Robots in Love
Happy Valentine's Day week! Last year, I flew pretty close to the "getting too specific" sun with a post centered on bug aliens in love with humans.
This year, we're dropping the requirement that humans be involved and swapping out the proboscis for transistors. We'll be just a little NSFW this issue, although apparently not so much that it couldn't appear on a book cover.
Here's Philippe Caza's 1985 illustration, for The Rest of the Robots, by Isaac Asimov.
It's no surprise that there are so many depictions of robots in love. One of the biggest AI-related themes that science fiction has explored is the question of whether a robotic intelligence can embody the same consciousness and emotions that human brains can. Romance is a pretty big one.
Here's Thomas Warkentin's “Cadmium Anniversary,” the cover to Heavy Metal's July 1982 issue.
Cesare Reggiani's 1984 cover to the German edition of Michael Moorcock's The Transformation of Miss Mavis Ming gets more risque.
Here's the chaste American version of the concept, for a story in a 1966 issue of Esquire.
At least, that's the cropped version that I saw first – The full spread adds some surprise voyeurism.
Robot love doesn't have to be so carnal, though.
I've posted this one in the past, but it's a great fit here, too: Here's how two different artists tackle "robot hearts."
Here's yet another robot baring his heart in a 1991 Stephen Youll cover for Isaac Asimov's The Naked Sun. Or maybe its his positronic brain. I'm not sure where those are located on Asimov robots.
The uncomparable Mike Hinge often depicted robots enjoyed the small pleasures of life, so I wasn't surprised that he's featured two of them exchanging a bouquet of robotic flowers.
I was surprised that one of them was GMC and the other was Ford, however.
Josh Kirby’s 1970 cover to Suzette Haden Elgin’s The Communipaths opts for a robot enjoying a real flower.
I didn't say the robot couldn't be in love with themselves! Here's a Dean Ellis cover for The Best of Henry Kuttner's Balantine edition in 1975, illustrating "The Proud Robot" short story.
This is apparently the robot Narcissus and his creator the mad scientist Galloway Gallegher, who's only a genius when he's drunk. I think this illustration could also serve to inspire a completely different "enemies to lovers" story, so if anyone writes one, send me the AO3 link.
This next one's actually an alien, not a robot as I first thought when I included it. This version's from a 1971 black light Marvel greeting card series, which repurposed images from previous panels in an earlier comic.
I originally mistook it for Jack Kirby's work, but Michael Ellis Day informs me that the original panel appeared on page 8 of The Incredible Hulk #111 (January 1969): Pencils are by Herb Trimpe, with inks by Dan Adkins.
Lastly, here's my favorite Valentine's Day card, taken from the same greeting card set. This one is a robot – It's a repurposed image from the Jack Kirby-illustrated Fantastic Four #64 (July 1967), featuring the first appearance of a giant Kree robot named Sentry-459.
That's right, our final robot is in love... with you!
Cool Links
I always enjoy meta 90s horror, so I'll probably check out this new comic, about teenagers stuck in a timeloop of slasher scenarios.
Seize the Memes - Season 2, Episode 1
This show is basically Bob Ross but for making an internet meme each episode instead of a painting. I just realized the second season came out last August, and the first episode is free, so you can check it out if you want. It's odd but fun.
Stunt Rock - artist on Instagram
This artist hasn't posted in a few years, but it's an incredible collection of graphics parodying a very specific mid-century America design. Click through and you'll see what I mean.
Follow me online: Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr
Music rec: Loreena McKennitt - I've been listening to The Mummers' Dance and The Mystic's Dream on a loop lately, and she has a whole greatest hits album too.
Next Time: '80s Unicorns by Sue Dawe and Andy Mack