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New Boom! RoboCop comics coming in April
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Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2018 7:44 pm Reply with quote

Personally, I have no issue with the character evolving. But it has to feel natural.

For example, I have a theory that, with the inevitability of his brain slowly deteriorating, Alex Murphy will disappear and all that will be left will be Robocop. If it had been written into the third film, it would explain why he's incredibly robotic (as compared to the first two) and the act of saving Cadillac Heights is his last way of getting back at OCP and doing good for the people as he knows Alex Murphy doesn't have long to exist.

With this series, it feels more like they're playing on Robo's awkwardness and trying to make the reader pity him. But, to me, it feels stupid more than anything. Him walking about in jeans and a hoodie, supposedly being an alcoholic. Wrong.

Anyway, picked up the third issue today. A big improvement (a self written Directive 5 sounds interesting), but it really, really needs to start picking up speed.




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Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2018 10:51 am Reply with quote

Reading varying opinions on the comic stories that have been presented over the years, what would most prefer as a setting/format for an ongoing series? Would you really want something as radical as a "Corporate Wars"/"Blade Runner" setup; or the Old Detroit/Delta City environment established in '87?

Personally, I'd go for the latter. It had plenty of story material to pull from, and wasn't developed or expanded on properly. I loved how the movies and series did that, and the '94 show could've been a complex, profound run, if the restrictions hadn't been present. It certainly had moments that were heartfelt and deep. Even intense.

Also, could artwork be of a higher quality? I'm more for photo-realistic drawings than the 'goofy' facial expressions of typical comic panels. Sue me for saying that, but if I were to write & produce a one-shot or multiple issues, I'd want them realised like frames from a movie. I know some do, but the detail frequently isn't there.




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Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2018 12:28 pm Reply with quote

Spectrum Scarlet :
Reading varying opinions on the comic stories that have been presented over the years, what would most prefer as a setting/format for an ongoing series?


500 years after his creation, on a far off planet, Robocop has been long retired and is a reclusive artist who still after all these centuries grapples with identity and morality. He hasn't killed in over 100 years and thought he would never have to again... until a threat from his past makes him pick up the Auto-9 again.

That is the kinda Robo series I want to see. The further from his point of origin, the better. We know that story. It's become a basic formula of Robocop vs. the next corporate villain. Nothing ever really changes. He does not grow. He just hangs around old Detroit going "am I machine? or am I dude?" What happens when he figures it out? If we're looking at Robocop as a franchise, not a character, it would seem to me clear that OCP is the overarching enemy. We have seen OCP toppled a couple times. But we never really see what is next. Does Robo always need to be bound by this corporate angle? I see the potential for so many more stories than just the formulaic few we keep getting.

And don't get me wrong, that formula is uniquely Robo and great, hence the endless repetition. But Spiderman couldn't stay in high school forever. And Robocop can't stay in old Detroit forever. Look at the highest regarded Robocop comics. Robocop vs. Terminator is generally considered the crown jewel of Robocop comics, and it culminates in a massive battle in the future that, in many ways, betrays the grounded gunplay the movies established. The Marvel series see Robocop leave the USA entirely, on a quest to save his family that brings him face to face with a villain from his past. Both are atypical Robo tales, but some of the absolute best.

Here is one thing to consider about comics: there is no 'budget' like in a movie. What I mean is they are not bound by locations, effects, costumes, stunts, or shooting schedules. If you can dream it, they can draw it. And that is a lesson I remember hearing from an article for aspiring comic writers. Comics can tell much larger stories, but often come with much larger expectations to be impressed. Part of what made Robocop so amazing in 1987 was how well he himself fit into the film world they created, in that it looked highly realistic and not silly like other sci-fi fare at the time. But the same Old Detroit locations are just not as exciting on a comic page. Superhero comics are still by and large the majority of the comic book industry's bread and butter. Superheros work well because their bombast is perfect for the page. The costumes may look silly on screen, and comics movies has been struggling with this ever since, but they sure pop on the page. Thusly, Robocop comics can take on a bit more color, higher stakes and bigger explosions.

In closing, Robocop is my favorite character, as you all well know. But characters can only be great if they grow. Robocop, is in many ways a blank canvas. He is nearly indestructible and can go anywhere, fight anybody. So I'd like to see more of that. Show me Robocop punching out an alien on Mars, I'd rather see that than another story that ends with Robocop saving the day and cleaning up another OCP mess for the old man, or whatever knockoff is sitting in his chair.




