Atomic Robo
| Atomic Robo | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Cover art for Atomic Robo Volume One. Art by Scott Wegener | |||
| Character information | |||
| First appearance | Atomic Robo #1 (October 2007) | ||
| Created by | Brian Clevinger Scott Wegener | ||
| Publication information | |||
| Publisher | Red 5 Comics | ||
| Schedule | Monthly | ||
| |||
| Formats | Original material for the series has been published as a set of limited series. | ||
| Genre | |||
| Publication date | Atomic Robo October 2007 - March 2008 Atomic Robo and the Dogs of War August 2008 - December 2008 Atomic Robo and the Shadow From Beyond Time April 2009 - September 2009 | ||
| Number of issues | Atomic Robo 6 Atomic Robo and the Dogs of War 5 Atomic Robo and the Shadow From Beyond Time 5 | ||
| Main character(s) | Atomic Robo | ||
| Creative team | |||
| Writer(s) | Brian Clevinger | ||
| Artist(s) | Scott Wegener Zack Finfrock Derrick Dean Fish | ||
| Letterer(s) | Jeff Powell | ||
| Colorist(s) | Ronda Pattison | ||
| Editor(s) | Scott Chitwood Paul Ens | ||
| Reprints | |||
| Collected editions | |||
| Volume 1 | ISBN 0980930200 | ||
| Volume 2 | ISBN 0980930227 | ||
| Volume 3 | ISBN 0980930251 | ||
| Volume 4 | ISBN 0980930286 | ||
Atomic Robo is a comic book series depicting the adventures of the eponymous character, created by 8-Bit Theater writer Brian Clevinger and artist Scott Wegener.
Publication history
The series began as a six-issue limited series published by Red 5 Comics starting in October 2007[1]. It was nominated in the "Best Limited Series" category of the 2008 Eisner Awards[2], won by The Umbrella Academy.[3] Colorist Ronda Pattison was also nominated in the "Best Coloring" category subsequently won by Dave Stewart.[2][3] The first six issues of the series have been collected as Atomic Robo Volume 1: Atomic Robo and the Fightin' Scientists of Tesladyne. Atomic Robo Volume 2: Atomic Robo and the Dogs of War was released as a trade paperback on February 18, 2009[4]. The third series, Atomic Robo Volume 3: Atomic Robo and the Shadow From Beyond Time, was released in trade on December 23, 2009 [5], and a fourth, Atomic Robo Volume 4: Atomic Robo and Other Strangeness, has been released in issue format and will be published in trade in the summer of 2010. A fifth volume, Atomic Robo and the Deadly Art of Science, has been announced for release in November 2010 [6].
Storylines
Volume 1: Atomic Robo and the Fightin' Scientists of Tesladyne shows some of Robo's adventures in the 20th century, featuring giant ants, a trip to Mars, a walking pyramid, and two showdowns with his arch-nemesis Helsingard. Volume 1 is currently being released on the iTunes Store for the iPhone/iPod Touch. Each issue is released once a month.
Free Comic Book Day '08 - Atomic Robo must stop a rogue Russian scientist from destroying the atmosphere.
Volume 2: Atomic Robo and the Dogs of War deals with Atomic Robo's missions during World War II, fighting Nazi "weird war" projects. Robo must destroy walking tanks known as the Laufpanzers before they end the Invasion of Sicily. He must team up with British spy, the Sparrow, and must work with soldier James Milligan to end the Weird War once and for all.
Free Comic Book Day '09: Why Atomic Robo Hates Dr. Dinosaur - Atomic Robo fights Dr. Dinosaur in 1999, refuting his idiotic claims of creating a time machine out of sticks and rocks. Dr. Dinosaur then offers Robo what he claims to be the secret of time travel, which turns out to be a box of active hand grenades.
Volume 3: Atomic Robo and the Shadow From Beyond Time deals with Atomic Robo fighting against creatures based on Lovecraftian horror. It is set to take place at different time periods like Volume 1, but with each issue connected like Volume 2.
Volume 4: Atomic Robo and Other Strangeness[7] is a four-issue series of one-shot stories taking place in the space of one week, including a sequel to Why Atomic Robo Hates Dr. Dinosaur[6], entitled Why Dr. Dinosaur Hates Atomic Robo.
Volume 5: Deadly Art of Science'[8] the next series that started in November, 2010. Featuring Robo, Tesla, and the man whose picture is on Robo's desk in Volume 4.
