Bob - A Comic Strip About Robots

Panel 1: Bob (a box robot with a worm sticking out of it) and Sam (a spherical robot with a mechanical grin) are hiding behind a large crate from Spyder (a dark nucleus ball with five large spider-like tendrils protruding from it, and a tangled mess of wire jumbled all around the core). Spyder has found them. It has one tendril wrapped around the crate taunting Bob, who looks at it inquisitively. Sam runs off, screaming as another tendril and the main body chase after him. Panel 2: Bob lifts one finger into the air as Spyder continues to chase after Sam, its tangled wire coalescing down one tendril. Bob: That’s it! Panel 3: Bob engages the thrusters on the bottom of his feet and flies past Spyder, looping the tendril that chases him back around itself.

Panel 1: Bob (a box robot with a worm sticking out of it) and Sam (a spherical robot with a mechanical grin) are hiding behind a large crate from Spyder (a dark nucleus ball with five large spider-like tendrils protruding from it, and a tangled mess of wire jumbled all around the core) who stalks around the other side of it, looking for them. Bob: Okay. I almost have this figured out. Panel 2: Spyder continues to search in the background. Bob: I just need a few more points of data. Panel 3: Spyder has moved closer to the crate. Sam jumps in surprise as one of Spyder’s tendrils has wrapped all the way around the crate and is tapping Bob on the shoulder. Panel 4: Bob looks behind him to see the tendril. Spyder has walked to their side of the crate and is tapping Sam on the shoulder. Bob: Crap.

Panel 1: Spyder (a dark nucleus ball with five large spider-like tendrils protruding from it, and a tangled mess of wire jumbled all around the core) stands on the ground, having wrapped up Bob (a box robot with a worm sticking out of it) and Sam (a spherical robot with a mechanical grin) in some of its arms. It has slammed them together above its head with a loud “wham!” Panel 2: Spyder jumps straight up in the air, swinging Sam and Bob to crash into each other below. Sam: Ow. Panel 3: Spyder drops to the ground and swings the other two back up again to crash together with a loud “wham!” Panel 4: Spyder jumps straight up in the air, swinging Sam and Bob to crash into each other below. Sam: Ow.

Panel 1: Closeup of Bob’s worm head, upside down. Bob: There has to be a way to beat this guy. Panel 2: Closeup of Sam’s grinning robot head, right-side up. Sam: He has to have *some* weakness. Panel 3: Closeup of Sam’s grinning robot head, upside down. Sam: But he’s just so tough. Panel 4: Spyder (a dark nucleus ball with five large spider-like tendrils protruding from it, and a tangled mess of wire jumbled all around the core) stands on the ground, having wrapped up Bob (a box robot with a worm sticking out of it) and Sam (a spherical robot with a mechanical grin) in some of its arms. It has slammed them together above its head with a loud “wham!”

Panel 1: Spyder (a dark nucleus ball with five large spider-like tendrils protruding from it, and a tangled mess of wire jumbled all around the core) stands with a threatening stance against Sam (a spherical robot with a mechanical grin). Behind, Spyder is holding aloft Bob (a box robot with a worm sticking out of it) who is wrapped up in another of its arms. Sam is pointing behind Spyder. Sam: Look! It’s a Bob! Panel 2: Everyone pauses here to let the stupidity of the situation sink in. Panel 3: Spyder grabs Sam in two more of its arms, holding him aloft. Spyder’s tangles bolster the base of its arms and down into the legs because of the physical feat.

Panel 1: Bob (a box robot with a worm sticking out of it) and Sam (a spherical robot with a mechanical grin) stand on the street, weapons in hand. Sam is nodding along with Bob. Bob: Okay. You distract him and I’ll sneak up from behind. Panel 2: Sam walks towards Spyder (a dark nucleus ball with five large spider-like tendrils protruding from it, and a tangled mess of wire jumbled all around the core), waving his arms. Spyder looks confused. Sam: Yoo-hoo! Sam: Spider Thing! Panel 3: Spyder turns towards Sam and begins to approach with two arms forward, as Bob pokes his head in from off screen. Sam: I bet you caaaan’t get me. Spyder: Skrk? Panel 4: Without taking his attention off of Sam, one arm has shot out and wrapped around Bob, holding him aloft and bound. Sam: Oh.

