The Valiant Annual 1977 - The Prisoner of Zenga.

 An interesting one this. The cover caught my eye, and I must learn to check inside the covers of annuals that don't have a robot on the cover.

The story features the Robot Zenga, but it turns out that this robot is actually a mechanical body within which 'intelligence of ex-arch criminal Max Zenga' controls the 'merciless metal monster' towards some great crime.
As you can see from the cover the robot can fire lasers from his eyes, and is quite happy to do so, killing the inhabitants of the helicopter (in this instance). I guess having a human mind implanted in the robot means that Asimov's Laws don't apply.
This 8 page snippet seems to be somewhere in the middle of an ongoing story. Poor lab assistant Julian Caine 'has become the terrified slave' of Zenga and appears to be being dragged along for the ride. I'm not entirely sure that Caine is as innocent as this makes out though, as he appears to care for the robot and certainly does very little to change his path. From searching the web, and there's very little up there about this robot, it seems that Julian Caine was actually looking to control the robot, as it was being created, for a robbery he was planning himself and so is certainly not the innocent victim here. Looks like he got more than he bargained for.

It's a nice twist to have the robot be evil and therefore move away from Archie and Iron Teacher territory.

I also like the way the body is pitted and not the shiny expanse of metal shown on the other robots of the time.

 I'll have to see if I can find out more about the character in other annuals.

Robot Maria by Garen Ewing.

Garen Ewing has been a good friend for a long time now. He's one of those talented guys who has been around the independent UK comic scene for quite a while (even longer than I have) and has gone on to great things with his excellent Rainbow Orchid.
I asked him for this commission a little while before Rainbow Orchid was picked up by Egmont, back in the days when I think he probably had more spare time than he has today.
As the saying goes, it's the early bird that gets the worm, and in this case the Maria commission.

Maria Rediscovered - by Garen Ewing.

A very thoughtful piece that demands a story to accompany it. Feel free to make up your own, and here's the inked version for those who like things in black and white.

Lovely work as always from Mr. Ewing.

Original Robot - John Kenn Mortensen.

I've just returned from the Copenhagen Comic Convention. Had a great, and very busy, time selling comics but also spotted a John Kenn Mortensen sat at a table diagonally opposite mine.
I discovered John's books only recently and was stunned by the thought of someone drawing such exquisite images on post-it notes. Yep. The things we all use everyday in the office.
I got John to sign a copy of Post-It Monsters for me and also asked for a sketch. Not a monster but a robot please. He obliged with...

...nice and creepy.
If you've not come across John's books then I recommend you pick them up.