What is Goodbye Strangers?
"Hi! I'm Valeks, and I'm here to tell you about Goodbye Strangers."
So... Goodbye Strangers is kind of a lot of things. It's a multi-dimensional sci-fi novel, an experimental autobiography, and an interactive website you can actually browse for free! There's a story, but not one you follow chapter-by-chapter – so although there are lots of branching paths, and directions to take, there's no wrong way to make your way around.
(Oh yeah, and even though there's like a billion strangers, it's okay if you don't memorize a single one.)
The main story is Space Madness, which is a sprawling narrative with all the highs, lows, sex, heartache, and melodrama you could ask for. It's pretty psychedelic, and not for the faint of heart! Here are a few of the things you might see along the way...
This is a stranger.
Some of them have butts.
Some of them have butts.
This is a real poodle!
Sooo valuable.
Sooo valuable.
This is Default, a slut. He's my best friend!
These probably have
to do with drugs.
to do with drugs.
This is Bracey! He can
be a little intense...
be a little intense...
A meom!! They're so
friendly and fun too!
friendly and fun too!
This stranger is sort of like a cat, but less so.
Have you heard?
Z is for Zebra!
Z is for Zebra!
This looks kind
of important?
of important?
You shouldn't listen
to these things.
to these things.
Or, maybe the protagonists should introduce the project in their own words! You might have to get their attention first, though...
← choose right or left →
By the way... I'm one of the characters, too! Besides showing up in the story, another job of mine to talk to you, since, well... the author can't always be here himself. If you're interested in that side of things, though, you can take a look at Behind the Curtain, which is about the history (and collapse) of the project, except it's not a true story, and Orson Welles is there, too??
If this all sounds like a trippy fever dream, guess what – it is! That's because the website is a documentation of this weird world that the author's been going into in his mind for a long time... over a decade and a half. So that's why it's changed so much over time, and why there are places that aren't finished yet.
It goes without saying that Goodbye Strangers has involved a lot of work by outside artists, and their contributions are a big part of what's made the project into the surreal technicolor collage that you see today!
Oh!!! I forgot about one other thing. Despite having things like colors, letters, and cartoon cats, Goodbye Strangers is NOT for kids. There's lots of stuff that's just for grown-ups. (In fact, some of you might even be thinking of a few parts with the lights off later, if you know what I mean!)
That should just about cover everything...
Which means it's finally time to forget about ads, forget about franchises, forget about what country or body you were born into, and come re-visit a brand new reality in the amazing fourth-dimensional psychedelic extravaganza...