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Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2018 10:00 am Reply with quote

Spectrum Scarlet :
Also, could artwork be of a higher quality? I'm more for photo-realistic drawings than the 'goofy' facial expressions of typical comic panels. Sue me for saying that, but if I were to write & produce a one-shot or multiple issues, I'd want them realised like frames from a movie. I know some do, but the detail frequently isn't there.


Iīm more into stylish art choices than Alex Ross photo-realistic stuff, but the art in this series arenīt my cup of tea. It could be if the artist tried, but there are some pannels where RoboCop just has a block as his body.

RoboPimp :
500 years after his creation, on a far off planet, Robocop has been long retired and is a reclusive artist who still after all these centuries grapples with identity and morality. He hasn't killed in over 100 years and thought he would never have to again... until a threat from his past makes him pick up the Auto-9 again.


Itīs almost the premise for this series, but on Earth and with a "drunken" Robo.

I just read issue #3 and Iīm not enjoying it. Slow, little Robo on it, and the overall aspect is not cool. Heck, even the covers are ugly (pink/violet as background colour? Does that colour represent Robo in any form?).




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Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 7:30 pm Reply with quote

Issue 4 is out now. Ugliest cover so far.

Still feel very conflicted about this whole series. It started rough but has gotten gradually better. The art isn't bad as such but it never really grabs me and the story just feels so uninteresting. I hope they don't go and for 10+ issues with this story.




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Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 7:33 pm Reply with quote

Archive :
Issue 4 is out now. Ugliest cover so far.

Still feel very conflicted about this whole series. It started rough but has gotten gradually better. The art isn't bad as such but it never really grabs me and the story just feels so uninteresting. I hope they don't go and for 10+ issues with this story.


Iīll have to wait till the end of the month to get it home, but Iīm not too interested on it for the moment. Also, didnīt they showed somewhere itīd be a miniseries?




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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2018 5:19 pm Reply with quote

Now that I have finally read the first four issues, here are my thoughts on Robocop: Citizens Arrest.

I'll start by addressing the elephant in the room: Robocop wearing clothing. Brilliant. 10/10 best Robo series ever. Well not that obviously, but after hearing your guys comments, I did not find his wardrobe to be nearly as offensive as expected. I actually thought it made sense in the story, and liked the angle of him being shut down in a minute with a simple software update. This cast a bleak light on our hero, with us seeing him sitting in the shadows, alone for five years, unable to fire the gun sitting mockingly on the table. The series got off to a slow start, and Robo did not appear much, but I did love the way he was portrayed and the whole idea of where his character was at. This did a good job of setting up his glorious return in issue 3, where he kicks a lot of ass. Robo's new adversary, the new 'Robocops' I guess you could call them, are my favorite part of Citizens Arrest. Their dialogue is always hilarious and they are sharply rendered in the artwork. The art overall is something I enjoy about this series. Robo's portrayal in the first couple issues was murky, but he looked great once he was back in action in issues 3 and 4. The art style is something a bit different for Robo, and I love the heavy inks and most of all the colors. Between the crisp colors and the tight panel layout, this feels like a comic of decades past in all the right ways.

There is a lot I liked about this series, but overall it is flawed and nothing too impressive. One of my biggest issues is the antagonist. Surprise, surprise... it's OCP again! Even thought it is 5 years later, and now some New Old Man figure appears to bring back OCP. So even though I like the idea of it being set 5 years later, it doesn't feel like it. It's all the same evil with new names, which might be the point, but it doesn't make for a very high stakes story. The New Old Man is great on the page, the new age CEO is well written with snappy dialogue. But he lacks any depths. He is totally evil and just wants to make money. We've seen that villain in Robocop stories too many times, and unless their is some dramatic twist to his character coming soon, he is totally one-dimensional. The other big issue with this series for me is the use of TV talk shows. A staple of Robocop, I don't think there has been a Robocop comic series without them (Mortal Coils maybe?). But just because they are expected, does not mean they are good. The original Marvel series gave us Casey Wong so it really enforced the connection to the films. Outside of that, the presence of these TV panels can be hit or miss in the comics. This is an example of them done wrong. There are at least three different shows running through this series so far, not to mention commercials, so a large percentage of the book is clogged up in these dull TV moments. They do too much lifting of the story, telling instead of showing, and make these early issues exhausting as they try to quickly hit us with a ton of information about what has happened in the past 5 years and explain the new R/cop program, OCP's rebranding, etc. There's just too much of it and it bogs down the story.

