The Army has autonomous robots scampering around on land. The Air Force has killer drones dropping bombs from the air. Now the Navy — understandably just a little jealous, and clearly not satisfied with its robotic helicopters — prepares to add two new seafaring ‘bots to the mix.

“Blackfish” is a remote controlled, sawed-off jet ski meant to patrol ports for terrorist swimmers up to no good. “Harbor Wing” is a 60-foot, 10-ton, environmentally friendly sailboat with a catamaran’s hull, packed full of surveillance equipment meant to aim a stealthy, sailor-free eye on far away horizons. Both ve...

Robert Kirkman, creator of The Walking Dead zombie comics, hams it up on the floor at Comic-Con International.
Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.com

SAN DIEGO — All in all, Robert Kirkman has had a pretty good year. When Wired.com talked to the comic book creator at Comic-Con International in 2010, he was asking people to “give zombies a chance.” Now The Walking Dead are everywhere.

Now that the second season is in the works, with...