Catching the G-Man

***Catching the G-Man*** is a defunct webcomic by Joe that is based on the first-person shooter video game *Half-Life 2*. It is made using the game *Garry's Mod*, which allows manipulation in the Source engine used by *Half-Life 2*. It ran for five seasons from early 2006 to late 2007 that consisted of at least 127 issues. Originally the series was published on the Concerned forum, and also the defunct PHWOnline forum as well as Joe's own website dedicated to the series, which also has ceased to exist.

As the title suggests, the series sees protagonist Bernard's attempts to capture and bring down the G-Man, and enigmatic figure from the *Half-Life* franchise and the employer of the video game's protagonist Gordon Freeman.

## Background

Thanks to the release of *Garry's Mod*, a large surge in screenshots and webcomics manipulating the characters from *Half-Life 2* were released. One of the most well known comics was *Concerned: The Half-Life and Death of Gordon Freeman* by Christopher C. Livingston, which first launched online in May 2005. *Concerned* would later have it's own forum, with a section dedicated to users to post their own comics. Joe began publishing *Catching the G-Man*, which acted as a sequel/spin-off of sorts to a previous shortlived webcomic he made.

## Development

The series would end up consisting of five seasons and 126 episodes altogether, released from 2006 to late 2007. Joe originally intended the fourth season to act as the finale and end on the 100th issue, although fan demand caused him to return for a fifth and final season. But due to not properly planning out the storyline ahead, coupled with a busy personal life, Joe ceased production on the comic, ending it on Issue 126 (titled "Fast Times in City 17") as well as leaving the storyline unresolved. For the Festive season in December 2007 Joe released one more final comic, the Christmas Spectacular.

Joe intended to continue comic making with a spin-off series titled the *Bernard and Steve Show*, the two leading characters from *Catching the G-Man*. The spin-off would be standalone and feature different adventures in each issue rather than an overarching plotline. But due to the above mentioned busy personal life, Joe didn't proceed with comic and retired. He resurfaced briefly in 2009 with the intent to complete *Catching the G-Man*, and created a 127th issue of *Catching the G-Man* as well as an episode for the spin-off *Bernard and Steve Show*, which he released on a forum belonging to a now *Garry's Mod* website Phenomenon on Break. After another absence, he revived his website in September 2010, with the intent to reupload all his episodes and other comics, was well as again attempting to revive the series and production a sequel comic to *Catching the G-Man: Christmas Spectacular*. But he was unable to relocate the comics and thus no reuploads occurred, and he didn't proceed with any other comics related to the series.

### Background

In the *Half-Life* franchise, The G-Man is an enigmatic figure who observes over the player during the events of the series. During the ending of the original *Half-Life*, he employs the protagonist Gordon Freeman, and wakes him up from a twenty year stasis in a world ruled by the interdimensional alien empire known as the Combine. The G-Man is mostly in far out of reach areas, and if the player attempts to catch up with G-Man he mysteriously vanishes without a trace.

### Seasons

* Season 1
* Season 2
* Season 3
* Season 4
* Season 5

## Characters

* Bernard - the protagonist
* The G-Man - Bernard's enemy
* Steve Zimmerman - Bernard's friend
* Bulma
* Nick
* Brad
* Charlie - a zombie Combine Elite
* Alyx Vance
* Gordon Freeman - the protagonist of *Half-Life 2* who Bernard is tasked to capture in season 2.
* Jeff
* Yoda
* Leonard