yin Yang Yo.) There was a villan that was a fish in a bowl on a robot sute:eek: I wonder if it's a reference to him

    See, popular enough to rip off, popular enough to bring back, no?
  • ArrkhalArrkhal
    edited December 2008
    I'm always amused by Mack Salmon's staying power. He was was around for like four pages out of all of the Sam & Max comics, and maybe two half-episodes of the cartoon. He was never in a game, but people always ask for him to return.

    It's because he's warm and squishy!
  • Skippy the DemonSkippy the Demon
    edited December 2008
    Jake wrote: »
    I'm always amused by Mack Salmon's staying power. He was was around for like four pages out of all of the Sam & Max comics, and maybe two half-episodes of the cartoon. He was never in a game, but people always ask for him to return.

    I dunno, I think its cuz he's Sam & Max's nemesis. They've had many villains, through the comics and the TV series and the games... but none of them were as well put together as Mack Salmon. He's just yer average super villain, in the "Final Episode" on the cartoon series, he has Sam & Max tied to a nuclear bomb. Then he proceeds to tell them his plans, and in a classic move, leaves the room to let them "dwell upon their fates". This is the classic super villain, tells you how yer going to die and the bad things that happen after you die then leaves you to escape.

    I think if Telltale was ever going to bring him back he would have to be introduced at the end of a series, like you play through 4-5 episodes not quite knowing who the villain is, then in the last one you know its Mack Salmon for the last like 10 mins of the episode. But thats just my take on it, you guys are far better at putting together plots for Sam & Max than I'll ever be.
  • Some Manner Of...Some Manner Of...
    edited December 2008
    Skippy the Demon wrote: »
    I think if Telltale was ever going to bring him back he would have to be introduced at the end of a series, like you play through 4-5 episodes not quite knowing who the villain is, then in the last one you know its Mack Salmon for the last like 10 mins of the episode. But thats just my take on it, you guys are far better at putting together plots for Sam & Max than I'll ever be.

    Interesting, Skippy. Personally, I'd go the other way with it: have him be as visible and obnoxious as possible throughout the whole season, constantly cursing Sam and Max for what they did: all the while, Sam and Max are clueless as to why this guy hates them.

    Also, Hi, I'm new. Sorry if I missed the introduction thread. :eek:
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