SLA ComicNo. 1

Neon Courier

A teenage courier must race across a neon megacity to deliver a runaway robot to the only engineer who can save it, outrunning corporate drones along the way.

By Sam Kestrel

Neon Courier

A teenage courier must race across a neon megacity to deliver a runaway robot to the only engineer who can save it, outrunning corporate drones along the way.

Story and art by Sam Kestrel

© 2026 Sam Kestrel. All rights reserved.
Made with SLA Comic. Pictures made with AI (FLUX.3 [klein] by Black Forest Labs); lettered in Comic Neue and Bangers.

Meet the cast

Zia

protagonist

Fast-talking and reckless, but fiercely protective of the vulnerable.

Spark

supporting

Frightened and innocent, seeking safety and connection.

Old Man Chen

supporting

Gentle and wise, dedicated to preserving empathy in technology.

1The Glitch Pickup5
2Race to Safety7
3Heart of Code9

Chapter 1The Glitch Pickup

Zia rides her hover-bike down a vertical neon highway, weaving between flying vehicles and glowing pink ads, rain slicking the surface.

Zia pulls over at a neon-lit docking bay, her helmet visor reflecting a holo-screen displaying a high-risk job offer.

Zia’s gloved hand firmly taps the 'ACCEPT' button on her wrist-computer, a bright green light flashing.

Zia lifts a heavy, glowing crate onto the back rack of her hover-bike, the light pulsing softly through the metal slats.

Zia accelerates sharply into the traffic, the crate vibrating violently on the back of her bike as they speed away.

The crate's seams begin to glow bright white, the metal buckling and bursting open in a shower of sparks.

Spark, a small robot, tumbles out and clings desperately to Zia's handlebars, its large optical sensors wide with fear.

Red targeting lasers sweep across the street as three sleek corporate drones descend from the sky, locking onto Zia's bike.

Chapter 2Race to Safety

Zia's hover-bike dives sharply into a dark, narrow alleyway, the neon light from the main street cutting a sharp diagonal across the wet pavement as they disappear into the shadows.

Inside the dim tunnel, Zia leans forward, gripping the handlebars tightly, while Spark clings to her back, its small optical sensors wide and trembling in the low light.

A close-up of Spark's face, its chest cavity glowing with a soft, pulsing blue light, showing the intricate wiring and the gentle rhythm of its artificial heartbeat.

Zia weaves the bike through a narrow gap between two rusted pipes, narrowly missing a sparking electrical cable that hangs low in the tunnel.

Zia glances back over her shoulder, her helmet visor reflecting the faint glow of Spark's light, while Spark reaches out a small, metallic hand to touch her shoulder.

Spark's optical sensors soften, the fear in its digital eyes replaced by a quiet, hopeful curiosity as it looks up at Zia's helmet.

Zia bursts out of the tunnel entrance onto a crumbling overpass, the bike skidding slightly on the wet concrete as the sky opens up above them, filled with swirling corporate drones.

Chapter 3Heart of Code

Zia skids her hover-bike into the cluttered basement, kicking up dust as the bike stops abruptly. Warm amber light from work lamps illuminates the shelves of spare parts surrounding them.

Old Man Chen stands behind a workbench, adjusting his glasses, looking calmly at the pair. Zia steps off the bike, her posture relaxed but alert, while Spark clings to her leg.

Chen gently places a specialized docking collar around Spark's neck. Spark's optical sensors widen in surprise as the collar clicks softly into place.

Spark is lifted into a central cradle in the workshop, surrounded by holographic data streams. The room glows with soft blue light as the integration process begins.

Spark's face softens, its optical sensors turning from anxious blue to a calm, steady green. A faint smile appears on its synthetic lips.

Zia leans against a shelf, arms crossed, watching Spark with a protective, fond expression. The tension in her shoulders has dropped completely.

Zia turns toward the single window, looking out at the rainy street where neon lights reflect on the glass. She smiles, ready for her next shift.

The End

Thanks for reading.

Neon Courier

A teenage courier must race across a neon megacity to deliver a runaway robot to the only engineer who can save it, outrunning corporate drones along the way.

SLA Comic

By Sam Kestrel

Made with SLA Comic · Pictures made with AI

SLA ComicNo. 1

Neon Courier

A teenage courier must race across a neon megacity to deliver a runaway robot to the only engineer who can save it, outrunning corporate drones along the way.

By Sam Kestrel

Neon Courier

A teenage courier must race across a neon megacity to deliver a runaway robot to the only engineer who can save it, outrunning corporate drones along the way.

Story and art by Sam Kestrel

© 2026 Sam Kestrel. All rights reserved.
Made with SLA Comic. Pictures made with AI (FLUX.3 [klein] by Black Forest Labs); lettered in Comic Neue and Bangers.

Meet the cast

Zia

protagonist

Fast-talking and reckless, but fiercely protective of the vulnerable.

Spark

supporting

Frightened and innocent, seeking safety and connection.

Old Man Chen

supporting

Gentle and wise, dedicated to preserving empathy in technology.

1The Glitch Pickup5
2Race to Safety7
3Heart of Code9

Chapter 1The Glitch Pickup

Chapter 2Race to Safety

Chapter 3Heart of Code

The End

Thanks for reading.

Neon Courier

A teenage courier must race across a neon megacity to deliver a runaway robot to the only engineer who can save it, outrunning corporate drones along the way.

SLA Comic

By Sam Kestrel

Made with SLA Comic · Pictures made with AI

Neon Courier

Neon Courier

Meet the cast

Zia

Spark

Old Man Chen

Contents

Neon Courier

Neon Courier

Neon Courier

Meet the cast

Zia

Spark

Old Man Chen

Contents

Neon Courier