Josh Renaud1d ago

In an alternate universe somewhere, nobody has heard of “webcomics.” Instead, there are thousands of “telecomics.”

In 1992, Don Lokke Jr. coined the term “telecomics” to describe his new digital comic strips, drawn primarily in the ANSI art format and distributed online through BBSes.

This is the final in-depth profile in my "ANSI art and webcomics" series!

https://breakintochat.com/blog/2026/03/25/don-lokke-and-mack-the-mouse/

#webcomics #comics #retrocomputing #bbs #ansiart #textmode #longreads #history #computerhistory

Show threadJosh Renaud

Lokke began publishing his "telecomics" at the height of the 1992 presidential election.

He used them to channel the skepticism and anger felt by everyday Americans about broken political promises and the looming economic recession.

He would go on to draw nearly 300 telecomics by 1995. They were forgotten and mostly lost until decades later when I recovered more than 140 of them.

https://breakintochat.com/blog/2026/03/25/don-lokke-and-mack-the-mouse/

#retrocomputing #comics #webcomics #history #ansiart #textmode #longreads

Mar 26 at 10:02pmWeb
Show threadJosh Renaud13h ago

Lokke gave away his "Mack the Mouse" telecomics for free, hoping to entice BBS sysops to pay for access to his Online Publishing business.

Subscribers could download extra content like his other telecomics "Talking Heads," "Rainbow," "Reggie the Rattler," and "Yellow Bird."

https://breakintochat.com/blog/2026/03/25/don-lokke-and-mack-the-mouse/

#retrocomputing #vintagecomputing #comics #webcomics #history #longreads #politics #ansiart #textmode #arthistory