Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Writer(s): Joshua Williamson
Artist(s): Carlos Magno
Release Date: 6th August 2014

As BOOM! Studios moves into issue #2 of their new RoboCop series I can’t help but feel a marked difference between what I expected leading on from the first issue, and what I found myself reading here. While RoboCop #2 is in no wat a bad comic, it just doesn’t live up to, or quite seamlessly follow up upon, the impressive debut issue.

The story begins with a massive change in characterisation for our main villain, Killian, who was last seen adorning the corporate sleaze image needed to get ahead in OCP’s Detroit in order to better target RoboCop. I had assumed in my last review that the reader would be treated to watching Killian play a long game of manipulating the police from within, but instead we see Killian inciting hatred for the police and OCP amongst the public, who are having their guns confiscated by the city. This move to becoming an easily identifiable antagonist is somewhat disappointing, though Killian continues to incite the kind of hatred that city-wide riots are made of while remaining just barely under the threshold of legality, meaning that RoboCop cannot justify preventing him from doing his ‘job’.

This archetype of untouchable villain is of course well-worn in RoboCop lore, but the more thuggish intentions of Killian suicceed in breathing new life into the trope. The sub-plots of the book however vary wildly in quality, with an interlude with Killian’s redneck accomplices coming off incredibly chessy; seeming more like ‘The Dukes of Hazard Enter Death Race 2000’ than a part of the RoboCop universe. Luckily, the other sub-plot – concerning Lewis possibly being promoted and no longer working with Murphy – is much stronger, as Murphy reacts far more robotically than expected, perhaps to hide his real pain and hurt over the situation. As this plot develops I look forward to seeing much more of the man behind the mask.

On the art side the sick neon colours of issue #1 have become much more muted throughout, with the result that they now seem more cartoonish when they do return. The art is still a fantastic representation of the RoboCop universe, and certain panels – particularly those featuring the shit-eating grin of Killian – really feel like they could have come straight from celluloid.

In conclusion, RoboCop #2 only slightly misses out on the 4/5 rating I gave #1. The slight drop in art quality and varying success of the writing means I can’t be quite as glowing as I was last month, but I will still definitely recommend this comic to fans and non-fans alike. You will definitely get a lot out of this comic if you’re a RoboCop fan.

Rating: 3/5

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The writer of this piece was: Andrew Stevens