The Good
You may have heard the story of Frank Miller's involvement in the Robocop franchise. His original draft for Robocop 2 didn't happen and for the third, so much was changed, Miller decided to give up writing screenplays and not having creative control. Boom! Studios has acquired the rights to Miller's story and we're finally seeing it adapted, courtesy of Steven Grant.
In this story, the police force has been disbanded. Robocop is being portrayed as a killer and a new (and corrupt) security force is causing havoc on the streets and searching for Robocop. With a title such as "Last Stand," you have an idea where this is headed. Robocop isn't going to go into hiding. He will continue to unleash his brand of justice. He just doesn't have the resources he used to.
The art by Korkut Oztekin and colors by Michael Garland gives the story an almost futuristic 70s feel. There's a gritty feel and you get an immediate sense of the desolation of this world.
The Bad
There's definitely some good ideas here. The thought of seeing Robocop's "last stand" is fascinating and opens up the possibility of a different kind of Robocop story. The unfortunate reality is the execution is a little lacking at moments. The pacing is a little sporadic and there is an abrupt ending. There is enough of a hook to get you interested but it could be easy to forget as you move onto the next comic in your stack.
The Verdict
There's no denying the interest in seeing Frank Miller's final Robocop story come to life. With this series, we will be getting that chance. The problem is, as a first issue, it doesn't completely grab you and make you want to commit to this eight-issue series. At $3.99, the sporadic pacing may make you question the purchase but there are some interesting ideas present. If you're a fan of Robocop, you will absolutely want to see this portrayal. This is enough of an indication that the next issue's installment will pick up. Or at least we can hope things will pick up. This could be a really cool series.
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