an endlessly renewed sitcom or a syndicated comic that has existed since the Korean Conflict". The comics were well received by critics, many praising the humor and style of the stories and characters. However, later commentators have noted that the comic book series did not gain much popularity or recognition until after the release of Sam & Max Hit the Road in 1993; the later episodic video games are seen to have revived interest in the comics again, resulting in the creation of the webcomic "The Big Sleep" and publication of an anniversary edition of Surfin' The Highway. Upon its release in 1993, Sam & Max Hit the Road was met with near universal acclaim. Critics praised the title for its humor, voice acting, graphics, music and gameplay. It has since come to be regarded as a classic graphic adventure game, one of the most critically successful projects by LucasArts to date. Sam & Max Hit the Road is regularly featured in lists of top games, and was nominated for the 1994 Annie Award for "Best Animated CD-ROM", although the award instead went to LucasArts' Star Wars: Rebel Assault. The abrupt cancellation of the sequel to Sam & Max Hit the Road in 2004 garnered substantial criticism of LucasArts. In addition to a petition of 32,000 signatures objecting to the termination of development on Sam & Max: Freelance Police, both Steve Purcell and the media were critical of LucasArts' decision. Purcell stated that he failed to understand quite why the game was cancelled, as he believed the development of the game was proceeding without hindrance, while the media put forward the view that LucasArts was moving to consolidate its position with low business risk Star Wars video games instead of pursuing the adventure games that had brought them success in earlier years. The cancellation of Freelance Police is often cited as the culmination in a perceived decline in the overall adventure game genre, and LucasArts later dismissed many of the designers involved with developing their adventure games, effectively ending their adventure game era. Although Sam & Max Save the World did not receive the critical acclaim that Sam & Max Hit the Road acquired, it still received a favorable response from critics across its release in 2006 and 2007. Critics praised the game's humor, graphics and gameplay, although concerns were voiced over the low difficulty of the puzzles and the