Self-promotion is essential in small press comics, it’s especially nice when creators come up with a clever idea, as well. The Uncle Zaxlor Sampler is a free 12-page sampler of the first two issues of writer Leo Healy and artist Torgo Wells’ Uncle Zaxlor series, with some new material.
Uncle Zaxlor Sampler introduces the titular character, a seemingly unmotivated owner of a robot repair shop on the planet Zekrus; Zam, his nephew who has an uncanny ability to diagnose problems in robots, as well as being confused by his Uncle’s lackadaisical attitude; and, hapless arch-nemesis, Korol, who owns a competing repair shop.
The art by Torgo Wells is quite appealing in its inky thick outlines and rough rendering, giving everything a bustling energy and a pleasantly organic futuristic environment for the characters in which to interact. It has the depth of someone more at home in horror comics stretching out to work in YA comics.
One particular page in the Uncle Zaxlor Sampler that plays on the language of comics is the second story page. The page is a cutaway view of the house, with the first two panels being the top floor. Zam is yelling about a Monkey Cyborg stealing his sandwich in panel one; Uncle Zaxlor is awakened in panel two and drops a book out of the panel; the third panel has Zam chasing the Cyborg downstairs; while the fourth panel has the book from panel two stunning the Cyborg and Zam being reassured (from panel two!) by his Uncle that he now has time to eat his sandwich. Seamless experimenting between Healy and Wells.
Stop by table D20 in the Redshirt Hall to get your free copy of the all-ages Uncle Zaxlor Sampler, and meet both creators.
Leo Healy (W), Torgo Wells (A/D), Will Healy (original character and logo design) • Self-published, free
Review by Gary Usher
Leo Healy and Torgo Wells are at Table D20 in the Redshirt Hall at Thought Bubble.
Thought Bubble 2026 runs from November 9th-15th with the convention weekend taking place on the 14th-15th. More details on the Thought Bubble site here.
Read all our Thought Bubble 2026 coverage so far in one place here.
Poster art by Núria Tamarit
