The ANSI art "telecomics" of the 1992 election

3 days ago

Don Lokke Jr. coined 'telecomics' in 1992, creating digital comic strips in ANSI art format distributed via BBSes and online services.
His main series, 'Mack the Mouse,' featured political commentary, starting during the 1992 presidential campaign and growing more conservative after Bill Clinton's inauguration.
Lokke produced over 225 installments of Mack and other telecomics, but struggled financially as he tried to sell subscriptions to sysops.
With the rise of the World Wide Web in 1995, Lokke moved his businesses online, and his ANSI telecomics were largely forgotten.
Lokke's work provides insight into the business side of BBSing and reflects early 1990s U.S. politics, particularly through the lens of conservative discontent.
Although his telecomics were single-panel and may not fit strict definitions of comics, they used speech balloons and blended visual and verbal content.
Lokke's prediction about syndicated online content didn't align with the webcomics boom, where creators often monetized through other means rather than syndication.

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