Eisner Award-winning writer Chip Zdarsky, known for his acclaimed run on Batman, is taking a decidedly different creative turn with a new sci-fi romance comic that pits America against Canada. Publisher DSTLRY has announced White House Robot Romance, a new series from Zdarsky and artist Rachael Stott that follows two kitchen robots who fall in love while inadvertently sparking an international crisis between the two nations. This unconventional love story between Chef-9 and Service-1 kicks off when the latter faces decommissioning, prompting the robots to flee the White House together, only to discover that Service-1’s memory banks contain classified information that could destabilize relations between the neighboring countries. The series, colored by Tamra Bonvillain and lettered by Ariana Maher, represents a significant departure from Zdarsky’s recent superhero work while maintaining his trademark blend of humor, heart, and social commentary.
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“Yes, there’s science fiction and political intrigue here, but the heart is an old-fashioned romance,” said Zdarsky about the project. “Getting to write the love story between Service-1 and Chef-9 and see their love come to life thanks to Rachael and Tamra has been an absolute delight. I hope everyone falls for these two the way I have!”
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“It’s an incredible challenge in the best way possible,” added Stott, known for her work on Doctor Who and Star Trek. “I’m channeling my love of classic sci-fi, espionage thrillers, and of course, star-crossed romance. Bringing these characters to life and making them feel human has been an exciting experience.” DSTLRY, a relatively new publisher focused on creator-owned comics, will present each issue of White House Robot Romance in their premium Prestige format, featuring wraparound covers with spot gloss on robust cover stock and 48 pages of interior content per issue.
Chip Zdarsky’s Career Shows Why You Should Be Excited About White House Robot Romance
Zdarsky’s path to becoming one of comics’ most versatile and celebrated creators makes him uniquely qualified to tackle a story blending geopolitics, romance, and artificial intelligence. Working under his real name Steve Murray, he began his creative career as an illustrator and humorist for Canada’s National Post newspaper before developing the Chip Zdarsky persona for his comics work. What started as a self-described “sad-sack cartoonist persona” quickly evolved into one of the industry’s most distinctive voices as Zdarsky gained prominence through both independent and mainstream projects.
His breakout collaboration with writer Matt Fraction on Sex Criminals at Image Comics earned him the 2014 Eisner Award for Best New Series and established his ability to balance outrageous humor with genuine emotional storytelling. That same year, Zdarsky won the Harvey Award for Most Promising New Talent and has since accumulated an impressive collection of industry accolades, including multiple additional Eisner and Harvey wins. His versatility became even more apparent as he transitioned from primarily being known as an artist to becoming one of Marvel’s and DC’s most sought-after writers.
At Marvel, Zdarsky brought comedic brilliance of Howard the Duck and deep emotional resonance of his 36-issue Daredevil run that concluded in 2021, followed by the impactful event series Devil’s Reign. His Spider-Man: Life Story limited series reimagined Peter Parker aging in real-time through American history, showcasing Zdarsky’s talent for blending personal character journeys with larger social contexts. Most recently, his work on DC’s flagship Batman title, which concluded in February 2025 with issue #157, cemented his status as one of comics’ premiere superhero writers.
White House Robot Romance seems poised to build on Zdarsky’s established strengths while exploring new creative territory. The Canada-born creator’s dual citizenship perspective makes him particularly well-suited to examine cross-border tensions through a satirical lens. DSTLRY Co-Founder and CCO Chip Mosher emphasized this timely aspect, stating that the series “speaks directly to our times: paranoia, conflict, and the search for connection in a world dominated by technology. It’s thrilling, timely, and… oddly romantic?”
While DSTLRY has not yet announced a specific release date for the first issue, the publisher’s Prestige format presentation indicates a commitment to presenting the series as a premium reading experience.
Will you be getting White House Robot Romance on release? What do you think of the new series premise? Let us know in the comments!
