🤖 Robots
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13-Oct-2020
New Bot Day! Leopardon (レオパルドン) is a giant robot driven by 1978’s Japanese Spider-Man. Why?! Because comics are weird, and comics multiplied by seventies Japanese tv is even weirder. Do yourself a favor and look it up! -
09-Oct-2020
“It is impossible for me to harm or by omission of action, allow to be harmed, a human being.” – New Bot Day welcomes Bishop from 1986’s “Aliens.” In the film, he’s played by actor Lance Henriksen. He prefers the term “artifical person” to “synthetic,” which is derogatory in the year 2122. In a tight spot, trust Bishop to get it done, whatever it takes! -
06-Oct-2020
New Bot Day—a Pit Droid! A gaggle of these robots debuted in 1999’s Star Wars: The Phantom Menace working on podracers. They’re sort of comedic and hapless but I like how economical and simple they are. A charming bot for times which are full of trouble. -
29-Sep-2020
New Bot Day! On this hot day, welcome a second, larger H.E.R.B.I.E.! (Humanoid Experimental Robot, B-type, Integrated Electronics) from the 1978 Fantastic Four cartoon. Conceived as a replacement for the Human Torch and because cute robots are cute. Comics are indeed weird. Stay cool! -
26-Sep-2020
New Bot Day! Chibi-style Cylon Centurion from Battlestar Galactica (1978)! In March I added a vintage 1978 figure. This rendition was too cute to pass up. He’s pictured with a snippet of my freewriting. I’m making comics at a more regular pace which only happens because I’m writing, drawing, improvising words and pictures regularly. A “practice.” I make things I discard. Throwing interesting ideas in the trash is hard for me. But that editing process is core to completing every comic. Which makes me think of BSG: it was derided as a Star Wars ripoff at the time. Galactica sure wasn’t as amazing as Star Wars but it inspired me at the time. In this tire-fire of a world, where so many are struggling, I’m lucky to have time for creative endeavors. We are in a time of incredible injustice and governmental malfeasance. Keep working for good. Onward, everybody. -
22-Sep-2020
New Bot Day! EVE stands for Extraterrestrial Vegetation Evaluator and first appeared in 2008’s post-apocalyptic fable WALL·E. She is dutiful, graceful and heavily armed. Do not mess with EVE! She reminds me of the brilliant, tough & funny RBG, who died last week. EVE is pictured with artwork by Gillian Dreher & Rick Geary of Justice Ginsberg #rickgeary @theresgill -
17-Sep-2020
New Bot Day! Lore is a sentient android robot from the tv show Star Trek: The Next Generation’s first season (1988). Lore was villainous, believing himself superior to organic creatures. Dr. Noonian Soong & Juliana Soong’s experiences with Lore caused them to build Data, a “younger brother” to Lore, without emotions. Lore made trouble throughout his existence and was deactivated in 2370. -
15-Sep-2020
New Bot Day! Getter Poseidon is from the Getter series of 1975-6. This is a sofubi (ソフビ) soft vinyl toys. It’s made by filling molds with melted vinyl. Based on my research this is an unlicensed bootleg toy. I paid a Japanese seller on March 22 on eBay. Yuichi, the seller, warned me by message “Due to the influence of COVID-19, the shipment of ‘International e-packet light’ SAL flights from Japan to overseas has been urgently canceled.” At the same time I had a purchase from Hong Kong that the seller cancelled even though I won it. Yuichi was very thorough in explaining the options for cancellation and refund. We messaged periodically throughout, and 94 days later the package arrived. Getter Poseidon means a lot to me. I realized 8 years ago that this bot is one that I’ve been drawing subconsciously since I was about 10 years old. Bot collecting has taught me a certain amount of patience. I thanked Yuichi profusely when it arrived in June. It’s a time of hardship for many, and patience and care means so much. Hang in there everybody. -
10-Sep-2020
New Bot Day! Diana A (ダイアナンA) was piloted by Sayaka Yumi, who also piloted Aphrodite A. Both are mecha of peace, but include oppai chest missiles . Diana A is named for the Roman goddess of the hunt. She’s from the Great Mazinger franchise in the mid 1970s. This Diana is a gashapon (ガシャポン), a toy that can be sold from a vending machine. She’s seen with other gashapons from my collection. -
08-Sep-2020
New Bot Day! Preston is a robotic dog — “Cyberdog” — he appeared in the short “A Close Shave (1995).” Fred Ramsbottom built him to help in his wool factory and after the scientist dies Wendolene Ramsbottom inherits the factory and Preston. But Preston turns bad and shenanigans ensue, resolved by Wallace & Gromit of course!