Robocop (1990) #6

Grant’s resolution to the Robocop at war thing is surprising.

First, the big revelation (of why the Arabs aren’t really the bad guys) is good enough I’m not even going to spoil it. Second, he’s got a very mild, conclusion (albeit some lame lines about Murphy being a good cop again). Third, he introduces cybernetic Un-Men. They’re part machine gun or part moped. They’re perfectly disgusting and I don’t believe they’re suited for desert warfare, but I’ve never seen anything quite like it.

I don’t know if I’ve mentioned Sullivan’s art much since I’ve been reading these comics, but he does a fine job. Some of it’s a little loose, but this issue has a fantastic fight scene between Robocop and an ED-209. Sullivan makes the combatants both technologically bulky and graceful; he also has a lot of opportunity for scenery here and does well.

Surprisingly creative issue.

Robocop vs. the Terminator (1992) #3

Let’s see if I can recap. The future lady doesn’t kill Robocop because he’s too human so Robocop goes off and kills himself. Wait, wait, I forgot the opening with the Terminators colonizing outer space (another thing Cameron wisely neglected wasting time on–what do the Terminators do once they take over the planet?). Ok, so then the future is okay and all the Terminators get erased from it and the people experience them getting erased, kind of like Back to the Future again. It’s very song and dance.

But then the Terminators, as they’re being erased, race back in time (I love how they just zap through time all the time in the comics) to stop Robocop’s suicide. Then they destroy his body and kill his friends. So then Robocop plants a virus in the Terminator computer so he can come back in the future.

It’s an awful comic.

Robocop (1990) #5

Robocop goes to war. It’s an interesting idea, Robocop being used as a military weapon–leased out by his owners, instead of policing–but Grant seems more concentrated on the action potentials for this issue. There’s a lot of suggestions the morality of it will come into play next issue, but for now, it’s Robocop versus weird and wacky war weapons (he fights these motorcycle troopers who look like they’re out of a Road Warrior cartoon).

Grant seems to be revealing up the backstory gradually–it seems like a bunch of starving African refugees are going to Spain, who’s either refusing them or sticking them in concentration camps–and it’s hard to believe there’s not going to be some kind of double cross. Not with all the foreshadowing.

So, points for concept, deductions for common sense–what about sand in Robocop’s gears and such.

Grant should’ve thought of that one.

Robocop (1990) #4

Grant runs a subplot throughout this entire issue–riots caused by poisoned soda pop–just to fill in time and to give a sense of time progressing. It’s a technique way too nice for a Robocop comic, especially one featuring a fight between Robocop, a cyborg gorilla (what did I just read with a cyborg gorilla–B.P.R.D.: 1946) and a cybernetically enhanced fight promoter. Yes, I really did say cybernetically enhanced fight promoter (Grant gives him noirish narration, but whatever).

Again, the weak point of the comic is Grant’s Robocop characterization. He’s unstoppable in mind, just not unstoppable in body, so at least there’s some chance of danger for him, but the infinite mental resolve is… well, I can’t decide if it’s annoying or lame.

Grant’s making him too perfect, without the slightest tinge of regret over being stuck in his cyborg body.

Still, it’s readable for discerning Robocop aficionados.

Robocop vs. the Terminator (1992) #2

This issue is definitely better. There’s very little of the future warrior woman’s narration and a lot of Robocop versus Terminator action. Miller’s sense of humor even works a little–even if he overwrites–with the ED-209s being, basically, Robocop’s obedient lapdogs.

His exposition here is still terrible, laughable really. But he comes up with some really effective moments, rather cinematic (it’s a shame his Robocop 2 script wasn’t as good as his Robocop vs. the Terminator script). Even with the stupid flying through the internet (on dial-up) scene with Robocop and his squeeze (from Robocop 3, natch), it’s a decent job. Robocop isn’t overly humanized, for example.

Unfortunately, Miller does give the Terminators thoughts and it’s real stupid. He individualizes them, instead of treating them more as a hive mind. Cameron wisely never went into how the Terminators thought in terms of society–Miller comes off idiotic.

