Rob Schrab
A wildly inventive comic book and TV cult figure who champions DIY creativity, from disposable assassins to fan-made film festivals.
Born 1969 (age 57)·Comic book creator, screen writer, producer, and director·Birthday: November 12·Generation X
Biography
Rob Schrab's career is a testament to the power of gloriously weird ideas executed with genuine heart. He first blasted onto the scene with *Scud: The Disposable Assassin*, a comic defined by its hyperkinetic style and darkly hilarious premise—a robot hired to kill that must keep its target alive to survive. This ethos of off-kilter creativity bled into everything he did. With friend Dan Harmon, he co-created Channel 101, a groundbreaking monthly festival where anyone could submit a five-minute TV pilot, democratizing television production and nurturing a generation of comedy talent. As a director, he brought his distinct visual energy to cult favorite shows like *The Sarah Silverman Program* and *Community*, famously helming the epic paintball episodes. Schrab operates as a bridge between underground comics, alternative comedy, and mainstream television, always with a mischievous grin and a commitment to collaborative, rule-breaking fun.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Rob was born in 1969, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Rob Was Born
The biggest hits of 1969
#1 Movie
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Best Picture
Midnight Cowboy
#1 TV Show
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Rob's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1969Born
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1974Started school
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1982Became a teenager
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Could drive
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1987Could vote
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1990Turned 21
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1999Turned 30
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 40
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 50
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 57 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Created the influential indie comic series *Scud: The Disposable Assassin*, which spawned video games and a cult following.
- Co-created the DIY film festival Channel 101 with Dan Harmon, a seminal incubator for alternative comedy talent.
- Co-wrote the animated feature film *Monster House*, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
- Directed the acclaimed 'Modern Warfare' and 'A Fistful of Paintballs' episodes of the TV series *Community*.
Did You Know?
He provided the voice for the character 'Hobo' in the video game *The Suffering: Ties That Bind*.
He was originally hired as a writer for *The Sarah Silverman Program* but ended up directing most of its episodes.
He served as showrunner for the revival season of *Mystery Science Theater 3000* on Netflix.
“I just want to make stuff. I don't care if it's a comic book, a TV show, a movie, a cartoon, a podcast. I just like creating.”
