Over the years, some of my Metal Gear Solid essays have been referenced, discussed, and shared across a variety of online communities. What began as a series of guest articles on Terry Wolfe's Meta Gear Solid website eventually found its way onto gaming blogs, discussion forums, Reddit communities, social media, fan websites, and even broader discussions involving revolutionary imagery, Che Guevara, and political symbolism in popular culture.
The links below document some of these references and discussions. While hardly indicative of mainstream success, they nevertheless demonstrate that the articles reached audiences beyond their original publication and contributed in a modest way to discussions surrounding Metal Gear Solid, Kojima's political influences, Latin America, revolutionary movements, and the ideological themes present throughout the series.
I am also including screenshots just in case links are broken or comments are deleted.
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The Snake Soup – Positive Portrayal of Che Guevara in Peace Walker
Dedicated article discussing and promoting my analysis of Che Guevara's influence on Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker.
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The Snake Soup – The Ideology of Torture
Feature article highlighting and discussing my analysis of torture and interrogation themes within the Metal Gear franchise.
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Metal Gear Informer
Article discussing Metal Gear's darker themes while linking to wider community discussions in which Meta Gear Solid articles circulated.
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Games Done Legit – Metal Gear Solid Reads
Gaming website hosted by Chris Hatala, featuring the Sylazhov Meta Gear Solid articles among recommended Metal Gear reading material.
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Starmen.net Metal Gear Discussion Thread
Forum discussion referencing the articles during broader conversations about Metal Gear themes.
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Reddit – "Big Boss as Che Guevara" A LATIN PATRIOT’S VIEWS ON PEACE WALKER, THE CIA, AND KOJIMA’S POLITICAL COMMENTARY. (Not by me)
Direct discussion of the "Big Boss as Che Guevara" article.
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Reddit – Latino Metal Gear fans, what are your opinions on Peace Walker and Portable Ops?
Discussion involving Latin American perspectives on the series and related political themes.
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TheJournal.ie – Che Guevara Stamp Article
Coverage connected to discussions surrounding revolutionary iconography explored in the Big Boss and Che Guevara essay.
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WorstGen Forum Discussion
Users discussing Fidel Castro-inspired character designs and revolutionary symbolism, including comparisons similar to those explored in the Meta Gear Solid essays.
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TV Tropes – The Revolution Will Not Be Civilized
References and quotations related to revolutionary themes explored throughout the series and discussed in the essays.
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Twitter Mentions
Search results documenting Twitter sharing and discussion of the "Big Boss as Che Guevara" article.
A decade later, I still occasionally discover new references to these essays. Regardless of whether readers agreed with my conclusions, it remains gratifying to know that these articles generated discussion and encouraged others to examine the historical, political, and cultural influences behind one of gaming's most influential franchises. Thanks to everyone who keeps sharing these articles. I am very glad the response was, for the most part, overwhelmingly positive.