Robocop (1990) #3

Grant’s approach to this series–Robocop on a case–is nice. I mean, his future isn’t the greatest thing ever (again, I think it’s just rehashed Judge Dredd trappings), but there’s a procedural aspect to it. All of the Robocop thought balloons are a problem, as Grant has completely humanized the character–he’s just a guy turned into a robot, with full access to his memories and emotions.

The smiling Robocop on the second or third page is a little goofy too.

But the specifics this issue–Robocop trying to recover the captains of industry’s stolen dream tapes–is a little bit lame. Grant hasn’t established how law enforcement works in the comic; in this issue, Robocop isn’t so much a peace officer as an errand boy who occasionally gets to fight crime.

There’s also a fair amount of retconning of the source film to make for drama.

Still, okay.

Robocop vs. the Terminator (1992) #1

I’m not sure what level this one is most amusing on–Frank Miller doing licensed properties? Robocop vs. the Terminator being a sequel to the dismal Robocop 3 movie? The female soldier from the future knowing everything about the past even though she wouldn’t have been born yet? All the goofy expository dialogue or all the goofy narration? The endless possibilities for snide rhetorical questions?

Robocop vs. the Terminator is a crappy comic book; it’s not even an interesting crappy comic. It foreshadows everything Miller’s writing has turned into over the years–awful pacing–thirteen second action scenes taking two to three pages, dumb “grim and gritty” criminals who wouldn’t last thirteen seconds against Inspector Gadget (hey, a Robocop crossover with Inspector Gadget; Dynamite are you listening?).

Funniest is the time travel–instead of following Terminator time travel rules, Miller goes with the highly visual Back to the Future ones.

Robocop: Wild Child (2005) #1

What can I possibly say about this comic book? This partial comic book (it only runs twelve or thirteen pages, though Avatar charge three bucks for it). It barely features Robocop and does so in what I assume was going to be the Avatar Robocop continuity, which never got off the ground (the company, OCP, is in ruins, the cops are on strike–Robocop and Lewis are the only two working cops).

It’s a deep dark secret from the past coming into the present story, only the exact nature of the secret is never clear. A relative of Lewis’s returns to wreck havoc on Detroit and it’s up to Lewis and Robocop to stop her. Without killing her because she might be Lewis’s sister or her cousin or her neighbor’s second cousin’s mailman’s sister’s step-child.

I’m sure Grant was being intentionally opaque, but it’s really awful. The whole thing.

Robocop (1990) #2

The Comics Code approved this one? Robocop kills people left and right throughout.

Hmm.

On we go.

The issue ends with Robocop and Lewis making kissy faces at each other. Apparently, all Robocop writers (except the guys who wrote the original movie), want to introduce this plot element. I’m not complaining. It’s better handled here than elsewhere, it’s just odd. He’s a cyborg, come on.

Besides the idiotic lack of response to the vigilante robots from the rival corporation, this issue’s pretty good. Grant’s got his dialogue more in check with Robocop and there’s some nice moments with petty corporate officers, just like in the first film, which translates well to comics here. I’ve never heard of Sullivan before but he does a fine job.

The only bad scene is Lewis freaking out over Robocop’s injuries. The continuity between this comic and the film is too thin for the scene.

Robocop: Killing Machine (2004) #1

Avatar was charging three bucks for twelve pages of story? When’s Marvel going to get on that bandwagon?

Amusingly enough, Killing Machine‘s about the best Robocop story I’ve read from them. It’s just a simple adventure of Robocop. It establishes its ground situation, it aggravates the situation, it just works. More, there’s even some actual character stuff with Robocop and Lewis.

The artist, Ricardo, he draws a lousy Robocop, way too cartoonish, nowhere near enough detail (or height, Ricardo draws a short Robocop). But other than Robocop–and the evil robot, which I’m pretty sure is actually a Spider Slayer (Marvel must’ve missed it)–Ricardo does a good job. He gives Lewis a fair amount of personality and his composition is solid.

Instead of releasing stuff like this one-shot to placate fans waiting for the Frank Miller series, Avatar should have put out (fairly priced) comics like this one.