Today’s Comic> Mech Cadets FCBD

“They’re looking for someone called ‘Gigantor’?”

Mech Cadets Free Comic Book Day 2023

Kaboom! (May, 2023)

WRITER/CO-CREATOR: Greg Pak

ARTIST/CO-CREATOR: Takeshi Miyazawa

COLORIST: Triona Farrell

COVER ART: Tohru Patrick Awa & Polygon Pictures

LETTERER: Simon Bowland

MECH CADET YU ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Cameron Chittock

MECH CADET YU EDITOR: Eri Harburn

THIS COMIC’S EDITOR: Shantel LaRocque

What I believe is a sample from the first volume of Mech Cadet Yu, a graphic novel series (or trade collection, I’m not sure which) that is about to be turned into a TV series by Netflix, though YouTube didn’t bring up so much as a teaser for it as of this writing. Years ago a boy named Skip Tanaka made contact with and befriended a giant robot from outer space, known as a Robo Mech, and defeated an alien invasion. 60 years later and every few years cadets from Sky Corps carry on the tradition as new robots visit. This includes one ego-driven girl named Park is sure she’ll be one of the next pilots, a personal favorite of the general in charge. However, one of the new robots is found damaged by a janitor’s son, Yu Stamford. The boy’s kindness and love of robots wins the blue Robo Mech despite the strong objections of the Corps until they’re bailed out by Tanaka himself. The general’s protogé however is chosen to pilot the first Earth-built Robo Mech as compensation.

What they got right: Stanford is immediately likable not only because of his treatment by Park and his mother’s belief about their station in life as janitors but because he’s shown to be kind and helpful, which is what earns him the team-up with the blue Robo Mech. We don’t know much about the alien invaders, the Sharg, or where the robots come from but maybe that’s part of the story, as Stanford and his new teammate learn the important details. This is just an introduction to the series.

What they got wrong: Outside of the back-of-the-book interview with writer and co-creator Greg Pak there’s isn’t an indication that this comic already exists, though I don’t know if the series was finished prior to this comic. I also don’t know why they changed the name, unless Netflix wanted to focus on all the cadets and not just Stamford Yu. It was fine the way it was and invokes the anime vibe I’m assuming they’re going for. Also, if those robots on the cover are a redesign of the Robo Mechs seen in the comic I prefer the comic’s version. They’re more humanoid and friendly but still look like they can handle themselves in a fight. The ones on the cover look like rejects from Pacific Rim or maybe the Asylum ripoff Atlantic Rim.

What I think overall: I would really like to check this series out given my love of robots. I hope this isn’t the show design for the robots but I really want to read the original comics.