ROMAC OC: Zee Janitor

Pre-Explanation Notes:
Okay, so I was working on another picture for Zee Janitor as well, but given the hilariously coincidental content of today's strip I couldn't resist submitting this. I had the idea last year, having been so smitten with RA that I considered trying to work on my art with a semi-spin-off styled series of strips set ON ZE MOON!

Explanation of OC:
This is "Lunar4 Storage Facility Maintenance and Stasis Technician Beta-3", more simply known as "The Janitor". Lunar4 was one of several dome-shaped research facilities located on the Earth's moon, occupied by up to forty laboratory specialists at any given time. Unfortunately for the residents, all facilities were overseen by Annet to optimise efficiency of operations and communications. It also meant she had control of the station's airlock protocols and quarantined areas. After she jettisoned most of the station's air supplies and unlocked the quarantined "experiments", practically everyone on the moon was killed by asphyxiation or worse, crazed moon zombies, who now wander the moon's surface in search of survivors.

The few surviving researchers performed the manual override to shut off Annet's direct control of the facility, however since there's no immediate way home and a limited supply of air they are locked down safely in long-term storage, which is where Technician Beta-3 comes in. "Janitor" was a clone of the original technician, genetically tailored to survive in environments with low levels of oxygen and to outlast most unaltered human lifespans. Janitor isn't exactly a genius, but is perfectly capable of carrying out the tasks required to keep Lunar4 operating at minimum capacity. He has enough knowledge of the facility's systems to utilise the control centre and repair malfunctioning equipment, but most of his time is spent imagining bizarre and exciting adventures, talking to various inanimate objects around the facility, avoiding the zombies, and when the smog covering the Earth isn't too bad, making disjointed conversation and playing Pong with Gromov via Annet's semi-functioning satellite communications network. They tried chess for a while, but Janitor was terrible at it (he keeps confusing it with checkers, which he also doesn't know how to play very well). The satellites also seem to be monitoring a certain subject (one Captain perhaps?) and his surroundings at all times, which are often exciting to watch on the display screens!

(that thing in blue is supposed to be fuzzy images of the city and the squares are high bio-mass sections of Cancer)

Credits:
- selected images from the RA comic used for viewscreens, check out www.rom.ac
- lunar view: [link]
- rover picture: [link]


This is yet more digital stuff done with a mouse. One day I will get funds and get a new, non-broken tablet. It will be delicious.