A talking skull suspended in a mechanical diving suit isn’t something that will appeal to everyone, but I was captivated from the beginning. Toss in some mythological monsters, smooth writing, and spectacular artwork, and I’m completely sold. Writer Thomas Hall and artist Daniel Bradford deliver all of that and much more in the first issue of their new series, Robot 13, an original release from the creative duo’s publishing company, Blacklist Studios. Setting the stage for what appears to be a grand adventure into the dark and the fantastic, Robot 13 will assuredly be an exciting new odyssey to embark on issue after issue.
The story opens in the year 1939 off the coast of Spain, where the crew of a fishing vessel discovers the remains of a mechanical man from the depths of the ocean. But questions about the robotic contraption’s origins are short-lived, as the ship is attacked by a mythological kraken, which suspiciously appears after the fishing crew uncovers the ancient robot. Luckily for the fishermen, the appearance of the sea monster awakens the machine that is Robot 13, saving the ship and its survivors from the raging oceanic beast. Robot 13 from that point on is hailed a hero, asking for only one thing in exchange for his bravery: to be returned to land so that he might discover his true identity and origins.
Robot 13 is both exciting and endearing; the book takes the dark fantasy genre and squeezes out some freshness while throwing in a dash of science fiction and a pinch of intrigue. Thomas Hall’s writing is smooth and snappy. He immediately hits readers with awesome action from the onset, creating an addictive quality with every turn of the page. The illustrations and colors of Daniel Bradford left me speechless. Looking like a delicious hybrid of Mike Mignola and Kevin O’Neill’s artwork, I had a difficult time tearing my eyes away from the action-packed scenes Bradford brought to life with his immense artistic talent.
The fusion of Hall’s writing and Bradford’s artwork ultimately creates an exciting, charming, and endearing dark adventure worth far more than the book’s three-dollar cover price. The journey of discovery that Robot 13 embarks on at the end of the first issue is one I plan on following until the end; when the robotic hero discovers who he truly is at the finale of his epic quest, perhaps we as the readers will uncover something in all of us, too.
This comic book review originally appeared on Comic News on 02 June 2009.
