Don’t let me spoil the fun and praise that’s surrounded Robotika since its original release a few years ago. The title has received glowing reviews from numerous graphic connoisseurs far more informed and talented than this humble writer, and it even took home a bronze medal from the “Best Graphic Novel” category of 2006, granted by ForeWord Magazine’s annual Book of the Year Awards. But the double-issue re-release of the comic entitled “For a Few Rubles” is the first time I’ve ever laid eyes on the book. Creator Alex Sheikman should be proud; his artwork is stellar and his ideas are interesting (he co-wrote the script with David Moran). But as I throw my paltry opinions into the mix, I must admit that I had a hard time finding a great deal of enjoyment as I read comic.
The publisher of Robotika, Archaia Studios Press, summaries the comic book as follows: “A steam-punk sushi samurai western about loyalty, honor and revenge, in a world populated by silent samurai, fast-talking geisha, deadly mecha-betsushikime, digital djihits, morphing butterflies, and corporate corruption. Niko, a member of the elite bodyguard corps dedicated to protecting the queen, is sent on a mission to recover a stolen invention that in the wrong hands could trigger a bloody civil war. Violence and chaos reign everywhere on the fringes of a “civilized” society where few couldn’t care less about Niko and his mission…”
I walked into this comic with an unfortunate bias of not being able to stomach westerns and completely lacking any interest in Japanese-oriented stories (due, I’m afraid, to the stranglehold anime and manga have on the mouth-breathing communities of the United States). But regardless of my negative preconceptions, I had a hard time with understanding the story of Robotika. I admit that I used the publisher’s promotional summary because I didn’t know how to sum up the book myself; I wasn’t able to figure out who the characters were or what their individual identities amounted to, all of which was only made worse by a muddled plot that quickly turned into a dizzying patchwork of story threads.
While this might sound contradictory, I believe the diegetic layers of the plot were confusing because Sheikman was working with several interesting themes and allegories, but they were all trying to race through the creative door at once instead of being paced a few at a time. The saving grace throughout my reading was Sheikman’s art, which was superb. It was vivid enough to add a true artistic flair to the story while being “cartoonish” enough to remain as a traditional comic book. There are moments when the artwork mirrors the story’s steam-punk setting perfectly, while at other times resembling a lovely photo-essay format through smart panel construction, all of which is made possible by the ultimate compliment of Joel Chua’s rich colors.
Robotika isn’t a bad comic book at all. In fact, to many it’s a rather good comic book. But I had a hard time taking in the title with joy due to my own prejudices and creative intolerances, along with some basic confusion. But if a Japanese-themed western is what’s on the menu, look no further. As for me, I think I’ll simply pass and go on a long-needed diet.
This comic book review originally appeared on Comic News on 22 July 2009.
