COMIC BOOK REVIEW: RoboCop #1

Writer: Joshua Williamson
Artist: Carlos Magno
Colors: Marissa Louise
Letters: Ed Dukeshire
Publisher: Boom! Studios

RoboCop is one of the most popular pop culture icons. With the recent release of the reboot film in the big screen, it’s a no-brainer that a comic book title would eventually show up. However, the film fell short of everyone’s expectations. And now BOOM! hopes to go back to the original character that everybody loves by setting this new series in the original ’80s RoboCop continuity.

Joshua Williamson brings a sense of familiarity by introducing some violence immediately in the first few pages. He introduces the character of RoboCop and what he’s all about in just a few pages. RoboCop in a shootout with some Detroit criminals, RoboCop punching someone’s eyeballs out, and clashing through a shootout head-on are just some of the things we’re all accustomed with the original incarnation.

What all that said, a character is only as good as the story he’s in. Unfortunately for this first issue, it reads too fast. It’s got too light of a set-up that one can probably read this issue in more or less 5 minutes, which is definitely a red flag. Furthermore, we are introduced to a criminal named Killian who’s out for revenge against RoboCop. Williamson forces Killian’s name on the reader by repeating his name in every scene he’s in. That’s an indication that this guy is going to be important later on.

Perhaps the biggest letdown in this supposedly promising title is in its ending. A cliffhanger is a way to hook the reader enough for him to come back for the next issue.  Sadly in this case, it comes out nowhere that it leaves the reader dismayed.

Carlos Magno’s art is hit or miss. His Detroit setting definitely has that right amount of grittiness it’s reminiscent of the original films. In some cases like a simple conversation scene, the edgy artstyle comes off distracting and at times out of place.

Boom’s RoboCop title is a great way of reliving the original incarnation’s world. It’s perfect for fans of the character, not so much for new readers. The title could probably get better along the way, but for now it’s certainly missing something that could capture modern audiences.

Rating: 2.5 / 5