Panel 1: Title panel showing a crescent headed scepter very close. Upon it reads “Bob! by JDVM” Panel 2: Panel pulls back on the scepter (no longer with title) as a stick figure hand reaches in and touches it in the center with a “boop!” Panel 3: Panel zooms back in on the crescent head of the scepter, which is now glowing. Panel 4: Panel pulls way back to show Crescent (A squat robot whose head is a crescent shape holding a scepter with a crescent shaped head). The scepter will sparkle for the rest of the comic. Crescent has erupted with light with a “Ping!” He also has a look of complete joy that will persist throughout the rest of the comic. Panel 5: Two long ribbons appear on the ends on Crescent’s crescent shaped head with a “Ping!” Panel 6: The ribbons swirl around Crescent’s body and wrap around him as everything glows. Panel 7: The ribbons release as a crescent moon robot insignia appears on his body with a “Ping!” Panel 8: Crescent does a fanciful leap to the left as his head ribbons trail behind. Panel 9: Crescent bends way backwards on one stubby leg and points the other up into the air. It erupts with light and a “Ping!” but we don’t see any change. Panel 10: Crescent does a big, fanciful leap to the right, his head ribbons trailing up and behind. Panel 11: He spins around on one leg as the ribbons swirl all about. Panel 12: Crescent strikes a pose facing the viewer with his wand hand on one hip and the other giving a salute upon his forehead. The ribbons form a large heart shape around him.

Panel 1: Arf (a shaggy mop of a dog) lies on the ground, sleeping. Panel 2: He wakes with surprise as two human arms reach down for him. Panel 3: Arf looks up at Fred (a stick figure human) who has lifted him up into a hug. Panel 4: Fred sits on the ground, clutching Arf tight.

Panel 1: Cass (A robot shaped like a vase with an antlered crown atop her head upon a floating disk, with wispy wire arms and a W on her chest) has her hands upon her hips and looks off to the side. Panel 2: She looks down at her wrist as if at a watch. Panel 3: She looks up at a sound effect going “Ding!” as her hat flies off her head in surprise. Panel 4: She stands before an oven, taking a sheet full of cookies out of it. Cass: I hope Bob and Sam find these pleasant.

Panel 1: Harold (a small robot whose head is a horizontal cylinder atop a ball) sits in front of a box that has postage and a name starting with “B” on it. A hatch has opened in his head and a mechanical arm is placing a controller of some sort into the box. His robot insignia is a black circle with four smaller circles poking out of it. Panel 2: Harold’s expression grows angrier as he rolls along, holding the box above his head. His robot insignia has changed to the kanji for “ki”. Panel 3: Harold has arrived at a mailbox, his expression still angry. He is placing the box within. Panel 4: Harold rolls along in the opposite direction, smiling now.

Panel 1: Queen Vlavoil (A robot shaped like the letter V, with shaggy hair, a vacuum hand, and angular, mesh-like legs) stands before a table across from General Alpha (A robot shaped like the letter A, dressed in militaristic garb) who sits upon an easy chair. She holds a steaming teacup in her hand while another sits upon the table. Vlavoil: Should we make an appearance? Panel 2: Both cups are on the table, Vlavoil’s empty. Alpha: No. Robret might confuse it for Act 3 and do something dumb. Panel 3: Alpha is now holding his cup. Alpha: Perhaps we just need to hint at our presence.

Panel 1: Queen Vlavoil (A robot shaped like the letter V, with shaggy hair, a vacuum hand, and angular, mesh-like legs) stands before a table across from General Alpha (A robot shaped like the letter A, dressed in militaristic garb) who sits upon an easy chair. Behind her, Harold (a small robot whose head is a horizontal cylinder atop a ball) sits while holding a tray containing steaming teacups. Alpha: I hear Star is attacking the city. Panel 2: Harold has departed and the teacups are on the table. Vlavoil: Hm. Panel 3: Vlavoil holds one of the cups aloft. Vlavoil: He probably just wants attention.

