The problem with anthologies is that they can, by their very nature, be something of a mixed bag. It’s arguable that, as a result of this, the best way to organise an anthology of work by different writers and artists, is to pick a theme. The British anthology comic 2000AD, to pluck a name at random, has survived since its launch in 1977 by treading a fairly safe line through sci-fi adventure stories, and you can’t really argue with that.
With Robots, Accent UK has created a self-contained book-sized anthology, sensibly picking a single theme. This is no mixed bag of stories though – a vast swathe of them are so far above average, you can’t help but wonder how the editors have managed to scramble such talent. The answer, quite possibly, is that they’re merely giving them a break, selecting from the cream of British up-and-comers (as well as a few bigger names, attracted by the sheer unassailable quality these guys are managing) and giving them a more mainstream voice.
It works an absolute treat. The longest story is about eight pages so even if you don’t like something, which I found to be extraordinarily rare in this collection, you’ll be on to the next before you know it. Most of the stories, however, will leave you itching for more.
So while buying an anthology is always a bit of a punt, this is one of the safest bets we’ve seen, presuming you like robots of course. Give it a try – I’m sure that this won’t be the last time you’ll be reading comics by some of the wonderful talents contained within Robots’ pages.
Buy Robots from Accent UK or Forbidden Planet