Aside from those two big problems, I like this series and am interested to see where it goes However, I am not exactly excited. Where we leave off, Robo's new pal Joe is about to be turned into a Robocop. Not to sound prejudiced, but the last time Robo's black cop friend got turned into a Robocop it was part of the lowest regarded Robocop work to date, PD. So I'm hoping this pans out better. But I don't see this series going anywhere unexpected, I don't think it will do anything to change the status quo or set up anything big for Robocop. With the news of the new film breaking, BOOM needs to step up their Robo game soon.




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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2018 6:54 pm Reply with quote

RoboPimp :
The other big issue with this series for me is the use of TV talk shows. A staple of Robocop, I don't think there has been a Robocop comic series without them (Mortal Coils maybe?). But just because they are expected, does not mean they are good.


I think MC actually had some TV shit in it, but I recall very little if any for Roulette or RvsT. In fact I don't think it was a thing much at all in the Dark Horse run, save for Prime Suspect and the R3 adaptation. That said I agree while it's certainly a Robo trope, it hasn't been done too well outside of the first film. Gotta have it there and kooky-crazy but not too much so, has to be grounded. Yet another balance that is very difficult to achieve, a specific part of the difficult achievement of balance for Robo in general.

That said, thanks for the detailed take Pimp. Doesn't really entice me to check this out anytime soon but good to have some details from both a lover of comics as much as Robo. I remembered seeing the art for the first issue, and thought it wasn't that great, like Archive didn't grab me. Not to speak of the covers.. bah. Seems like it improved some, but still.. not sure I like a lot of ink for a Robo comic, but that's me and I'm no comic book guy by any means I must admit.

I agree ultimately sounds like lot of the same stuff we've seen before just rehashed and shaken a wee bit. What new stuff it has might be interesting in itself but really doesn't sound much like Robo's bag. Don't get me wrong, I'd like some changes - Hell I thought Mortal Coils was a neat way to take Robo out of his element and while the thought of jacking Robo into a beyond the stars future is a bit kooky.. part of me might check that. But.. at a certain point it just comes down to there's only so much you can change and it still be Robo, and then - it isn't. At least to me. It's not that it couldn't be done, but it needs to be natural, grounded, well-balanced. Which has been the problem with doing RoboCop beyond the first film. It is a shame in regards to comics, since as mentioned there's no issue with budgeting effects and shit.. more sky is the limit there. Yes you still need to show tone and atmosphere in a comic but doing that in terms of Robo I would think might be a tad easier to do versus a show or flick. Yet Robo has been really treated like a bastard in many comic runs.
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Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2018 12:04 pm Reply with quote

Stan The Man :
I think MC actually had some TV shit in it, but I recall very little if any for Roulette or RvsT. In fact I don't think it was a thing much at all in the Dark Horse run, save for Prime Suspect and the R3 adaptation.


Had to break out the box and set the record straight. Turns out, you were right, the TV stuff appears only in Prime Directives and is absent from the rest of Dark Horse's original Robo tales. Robocop vs. Terminator, and the other stories to a lesser degree, do a good job of following Robocop as a character instead of putting him in a secondary role, as we see in Citizens Arrest as well. I also came across one other example of a Robocop series without the TV trope: the oft overlooked Robocop/Terminator: Kill Human. This series has a bad rep, but looking at it reminded me of how entertaining the series was. Talk about using the unlimited 'budget', this series is filled with huge set pieces, jumping into the middle of Terminator 2 with a bunch of ED-209's and ending on a sinking aircraft carrier. Zany stuff.

As for you and anyone on the fence about this series, I say wait it out. The eventual TPB will be a cheaper way to read the story if you wish to do so, and nothing so far has me or anyone on the edge of their seat. Hopefully it deliver a strong ending, but I don't think it has the potential be anything more than average at this point. Robo is a bastard yet again.




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Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2018 5:08 pm Reply with quote

Still not convinced about it. I was ok with the artwork at first, something different, but after issues #3 and #4 it looks like a joke. RoboCopīs body is just a rectangle. They make action scenes boring, and also the story didnīt help.

