Top 10 Comic Book ROBOTS (Part Two)

I'm sure the suspense has been killing you since
Part One, so here's the final five of my 

  

The Bat-Sentry: A cross between the forever-cool Batmobile of the early 1940's and a Transformer, the Bat-Sentry robots appeared in the alternate future of DC's Kingdom Come (1996). With his body battered and broken from his Batman career, Bruce Wayne built an army of these imposing robots to patrol the virtually crime-free streets of Gotham City in his stead. For a better look at the detail of Alex Ross' fantastic design work, click here to view Jin Saotome's custom Bat-Sentry he created for Wizard Magazine a few years back. 

The Vision: Stretching the traditional definition of a "robot", the Vision has often been classified as an android or "synthezoid" whose makeup and construction virtually duplicates that of a true human. With a devil-red face, a costume that evokes a movie serial space tyrant, and the "sparkling personality" of Star Trek's Mr. Spock, the Vision has remained a fascinating, enigmatic figure. Amping up the Vision's fascination factor is the fact that he's what you might call a "recycled superhero", since his body is a modified version of the original (and ironically-named) Human Torch.

 

 Who upgraded the Torch into the Vision? 

Why, that would none other than Robot #3...

Ultron: Created by Hank "Ant Man/Giant Man" Pym, Ultron pulled an Insta-Oedipus on his "father" by immediately trying to kill him. Escaping from Pym's lab, Ultron upgraded and strengthened his design to include impervious Adamantium metal, advanced weaponry, and a distinctive, truly eerie-looking "face". Resuming his quest to kill Daddy Dearest and his fellow Avengers, Ultron (as I touched on above) discovered and altered the inert body of the Human Torch into an android assassin. Rebelling against his programming, the android joined the Avengers and took the name of "The Vision" (as suggested by his teammate the Wasp). Ultron, like any good A-list villain, has returned time and time again to destroy the Avengers and all of humankind.

The Sentinels: Making their debut way back in X-Men #14 (1965), the Sentinel robots were invented by Dr. Bolivar Trask to "save humanity" from the threat of mutants. Programmed to hunt, capture, or kill mutants, this army of 30 ft. powerhouses have faced the X-Men countless times while under the control of various individuals and organizations. Coolest thing about 'em? Those weird, expressionless faces and glowing eyes...underscoring their relentless quest to capture and crush mutantkind.

The Iron Giant: Okay...technically not a comic book robot, but considering he's my Favorite Robot of All Space and Time, hear me out. I as wrote about many moons ago, the Iron Giant movie (1999) completely blew my socks off for a whole host of reasons. One of those reasons was the (surprisingly vital) role comic books played in the title character's development. Because of that role, I feel justified in not only including the Iron Giant, but placing him right into the coveted Number One slot as well. Sure it's a stretch...but hey, it's my list, right?

But maybe if you watch this clip from the film's final act, you'll understand why I included the big guy. Here, as the tiny town of Rockwell faces nuclear annihilation, Hogarth's giant pal performs one final act of heroism...his last whispered word sealing the deal for the Top 10 number one slot.

(sniff) Excuse me, there...there must be something in my eye.

Okay, so now that you've seen my Top 10
comic book robots, what are some of yours?

Comments

[John Nowak]

Personally, I'd drop Deathlok because he's a cyborg and not a robot. By the way -- I can't help but wonder if he's the first cyborg to use the now familiar "half my face is metal, the other flesh" design.

Iron Giant? Absolutely. Quibble all you like over him being a comic-book robot, but it's a great film.

[JIm]

Something I was always unclear about. I understood that the Vision was a modified version of the 50s Human Torch. But then that original Human Torch showed up in West Coast Avengers, so how did that alter the Vision's origin story?

Also, the original Torch then lost his powers - did anything ever happen with that character after that? Did he ever return?

[Dan Lietha]

SNIFF! I think I have the same thing in my eye. I agree with this top pick.

[Pat Curley]

Wow, that is a terrific climax; now I gotta go down to the library and borrow that flick.

John, on the half-human, half-robot face, there's the guy on the cover of Amazing Spiderman #37. Not quite half and half, but obviously the template used by a lot of those characters.

[Mark Engblom]

"Something I was always unclear about. I understood that the Vision was a modified version of the 50s Human Torch. But then that original Human Torch showed up in West Coast Avengers, so how did that alter the Vision's origin story?"

