Title:
Robocop (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s):
Frank Miller (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source:
Dan X (Don't click it, read the review here...
)
" Not one of Frank Millers best, but still worth reading"Review:
Not many people know the names Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner, but I’m sure you all recognize the name Paul Verhoeven. Well these three worked together on a little known movie called RoboCop. Of course, Paul Verhoeven was the director of one of the greatest sci-fi movies ever to grace the silver screen, but the other two were the writers of the screenplay. When RoboCop was released in 1987, it was a huge hit, and the movie company was eager to follow it up with a sequel. Without hesitation Orion Pictures commissioned someone who was keen on the sci-fi genre; someone they thought would help tell the incredible story of a half man half robot, all cop. They hired than a nerd’s wet dream, and BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS scribe, Frank Miller. It is said that Frank Miller penned an amazing script, but the producers fount the script lackluster and costly to produce. Writers Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner were recruited to punch-up the script, and ended up hacking it apart; they took out some interesting elements, and substituted many more questionable elements. The screenplay was changed so much that it had become it’s own personal RoboCop metaphor; taking part of the original and fusing it with newer parts to complete the script. Discouraged, Frank Miller didn’t abandton his original vision (This where this all comes in), and instead this vision was brought to a nine-part comic series on Dark Horse Comics.
I didn’t come across this until recently; the comic itself was released back in 2003. I came across this little gem while I was trying to get some information on the re-make of RoboCop. Finding nothing out there, I decided to look into the comic series.
In the series, the city of Detroit has dramatically changed following the events of the RoboCop movie. The city has been in ruins since the OCP police officers went on strike. Violence is at an all-time high; people are murdered, children are kidnapped and almost no one is willing to do anything to stop this, except RoboCop and a few select officers; these officers believe that no matter how small the number of officers there are left, they are still making a difference in the community. RoboCop, who has no option to strike, is doing as much as he can to police the city. The problem is he’s out there for days on end and comes in battered, only to be fixed up and out the door in as little as 2 hours.
A family psychiatrist by the name of Dr. Love, who has been lobbying against the current “bad” image of RoboCop, is recruited by OCP. Her job: to help change RoboCop’s image, and to apply her knowledge towards building a more loyal and respectable version of RoboCop. It takes her no time at all to put together her own conclusion of the reason behind OCP’s failure in trying to create another super-human police officer; they were using officers’ brains.
During this time, OCP decides to hire mercenaries as temporary police to help clean up the problems with the city, while most of their police force is on strike. The remaining police officers that are still working find these mercenaries nothing more then thugs themselves, who are acting more like criminals and less like trained officers.
Dr. Love examines the clan of mercs, and amongst them finds a specimen; a take-no-prisoners, cutthroat, crazy merc. This specimen seems to match her description of someone with the perfect brain for the next evolution in cybernetic police officers. She sends out the mercs to try to kill RoboCop, knowing damn well that he could rip them to shreds. Which is exactly what she wants.
After an epic stand-off between RoboCop and the mercs, Robo goes back to the OCP police station and gets himself repaired. Instead of just a basic repair, Dr. Love thinks that society would benefit by applying a few changes to RoboCop, and forces the scientists give him a whole new set of parameters. The new programing forces RoboCop to take alternatives to any given situation. If he refuses, his programing and nerves that are still intact are given an electroshock that causes him pain. RoboCop is then sent back out into the streets and tries to teach good manners and morals, thanks to his new programming. Finding a loophole in the programming, RoboCop uses some extreme measures in capturing or teaching lessons to the public. This in turn causes an uproar from the people of Detroit city, setting up the perfect time to release OCP’s little-known project, RoboCop 2.
While Robocop is on a routine patrol of the subway system, OCP sends out RoboCop 2 to help dispense of RoboCop and help bring peace to a torn-up city. Unfortunately, the brain they used in Robocop 2 has retained it’s original instincts, and as a result, RoboCop 2 goes on a crazy killing spree. RoboCop is forced out of hiding to help save innocent bystanders. As soon as RoboCop shows up, the new stronger, faster, more lethal RoboCop 2 stops his foolish killings and begins to throw Robo around like a ragdoll. As they battle, there is massive damage dealt to the subway structure, leaving bystanders in their wake.
Soon enough RoboCop 2 loses his target after being nailed by a train, and subdues to the forces of OCP. Back at the labs, Dr. Love and scientists try to erase his brain due to the screw up in the subway. Dr. Love then decides to upload a personality she personally hand-picked to replace RoboCop 2.
At this time, RoboCop can no longer tolerate OCP, and decides to torture himself and go after they very company that granted him a new lease on life. He infiltrates the facility, with almost no problem at all, and just before the information was to be uploaded to RoboCop 2, he busts into the lab, preventing anyone (including Dr. Love) from creating a back up RoboCop 2, and continues to burn down the facility.
As you can tell, it follows a different path than the final film. Still, although FRANK MILLER’S ROBOCOP is a great series, the timeline in the series seemed really short. It seemed to take place over two days, but the events in the series probably did take much longer to develop.
Not one of Frank Millers best, but still worth reading. I just wish I had heard about it a few years ago. If your a fan of RoboCop, like myself, I suggest finding a copy of FRANK MILLER’S ROBOCOP and sitting yourself down for a good read.
More info:
Cover: Frank Miller
Story: Frank Miller
Art: Juan Jose Ryp
Readership: Mature Readers
Publisher:
, but it's a good cartoony style (indeed, as the cover shows, a more realistic style wouldn't work as well with the material; Wally would look grotesque rather than comic). The strange thing is that parts of the drawings look photographed, as if Baker was using rotoscoping.