And it turns theyīre redoing PD again too:

Quote:
Robo's new pal Joe is about to be turned into a Robocop


Hell, even the covers are terrible!

I like having the chance to get new RoboCop stories, but this one itīs an insipid one.




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Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2018 1:50 pm Reply with quote

Issue 5, the last one is out now.

Glad it's over. This has been the worst Robo comic so far.


oh dear




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Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2018 5:08 pm Reply with quote

Archive :
Issue 5, the last one is out now.

Glad it's over. This has been the worst Robo comic so far.


oh dear


Hahahahahahaha.

I still have to get issue #5, but I was surprised to see on Boomīs media sites that the comic is over. They started slow and keep it slow. No big reveals, no big plot, no big action, nothing. And I guess the last issue wouldnīt change anything.




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Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2018 12:00 pm Reply with quote

So, it's over. At issue 5?

After reading this last chapter, I am almost certain this series was meant to be longer and had its issue count reduced last minute as a result of poor sales. I have read comics my entire life, and this is far from the first time I have seen this happen. After a slow and rather dull progression over the first 4 issues, this one jumps a few years ahead and suddenly is moving at roller coaster pace. While I appreciate that there is finally stuff going on, it all wraps up too quickly. My guess was that this was meant to be at least 6 issues, but based on the writing of the the first 4 issues and what goes on in this issue, I think 8 is probably what was originally intended.

So is it any good? Not really. The new Robocop is introduced and resolved far too quickly for any depth. It's just Robocable 2, and he even looks more similar to Robocop than Robocable did. Just a straight up repaint, and during their anti-climatic battle I sometimes had trouble telling them apart. The main plot arc took a weird shift, and many plot threads are left unresolved. For example, one thing that was promoted for this series was the R/Cop thread, something everyone here seemed to think worked OK. Well, it just kinda left a couple issues ago. The series did not really build up to anything, it just threw Robocable 2 at us for the last issue.

But there is one part I liked... aside from the great "gangsta life" meme reference which caught me quite off guard and had me LOLing. I liked the end, the "Months Later' portion. Having Robocop 2 in human clothing actually made for a powerful image, and works for this character much more than it did Robo earlier in the story. This bit, a more human Robo, is an interesting plot thread that just did not have time to develop. I liked Robo's revenge at the end, and the scene of Robocop storming the OCP office and taking the head honcho down is something we have been waiting for for years.

Too bad we don't actually get to see it. The issue ends before the true Citizens Arrest of the title actually happens. There was no need to show it, of course. The villain, who did not even get a name I don't think, was so generic and evil there was nothing to show. It's not that this story did not go anywhere over these 5 issues, it's just that it took us back through the same story loop we know (and love) in a haphazard way. I did like the art throughout, down to the inks and colors. That saved the series and is the only reason I have reason to return.

The other Robocop comic this reminds me most of is Robocop: Revolution, and that is not a good thing as Robocop: Revolution isn't memorable at all. The other series that comes to mind is Robocop / Terminator: Kill Human, because there are a lot of goofy moments in this comic. Robocop is still curing in issue 5 and drops a 'damn' that felt totally out of character. In R/T: Kill Human, that kind of stuff was so over the top the series is charming in a so-bad-it-is-good kinda way. This series is just kinda meh, though it did have some good ideas at times. Too bad the main plot was so weak that these ideas could not shine.

The real reason this comic is disappointing is the timing. I'm pretty sure BOOM would agree this is not the Robocop comic they wanted on shelves when the new sequel was announced. People rushing out to retaste that nostalgia were likely quite disappointed to see this lame ass Robocop bumbling around and cursing. However, on the positive side I'm sure this will not be the last we see of Robocop from them as I feared at the start of the series. I would hope they are crafting a stronger followup now, something that truly captures the spirit of Robocop that the fans love. Your move, creeps.




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Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2018 3:09 pm Reply with quote

RoboPimp :
My guess was that this was meant to be at least 6 issues, but based on the writing of the the first 4 issues and what goes on in this issue, I think 8 is probably what was originally intended.


I think I read somewhere that theyīre doing 8 or 10 issues back when they announce it. I could be wrong, but I didnīt know theyīd end it on only 5 issues.




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