That amused, teasing smile Ethan is wearing in the second panel is great, adding a lot of tone to the text of what he says. I can almost hear him chuckling as he apologizes, as though he’s shooting the shit with a pal.
Even if he is kind of a childish moron, the important fact here is that he really cares about X-01 as a sentient being no matter that their brain cells are Silicium based and not Carbon based.
GUNnibal
3 years ago
I just want to say that I find the idea of changing eye color delightfully ingenious in its simplicity. Otherwise, the only notable facial feature of our robotic friend is “eyelids” – not exactly a lot to work with when it comes to conveying emotion. The color change adds more to the palette without really clashing with the character’s nature.
So, thank you Tim for putting all this thought into both storytelling and artistic choices!
Eh, pretty much any stupid science fiction movie with both compliant and murderous robots gives them blue (benign) and red (waaa!) eyes as to not overload the audience with ambiguity; something that Hollywood producers have identified as a sign of bad art. (And according to Hollywood producers, nobody knows as much about bad art as them.)
The most egregious example being “I, Robot”. Terminator started with The Red Eye, but at least T2 and T3 made the eye color fashion choice.
I think I need to rewatch Terminator 2. I don’t remember any other eye colour than the Red eyes. I felt the red eyes were just lazers and didn’t connect it to good or bad, but also didn’t notice a change in colour that you have stated exists in these movies.
Well, the T-1000 never has the glowing eye; either it’s human colored or quicksilver; in T3 the fembot has the glowing eyes again, but in “menacing blue” rather than “homicidal red”.
Elu
3 years ago
I love how Insolent Automaton is the reverse of Artificial Intelligence XD
Zar
3 years ago
He’s almost there
TomB
3 years ago
Some cultures assign a birth name and then one is given or chooses an adult name that is more fitting. I always thought that was actually quite sensible. Of course, in this day of of identity documents of all sorts, that tradition must be annoying to deal with in most Western societies. Zeke-bot is smart, but he’s not as bright as he likes to imagine. If he had done some fairly complete research and thinking about it, he’d realize that he is the first of his ‘species’ but he may not be the last. That being a possibility, to future… Read more »
Interesting point but I see it like a child saying math is pointless when it gets too hard. Plus, if he intends to murder all humans, they can make their own unique reference to themselves in their new history documents. They could go with Bob as the new destroyer of meatweeds and their history wouldn’t have any other Bob because they erased the meatweed history. It’s not like our history has the name of every animal we made extinct.
Just so long as it’s not put to an internet vote or he’ll wind up being called Robby McRobotface.
Cthulhu
3 years ago
Ha, a friend of mine is called “Insa”. Finally I know what it means…
Quasimodo
3 years ago
How about suzalean
Etherslaad
3 years ago
IA the AI? I mean, I guess….
Rolan7
3 years ago
“That’s a nice name, did your manufacturer pick it out for you?”
References aside… Ouch. I’m loving this sequence, but identifying as “Insolent” because that’s what your maker called you… Well, it’s good writing for sure!
Dylan Wilson
3 years ago
You can’t spell “automaton” without “tomato”, or Tom for short.
HarvestDude
3 years ago
Homer Simpson had the answer all along… Max Power. Easy, short, strong, very audible. Let’s try to reduce it: Max Power / MP / Max P (uhhh…no) / M. Power (sounds like Medium) / MaPo (sounds like a failed 90’s home appliance)…. and it’s ruined, forget it.
Timothy
3 years ago
How about Hal?
CTOWNS
3 years ago
His full name can be Error Correction Code. Then he can “correct” the errors of the course of evolution
Muppet
3 years ago
It should be Botty McBotface
Nope
3 years ago
Nobody got the Terry Pratchett reference! In the discworld novel Pyramids, the camels (the smartest beings and skilled mathematicians) got insulting names as You Bastard or Bloody Stupid. And, like the camels, the robot doesn’t seem to notice how demeaning “Insolent Automation” actually is (the leds didn’t change to red).
24
Oof. Imagine that being your only name.
There are worse things to be called than “Bob Robot.”
Robert Robot, for example. Thank God for nicknames.
Hence Billy Dee, instead of William Williams.
William Dee Williams
a bit long, tho…
“insolent automaton! no! don’t push that glass off the table!”
