If you like robots, dystopian worlds, and eldritchian terrors, hopefully you’ve already seen Murder Drones. Created by Liam Vickers, Murder Drones first aired on Glitch’s YouTube channel in October 2021. In a post-human-world where worker and assembly drones battle it out, two members from each “camp” (worker drone Uzi Doorman and disassembly drone “N”) come together to tackle the biggest threat to this strange new world. So maybe some Romeo and Juliet vibes, but 1,000% more wacky/bizarre.
Regardless, Murder Drones has clearly struck a chord, with the eight-episode season garnering some 330 million views over the last four years. Now, though, Glitch and Vickers are looking to see if Murder Drones has true cross-media capabilities as they’ve joined forces with Oni Press to release the official comics series and graphic novel. And oh what a creative team they’ve recruited, as Wyatt Kennedy (Nights) and artist Jo Mi-Gyeong (Eve, Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance) adapt the Murder Drones story into a robust 136-page story.
In a statement, Kennedy said Murder Drones “captures all the comedy and character beats of the animated series.” And a direct reworking seems to be the best choice as the Murder Drones animated story has lots to work with. Mostly that means that as the “N”-Uzi relationship plays out, they contend with the workers (who are trying to rebuild society on the “remote mining exoplanet” of Copper 9″) while the disassembly drones (their “vampiric robot counterparts”) remain “hell-bent on wiping mechanical life from the planet and an unsettling computer virus known as the ‘Absolute Solver’.” It all seems pretty heavy on the dystopian vibes, but if you’ve seen the show, the heart and humor is there to round out this deeply interesting slice of sci-fi.
But before the Murder Drones comic/OGN debuts, the collective are launching a brand-new Kickstarter. And the items and collectibles available should “Absolutely Solve” your hankering for rarities. That long list includes: variant covers (including those from Maddie C. and Jarrett Williams); several versions of a slipcase edition, including those signed by Kennedy and artist Austin Baechle; the “High Temp” edition that includes a VHS copy of episode one; and another edition with a “Worker Drone” scent (that’d be pine and oil), among many more goodies. For more info on the campaign, and to pledge your undying support, visit the Kickstarter right now.
To coincide with the Kickstarter’s launch, we caught up recently with Kennedy via email to ask a few questions. That includes his experience with the show/fandom, working with Jo Mi-Gyeong, the art of a proper adaptation, and humanizing robot characters. It’s a solid preview of what should make Murder Drones a success alongside its tiny screen counterpart.
Main cover by Jo Mi-Gyeong. Courtesy of Oni Press.
AIPT: How familiar were you with Murder Drones before starting on this book? What do you think the appeal of that show is for so many?
Wyatt Kennedy: I was moderately aware of it because I knew about Glitch because of their other shows and my friends in the animation industry. I think it’s no different than how something like Invader Zim or The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy was successful. People, but especially kids, really like gothic stories and sardonic humor.
AIPT: How do you approach the act of adapting an animated show – what do you keep or throw away, and how do you go about adding without harming the existing property?
WK: For this, given I was only granted 20 pages per issue; it’s really about widening the frame for the more dense dialogue scenes and closing up on comedic bits. I think my job really was to as clearly and efficiently translate this for Jo so that her art can really shine. Glitch was very specific about staying on-book as it were, so as far as adding or subtracting, I’d say it’s 99.9999% accurate to the show.
“Fatal Error Slipcase.” Courtesy of Oni Press.
AIPT: How does your approach differ between this kind of project and creator-owned projects like the absolutely wonderful Nights?
WK: Well, thank you for saying that! I mean, you kind of answered your own question, with Nights or any creator-owned project, me and my co-creators can just do whatever we want. When you’re beholden to an IP with [the] owner involved and a dedicated fanbase, you have to be a lot more careful and hopefully strike a balance that leaves you and the other parties fulfilled since you’re catering to a very dedicated fandom.
AIPT: What’s it been like working with artist Jo Mi-Gyeong? What do they bring to the table to help you as the writer?
WK: Jo’s phenomenal and I think their art is going to blow people away.
AIPT: With AI in the news, there’s obviously some real relevance to a story about abandoned robots rebuilding society. How much do you lean into that here, and does that “newsy” aspect make adapting this easier somehow?
WK: Not very much — haha! This is honestly the first time I’ve read anyone make that connection! It would be very interesting if someone were to explore that in maybe a subsequent book!
“Absolute Solver Slipcase.” Courtesy of Oni Press.
AIPT: I assume you’ve had convos/interactions with writer/director Liam Vickers. How much insight or guidance did they offer (if at all)?
WK: I actually haven’t spoken with Liam, just a small handful of people at Glitch, all of which were super kind and specific in their vision. I certainly hope Liam’s happy with the final result!
AIPT: How do you humanize a robot character? Is it the same process as for plain, boring humanoids?
WK: I think as long as there are stakes (life and death, love, etc.) and a character’s desire to live and achieve their goals it’s fairly easy.
AIPT: Do you want this book/story to be a continuation of the series or an add-on instead? Does that distinction even matter?
WK: I’d asked Glitch initially if they wanted this to be either of those, but they were very clear in wanting this to be the intro of Murder Drones to a larger comic reading audience with a straight-forward adaptation that hopefully could open the door for continuations with either these characters or the overall world.
Courtesy of Oni Press.
AIPT: Do you have a favorite moment and or page/panel, maybe one that speaks to the larger story or your own creative goals?
WK: I do, something in the final issue, but I’d rather let people speculate before I answer. Haha!
AIPT: Is there anything else we should know about Murder Drones, comics, robots, animation, etc.?
WK: Watch Murder Drones on YouTube, support your local comic shop, reject AI, and buy animation physical media; streaming services don’t care about the art form and we need to preserve and share its importance.
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