I wanted to put in one more mention of Robot 13 in case you haven’t seen it already. I’d gotten a chance to preview the first issue before it was released back in August, and got a look at the iPhone version via Robot Comics. There are three issues available at this point, and each one has had at least one massive battle as well as a smidgen of history. Thomas Hall and Daniel Bradford are doing a slow reveal, telling Robot 13’s origin through half-remembered dreams and sort of a Greek chorus. They pull from mythology for their beasts, too—so far Robot 13 has faced a Kraken, a phoenix and a Cyclops. I’m sure there will be plenty of others. The artwork is captivating; Bradford makes great use of shadows and silhouettes. His artwork has a very angular, blocky quality to it, very stylized but somehow not flat. Again, though, I’m reminded of Hellboy , particularly with the big red man on the cover of this issue. (Even the bumps on the Cyclops’ head call to mind Hellboy’s sawed-off horns.) But the story is certainly different. If you liked your mythology mixed with a heavy dose of action, Robot 13 just might be the amnesiac cyborg hero you’ve been looking for. Having seen the two versions, I definitely prefer the print version, because the tiny screen of the iPhone just doesn’t do justice to the big splash panels (and pinup galleries at the end). Of course, I imagine it will be available for the iPad soon, at which point I might have to change my mind again. Parents should be forewarned, though: most of the baddies have lots of teeth, and while the violence is fairly stylized and somewhat cartoonish, there’s still a bit of bone-shattering and limb-rending, so you’ll want to steer little kids away. You can order the print edition directly from Blacklist Studios (look for the store link at the bottom) for $3.99. Issue #1 is already sold out, but #2 and #3 are still available. You can also get the digital versions from Robot Comics and Panelfly , depending on your platform. Disclosure: Blacklist Studios provided review copies of the first three issues. Read the rest of this entry »