{{primary sources, date=November 2009 Robotika is an American comic series created by Alex Sheikman. Two collections have been printed, featuring the original story line and the "For a Few Rubles More" line. It is published by

Archaia Studios Press Archaia Entertainment, LLC, commonly known as Archaia (formerly known as Archaia Studios Press), is an imprint of American comic book and graphic novel publisher Boom! Studios. Archaia Entertainment, LLC was originally an American comic book p ...

Plot synopsis

In the far future

genetic engineering Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification or genetic manipulation, is the modification and manipulation of an organism's genes using technology. It is a set of technologies used to change the genetic makeup of cells, including ...

has become commonplace, and countless cyborgs are created and later cast off once new models are developed. The cyborgs live in desolation in the badlands, which resemble the

old west The American frontier, also known as the Old West or the Wild West, encompasses the geography, history, folklore, and culture associated with the forward wave of American expansion in mainland North America that began with European colonial ...

. Robotika centers around 3 main protagonists: Niko, Cherokee Geisha (C.G.) and Yuri Bronski. Niko, an emotionless mute, is an elite member of her majesty's secret service, specializing in

Samurai were the hereditary military nobility and officer caste of History of Japan#Medieval Japan (1185–1573/1600), medieval and Edo period, early-modern Japan from the late 12th century until their abolition in 1876. They were the well-paid retai ...

Arts. He is put on assignment to find a stolen object: The world's first known completely

artificial life Artificial life (often abbreviated ALife or A-Life) is a field of study wherein researchers examine systems related to natural life, its processes, and its evolution, through the use of simulations with computer models, robotics, and biochemist ...

form (which resembles a butterfly). The life form has been stolen by a major cyborg production company based in the badlands who fear that its invention will put them out of business. Niko ventures off into these uncivilized lands and comes across many an obstacle. He stumbles upon Cherokee Geisha (also a mute whose cyberkinetic modification is an artificial voice box, which sounds abnormal causing all her dialog to be written vertically) squaring off against a group of bandits. She takes them down in

hand to hand combat Hand-to-hand combat (sometimes abbreviated as HTH or H2H) is a physical confrontation between two or more persons at short range (grappling distance or within the physical reach of a handheld weapon) that does not involve the use of weapons.Huns ...

and then challenges Niko thinking him one of them. He them throws an arrow head on the ground revealing he saved her from a hidden archer. She thanks him by buying him a drink and gives him some information on the whereabouts of the artificial butterfly. Niko heads off without a word and finds the company's hide out. He faces off against a group of modified

security guard A security guard (also known as a security inspector, security officer, or protective agent) is a person employed by a government or private party to protect the employing party's assets (property, people, equipment, money, etc.) from a variety ...

s and easily dispatches of them. Inside the headquarters he finds hundreds of butterfly's, and meets a company officer who explains why he shouldn't take the company down. Cherokee then promptly arrives and begins mocking the company. Niko tosses a

poison gas Many gases have toxic properties, which are often assessed using the LC50 (median lethal dose) measure. In the United States, many of these gases have been assigned an NFPA 704 health rating of 4 (may be fatal) or 3 (may cause serious or perm ...

grenade and he and Cherokee put on

gas mask A gas mask is a mask used to protect the wearer from inhaling airborne pollutants and toxic gases. The mask forms a sealed cover over the nose and mouth, but may also cover the eyes and other vulnerable soft tissues of the face. Most gas mas ...

s while every butterfly dies, leaving only the artificial one. Niko and Cherokee part ways and Niko returns the butterfly to the queen, who impulsively kills it and wears it as a hair accessory. Disillusioned Niko makes a pacifist oath, never to use his sword again. Meanwhile, while getting high, Cherokee is visited by a group of cultist pilgrims looking for a yojimbo (protection) to escort them on a pilgrimage to visit the "master of souls". They reveal they have already hired the haiku writing mercenary Yuri Bronski, who recommended CG. They request a third yojimbo and she decides to ask Niko. Niko, still in a pacifist stage, receives two summons: One from the queen, the other from C.G. He decides to see CG and join the group. On the way, the pilgrims run into a group of Geisha Warriors who refuse passage. At this point Niko's oath is revealed, upsetting CG, while Bronski stays calm. During the battle Niko takes down the attacking Geishas barehanded, while Bronski and CG fight alongside. They prevail and are permitted passage. They spend the night in a grove of mangrove trees. During the night, Niko is visited by a Shaman spirit. The shaman explains that he made the grove grow by sacrificing a virgin and as punishment the towns people bound him to the grove to forever rot, undead in purgatory. He wishes to use Niko as a vessel for his soul, so he can take over the world. He allows Niko to pass on the promise of returning and tells him that he is not yet ready to carry the shaman spirit until he learns the truth about himself. The pilgrims eventually arrive at the cave where the "Master of Souls" resides. CG and Bronski attempt to renegotiate a deal stipulating that they get paid more if they enter as well, but these negotiations are rendered futile when Niko leads them in for free. Inside the grotesque master awaits the pilgrims and upon their arrival he feasts upon their souls, bellowing "Nourish Me!" as they are all reduced to dust. Only Niko remains alive. He then attacks and slays the Master. On the return journey the three Yojimbo's stop again at the Mangrove Trees. The shaman reveals the reason that Niko is a prefect vessel and the reason he survived the Master's attacks was because he has no soul. A series of flashbacks reveal that in fact he was the first ever artificial life form, created by the same demented scientist who created the butterfly. Upon realizing Niko had no soul the scientist wipes Niko's memory and decides to try again with something simpler "Maybe a butterfly". Even after this revelation, Niko refuses to become a vessel for the shaman and blows up the grove with a grenade. The three yojimbos then set off on a journey to find a dueling competition of which the victor wins a mystical sword, rumoured to have a soul.

For A Few Rubles More

A second volume was released focusing on the search for the competition. In it the three yojimbos become embroiled in a local drug war over a futuristic genetic drug called "tadpoles". In the ensuing conflict important players in the main characters past turn up, injecting added emotion to the conflict. The title is a play on the spaghetti western ''

For a Few Dollars More ''For a Few Dollars More'' ( it, Per qualche dollaro in più) is a 1965 Spaghetti Western film directed by Sergio Leone. It stars Clint Eastwood and Lee Van Cleef as bounty hunters and Gian Maria Volonté as the primary villain. German ac ...

'' starring

Clint Eastwood Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western TV series '' Rawhide'', he rose to international fame with his role as the " Man with No Name" in Sergio Leone's "'' D ...

External links

Official website

Creator's blog
American comics titles Archaia Studios Press titles