Editing Biomecha

[[File:biomecha.jpg|300px|thumb|right]]
'''''Biomecha''''' is an intermittently-published comic by [[Laura Watton]] that combines science fiction with romantic comedy. Launched in 1995, it was one of the earliest British comics to be inspired by Japanese manga.

==Story==
Taking place in the year 2025, ''Biomecha'' revolves around Toshio Takeya, a boy who lost his arms in an accident and was given a pair of super-strong mechanical replacements by an android specialist. Unfortunately, he finds himself unable to control his incredible strength and so enrols at the the All-Purpose Cybertechnik Hi-School, an educational institution for youngsters with superpowers in the hopes of finding help with his problem.

Here he meets Phyllis Fernandez; Jo Flanagan, blind but able to read minds; and Reiko Kikuchi, who has no powers and was only accepted into the school by mistake. Toshio falls in love with Reiko - but can he ever touch her without hurting her?

==Publication history==
[[File:Biomecha1995.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Issue one, published by Gaijin Press. Usually, Watton's own label Pink Apple Jam was credited as publisher at this time.]]
Laura Watton was fourteen years old when she started work on ''Biomecha'',<ref>''Biomecha'' Book 1, p. 4</ref> and self-published the first three issues in 1995.

Watton went on to create a fourth issue, but was unhappy with the results and so started again from scratch. The reworked version of issue 4 was eventually published in 1998; the original version also saw publication the following year, billed as a "party special" and numbered 3½.<ref>''Biomecha'' Book 1, p. 181</ref> A special, entitled ''Biomecha: Colour'', was published in 1999.

In 2001 Watton became one of the founding members of [[Sweatdrop Studios]] and publication of'' Biomecha'' continued under the Sweatdrop banner. The same year Watton made another special, ''Biomecha: Thought''.

Issue 5 was published in 2002, issue 6 in 2006,<ref>http://www.sweatdrop.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6117</ref> issue 7 in 2009<ref>http://www.sweatdrop.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11687</ref> and issue 8 in 2010.<ref>http://www.sweatdrop.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12887</ref> Watton also put together a free special called ''Biomecha - Intro'' to help attract new readers, and in 2005 compiled a trade paperback - ''Biomecha'' Book 1 - that collected issues 1-4 along with issue 3½, ''Colour'', ''Thought'' and various bits of fanart and promotional material. By this time Watton had already decided to end the series with issue 10.

In 2010 Watton left Sweatdrop<ref>http://www.sweatdrop.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13345</ref> but is still planning to conclude the series outside of the group.<ref>http://www.sweatdrop.com/forum/showpost.php?p=204410&postcount=22</ref><blockquote>In 2017 the series was continued with the publication of Biomecha Book 3: Prologue counting as issue 9. <small>[https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/577413918/book-biomecha-issue-09-by-laura-watton?click_key=34812778aa941af4d849072b4280cd5cc29e5065%3A577413918&click_sum=bccc0c1e&ref=shop_home_active_37&frs=1 <nowiki>[8]</nowiki>]</small></blockquote>Followed in 2019 by issue 10.<small>[https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/729085159/book-biomecha-issue-10-by-laura-watton?click_key=477d736747ccbcc4d56b96c19eecf0420e2b95af%3A729085159&click_sum=76c6a64a&ref=shop_home_active_31&frs=1 <nowiki>[9]</nowiki>]</small> issue 11 in 2021 <small>[https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/947012730/book-biomecha-issue-11-by-laura-watton?click_key=1354460fd9cbdcb2b0be88e0898d0d16889b8152%3A947012730&click_sum=0347c440&ref=shop_home_active_17&frs=1 <nowiki>[10]</nowiki>]</small> and issue 12 side A in 2023 <small>[https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1498701717/book-biomecha-issue-12a-penultimate?click_key=57d43cce2f245e62b9f4dc717ec9eec80139d9a6%3A1498701717&click_sum=e62c7099&ref=shop_home_active_1&frs=1&crt=1 <nowiki>[11]</nowiki>]</small> with side B serving as the final issue and conclusion of the series.<small>[https://www.instagram.com/p/CtNFJ-BsAQE/ <nowiki>[12]</nowiki>]</small>

==References==
<references/>
[[Category:Independent comic titles]]
[[Category:Science fiction]]
[[Category:Sweatdrop]]
[[Category:Small press]]
[[Category:Humour]]
[[Category:Comics launched in 1995]]