Boilerplate: History's Mechanical Marvel

Meet Boilerplate, the world’s first robot soldier—not in a present-day military lab or a science-fiction movie, but in the past, during one of the most fascinating periods of U.S. history. Designed by Professor Archibald Campion in 1893 as a prototype, for the self-proclaimed purpose of "preventing the deaths of men in the conflicts of nations,” Boilerplate charged into combat alongside such notables as Teddy Roosevelt and Lawrence of Arabia. Campion and his robot also circled the planet with the U.S. Navy, trekked to the South Pole, made silent movies, and hobnobbed with the likes of Mark Twain and Nikola Tesla.

You say you’ve never heard of Boilerplate before? That’s because this book is the fanciful creation of a husbandand-wife team who have richly imagined these characters and inserted them into accurate retellings of history. This full-color chronicle is profusely illustrated with graphics mimicking period style, including photos, paintings, posters, cartoons, maps, and even stereoscope cards. Part Jules Verne and part Zelig, it’s a great volume for a broad range of fans of science fiction, history, and robots.

Meet Boilerplate, the world’s first robot soldier—not in a present-day military lab or a science-fiction movie, but in the past, during one of the most fascinating periods of U.S. history. Designed by Professor Archibald Campion in 1893 as a prototype, for the self-proclaimed purpose of “preventing the deaths of men in the conflicts of nations,” Boilerplate charged into combat alongside such notables as Teddy Roosevelt and Lawrence of Arabia. Campion and his robot also circled the planet with the U.S. Navy, trekked to the South Pole, made silent movies, and hobnobbed with the likes of Mark Twain and Nikola Tesla.

You say you’ve never heard of Boilerplate before? That’s because this book is the fanciful creation of a husbandand-wife team who have richly imagined these characters and inserted them into accurate retellings of history. This full-color chronicle is profusely illustrated with graphics mimicking period style, including photos, paintings, posters, cartoons, maps, and even stereoscope cards. Part Jules Verne and part Zelig, it’s a great volume for a broad range of fans of science fiction, history, and robots.

The Barnes & Noble Review

Supposedly invented by Professor Archibald Campion in 1893 to prevent "the deaths of men in the conflicts of nations," the titular Boilerplate is a robot whose exploits this lavish coffee-table book documents in fun if exhaustive detail. An impressive array of visuals -- from black-and-white photos of Boilerplate at the South Pole to commemorative paintings of Boilerplate charging up San Juan Hill with Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders -- support text that playfully places what Roosevelt calls "my mechanical 'mule' " in the middle of dozens of pivotal historical events. The Boxer Rebellion? The Second Battle of the Marne during World War I? Lawrence of Arabia's guerrilla campaigns? Boilerplate was there, sometimes in the starring role, sometimes as part of the backdrop. The doctored images and the original art replicating styles from various periods will delight readers, but it's the text that stops Boilerplate from being just lavish eye candy. The authors have cleverly used their robot as a delivery system for sometimes detailed analysis of historical events, even including maps of battles or spheres of influence. A section called "Popular Depictions of Boilerplate" provides much-needed contrast from the main narrative, with an imaginative parade of old magazine covers, posters from Boilerplate-inspired movies, Cubist representations of the robot, and even comics and collectible figurines. As for Boilerplate himself, he passed out of history during World War II, his fate connected to the so-called "Lost Battalion," but his legacy lives on in this wonderful book suitable for all ages. --Jeff VanderMeer

Paul Guinan and Anina Bennett have been collaborating on comics and graphic novels since 1989, including the Eisner Award–nominated science-fiction comic series Heartbreakers. Paul is an artist and writer whose clients include the History Channel and the Cartoon Network. Anina is a writer and editor who has worked with Dark Horse Comics and international publisher Egmont. They live in Portland, Oregon.