Kurt Busiek explained that away in "Avengers Forever", an ambitious (and somewhat headache-inducing) time travel epic that addressed many of the paradoxes and retcons of previous years. Obviously Busiek wasn't fond of John Byrne's recon that separated the Torch and the Vision's shared history (and neither was I), so now the original Human Torch was apparently "split off" from one time line and brought into another by time czar "Immortus" for reasons that now elude me. So the Vision is still an upgraded version of the Human Torch, while *a* Human Torch is bouncing around somewhere or somewhen.

See? Headache-inducing.

[greyman24]

Iron Giant is one of the greatest animated films ever, bar none. That last scene chokes me up just thinking about it.

[Peter Donolo]

I think the Alex Ross Bat-Sentry is actually based on the Dick Sprang-designed 1950 Batmobile, not the early 40's model. Note the blade that comes out of the bat-head.

[Pat Curley]

My favorite robot? I wrote a post about him awhile ago, calling him The Greatest Hero of the Silver Age: Tin, the self-doubting but always heroic member of the Metal Men. He was braver than any character that DC or Marvel put out for the simple reason that he had to overcome his obvious fears and trepidations.

[ShadowWing Tronix]

I'll see your Bat-Sentry and raise you this:
http://img518.imageshack.us/my.php?image=batmobiletransformerhu7.jpg

Somebody designed that based on the movie Batmobile and movie Transformers.

And yes, Iron Giant is an awesome movie, but wasn't it based on a Russian novel?

[Hube]

Mark: Great calls all-around on this top 5. I LOVE the "Iron Giant" film -- one of my favorites. The Vision is probably my 2nd favorite hero, and Ultron is one of the scariest villains in comics history.

Unlike(?) Mark, I absolutely LOVED Avengers Forever, especially issue #8 which explains how the Original Human Torch and Vision are the same, yet separate. Immortus, as Mark said, had split the timeline at one point (which allowed the Torch and Vizh to exist separately), but then brought both these separate timelines together back into the same timeline at a later point.

The reason for Immortus' meddling (besides Kurt Busiek's need to retcon John Byrne) was to prevent the Scarlet Witch from having children (the mental shocks of the Torch/Vision biz, among many others, apparently helped!). As a "nexus being," the Witch's kids could end up being more powerful than Eternity. This was unacceptable to the Time Keepers, Immortus's bosses.

[googum]

No Red Tornado or Machine Man?

And the Vision/Human Torch thing...guh, I've read those, and still don't remember.

[John Nowak]

>Amazing Spiderman #37..

Hmm ... good catch!

[mykalel]

Great picks all, but I'd swap out Deathlock for Machine Man.

I've gotta ask - when did The Vision's costume change? Can't say I like the new version much.

[Mark Engblom]

"I think the Alex Ross Bat-Sentry is actually based on the Dick Sprang-designed 1950 Batmobile, not the early 40's model."

I think you're right, Peter. I stand corrected!

"And yes, Iron Giant is an awesome movie, but wasn't it based on a Russian novel?"

No, the movie was (very loosely) based on The Iron Man: A Children's Story in Five Nights by English poet and writer Ted Hughes. Prior to its publication in the U.S., the title was changed to The Iron Giant to avoid copyright problems with....you guessed it...Marvel's Iron Man character.

"Unlike(?) Mark, I absolutely LOVED Avengers Forever..."

I should clarify that I *did* enjoy the maxi-series, mostly for the fantastic Carlos Pacheco artwork and its ambitious scale. I enjoy a good time paradox story, but I think it was a case of "too much of a good thing", especially in regards to the brain-melting connections between Kang and Immortus.

"Great picks all, but I'd swap out Deathlock for Machine Man."

Yeah, I knew Deathlok was stretching it, but his look is so cool, I couldn't justify cutting him. As I said earlier, aesthetics has much more to do with my choices, and Machine Man's never really rang that bell for me.

[Nimbus]

What about the following:

Amazo
Robotman (strictly a cyborg I guess)
Skeets
Jocasta
the Manhunters

and, of course, ROM (well, he *looks* robotic anyway!)

Personally I like some of the British comic book robots like Robot Archie and the ABC Warriors (especially Mongrol).

[De Baisch]

Excellent call on #1.

I fell in love with The Iron Giant after seeing the trailer at a sci-fi convention and made it a point that summer to see it as often as possible.

[Mark Engblom]

"What about the following:

Amazo
Robotman (strictly a cyborg I guess)
Skeets
Jocasta
the Manhunters"

Yup. All robots that are cool in their own way, but who didn't make the cut for my Top 10 list.

[Joe Lewallen]

No love for Humanoid Experimental Robot, B-type, Integrated Electronics AKA H.E.R.B.I.E?

[Mark Engblom]

None whatsoever. ;)

[collectededitions]

I second Red Tornado. And no love for a Superman robot, either?