Reggie-12 by Brian Ralph

Introducing Endless Mode: A New Games & Anime Site from Paste

Read our announcement | See the 10 Best Games of 2025 (So Far)

Writer & Artist: Brian Ralph
Publisher: Drawn & Quarterly
Release Date: September 3, 2013

Collecting strips published in several different places, Giant Robot foremost among them, Reggie-12 is both full of terrific jokes and crafted with great care. Both qualities are evident in the book’s construction, which layers a subtle varnish on a pattern of transparent gears for sections of the cover, as well as provides some gorgeously drawn and very funny endpapers.

Reggie-12 derives from Astro Boy among other sources, clear from the character’s exaggerated visual style. Reggie-12 himself, our superhero robot child, is all expressive giant eyes and smiles, topped off with some cute little cat ears. But writer/artist Brian Ralph tempers the cuteness with plenty of antisocial behavior from his characters. Reggie-12 generally behaves himself (petty jealousy, sloth, and commitment to terrible puns aside), but his robot predecessor Donald-14 is as mopey as C-3PO, his inventor is forgetful and sometimes heartless, and their talking cat, Casper, is the Bender of the group, thoroughly committed to self-interest above all else.

The other major comedy device Ralph deploys is a healthy dose of the mundane. When Reggie-12 isn’t fighting giant monsters and saving the world, he’s playing video games, eating pizza, and slobbing around on the couch. A surprising amount of the book takes place on said couch. It’s not a new method, but Ralph captures the everyday swing between perceived drama (Ugh! My email is taking so long to load! Worst ever!) and bored cynicism with relish and amusement.