Frank Miller’s complete, original script for the Robocop 2 movie is finally available after two decades in this Avatar Press TPB. At last you can see Miller’s original vision for the film complete and uncut. Written by the acclaimed author of the Dark Night Returns, Sin City, and 300, Frank Miller’s ROBOCOP TPB is a must have for all diehard comic book and movie fans. But don’t just take our word for it, check out this review by comic book critic Tim Janson:
The story of Frank Miller’s Robocop turns out to be more of an interesting story than Robocop 2 itself. Coming soon after Miller’s enormous success with Daredevil and The Dark Knight Returns, Miller was hired to pen the script to Robocop 2. Miller enthusiastically took on the assignment, but his excitement was short-lived. Miller would soon fall victim, as so many had before him, to the Hollywood studio suits who basically tore his script to shreds, leaving only the smallest tatters of his original story in place. Enter Avatar Press who acquired the Robocop rights. It was Avatar’s vision to finally let Miller’s original screenplay be adapted for the comics the way it was meant to have been on the big screen.
Miller’s Robocop is far darker, grittier, and bloodier than the film version. You’ll know this within the first few pages…Robocop has now come under the control of Dr. Margaret Love, whose ego and attitude are even are bigger than her chest! She sees Robocop as limited in directives and programming. She thinks Robocop should provide good PR as well as good police work. Meanwhile, OCP scientists are busy at work designing Robocop 2, yet continue to have failure after failure, all do to having the wrong type of human personality for the unit.
Robocop is reprogrammed and his three prime directives are replaced with 1881 directives that include things such as the “role-model” mode which causes Robocop to promote social values…such as turning off the fire hydrant keeping the city kids cool on a sweltering Summer Day. As you can guess, Miller is able to let his sardonic wit run wild with mock newscasts and TV commercials, similar to what he did with Dark Knight Returns. It all leads to a final climactic battle between Robocop and Robocop 2 in an extreme conflagration of violence perhaps unparalleled in comics.
While the film kept some elements of Miller’s story such as the Murphy’s recollection of his former life and family, and his reprogramming of his prime directives, the film lacks the dark humor and intensity of Miller’s story, all on display for the world to finally see thanks to Avatar Press. I must also mention the incredibly detailed artwork of Juan Jose Ryp whose somewhat frenzied style is perfectly suited to the story. Magnificent!
Written and reviewed by Tim Janson.