Source: Paul Castiglia (Blacklist Studios)It was the most unusual catch the fisherman had ever seen: a robotic creation with a skull for a head!
ROBOT-13 has no idea what or who it is, nor where it came from. All it knows is that it has an instinctual and irresistible drive to protect mankind from mythological creatures of destruction.
Two people who do know something about the creature are Thomas Hall and Daniel Bradford, the creators of this new comic book series from Blacklist Studios set to debut at this year’s Museum of Comic & Cartoon Art (MoCCA) Festival.
As fantastical and imaginative as the premise of ROBOT-13 is, it all came together organically for Hall and Bradford.
“Daniel had this robot design he was working on, and I had been reading Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein’ at the time,” explains writer and co-creator Hall. “I thought there could be a connection. Frankenstein was really a product of its day. People wondered if science had any limits and whether it should have them,” he continues.
Hall decided it would be fun to play with a main conceit of the Frankenstein legend. “If something is created that can think and reason, what would that creation think about itself?”
The original Frankenstein novel was subtitled, “A Modern Prometheus,” as a nod to the titan of Greek mythology who stole fire to give to mortals. Mythology plays a role in ROBOT-13 as well.
“There’s a very Ray Harryhausen-feel to something mechanical with a skull for a head,” notes Hall, referring to the man who created the special effects behind such mythological fantasy films as “Jason and the Argonauts,” “Clash of the Titans” and the Sinbad movies. “Naturally, we decided our robot should fight giant monsters from mythology, just like the ones in the movies we grew up with!”
The monster mash-up of the Frankenstein creature and Greek mythology goes beyond mere battles between behemoths, however.
“In Greek mythology, there’s always the journey where the hero goes to find himself. Having our “creature” follow that hero’s path, looking for who he was, gives me as a writer some great stuff to use. And who doesn’t love a giant monster fight?” explains Hall.
Working together since 2003, Hall and Bradford front Blacklist Studios. Other projects include their first series together, a moody, supernatural tale of serial killers and the apocalypse called “Enlightenment,” and the raucous action-comedy “KING!,” about a certain side-burned, peanut butter-and-banana-sandwich-eating rocker turned monster killer. Now, striking the balance between “Enlightenment” and “KING!” comes ROBOT-13 #1. The full-color comic book with 24 action-packed story pages retails for $3.00. Readers can choose between two covers: a photo-realistic painted cover by fan-favorite Jeff Slemons or an edgy, frenetic cover done in signature style by series co-creator Daniel Bradford. Don’t miss Robot-13’s pulse-pounding debut, as he is dredged from the depths to battle a terrifying Kraken in the epic adventure, “Colossus!”
More information about ROBOT-13 and other Blacklist Studios titles can be found on the internet at www.blackliststudios.com. Readers can also visit the ROBOT-13 MySpace page at www.myspace/robotthirteen.
The MoCCA Festival, held each June since 2002, offers a unique venue to see and purchase comics, mini-comics, web comics, graphic novels, animation, posters, prints, original artwork, and much more. Thousands of people who love cartoons and comics, from hardcore collectors and enthusiasts to the merely curious, come to the festival each summer to meet, talk to, and purchase works from some of today’s best cartoon and comics artists, writers, editors, and publishers.
Each year, the festival also invites dozens of well-respected creators, scholars, and other experts to participate in a two-day slate of lecture/discussion panels on a wide range of comics and cartoon topics. This year’s MoCCA Festival takes place on June 6 and 7th at the 69th Regiment Armory at Lexington Avenue and 25th Street in New York City from 11AM to 6PM.
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