Boilerplate (robot)
Encyclopedia
Boilerplate is a fictional robot
which would have existed in the Victorian era
and early 20th century. It was created in 2000 by Portland, Oregon
, artist Paul Guinan. Originally intended for comics, the character became known via a faux-historical website created by Guinan, and has since appeared in other media.
. Becoming aware that some visitors to the site were taken in by its contents, making it an unintentional hoax, Guinan resolved to see how authentic he could make the character seem, working to ensure the descriptions of non-fictional events were accurate. He explained his motivation in a 2002 interview:
Guinan estimated that roughly a third of the site's visitors treated its faux history as real. People fooled by the site include comedian Chris Elliott
, who thought the spoof dated back the 19th century and included the character in one of his books (see below).
Guinan later expanded his website into The History of Robots in the Victorian Era, which features other "turn-of-the-century robots, both real and imagined".
in Chicago. The robot's notable adventures include an expedition to the Antarctic
, during which it saves the lives of the team members by singlehandedly moving ice floes, clearing a path for the ship to sail out.
Designed for the self-proclaimed purpose of “preventing the deaths of men in the conflicts of nations,” Boilerplate charges into combat during the Spanish-American War
and the Boxer Rebellion
. Campion and his robot also circle the planet with the U.S. Navy, make silent movies, and hobnob with the likes of Mark Twain
and Nikola Tesla
.http://www.amazon.com/dp/0810989506
Boilerplate is also active in the First World War, but disappears during the relief of Major Whittlesey's Lost Battalion
, possibly having been captured by the Germans for study. Supporters of this theory point out that German military technology advances tremendously in the twenty years between the two world wars, encompassing guided rockets, experimental jets, and sophisticated tanks. Post World War II
, Boilerplate is sighted on a number of occasions, often in Chicago.
Robot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
which would have existed in the Victorian era
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
and early 20th century. It was created in 2000 by Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, artist Paul Guinan. Originally intended for comics, the character became known via a faux-historical website created by Guinan, and has since appeared in other media.
Development
Boilerplate was originally featured on a website created by Paul Guinan in 2000. The Boilerplate site details the history of a remarkable robot built in the late 19th century, and features photoshopped "archival images" in which Boilerplate (actually a 12-inch articulated model) is seen interacting with historical figures, such as Teddy Roosevelt and Pancho VillaPancho Villa
José Doroteo Arango Arámbula – better known by his pseudonym Francisco Villa or its hypocorism Pancho Villa – was one of the most prominent Mexican Revolutionary generals....
. Becoming aware that some visitors to the site were taken in by its contents, making it an unintentional hoax, Guinan resolved to see how authentic he could make the character seem, working to ensure the descriptions of non-fictional events were accurate. He explained his motivation in a 2002 interview:
"Certainly I felt happy about having achieved my goal," he said. "I put this thing across as trying to be real, and people bought into it. So, that's a success! But, as an amateur historian, I feel a responsibility to get the story right. So I felt bad about some of these people being hoaxed. It was a mixed bag."
"But," he revealed, "I thought, if I was getting this reaction and I wasn't really trying, then what would happen if I really tried?"
Guinan estimated that roughly a third of the site's visitors treated its faux history as real. People fooled by the site include comedian Chris Elliott
Chris Elliott
Christopher Nash "Chris" Elliott is an American actor, comedian and writer. He is best known for his comedic sketches on Late Night with David Letterman, starring in the cult comedy series Get a Life and for his recurring role as Peter MacDougall on Everybody Loves Raymond...
, who thought the spoof dated back the 19th century and included the character in one of his books (see below).
Guinan later expanded his website into The History of Robots in the Victorian Era, which features other "turn-of-the-century robots, both real and imagined".
Fictional character history
Boilerplate is built by Professor Archibald Campion in the 1880s and unveiled at the 1893 World's Columbian ExpositionWorld's Columbian Exposition
The World's Columbian Exposition was a World's Fair held in Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. Chicago bested New York City; Washington, D.C.; and St...
in Chicago. The robot's notable adventures include an expedition to the Antarctic
Antarctic
The Antarctic is the region around the Earth's South Pole, opposite the Arctic region around the North Pole. The Antarctic comprises the continent of Antarctica and the ice shelves, waters and island territories in the Southern Ocean situated south of the Antarctic Convergence...
