Editing Steve Purcell (section)

===LucasArts===
Purcell was hired by [[LucasArts]], then known as Lucasfilm Games, as an animator in 1988 but was [[Layoff|laid off]] when the project he was working on was canceled.<ref name="Telltale 2">{{cite web|url=http://www.telltalegames.com/summerofsamandmax/history/history2/|title=The Golden Era|work=The History of Sam & Max|publisher=[[Telltale Games]]|date=2007-06-26|access-date=2009-02-10|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090221055751/http://www.telltalegames.com/summerofsamandmax/history/history2|archive-date=2009-02-21}}</ref> He was rehired to produce art for [[Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders|''Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders'']], a [[graphic adventure game]] .<ref name="World of MI">{{cite web|url=http://www.worldofmi.com/features/interview/purcell.php|title=Interviews: Steve Purcell|work=The World of Monkey Island|publisher=LF Network, LLC|date=2006-04-11|access-date=2009-02-10|archive-date=2015-05-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150506114957/http://www.worldofmi.com/features/interview/purcell.php|url-status=dead}}</ref> Later he was commissioned to create the cover artwork for ''[[Maniac Mansion]]'' and the first two ''[[Monkey Island (series)|Monkey Island]]'' games and researched [[whip]]s for the adventure game version of ''[[Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure|Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade]]''. He worked with animation in several LucasArts adventure games, published three more ''Sam & Max'' comic books during that time, and created short comic strips for LucasArts' quarterly newsletter, ''The Adventurer''.<ref name="Gamasutra">{{cite web|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/playing-catch-up-steve-purcell|title=Playing Catch-Up: Steve Purcell|website=[[Gamasutra]]|first=Frank|last=Cifaldi|author2=Carless, Simon | date= 2005-07-25 |access-date= 2009-02-10}}</ref> The characters eventually became training materials for LucasArts programmers working with [[SCUMM]], the core [[game engine]] used by LucasArts adventure games. 

Purcell created versions of Sam and Max in their office for new programmers to work on under [[Ron Gilbert]], practicing their craft.<ref name="Telltale 2" /> References to the characters were occasionally made in unrelated LucasArts adventure games as a clandestine appearance in backgrounds. Purcell wrote the six-issue comic book series ''[[Defenders of Dynatron City]]'' for Marvel Comics in 1992.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mixnmojo.com/php/site/gamedb.php?gameid=64|title=Defenders of Dynatron City|work=The International House of Mojo| publisher= LF Network, LLC|date=2004-09-12|access-date=2009-02-10 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070819192142/http://mixnmojo.com/php/site/gamedb.php?gameid=64 |archive-date = August 19, 2007}}</ref>

[[File:Sam & Max Freelance Police Special.jpg|thumb|right|upright|A 1988 issue of ''Sam & Max'', published by [[Comico: The Comic Company|Comico]]; Purcell has been surprised at the cult status the characters acquired<ref name="Gamasutra" /> Note the rat on the car's grille, a common theme in Purcell's work.

|alt=A anthropomorphic dog in a suit and fedora drives a police DeSoto through a cityscape, while an anthropomorphic rabbit climbs out the window. An array of dead insects and a rat have been collected on the car's grille. The title "Sam & Max" is displayed prominently, with "Freelance Police Special" below.]]

After a positive reception to the ''Sam & Max'' strips in ''The Adventurer'' and wanting to expand into other franchises following ''Maniac Mansion'' and ''Monkey Island'', LucasArts offered to create a graphic adventure game based on the characters in 1992.<ref name="retro review">{{cite journal|title =''Sam & Max Hit the Road''| journal=[[gamesTM|gamesTM Retro]]|volume=1|pages= 128–129|location=United Kingdom|publisher=Highbury Entertainment}}</ref> ''[[Sam & Max Hit the Road]]'' was conceived and developed by a small team headed by Purcell, [[Sean Clark]], [[Michael Stemmle]] and Collette Michaud.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=6023|title=''Sam & Max Hit the Road'': Credits|publisher=[[Allgame]]|first=Steve|last=Honeywell|access-date=2009-02-10|archive-date=2014-12-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141210112034/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=6023|url-status=dead}}</ref> Purcell decided to base the game on one of his earlier ''Sam & Max'' stories, the 1988 story "On The Road".<ref name="Telltale 2" /> In 1995, Purcell combined all published ''Sam & Max'' printed media into a 154-page paperback compilation titled ''Sam & Max: Surfin' the Highway''.<ref name="Telltale 3">{{cite web|url=http://www.telltalegames.com/summerofsamandmax/history/history3/|title=Sam & Max Hit it Big|work=The History of Sam & Max|publisher=[[Telltale Games]]|date=2007-07-10|access-date=2009-02-10|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130123003511/http://www.telltalegames.com/summerofsamandmax/history/history3/|archive-date=2013-01-23}}</ref> After producing the cover art for ''[[Herc's Adventures]]'' and [[concept art]] for ''[[The Curse of Monkey Island]]'', Purcell left LucasArts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=1864|title=''Herc's Adventures'': Credits|publisher=[[Allgame]]|first=Jonathan|last=Sutyak|access-date=2009-02-10|archive-date=2014-12-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141210140326/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=1864|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mobygames.com/game/windows/curse-of-monkey-island/credits|title=Game Credits for ''The Curse of Monkey Island''|publisher=[[MobyGames]]|access-date=2009-02-10}}</ref>