Homework: Giant Squeeing Robots
What are we looking for here?
On October 27th, Raconteur Press is wide open for submissions for Giant Squeeing Robots with super-duper guest editor T.C. Ross!
Somehow, what began as a remark on a Discord thread has mutated into…
Giant Squeeing Robots
With guest editor TC Ross! Squee!Just because they're cute doesn’t mean they can’t be dangerous. Imagine tamagotchis gone bad, giant robots with the fashion sense and self-control of a toddler. Or maybe these robots just love you and want to scoop you up and hug you and squeeze you and call you George. Have fun! Play! And remember, these robots can go hypersonic.
We thought it might be fun if our guest editor came up with some homework before anybody buckled down for some giant robot writing. So without further ado…
When I think of what I’d like to see in this anthology, I’m brought back to childhood and the whimsy in animation. Obvious references in media are The Iron Giant, Wreck-Gar from Transformers, Hiro and Baymax in Big Hero Six, Peni Parker and SP//dr in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot, and while not a BIG robot, Johnny-5 in Short Circuit. Many of these embody a joyful tone, even though they might be serious.
I’d say I’m at a loss for books, but most of those were in comics! Although in some cases, more serious than their animated/movie counterparts.
The setting can be whatever you want, but the robot/pilot should be a beacon of joy/light in that world. Positive stories.
And there needs to be smashing of something!
 If you want extra points, I’m biased toward *Redacted*, *Redacted*, and *Redacted*.
Tropes (I had help with this):
I’m going to sort them into tropes that are directly giant robot/cuteness-related, and ones that are more tertiary but can be part of the subject.
Primary cuteness/giant robot tropes:
Gentle Giant…we can go obscure on you, too.
Cute Giant will likely apply a lot, especially if you remember the theme song.
Cute Machines is pretty much a major theme. The Tachikomas from Ghost in the Shell spring to mind.
Mech Vs Beast is possibly a common theme…but before you glom onto Pacific Rim, it might be a good idea to go further back. That’s nice. How about even further?
Animal mecha might be common, too.
Robeasts might be enemies…lots of them, or maybe someone will run with the idea of the giant robot collecting them.
Tertiarily related tropes:
Care Bear Stare could be relevant for the more saccharine options.
Evil Cannot Stand Cuteness is relevant, if that’s the angle authors want to take.
Another option with potential: Hates Being Called Cute.
Machine Empathy might come from the mechanics, depending on the Giant Squeeing Robot, or it could be the robot who has a reverse of the empathy for the people it’s helping. Or a robot who wants to be a real boy. Or a robot forced to choose between his own kind and those who made him.
Also not by me, but this is perfect. The friend I asked for help with tropes wrote this, and I thought it caught the spirit:
"They're the most adorable big little robots you've ever seen, and they just want to help. Watch as they go about their daily lives, and marvel as they face disasters, like how to help get the kitty from the tree, whether or not their best friend's restaurant will succeed, and those pesky giant monsters they have to fight between the important stuff."
Giant Squeeing Robots
With guest editor TC Ross!
Opens: 10/27/24
Closes: 12/29/24
Contracts: 01/11/25
Publication: 02/07/25
So... would you accept a comic story for this one?