Written by: Alex Sheikman
| A steampunk 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…
Robotika volume 1 hardcover available now. Robotika volume 2: For a Few Rubles More, available March 2010 SELECT REVIEWS “Sheikman is meticulous in his work, blending the Wild West and Japanese elements to create something unique and fascinating.”
—Greg Burgas, CBR’s “Comics Should Be Good”
“Grade A. I cannot impress upon you how well crafted this book is.”
—“Comics And…Other Imaginary Tales”
“The new Robotika is not only better than the old one, it’s actually FANTASTIC!”
— Dan Head, Paperback Reader
“This issue alone ought to keep your eyes glued open, watering until they can peep at the next issue’s art.”
—Dave Baxter, Broken Frontier
“A completely entertaining graphic experience.”
— Robert Murray, Silver Bullet Comic Books
“Sheikman is meticulous in his work, blending the Wild West and Japanese elements to create something unique and fascinating.” “Grade A. I cannot impress upon you how well crafted this book is.” “The new Robotika is not only better than the old one, it’s actually FANTASTIC!” “This issue alone ought to keep your eyes glued open, watering until they can peep at the next issue’s art.” “A completely entertaining graphic experience.” I loved the audacious and unique style of this comic. It’s a real original.” “It’s like Sheikman took a pinch of Kurosawa, a dash of Sergio Leone, and a sprinkle of Moebius, and mixed them with a nice base of amazing artwork. The result is just plain cool.” — Dan Grendell, Comic Pants “Fantasy lovers…will glut themselves on the visuals.” — Jeff VanderMeer, Realms of Fantasy “Like the organic machine technology of its future world, Robotika fuses disparate elements into a quirky, but surprisingly catchy concoction…. Sheikman’s characters face their world with an energy that mirrors the eye-catching layouts that depict them, giving the comic its engaging personality.” — Rudi Dornemann, Rain Taxi Review of Books (Spring 2007) “This particular trip is reasonably entertaining, thanks to a supporting cast featuring the mouthy and mighty “Cherokee Geisha” and cybernetically enhanced, haiku-slinging gunfighter Uri Bronski. Sheikman’s rich and muscular art, vividly colored by Joel Chua, is his trump card…. Recommended for collections in which edgy martial arts and speculative fiction titles circulate well.” — J. Osicki, Library Journal, Dec 19, 2006 “Alex Sheikman named Best Artist of 2006. “I was blown away by Alex Sheikman’s work on ROBOTIKA. Sheikman’s work is eye opening. There are few people in the industry who construct a page like him.” — Alex Ness, “Land of Frost,” www.PopThought.com From Publishers Weekly In the future, genetic enhancements of humans and humanizing treatments on machines—all in pursuit of a “true cyber-genetic hybrid”—have resulted in a race of discarded cyborgs and other experiments who live at the edges of the universe. The Queen’s chief scientist creates a “biological machine” that could bring cyborgs and humans together. But before he can bring it to her, he is killed and his invention stolen. The queen sends mysterious samurai Niko to recover it. He travels from world to world in search of his prize, having misadventures and picking up companions on the way. This is the first full-length work by Sheikman, whose prior work as a role-playing-game illustrator informs the tale, from the detailed world-building to the quest structure. Sheikman’s dreamy yet sharp art features bizarre details reminiscent of Mike Mignola’s early work on Hellboy, and his story has absurdities that recall Grant Morrison’s edgy plotting. But the marriage of these techniques results in something all Sheikman’s. Chua’s nuanced color work and expert shading adds much clarity. Though at times overwritten, Robotika is a unique treat and should appeal to fans of Mignola and Morrison as well as samurai film devotees. (Nov.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. “This series boasts some of the best sequential action in comics…. “[With] a well-formed plot and an entertaining and wry sense of humor, this series has become a must-read.” – Dan Head, Paper Back Reader, www.paperbackreader.com “The art is simply fantastic… Sheikman does a terrific job of constructing this final issue [Robotika #4], giving me great hopes for the next four issues.” – Robert Murray, Silver Bullet Comic Books, http://www.silverbulletcomicbooks.com “A fast-paced, intriguing new comic book series… Robotika is a well-written and drawn, wild romp through a futuristic world of meddling scientists, bizarre creatures, and battling Samaria.” – Michael Vance, Suspended Animation, http://www.joplinindependent.com “Right off the bat, what draws the reader to Robotika is Alek Sheikman’s artwork…. This book continues to be a delight.” – Brian Cronin, Comic Book Resources, http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com “Alex Sheikman handily proves himself to be an awesomely talented artist with a cinematic, kinetic, almost effortless visual style that flows as gracefully from one panel to the next as a Ukrainian figure skater…thus far, Sheikman’s work bears a strong resemblance to a cross between Guy Davis, Mike Mignola, and Steve Skroce, which certainly ain’t bad company to be in…and certainly marks him as a name that should really be watched out for in the future. Both as an artist and a writer. Five out of Five Bullets.” – David Moran, www.silverbulletcomics.com “The script is thoughtful and deliberate and the book looks stunning. The action is thrilling and the art stylish and bold….A-.” – Tom McLean, Variety, http://weblogs.variety.com/bags_and_boards “Evoking classic science fiction, traditional samurai tales, and the timeless hero’s journey, Alex Sheikman’s story also has touches of the western, the action/adventure, the mystery, as well as the alternative, conspiratorial fiction of J. G. Ballard and Philip K. Dick. Then, to engage the reader even more, Sheikman remixes this melange of genres with a pulp storytelling sensibility that nevertheless confronts the reader with some deep questions about what it means to be “human”… The result is a fresh and startling amalgam that reaffirms what a wild ride comics readers can get for less than five bucks.” – Dexter K. Flowers, www.brokenfrontier.com “If you miss the old HEAVY METAL, this is the book for you: very interesting art with gorgeous coloring and production… Check it out just for the art: a little more practice and exposure, and Sheikman could be a superstar.” – Steven Grant, Permanent Damage at www.comicbookresources.com “…Sheikman’s imaginative, textured world is a fun place to travel in. And his art – evocative of Ryan Sook, Tony Harris and Guy Davis at different times – is a pleasure to simply stare at.” – J. Caleb Mozzocco, Columbus Alive “Alex Sheikman handily proves himself to be an awesomely talented artist with a cinematic, kinetic, almost effortless visual style that flows as gracefully from one panel to the next as a Ukrainian figure skater…thus far, Sheikman’s work bears a strong resemblance to a cross between Guy Davis, Mike Mignola, and Steve Skroce, which certainly ain’t bad company to be in…and certainly marks him as a name that should really be watched out for in the future. Both as an artist and a writer. Five out of Five Bullets.” – David Moran, www.silverbulletcomics.com “Alex Sheikman’s enigmatic, gorgeous and often brutally humorous dystopian vision continues to impress and overwhelm. Robotika mixes aspects of sci-fi, samurai and pulp sensibility with rock solid storytelling and an eye for stunning design. Decidedly different, often strange pushed to the brink of self-parody, this is one of the most unique visions I’ve encountered in comics on either side of the millennium.” – Bill Baker, Blood in the Gutters, http://www.pmkane.com/bb/ INTERVIEWS
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