Frank Miller's Robocop (ISBN 159291036X)

Awful, worse than the movie:
I was hyped when I bought "Frank Miller's Robocop". I seemed to be the ideal audience: I thoroughly enjoyed the first movie, thought the second wasn't nearly as bad as it was made out to be, and enjoyed Frank Miller's Sin City. Once I heard there was a graphic novel version of Miller's original Robocop 2 script, I bought it immediately. Well... It's completely disappointing. Miller's screenplay had been derided as being "unfilmable", which is the kiss of death in the screenwriting world. I had assumed that was merely because it asked for special effects and shots that might not have been technically possible when it was penned in the late 1980s (compare that to today, with the CG-infused film version of Sin City demonstrating that almost anything is possible). While Miller's version does have some difficult-to-film moments, the main problem is that the story itself is shallow, unfocused and basically a mess. Interestingly enough, the best ideas from this script _did_ find their way into the final movie, but with better development. For example: in this comic, the plot (when it finally coalesces) surrounds a "Robocop 2" that's built to compete with the original but goes haywire; there is a conniving female executive who gets to toy around with Robocop's programming; the cops are on strike; there is mention of Alex Murphy's previous life before becoming Robocop --the problem is they're barely half-baked in this script. Instead the story surrounds the total breakdown of the police force in Detroit and the failing effort of a handful of cops (including Robocop) to keep the city together; and it doesn't tell it very well --we exchange much less Robocop action for paper-thin cop drama. There's a lot of violence and action, but it never feels compelling in any way. The worst part of this version surrounds the introduction of a paramilitary force by Omni Consumer Products (OCP) to keep control. The characters are obviously a plot device to introduce the candidate for the second Robocop; outside of that their presence is hard to justify. The actual soldier chosen for Robocop 2 is completely ridiculous --a supposedly "insane" soldier who comes off as a incredibly one-dimensional, well-armed buffoon. Meanwhile, OCP, a source of great amusement in the films, is reduced to something completely uninteresting in this version: all of the wit and corporate stupidity is drained away --replaced by other, very generic characters. The ending is a sham, I don't care what opinion you might have of the series --but it doesn't fit in at all with the Robocop character in the films, or even the dull characterization of him made here. Oddly enough, the movie brought in ideas that might have made this version better: Bringing in a serious narcotic that's affecting the population, using a drug addicted maniac (Kane) as the basis for a second Robocop, playing up the internal corporate politics of OCP, and the infamous sociopath child criminal. The movie was by no means a masterpiece, but it had a better kernel of story elements --more potential-- to work with than what's present here. What makes this version worth reading? There is an aspect of Robocop still in here, and there are some of the absurdly funny commercials breaking up the action (again, the best made it into the film to sit alongside some other funny segments not present here). However, because the Robocop character is developed so thinly it doesn't do justice to the name. At best, it would be interesting to read this version in conjunction with watching the film to see how a movie can change on its way to the screen. Just don't expect this to be better than the film. Bottom line: the story in "Frank Miller's Robocop" is disorganized, not very interesting, and ultimately insulting to soul of the first movie it was supposed to follow.

Sadly underwhelmed:
After hearing so much from the Internet that Frank Miller had written an epic screenplay that was bowdlerized by the studio execs into what became the abysmal Robocop 2, I was eager to read the original treatment presented in this graphic novel. However, the very things people complained about in Robocop 2 are present here. Robocop has no character development. Most of his time in this book is spent shooting stuff. Also, there is the odd scene in this book with the ex-wife talking to him in tears at OCP almost exactly as it is in the movie, with no follow up or mention of how Robo feels about it afterwards. It just gets dropped, like in the movie. Lewis has no character development, like Robo, most of her time in this novel is spent shooting stuff. Throw in a Miller version of Robocop 2, a psycopathic goliath equally as ridiculous as the movie version (that apparently didn't go through any testing phases just like the movie version, damn those future dystopian engineers), add in a lead engineer who dresses up like she's ready to pick up some guys at a nightclub and is extremely well endowed with hip and chest size (which engineering labs were THESE girls hanging out in at my university?????), and finally add in bloody gun battles (LOTS of them) and you've summed up the basic plot of this book. I do give credit though for the artwork. A lot of it is amazing. Unfortunately, this book suffers from "too much of a good thing" and as a result because of the gorgeous amount of detail put into each panel, a lot of the action is hard to follow. In summary, if filmed from Miller's original script, Robocop 2 would not have turned out any better. Miller is no Alan Moore.

Frank Miller Robocop review:
I am a huge fan of the Robocop and Robocop 2 movies. I could see many elements in Frank Miller's Robocop similar to the movie. Many have mentioned the material in the comic being much more dark than the movie, and I must disagree. Overall, Robocop 2 the Movie was much, much, much better than the comic. I am relieved that the Movie was not based more on Frank Miller's Robocop.

good buy but would be dynamite with art by Miller himself:
Too bad Frank Miller's schedule was full so he couldn't do the artwork except some covers in his Robocop graphic novel inspired from his greatly altered movie sequel scripts. Juan Rose Jyp's artwork is also good, don't get me wrong, but the occasional covers Miller has drawn in the book sorta steal the attention right away when you see them. Leaves you wanting more and hoping this book would have been published later so Miller could have contributed more. Still, a great story with decent realistic artwork. The hardcover is kinda expensive but okay.

fantastic:
an over the top what looks to be a script submision for the last two movies. its hard sometimes to differentiate the flames from the blood on some pages however a fun exciting read as you would expect from frank miller