Major characters
Atomic Robo is a robot possessing "automatic intelligence", created by Nikola Tesla in 1923[9]. He is a core member of Tesladyne Industries, "a thinktank dedicated to exploring the fringes of scientific inquiry", whose Action Scientists often respond to paranormal and supernatural emergencies[10]. Robo has a developed sense of humor, and makes numerous wise cracks at his foes' expense[11]. In the past, he has secretly worked with the United States government as well as NASA. Robo's personality is based on Clevinger's grandfather.
Baron Heinrich Von Helsingard, one of Robo's major enemies, is a Nazi scientist who has attempted to gain immortality, along with godlike power and world domination[12].
Jenkins is a member of the Action Scientists, who first met Robo when the latter rescued him from the vampire dimension[9]. His almost super-human combat competence represents a running gag for the series, and Robo has been jokingly referred to as his sidekick.
The Sparrow is a covert British spy who Robo teams up with to take down Skorzeny during World War II.
Otto Skorzeny is the main antagonist of the second volume. He leads the Laufpanzers, walking German tanks, into battle.
Vanadis Valkyrie is a German scientist who the Sparrow is sent to assassinate. She is working on her Wehrwolf Formula, to be used in creating Nazi super-soldiers.
James "Scottie" Milligan is a soldier who rescues Robo from the clutches of Skorzeny during World War II. James Milligan is loosely based on Wegener's grandfather, who shares the same name and nickname and also fought in World War II.
Dr. Dinosaur is a dinosaur who claims to be from the past. He is promised to be a major villain in the following issues.
Thomas Edison, the famous American inventor and rival of Nikola Tesla, appears in the fourth volume. Following an experiment from 1931 seeking to harness the Odic medium into an immortality drug, he has been transformed into a ghost-like entity that materialized in 1999 in Robo's office complex.
Collected editions
The series are being collected into trade paperbacks:
- Volume 1: Atomic Robo and the Fightin' Scientists of Tesladyne (180 pages, June 2008, ISBN 0980930200)
- Volume 2: Atomic Robo and the Dogs of War (also collects Free Comic Book Day story, 160 pages, March 2009, ISBN 0980930227)
- Volume 3: Atomic Robo and the Shadow from Beyond Time (152 pages, January 2010, ISBN 0980930251)
- Volume 4: Atomic Robo and Other Strangeness (140 pages, September 2010, ISBN 0980930286)
Notes
- ^ "Atomic Robo Debuts October 2007". Red5comics.com. 2007-06-25. Retrieved 2010-10-01.
- ^ a b 2008 Eisner Award Nominees Named (press release), Newsarama, April 14, 2008
- ^ a b The 2008 Eisner Awards: 2008 Eisner Award Winners Comic-Con. Accessed 07 September 2008. Archived 07 September 2008.
- ^ deathtoallpoets (2009-05-07). "Atomic Robo Vol. 2 Dogs Of War - Brian Clevinger - Comic Graphic Novel". Heavyink.com. Retrieved 2010-10-01.
- ^ "Atomic Robo and the Shadow From Beyond Time". Heavyink.com. Retrieved 2010-10-01.
- ^ a b "Soon". Nuklearpower.com. 2010-06-12. Retrieved 2010-10-01.
- ^ Brian! (2009-07-24). "Robo Vol 4 TPB is out now aaaaaaah!". Atomic-Robo.com. Retrieved 2010-10-01.
- ^ Brian! (2009-07-24). "Robo Vol 4 TPB is out now aaaaaaah!". Atomic-Robo.com. Retrieved 2010-10-05.
- ^ a b "Timeline". Atomic-Robo.com. Retrieved 2010-10-01.
- ^ "Scott Wegener: Robo Strikes Back: Interviews & Features Archive". Comics Bulletin. Retrieved 2010-10-01.
- ^ http://www.comicsbulletin.com/features/images/0804/robo/page4.jpg
- ^ "Atomic Robo #1: The Will to Power | Major Spoilers - Comic Book Reviews and News". Major Spoilers. 2007-10-11. Retrieved 2010-10-01.
References
- Atomic Robo (character) at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
- Atomic Robo at the Grand Comics Database
- Atomic Robo at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
- Atomic Robo and the Dogs of War at the Grand Comics Database
- Atomic Robo and the Dogs of War at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
- Atomic Robo and the Shadow from Beyond Time at the Grand Comics Database
- Atomic Robo and the Shadow from Beyond Time at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)