The Man Who Knew Too Much is a webcomic by W. Wilbur W. for the The Matrix Comics Series 1. It was taken down from the official Matrix website and was never republished in print nor online.
Story[]
Harold typing a message to Jeff while an Agent reads Jeff's file
The story is narrated by Harold Hobbs writing an entry in his journal, which begins "Strange things are happening...". While reading a newspaper at home (sitting next to a computer with a game running), the doorbell rings, and Jeff stops by. Rambling incoherently about the end of the world, computers and hackers, he says it all comes down to a red pill, leading Harold to think he needs rehab.
Some time later, on November 17th, Harold is at work in his data entry job, feeding in endless faceless and meaningless names into a computer when an Agent arrives, asking him about Jeff, who he is trying to find. Jeff writes on Harold's screen (mirroring the scene in The Matrix where Trinity does the same to Neo), saying not to tell the Agent anything. The Agent claims Jeff has commited unspeakable crimes against the state, but seems not to notice Harold typing back in reply, asking what is happening. Jeff replies back that everything he told him is true, and he'll contact him. As the Agent looks up from his file to Harold and the computer screen, Harold asks what he wants to know about Jeff and the Agent tells him they need to know the last time he saw Jeff and the last time they talked. Just as the Agent is about to put his hand on Harold's shoulder he spins around, shouting that he doesn't know "what games are being played", but that he has nothing to say. The Agent replies that he will, "It's just a matter of time. We'll be watching you, Mr. Hobbs."
Setting about trying to find Jeff himself, Harold tries to phone Jeff's parents, but is connected to a Mexican Restaurant instead. He tries mutual friends, none of which have seen or heard from Jeff in the past six months. From then on Harold started to become paranoid, feeling that he is being watched and followed, and decides not to go home as a result.
Checking into a nice hotel he had stayed at before, he finds the place dirty now with lots of bugs, and so goes for a walk to clear his head and think. As he decides nothing makes sense someone mugs him, approaching from behind with a flick-knife and demanding his money. He refuses, hitting his assailant who drops the knife and flees. Still depressed, he carries on walking, and a public telephone he is passing rings. It's Jeff, saying that he can't answer the questions he has yet, but that he's no longer being watched, telling him to go home just as an Agent takes a photo of him from an upper story window of a building on the opposite side of the street.
Still mystified, Harold goes home and decides to search the internet, but as he finds that the entire thing has been wiped out. Jeff comes back and says: "I can't tell you where I am. But remember the Matrix? How we looked for answers? The tables have turned. The answers now look for you. Stay well." The story ends with Harold sitting by a window with a book, all of the pages of which apparently read "The Matrix Has You" as dark suited men seem to be watching him from every window of the surrounding buildings.
Characters[]
- Harold Hobbs
- Jeff Smite
- Unnamed Agents
- An unidentified mugger
References[]
- Redpill
- Trinity cracking the IRS D-base
- Hotel on W66 Street
- Internet
Trivia[]
- The author is listed as "W. Wilbur W." but this is an obvious pseudonym. The true author of the comic has never been revealed, and it is mysteriously one of two Matrix webcomics that was never ultimately printed. In fact, it was later silently deleted from the original Matrix website for unknown reasons (long before the original website went defunct). It was rumored that veteran scifi author Harlan Ellison was going to write a Matrix comic prior to their release, leading to the fan theory that he might actually have been the unidentified author of The Man Who Knew Too Much.