Kids Comics Pitchfest 2023 Showcase

Keep Your Eye on the Goalie

Harrison likes to think of himself as a rebel, but on his new home planet—a tiny hick backwater of a not-even-an-asteroid—there's not much to rebel against.

So Harrison bides his time tormenting the local AI, especially the placid recycling droids—always clumping around on their stumpy little legs, pestering everyone to recycle—it’s like they’re just begging to be abused.

One day the droids come under the influence of "the Goalie," a device that endows them with sentience. Now Harrison’s life is turned upside-down as every mechanism on New Brooklyn turns on him, even the soap dispensers!

Can Harrison convince these newly sentient—and seriously pissed off—beings he can follow the rules? As the droids like to say, “Recycling is important!

My Why:

"Keep Your Eye on the Goalie" is a comic exploration of the contrast between the dispassionate coolness of artificial intelligence and the warm emotions of life. Nowadays, it seems every week brings a new "machine" that can "talk," like Alexa and ChatGPT. I wrote "Goalie" to express how basic human emotions can produce unintended consequences when applied to artificial intelligence. I also wanted show that even simple things, like utility robots, whether sentient or not, should be treated with respect. With lots of pop-culture references, “Goalie” contains both sophisticated and goofy slapstick humor that will appeal to readers of all ages.

Are We There Yet?

When a three-day foot race is announced on his home planet–with the galaxy's most powerful hoverboard as 1st prize–Harrison is sure he's a lock to win. On race day, with the help of his friends, he sets out to chart the quickest route and claim the prize.

Things don't go as planned. Harrison’s arch rival has tampered with his equipment, causing his group to stray far off course. Faced with the unthinkable—losing—Harrison cajoles his friends into taking a shortcut through a hyper dimensional portal.

But the portal malfunctions and the group discovers a stranded pilot on a remote moon who is being hunted by a killer robot.

Can Harrison's group save the pilot and still get back in time to win the race? The rules say they can use found objects!

My Why:

"Are We There Yet?" is about bending the rules, and the consequences thereof. When faced with a difficult choice, is it ever okay to take a shortcut? I wanted to show that, under certain circumstances, it’s okay to “color outside the lines” as long as you take responsibility for your actions and ultimately make things right. Harrison knows he’s technically cheating by using the portal, so he resolves to make a sacrifice while still triumphing over his rival. In other words, he uses his creativity to turn defeat into victory but still preserve his integrity, because winning isn't everything, is it? Wait, it's not?

Treasure of New Brooklyn

Harrison's been waiting five long years for the carnival's return. One day, he thinks he sees a sign it’s finally coming back. But his arch rival disagrees and bullies him into making a disastrous wager.

The carnival turns out to be an education fair. Harrison loses the bet and has to turn over his most treasured possession: his lucky penny.

But has he truly lost?

The fair uses virtual reality to teach its subjects, one of which is literature. Students can enter the world of any book and live it as real.

Harrison hatches a plan. But he’s only ever read one book: Catcher in the Rye.

Can he use his meager command of literature to defeat his rival and reclaim his lucky penny? The book is always better than the movie, right?

My Why:

Books vs. movies is a venerable subject. I wrote “Treasure of New Brooklyn” to explore what might happen if one’s survival came to depend on the superiority of one or the other. Harrison has only ever read one book, but he’s seen a million movies, many of them made from books! Will this be enough? Can Harrison use his repository of quasi-literary knowledge to fudge whether or not he’s read the book? His life might depend on it!