Comics
Review: “Robocop Versus The Terminator” HC
Killer robots from the future fighting cyborg cops from the not-too-distant future? “Robocop versus The Terminator” HC sounds like a sure-fire summer blockbuster, doesn’t it? Frank Miller and Walter Simonson. Another all-star team I had no idea ever worked together until now. I’ve no doubt this could be gigantic action fest like in The Expendables if Hollywood could get this organized. In the meantime, readers are in for a perfect summer treat in this collection from 1992.
WRITTEN BY: Frank Miller ART BY: Walter Simonson PUBLISHER: Dark Horse Comics PRICE: $24.99 RELEASE: 2 July 2014 Reviewed by: Your Friendly Neighborhood Brady
If you know the names Frank Miller and Walter Simonson at all, you know their indelible marks they’ve made on comics themselves. Both made magical runs of lesser-known Marvel titles Daredevil and Thor in the 1980s. Both helped change how the world sees North American comics forever. How they both ended up making a book like Robocop versus The Terminator blows my mind. I was aware that Miller had written Robocop movie scripts in the past. I had no idea both creators together could make anything, no matter how cheesy it may sound, truly original and entertaining.
The time-travelling death machines John Connor tried to warn us about got creative with their missions in this story. In order to protect their own history, Terminators are sent back to ensure Alex Murphy, aka Robocop, stays alive long enough to give Skynet awareness. Wowzers. Now I have to read it to see how they pull this off. What a terrific set-up to make these two worlds interconnected.
Not only does Miller’s storyline make sense and fit into both series, it’s the artwork by Simonson that truly brings it all to glorious artificial life. His art with Letter John Workman’s sound effects just make the entire story a real fun page-turner. Simonson’s paneling and detail always are eye-catching. Seeing him create something new from two storied franchises here is actually amazing to behold. He really knows how make explosions and death-dealing robots exciting again.
If you are a music fan, discovering a book like Robocop versus The Terminator HC would be like finding out two of your favorite bands made a kick-ass record together you never heard about way back when. Add to the mix two more iconic music producers (analogy ongoing) creators in Frank Miller and Walter Simonson. This is what you could call a no-brainer if you’re a fan of even only ONE of these four icons. You literally cannot lose by reading this book. It’s perfect for a summer road trip or any other time you want to see a genuinely amazing epic this season. I honestly had no idea what to expect when I opened this book up. I am so glad I discovered this hidden gem and you will be too.
The supernatural world of Korean folk horror movie Exhuma grows larger with the arrival of prequel spinoff webtoon Maengjong this weekend, Variety reports today.
Naver Webtoon debuts Maengjong on May 30.
The series hails from Haemuri (Olgami) and will trace the high school origins of how shaman duo Hwarim and Bonggil, played by Kim Go-eun and Lee Do-hyun in the 2024 film, came together to face occultish threats.
The story is set to begin when “Hwarim, who has been concealing her identity following a childhood encounter with a snake spirit called Jin, crosses paths with Bonggil at their school.”
Variety notes that Exhuma director Jang Jae-hyun participated in the project’s early concept stage.
“We are presenting ‘Maengjong,’ a new series capturing the appeal of the horror-occult genre, ahead of the full summer season,” said Lee Jeong-geun, Naver Webtoon’s Korea webtoon content leader. “With the high school story of Hwarim and Bonggil, who left a strong impression in the film ‘Exhuma,’ enhanced by Haemuri’s characteristic tense direction, we expect it will be a welcome work for genre fans.”
“It is meaningful that the spin-off story of ‘Exhuma,’ loved by many audiences, expands by meeting the new grammar of webtoon,” said Lee Hyeon-jeong, managing director of the film business division at Showbox, which distributed the film. “We hope it will be a fresh experience for both film fans and webtoon readers.”
Exhuma was a breakout hit in 2024, becoming the first Korean occult film to surpass 10 million ticket buyers and the country’s highest-grossing film of the year. I wrote in my review that “the intricately woven Exhuma delivers one of the year’s biggest surprises in horror so far.”
The bond between Hwarim and Bonggil was one of the film’s highlights, making this prequel webtoon a must for fans.
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