Meta Runner: Source is a comic book produced by GLITCH Productions, set in the universe of their first original series, Meta Runner, serving to help flesh out the backstory of the show’s universe. The first issue was made available for purchase through the Glitch store shortly after the premiere of the show’s final episode on September 9, 2022, with the first shipments delivered in November that year.
The first issue, "Hello World", delves into the mysterious past of Tari, back when she was just a simple AI program. Her mundane life of repeated tests is broken up when Dr. Sheridan finally finds a test subject for Project Blue in the form of TASCorp Meta Runner Lucinia Porter. As Tari starts to help Lucinia improve her skills, she becomes fascinated by her memories, and the desire to play with others… which is soon cut short when tragedy strikes.
Meta Runner: Source contains examples of:
- Fake Arm Disarm: A piece of debris in the crumbling digital room crushes Tari’s Meta Runner arm, forcing her to amputate herself in order to save Lucinia. Later, just before she’s sent into TASCorp’s servers, Lucinia gives Tari her own Meta Runner arm so that a piece of her will remain with Tari even after she loses her memories.
- Laser-Guided Amnesia: The uplink explosion ends up frying Tari’s hard drive, resetting her memory back to the day she was created.
- They Called Me Mad!: Dr. Sheridan says something along these lines in the comic's first words as he brings Tari to life in her physical body.Sheridan: They all laughed at me and called me a failure. But just wait until the world sees you…
