Rob Reger is the creative force behind the illustrated fictional character, Emily the Strange, which has become an icon in several comic books, graphic novels, and a variety of merchandise and clothing lines. Emily embodies a mysterious young girl often accompanied by her four black cats. She was created by Reger for his company, Cosmic Debris Etc. Inc., originally located in Santa Cruz, California, and later moved to San Francisco and Berkeley.

Reger's friend, Nathan Carrico, initially designed Emily in 1991 for a skateboard company in Santa Cruz. In his Santa Cruz garage, and later in an artist warehouse in San Francisco, Reger developed the designs. Along with Matt Reed, they introduced them into the fashion world with unique t-shirt designs. With the momentum of mainstream success, several comics about Emily have also been produced.

Cosmic Debris has grown into a multi-million dollar firm with dozens of employees, and future plans include opening an Emily retail store in Berkeley, California.