Panel 1: Dr. Smith (a stick figure holding a clipboard) is bent over a microscope, looking into it. Fred (another stick figure) stands behind him, apprehensive. Fred: Freida still hasn’t returned from lunch, Sir. Panel 2: Closeup of Smith, looking up from his work. Dr. Smith: And? Panel 3: Closeup of Fred. Fred: …And I’m worried. Panel 4: Panel pulls back to show both humans once more. Smith has turned back to his microscope. Dr. Smith: Worry less, science more.

Panel 1: Title panel that reads “Bob by JDVM.” Several Henchmen (stick figures with an inverted triangle for a head) are on and around the letters pounding spikes into them and the ground with hammers. Panel 2: Star (A robot shaped like a massive four-pointed star made of perpendicular diamond shapes) hovers in the air with a concerned look on his face. Star: BANANA DEMON! HOW IS PROJECT STAR? Panel 3: Crescent (A squat robot whose head is a crescent shape holding a wand with a crescent shaped head) stands with a smile on his face, holding up a paper. Next to him is a squat table holding a large stack of papers. Crescent: We are well ahead in several sectors. Panel 4: Bob (a box robot with a worm sticking out of it) and Sam (a spherical robot with a mechanical grin) are elsewhere, charging forward with weapons drawn. Star (offscreen): AND WHAT OF SQUARE AND CIRCLE? Panel 5: We see Crescent from behind atop a raised platform. Before him floats Star, who is massive in comparison. Crescent: They are preoccupied with Spyder. Panel 6: Spyder (a dark nucleus ball with five large spider-like tendrils protruding from it, and a tangled mess of wire jumbled all around the core) stands tall on two legs. Two more extend upward out of the panel and return back down wrapped around both Bob and Sam, who are now dangling upside down. Spyder’s last appendage hits Sam with a “Bop!” sending him towards Bob. Panel 7: We cut back to Star who is now smiling. Star: EXCELLENT! Panel 8: Elsewhere, at an outdoor Ice Cream stand that has a giant ice cream cone atop it, two Henchmen pound stakes into the ground while a third holds stick figure humans hostage. Crescent (offscreen): Our Henchmen have gone unnoticed… Panel 9: Elsewhere, a concerned henchman is furiously peddling on a stationary bike while another pounds a stake into the ground. Crescent (offscreen): …and are able to proceed as planned. Panel 10: We shift back to Star who is drawn smaller and looks concerned once more. Star: AND IF THEY DO BEAT SPYDER? Panel 11: Closeup of an old school landline telephone. Crescent (offscreen): Then we are prepared to spare no expense in brining on additional labor.

Panel 1: Bob (a box robot with a worm sticking out of it) and Sam (a spherical robot with a mechanical grin) stand in conversation. Bob is holding his weapon and Sam is gesturing wildly. A fourth-wall breaking bubble showing Crescent (A squat robot whose head is a crescent shape holding a wand with a crescent shaped head) looking frustratedly at Sam hovers nearby. Sam: Bob, this guy is tough! And the machines are still damaged after fighting Banana Demon. Panel 2: Bob raises his weapon. Sam: What are we going to do? Bob: Same thing we always do. Panel 3: Bob holds his weapon up with both hands as if cocking it. Bob: Keep shooting until we think of something else.

Panel 1: Sam (a spherical robot with a mechanical grin) spins around, dizzy. In the background Bob (a box robot with a worm sticking out of it) charges forwards, firing his weapon at Spyder (a dark nucleus ball with five large spider-like tendrils protruding from it, and a tangled mess of wire jumbled all around the core) who stands in a defensive posture. Panel 2: Sam is *very* dizzy and continues to spin around. In the background, Spyder expands, its wires less condensed at it threatens Bob with two arms. Bob continues firing. Panel 3: Sam falls over with a loud “foomp!” In the background, Spyder has grabbed Bob, and expanded further with two arms wrapped around him tight. Bob fires down at the other robot.