Everything is a mess. But you can support me by paying what you would like for a few of my comics which I did for the amazing Riso studio Burn All Books last year. You can see my photos of toy robots here. And here are drawings. And comics.
I’m Joe Crawford and this is my personal webspace. Check the blog. I’m also on instagram or twitter.
Thanks for visiting.
New Bot Day! Marvin (the paranoid android) first appeared on radio in 1978 in the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and in books, tv, and film. This iteration is from 2005. It’s a solid design, but my favorite is the 1981 television version. Marvin is super-intelligent, with “a brain the size of the planet” but is nevertheless depressed. #h2g2 #marvintheparanoidandroid
New Bot Day! Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots was developed by Marvin Glass and Associates in the 1960s. Originally the toy was meant to represent human boxers, but the death in the ring of of Davey Moore in 1963 the project was scrapped. But the toy was fun. The company “de-humanized” the figures. They were robots that fall apart, not a person that falls over. They have science fictional backstories: “Red Rocker” from Soltarus II fights “Blue Bomber, pride of Umgluck.” I wonder when we started using robots to stand in to let us enjoy entertaining violence? Endless streams of battle droids are shot, dismembered, and crushed in Star Wars movies and animation, to comical effect. Contrast that with the moving death of K-2SO in Rogue One. We are selective about which robots we choose to think of as worthy of dignity. Empathy turns out to be a creative choice not just for the creator but for the viewer. It’s worth interrogating our hearts when we cheer and laugh about violence being done to others.…
New Bot Day! Daimos is from 1978 anime 闘将ダイモス (“Fighting General Daimos”); 3rd of Toei “Robot Romance Trilogy.” Voltes V & Combattler V came first. It transforms into a giant road vehicle in “Tranzer” mode! Daimos knows karate and defends Earth from alien invaders!
©1996-2021 all rights reserved except where otherwise noted
