The World's Fair

I've been thinking a little about having another go at a Puzzle Fantastica, what with the first being kind of cool, and the second solved much too quickly. Along those lines (and because the previous post has that marvelous cover image), I was happy to discover that at one time (back in April of 2006), Bob Staake was preparing his own puzzle.

Called "Mysteryopolis" - it's really very pretty to look at.

Anyway, he writes:

What I'm working on now is another mystery. I had originally intended this to be a 4 page story in BLAB #17, but I've decided not to do that -- and expand on it instead as a graphic novel -- a story that reads as a seemingly disconnected series of textual blurbs and dreamlike illustrations.

The name of this book is 'Mysteryopolis', and when published, I hope the disjointed story will work as visual poetry and leave the reader wondering if they truly KNOW what the thing is about, but the last page of the book will explain that there is really a method to the madness of the 32 picture book they hold in their hands. ALL the spreads (visually and/or textually) are linked by a common denominator -- something that links them together in away that isn't immediately apparent.

When a reader then inputs that common denominator on a special page within the Mysteryopolis web site, the complete story is revealed, the mystery unfolds before their eyes, and they see that the text and art in the physical book is only 50% of the story -- and the missing text and art becomes revealed. (Bob Staake, April 2006)

And here are a few other pictures he showed off in this mystery. Can you see a common denominator?