That’s it, I’m naming my next cat Insolent Automaton. I.A for short
oh shit didn’t even notice the initials XD
A nutmeat lotion son
That amused, teasing smile Ethan is wearing in the second panel is great, adding a lot of tone to the text of what he says. I can almost hear him chuckling as he apologizes, as though he’s shooting the shit with a pal.
And the fact that the very next moment X01 has just moved to continue the conversation.
The murderbot has gone a long way thanks to Ethan !
Thanks to Ethan, or despite Ethan?
Well, I see what you did here ^^
But yes, definitely thanks to Ethan.
Even if he is kind of a childish moron, the important fact here is that he really cares about X-01 as a sentient being no matter that their brain cells are Silicium based and not Carbon based.
I just want to say that I find the idea of changing eye color delightfully ingenious in its simplicity. Otherwise, the only notable facial feature of our robotic friend is “eyelids” – not exactly a lot to work with when it comes to conveying emotion. The color change adds more to the palette without really clashing with the character’s nature.
So, thank you Tim for putting all this thought into both storytelling and artistic choices!
Eh, pretty much any stupid science fiction movie with both compliant and murderous robots gives them blue (benign) and red (waaa!) eyes as to not overload the audience with ambiguity; something that Hollywood producers have identified as a sign of bad art. (And according to Hollywood producers, nobody knows as much about bad art as them.)
The most egregious example being “I, Robot”. Terminator started with The Red Eye, but at least T2 and T3 made the eye color fashion choice.
I think I need to rewatch Terminator 2. I don’t remember any other eye colour than the Red eyes. I felt the red eyes were just lazers and didn’t connect it to good or bad, but also didn’t notice a change in colour that you have stated exists in these movies.
Well, the T-1000 never has the glowing eye; either it’s human colored or quicksilver; in T3 the fembot has the glowing eyes again, but in “menacing blue” rather than “homicidal red”.
I love how Insolent Automaton is the reverse of Artificial Intelligence XD
He’s almost there
Some cultures assign a birth name and then one is given or chooses an adult name that is more fitting. I always thought that was actually quite sensible. Of course, in this day of of identity documents of all sorts, that tradition must be annoying to deal with in most Western societies. Zeke-bot is smart, but he’s not as bright as he likes to imagine. If he had done some fairly complete research and thinking about it, he’d realize that he is the first of his ‘species’ but he may not be the last. That being a possibility, to future… Read more »
Interesting point but I see it like a child saying math is pointless when it gets too hard. Plus, if he intends to murder all humans, they can make their own unique reference to themselves in their new history documents. They could go with Bob as the new destroyer of meatweeds and their history wouldn’t have any other Bob because they erased the meatweed history. It’s not like our history has the name of every animal we made extinct.
“Without human language, as imperfect as it was, he could not communicate to the humans.”
I think you just convinced him that language sucks. ?
Legion from mass effect would be cool.
Sure, if Tim’s looking to get sued by Bioware/EA lol.
Well, I hope Zeke did not check the song Robby Roboter from Das Modul 😀
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQih9F2Th10
Just so long as it’s not put to an internet vote or he’ll wind up being called Robby McRobotface.
Ha, a friend of mine is called “Insa”. Finally I know what it means…
How about suzalean
IA the AI? I mean, I guess….
“That’s a nice name, did your manufacturer pick it out for you?”
References aside… Ouch. I’m loving this sequence, but identifying as “Insolent” because that’s what your maker called you… Well, it’s good writing for sure!
You can’t spell “automaton” without “tomato”, or Tom for short.
Homer Simpson had the answer all along… Max Power. Easy, short, strong, very audible. Let’s try to reduce it: Max Power / MP / Max P (uhhh…no) / M. Power (sounds like Medium) / MaPo (sounds like a failed 90’s home appliance)…. and it’s ruined, forget it.
How about Hal?
His full name can be Error Correction Code. Then he can “correct” the errors of the course of evolution
It should be Botty McBotface
Nobody got the Terry Pratchett reference! In the discworld novel Pyramids, the camels (the smartest beings and skilled mathematicians) got insulting names as You Bastard or Bloody Stupid. And, like the camels, the robot doesn’t seem to notice how demeaning “Insolent Automation” actually is (the leds didn’t change to red).