, during which it saves the lives of the team members by singlehandedly moving ice floes, clearing a path for the ship to sail out.
Designed for the self-proclaimed purpose of “preventing the deaths of men in the conflicts of nations,” Boilerplate charges into combat during the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
and the Boxer Rebellion
Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...
. Campion and his robot also circle the planet with the U.S. Navy, make silent movies, and hobnob with the likes of Mark Twain
Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
and Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla was a Serbian-American inventor, mechanical engineer, and electrical engineer...
.http://www.amazon.com/dp/0810989506
Boilerplate is also active in the First World War, but disappears during the relief of Major Whittlesey's Lost Battalion
Lost Battalion (World War I)
The Lost Battalion is the name given to nine companies of the United States 77th Division, roughly 554 men, isolated by German forces during World War I after an American attack in the Argonne Forest in October 1918. Roughly 197 were killed in action and approximately 150 missing or taken prisoner...
, possibly having been captured by the Germans for study. Supporters of this theory point out that German military technology advances tremendously in the twenty years between the two world wars, encompassing guided rockets, experimental jets, and sophisticated tanks. Post World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Boilerplate is sighted on a number of occasions, often in Chicago.
In other media
- Paul Guinan and his wife Anina Bennett (who also maintains the Boilerplate website) have coauthored Boilerplate: History's Mechanical Marvel, an illustrated history of the character's adventures. This coffee table bookCoffee table bookA coffee table book is a hardcover book that is intended to sit on a coffee table or similar surface in an area where guests sit and are entertained, thus inspiring conversation or alleviating boredom. They tend to be oversized and of heavy construction, since there is no pressing need for...
covers Boilerplate's 25 year existence as well as its subsequent impact on popular culture. It was published by Abrams Image in October 2009. Guinan and Bennet have previously collaborated on the comic book Heartbreakers, published by IDW PublishingIDW PublishingIDW Publishing, also known as Idea + Design Works, LLC and IDW, is an American publisher of comic books and comic strip collections. The company was founded in 1999 and has been awarded the title "Publisher of the Year Under 5% Market Share" for the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 by Diamond Comic...
; "Heartbreakers Meet Boilerplate", a 2005 one-shot of this series, also featured Boilerplate and was nominated for an Eisner Award.
- Boilerplate is a character in Chris ElliottChris ElliottChristopher Nash "Chris" Elliott is an American actor, comedian and writer. He is best known for his comedic sketches on Late Night with David Letterman, starring in the cult comedy series Get a Life and for his recurring role as Peter MacDougall on Everybody Loves Raymond...
's 2005 novel The Shroud of the ThwackerThe Shroud of the ThwackerThe Shroud of the Thwacker is a 2005 novel written by American author Chris Elliott and published by the Miramax Books in the United States....
, a spoof historical thriller. Elliott mistakenly thought that the Boilerplate site concerned a hoax which dated back to the 19th century and included material from the website in his book, not realising it wasn't in the public domain. After being alerted to the copyright infringement, Elliott and Guinan negotiated a settlement which allowed the character to be used in exchange for a percentage of Elliott's earnings from the book and credit in future editions.
- Boilerplate features on the cover of Canadian indie pop band Stars's 2008 EP Sad Robots, as well as on merchandise for their 2008–9 tour.
- Paramount PicturesParamount PicturesParamount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
have optioned the film rights, to be produced by J. J. AbramsJ. J. AbramsJeffrey Jacob "J. J." Abrams is an American film and television producer, screenwriter, director, actor, and composer. He wrote and produced feature films before co-creating the television series Felicity...
and his Bad Robot production company.
External links
- A Robot From an Alternate History Visits Our World, NewsaramaNewsaramaNewsarama is an American website that publishes news, interviews and essays about the American comic book industry.-History:Newsarama began in Summer 1995 as a series of Internet forum postings on the Prodigy comic-book message boards by fan Mike Doran. In these short messages. Doran shared...
, October 19, 2009