So What’s Going On With Alex and Freddy?
An excitingly comprehensive update on all things Mega Robo Bros!
Hey I’ve been getting the same kind of questions a lot lately, on social medias and when I do events, and those questions basically boil down to: So Hey, What’s Going On With Alex And Freddy? When’s Mega Robo Bros Coming Back? No, But When’s It Coming Back Properly? And so on.
I should add here that this post is going to contain some SPOILERS for anyone who reads Mega Robo Bros in book form, so please consider yourselves warned. Read further at your own peril!
So! Those who read Mega Robo Bros in the Phoenix will be aware that we’ve recently been running the strip in ‘mini’ form, basically a series of gag strips showing life in the Sharma household while Alex and Freddy are under house arrest. Why are Alex and Freddy under house arrest? Well, because - and again, SPOILER WARNINGS FOR WHAT FOLLOWS:
…yeah, THAT.
Basically, what happened was, we ended the last Big Series of MRB on, I’m going to say it, a pretty dramatic note. And after finishing, a couple of things became quickly apparent: firstly that it was going to take us quite a while to put together the next big series, for reasons I’ll get to in a moment. And secondly, that a bunch of our young readers were feeling PRETTY STRESSED OUT. I know some kids read it and thought that was it, that was the end of Mega Robo Bros, that they’d never see these characters again, and that we were leaving them in such a dark place.
I did not feel GREAT about this?
So that’s what we were trying to do with these strips: to get Alex and Freddy back in the comic as quick as we could, to show readers that they’re okay. They’re *basically* okay. There will be consequences to be faced, and repercussions to be felt, and all that’s coming. But for now, they’re together, and they’re okay.
We’re coming to the end of these now. I actually now almost wonder if they worked TOO well, let too much of the tension and drama out of that cliffhanger? Or possibly this is just my brain and it’s heroic determination to find SOMETHING to worry about. What I did learn from doing these is: I absolutely LOVE doing a 4-panel gag strip. It may be my absolute favourite form of comics? I could draw them forever. and indeed I HOPE to, in the form of my NEW new comic for the Phoenix! Which could not be more different, and which I am stupendously excited to share with you all, VERY SOON
Yeah but when is it REALLY coming back though?
As Soon As Possible. I know that’s a crap answer, but it’s the only honest one. The reason this next Big Series of Mega Robo Bros is taking so long is because… well. Because it’s the LAST one. It’s the endgame, the finale, the final volume. It’s what I’ve been working towards for the best part of a decade now and I think we all feel a very strong pressure to do it right, to stick the landing, to make this the best possible comic it can be. And I think it’s getting there! I honestly struggle to communicate how exciting, and how terrifying, it is to finally be putting this story down on paper. These moments that have lived in my head for all these years, and that mean so much, and now I have to actually share them and just hope I don’t screw it up.
Sorry, I may be over-sharing. Short answer: it’s coming back EARLY NEXT YEAR.
What about the BOOKS? When is the next book out?
The next Mega Robo Bros book is called NEXT LEVEL, and it is coming out in May next year, and I am very excited to share the cover with you, for the first time, right here!
Man I love that cover. illustration by me, SHINE and POLISH and INEFFABLE MAGIC by the great Paul Duffield. Lots more on this one to come!
In the meantime…
You can catch up with the whole series so far in graphic novel form! You can also buy t-shirts! But not for long! I believe these are only going to be available until January, so if you DO have any young (or indeed old) Mega Robo Bros fans in your life , now would very much seem the time to buy them a cool Christmas present!
Oh, and while I’m here: thanks so much to everyone who’s backed my kickstarter! It’s currently up well over 300% funded so I’m very happy to say my weird experimental little book is definitely happening. But more backers are always very welcome! Check it out: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/neillcameron/x365-a-graphic-novel-by-neill-cameron