No seriously, I'd love to see Robert's relation to other heros like
Its just an average day for Torrence L.A., with Z-team out on duty and bantering with Robert Robertson III (Their Dispatcher) about their favorite donuts after Granny's was robbed and Waterboy accidently soaked an entire display case in the ensuing fight.
Sonar: "Its gotta be jelly, dude"
Invisigal:"Sonar dont be stupid. The long ~cream~ filled ones are the way to go wink wink"
Punch-Up: "You are all idiots its gotta be rum and maple especially for fighting early"
Robert: "All of you shut up. My favorite is plain glazed if you wanna make fun of somebody"
*Grumbles from the whole team, and a few jabs at the donut pick*
Robert: Just. Focus and do your jobs. Ive got a call coming in from downtown, looks like an asteroid was re-directed at the Vanderstink labs. Flambae, Golem, Prism, and Phenomoman you good to go?
*Agreements from all but with a little grumbling from Prism and Flambae*
Thankfully for the Vanderstink labs and the rest of Torrence at risk from asteroids, by the time all for heros made it to the site another hero had stepped in.
Flambae: "Looks like the problems already handled Bob-Bob we got Astro-Lab already on scene"
Malevola: "Damn a Space League hero all the way out here?"
Phenomaman: "It seems as the situation was urgent for such a hero to appear"
Astro-Lab, of course, was one of the faces of the Space League (one of the front-runners of the hero movements and defenders against extraterrestrial and intergalactic threats). He had been around for a decade, and was known around the world for his contributions to the earth's protection. Every citizen looked up to him and every hero wanted to be like him.
All of these reasons made it so when Robert Robertson, objectively normal guy outside of his suit, responded to the news with "Oh Jamie? How is he its been a while" every member of the Z-Team jumped a little.
Prism: "You know ASTRO-LAB?!"
Punch-Up: "The hero who stopped an alien army on his own and injured?"
Waterboy: "The Astro-Lab that leads the Sp. S. Space League?"
Coupé: "One of you should talk to him"
Robert: "Of course I know him. Of the Space League hes the easiest to get in contact with. "
I hate diolague I can't do it :/ so imma just not do any more sry
When approached by other heros, Astro-Lab was happy to introduce himself. He had to work with many supers as head of the League after all, and was always happy to meet new heros. What was a surprise however, is that they knew Robert Robertson the Third. His mentor for heroing, a brilliant hacker and hero. Mecha-Man had helped set up the League (even if he claimed not to have done anything. He connected them to the broader heroing sphere, did all their security, and even brought new members to them from time to time to help them grow)
After Mecha-Man fell, and thought dead Astrolab never thought he would see his friend again. Of course when approached by what was clearly a new team he was helping out he immediately asked to meet up.
Maybe Z-Team gets protective over Robert being friends/ having other heros that look up to him (not that Robert has any idea about it) maybe they fanboy over these heros maybe angst all around with new heros that realize they started heroing at age like 27 and their mentor was a 16 year old anything is possible I like this idea a lot thx op
"Dude you literally founded the Space League"
"I really just wrote some code and answered some questions"
Like he's literally shaped the current age of heroes, but refuses to believe it because he devalues his own actions. And it's not like he's getting any positive public reception cause they just don't know.
Not to mention Astro-Lab as a character??? Like he would be a world renowned hero because he's head of the Space League and stopping literal alien invasions, whereas Robert's the Legacy Hero of (just) Torrance. However without Robert and his influence of Mecha Man he probably caused Astro to take up heroism and push it as far as he did. As well as Robert putting his extensive connections, seniority (in experience, not age lol), and effort into helping not just citizens but fellow heroes, he may be the Torrance's Mecha Man, but he's also the role model and mentor of the new generation.
(I have no idea if Astro-Lab is an established character of yours or if you made him up on the spot here but auaagah, he fits so nicely into Dispatch's wider canon)