If Destruction Be Our Lot #1: A Tale of One Bot

Humanity is gone and all that remains are the machines that they created to help them, but what is there to do when the ones who gave them purpose are gone? Continue living life. “Abe” however, yearns for more answers out of this seemingly endless life, and a trip to the outskirts of the city opens a new realm of both adventure and danger.

What does it mean to fulfill one’s purpose in life? Most people struggle with this question their entire lives. Others find out either very young or very old. For a machine this purpose is outlined in their programming, but what happens when that purpose is not only no longer useful in the world, but challenged by that same world? For Abe this is reality he is (mostly) functioning within, the machines have taken on the same traits of the humans that made them, but Abe is stuck between these two worlds. He’s too human looking (being modeled after president Abraham Lincoln) to be accepted, and too old of a machine to be of any use to current society. The buses run on time, there are police, and there is even robo-prejudice with the existence of the “junkers”. Abe’s quest for answers beyond his understanding could unearth a conspiracy that turns the entire world upside down.

Matthew and Mark Rosenberg craft a very engaging opening issue that hides a deeper meaning beneath its pages. These bots have character and their own stories that are unfolding away from view, but between the humorous interactions between Abe and his fellow bots, there is a shroud of melancholy that hangs over the story as it unfolds. There are reveals laid on top of one another quite well and the mystery of why things are the way they are is sure to be a key point as the narrative moves forward.

Andy MacDonald’s art backed by Francesco Segala and Gloria Martinelli’s colors help give a visual to the scope of this story, creating a vibrant world that feels lived in, yet still housing plenty of secrets beneath its mechanical walls and buildings. The city feels vast and empty despite all the machines and even a couple of monsters running about. Abe feels small in this world, but starts to feel just a bit bigger when he sees what’s beyond the dome encasing the city. It’s a very visually pleasing book to read despite its long length.