Dr. Cyborg here, reviewing a comic by the name of Robot 13. Created by : Thomas Hall and Daniel Bradford

Getting it out of the way, this is one of those reviews where it sounds like I’m complaining the whole time, but I say I enjoyed it anyway.

I think what I feel like complaining about, is the fact that the reviews and the writer boast a blend between Frankenstein and The Odyssey. Having just read both of these books recently myself, they are heralded as (and I consider them to be) some of the greatest works of literature of all time. Pitting any story against them is a quick way to make your story look like crap. (Not that this story looks like crap, mind you.  Far from it.)

Only having read the first issue, I have to say how much it doesn’t feel like Frankenstein at all to me. I think the driving force behind Frankenstein is the idea of a scientist not knowing when to stop. I fail to see how a robot killing mythological creatures is an example of this. Even if it turns out the robot used to be a human being brought back to life, I still don’t think it would have much to do with Frankenstein. No, the Creature is more than a robot, it’s an invention that should never have happened.

On a side note about blending with the Odyssey, I have actually been trying to get a law passed that would require works of fiction to mention it only if it didn’t have any elements of the Odyssey in it, because I think it is a much more seldom event.

I enjoyed it, it didn’t waste any of my precious time, and it had a robot fighting a monster. I thought this  book was well paced and I thought it looked pretty good, too. But I don’t think it’s any coincidence that I like how Hellboy looks either. I think that Mike Mignola would either be very honored to see this, or else he would be contacting his lawyer to see if he has any right to royalties on his style. Whom better to pilfer from?

As stated I like the pacing of this book, not much happened in the first issue, but I think it also showed us what we would be in line for if we added this book to our comic holds. Which I would definitely be willing to do. Yes, I have to say I am interested in what is to come of this Robot 13, who’s past is shrouded in mystery.

I rejoice whenever I get a chance to see titles like this, it looks good and has potential, I recommend anyone with an extra three dollars on hand to pick this up and give it a try, you could do a lot worse.

You can check out more about it here:
http://www.blackliststudios.com
http://www.myspace.com/robotthirteen