Y’know, for a city that has made guns illegal, there sure are a lot of heads getting exploded. Welcome to “Robocop #2”, a book that doesn’t slow down or break character for a single panel. Consistent in tone and style, this may be one of the most seamless and successful continuations of a franchise I’ve ever seen. The geniuses behind this book have managed to recreate the exquisite experience of watching “Robocop” for the first time. I sincerely hope it never ends.
WRITTEN BY: Joshua Williamson
ART BY: Carlos Magno
PUBLISHER: BOOM!
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: August 6, 2014
Reviewed by Epic Switzer
If you told me Williamson wrote the original “Robocop” film I might be inclined to believe you. There is virtually nothing lost in translation from the screen to the page. This book is doing it right, and every single other writer attached to a beloved film IP should take note. Williamson and Magno capture everything you love about Officer Alex Murphy from his conflict with his own humanity, iconic dialogue, to the wanton violence. These guys are fucking doing it.
Not to short change Magno’s work by any means. His succinct panel work is uncluttered and his figures convey very raw, violent energy with every gesture. He has developed such a unique blend of contemporary detailed style and with the nostalgia and aesthetic of the time period, and Marissa Louise’s colors are like the kick-ass 80s soundtrack that get everything fired up to a fever pitch.
The institution of gun control by the OCP is essentially the inciting incident for the first arc, and whether Williamson plans to pursue the issue any deeper remains to be seen, but I have the feeling it is in place to give Robocop a reason to bust heads and not political commentary. It won’t be long before Killian and his newly introduced psycho friend Nash (for the love of God don’t call him old) reintroduce some heavy firepower into the wrong hands. It’s going to be a wild fucking ride.
Dead or alive, you’re reading this book.
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Epic Switzer AKA Eric 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.