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Hall, Thomas & Bradford, Daniel – Robot 13 #2

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Robot 13 #2

My apologies for that giant scan, but I think an hour spent trying to figure out why the new scanner program isn’t working exactly as I’d like is enough time, don’t you?  Especially considering the fact that this is a temporary solution and things should be back to normal soon enough.  Or I’ll destroy my scanner in a fit of rage for the sole purpose of buying a new one and having the installation disk that I lost for this one ages ago.  So how about this comic?  Well, as I reviewed the third issue first, then the first issue, and now the second, let’s just say that it clears up a little bit of confusion for me.  We get the introduction to the head monster who’s annoyed with Robot 13 for killing his “children”, Robot 13 spends a little time reminiscing (even if he doesn’t seem entirely sure what he’s thinking about), and we get a real sense that these monsters are coming out of the woodwork purely because Robot 13 is newly returned to the scene.  I also picked one of the non-mayhem pages for a sample because hey, I’m always up for a funny.  Oh, and the monster for this issue?  The Phoenix.  I don’t remember it as being this violent from my readings of mythology, but as that was decades ago I could be completely wrong.  The art is still incredible (and perfectly suited for this type of stuff), the writing is restrained but good (and hey, the man is trying to build up a story, it’s supposed to be restrained), and that color is gorgeous.  In other words, unless you only read mini comics there’s no reason in the world not to check this out.  $3.99

Hall, Thomas & Bradford, Daniel – Robot 13 #3

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Robot 13 #3

Hey look, an exclusive!  Or at least something approaching an exclusive.  Thomas was nice enough to send me an advance .pdf of this book (due to come out on March 10th) and, even though I usually don’t deal with anything other than physical comics, the timing of this one was perfect, what with all the chaos of my recent move/house-sitting going on.  This is the story of a land of monsters and one man-made hero with amnesia.  Or at least that’s my initial impression of this first issue.  Yes, first issue.  Even though it says “#3”, the end of the story indicates that this is book one of a story, so I’ll go with that.  It appears to be set in modern day (judging from a bombing at a restaurant), but you can tell from that cover and the sample that it’s not a modern day that most of us see on a regular basis.  So anyway, the story begins with a giant cyclops (called Colossus on the cover) learning that an unnamed man of metal has returned.  Vowing to kill this mystery man, he sets out and the scene shifts to an old blind hermit on a hill tending to, well, a man of metal.  It’s a creepy looking man of metal, as he has a fishbowl for a head containing a human skull, but he seems like a nice enough guy, even if he can’t seem to remember anything about himself.  Anyway, the giant cyclops does eventually locate the metal man and things get ugly from there.  It’s always a bit touch and go with me when I read a fantasy like this, but this was a blast.  I loved that loopy, almost Mike Mignola-ish art, and the writing did a nice job of setting up the series and making the metal man a sympathetic figure.  Hey, any first issue that makes me want to see more did its job.  Look out for it on March 10th, no price was included but I’m going with the random figure of $4.

Hall, Thomas & Bradford, Daniel – Robot 13 #1

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Robot 13 #1

Ah, so the whole story is called “Colossus”, not just the third issue that I reviewed a few weeks ago.  Daniel (or was it Thomas?  I threw away the envelope) was nice enough to send me physical copies of a couple of issues, and I was hoping getting a chance to read this first issue would clear up a few things about the third issue.  Nope: our hero (who is one of the creepier heroes I’ve seen) is lifted out of the ocean by a fishing net, utterly unable to remember who or what he is, and before he gets a chance to blink that giant creature on the cover is attacking the ship.  He does seem to take to killing monsters like the proverbial duck to water, as he seems to instinctively know exactly where the weak spot is on this giant creature.  Or it could be the fact that anybody who’s ever played video games knows to go right for the giant eyeball.  Anyway, you won’t learn much more about the origin of this monster killer in this issue (except to see how he got his start this time around), but it is an intriguing beginning to a series that has some thoroughly impressive artwork and seems dedicated to coming up with increasingly difficult monsters for this guy to deal with.  If you’re looking to uncover the mysteries of life you might want to start with other books on this website, but if you’re just looking for a smart, fun pile of mayhem (that also somehow manages to be only $3 while being in full color), I think you’ve found your comic book.  $3