Emotional Robots: A Question of Existence

Alex Zohar, Princeton Architectural Press. Blending pop culture iconography with the existential threat of technological creations turning on their creators, Emotional Robots is a compulsively readable graphic novella set in an all-too presciently depicted world in which advanced robots successfully compete with humans-in sports, music, and art-in pursuit of emotional intelligence. Displaced by the robots' technological triumph, humans abandon Earth in search of a new planet to call home. But what happens to the robots when newer, faster, smarter, better robots replace them? What happens when civil unrest grows between robot generations? An astute take on the human condition and the illusory promises of technology, Emotional Robots is captivating fable for the modern age. With keen wit and dark humor, it artfully tackles universal themes urgently relevant to our time, asking readers the question faced by each new generation of humans (and robots): Is history condemned to repeat itself?Alex Zohar is an artist, illustrator, and writer who lives and works in Los Angeles. Professionally, he's worked in the tech world for several start-ups and digital advertising agencies. His work has been shown in gallery exhibitions, public art projects, brand collaborations, and print publications. Greg Fass built a name for himself as a brand marketer and strategist for direct-to-consumer e-commerce brands. Although he still works as a brand marketer by day, he conceived of this dark comedy via a daydream about a future world where robots develop human problems to cope with progress. Over-educated and underemployed, Jake Richardson started his writing career drafting contracts as a corporate lawyer but has since escaped his legal overlords and lived to tell the tale.via an illustrated graphic novella. He continues to fight the good fight against the evil BotCorp.…