Review - Hugh and Bot #1

"Yeah. Things are getting a little nuts around here."

Such a simple statement is apt at summing up a ridiculous situation. What do you get when you pair a robot with a depressed man dealing with a break-up? You've got either an endearing sitcom or a comic, the latter of which is called Hugh and Bot #1.

Hugh and Bot #1 is written and illustrated by Drew Crowley.

Hugh was recently dumped by his girlfriend Daisy. That's the reason for his apartment being in its current state: cluttered and with a robot named Bot making do with the situation. The depression is enough of a motivation for a trip to Rocket Roy's, where the duo get quite an interesting proposal: a food reality show that pairs them with an executive and an all-new adventure.

Crowley's story plays off the familiar odd couple dynamic, but it's given a bit of fresh air with Hugh and Bot being thrown into the reality show mix. The duo have an entertaining back and forth, playing off one another and giving the reader a glimpse into their friendship. The story is straightforward enough, which gives the reader time to enjoy the banter between the two lead characters. The introduction of Ariana will add some flavor to the dynamic and should make for a rather interesting next issue.

Art duties are also handled by Crowley and he presents it in a comic strip format. It plays off the script very well and the story feels like something you would read over a series of weeks in the Sunday newspaper. Characters have a Penny Arcade look to them, which makes it feel modern and in the now. Some pages have somewhat unique panel layouts as well, with some panels offering what appears to be a tree of panels, with one panel at the top cascading down to more at the bottom of the page.

Hugh and Bot #1 is a lighthearted comic that gives readers a fun dynamic to follow in the title characters. Bot doesn't resemble Bender too much (which is something that many creators go for in robot friends) and Hugh is likable enough so far to stay interested. The end game of the whole series remains to be seen, but it's likely that once an episode of their reality show is in the can that things will evolve. As it stands though, fans of something a little different will enjoy the first issue.

Hugh and Bot #1 is available from comiXology now.