It is starting to feel like my prime directive is gushing over “Robocop” but I really love this book. I’ve read a couple of less-than-glowing reviews for this issue, and at first I was going to come here and defend the book, but on second thought, fuck that. It would be like defending Kraft Singles or Slim Jims, “Robocop” is consistent, unique, and not trying to be anything else than what it is. This is the best “Robocop” book we could have ever asked for and I’m loving the ride.
WRITTEN BY: Joshua Williamson
ART BY: Carlos Magno
PUBLISHER: BOOM!
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: October 1, 2014
Reviewed By Eric Switzer
Robocop is getting keelhauled behind a monster truck while Lewis (handily) deals with Nash. After some characteristically delicious gore, Murphy and Lewis arrive at the protest to put the kibosh on Killian’s bullshit. Lewis gets promoted (sort of) and Murphy gets his side armed taken away while Killian goes into phase II of his master plan, and boy, this shit is about to get pretty real.
Comparing “Robocop” to fake cheese and greasy meat is in no way meant to disparage the character or the book. I love all of those things. What I’m saying is that “Robocop” is a strongly established property representative of a specific time in blockbuster filmmaking in the 1980s. All attempts to update or revamp the property have failed pretty miserably. Williamson and Magno are delivering exactly what fans needs: they aren’t rewriting the formula or giving us a fresh new take on the character, they are simply giving us more of what we already love, and in the case Robocop, who only has a couple of solid films behind him, that isn’t at all a bad thing. This series is true to those films from beginning to end in every way. To say you have a problem with the book is to say you have a problem with the entire Robocop franchise. If you love Robocop, you will love this book.
Now, having said that, beyond this first arc I will expect some fresh ideas, but I have no worries about Williamson delivering. Like any good sequel, the opening sequence has to be familiar, remind us what we love about the character and the world, and then move on to bigger ideas. “Robocop” is incredibly nostalgic, I’m excited to see where they take the series next. I don’t want a restart, I want them to expand upon the Robocop we already know and love. That is what I’m really excited for.
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Eric Switzer is an aspiring filmmaker and screenplay writer living in Los Angeles. His work tends to focus on the lighter side of entropy, dystopic futures, and man’s innate struggle with his own mortality. He can be found on twitter @epicswitzer or reached via email at ericswitzerfilm@gmail.com.