The comics version of 'RoboCop' comes on strong

With the launch of its new "RoboCop" series, Dynamite has masterfully adapted a classic 1980s movie franchise while respectfully and powerfully making it relevant to today's readers.

In the world of "RoboCop," a terminally wounded police officer returning to the force as a powerful cyborg haunted by his memories, things are looking bad for America and her economy, unemployment is skyrocketing, the country is fighting two wars overseas and some of our biggest corporations are failing.

This a world in which nationalism is so high, a reporter is so "rah-rah" in support of our troops that he makes Sean Hannity look like Cindy Sheehan.

And in Detroit, crime is so rampant, the police have been privatized, leading to human officers' replacement by robots.

The main conflict of the story seems to be whether in the name of greater efficiency we are sacrificing our humanity. RoboCop is the bridge between both and is obviously torn by that. While deciding whether the man or machine part of him is his greatest strength, he also tries to retain a sense of justice.

"RoboCop" deals with all of this in a sharp, action-packed tale that will have you counting the days until the next issue.

Trivia of the week

Which comics legend wrote the script for the "RoboCop" movie sequel? First 10 who e-mail the right answer to Comics Guy will receive a copy of "Merc" No. 1 from Zenescope.

Marvel wary of iPad

Though the announcement of the iPad has the comics industry abuzz, Marvel is taking a cautious approach, especially since the device isn't Flash-enabled.

"I don't think it's the be-all, end-all for comic books. I think it's a good start," said Ira Rubenstein, executive vice president of Marvel's Global Digital Media Group in an interview with Newsarama. "It's definitely something we're exploring, but it's not something we're going to rush right out and do."

"It's not going to support our digital comics subscription service as it is," he pointed out, referring to Marvel's current online comic-book reader. "But netbooks do. And they're cheaper, and they do more. I guess you have to make trade-offs for what you're going to take. If you look at how much content is on the web that is flash-enabled, like flash games and flash comics, then that's a disadvantage."

Rubenstein said the publisher is unable to tell yet whether the 5.82-by-7.75-inch screen will work well for comics, although the bigger, vertical-enabled, color screen is obviously one of the biggest advantages of the device.

"I do think the bigger screen absolutely helps comic books. And I think more e-readers certainly helps," he said. "We haven't had a chance to get our hands on it and work with it, but I think we'll now see more and more e-readers with color screens, and that's obviously good for the future of digital comic books."

Lights out?!

According to MTV, Lights Presents Audio Quest is a motion comic being published online at MTV.com and features an illustrated and animated version of the musician Lights in a interstellar expedition to reclaim the music that was robbed from her home world. Think of it as one part Flash Gordon and one part Phonogram (and maybe some Rock N Rule if you remember that), and you've got the idea. Four episodes ($3.99 each) have been released so far.

Jackson, BOOM! team up

BOOM! Studios has announced it is teaming with actor Samuel L. Jackson and Emmy-nominated writer/producer Eric Calderon ("Afro Samurai") to deliver their next original comic book series, "Cold Space," a hard-boiled sci-fi action-adventure with covers by Eisner Award-winner Dave Johnson and "Irredeemable" cover artist Jeffrey Spokes.

"Cold Space" follows the adventures of a mercenary outlaw who crashes on a hostile planet on the brink of civil war.

"Cold Space" is scheduled to be a four-issue miniseries. Each issue will retail for $3.99.

Bluewater head sounds off

Bluewater publisher Darren Davis, having announced an expansion of the company's increasingly popular biography titles to include a FAME line that will see bio comics of Lady Gaga and Robert Pattson in May, Kristen Stewart in June and David Beckham in July, took the time to talk to Comics Guy and respond to criticisms of the bio comics and of the company in general.

"What people do not realize is that I got my start working in the entertainment industry," Davis said. "I studied Radio TV and film in college then went to work for E! Entertainment Television, USA Networks and Lionsgate. Ever since I started comics, I have always had strong ties to Hollywood. Using Sable from the WWE as the photo model of the 10th Muse. It worked and got us the sixth-highest-selling comic 10 years ago. Entertainment is the second-biggest export behind defense. Nonfiction comics have been around since the '40s. So as much as I would love to take credit for it, we are just the next generation publishing them.

"I look at all the comics that we do as a product instead of a fanboy and figure out the best marketing for these. No different from what indie movies do. Create a demand for them.

"What is important about the FAME comic, and Entertainment Weekly got it when it ran the story, is we are driving new people to the medium. Comics sold 8 million copies in the '90s, now they are selling 200,000. That is not good. So when my critics call us bottom feeders and whores, my response is "what are you doing to try to bring in new readers."

"We feel like we have become the Biography Channel of comic books. It is a very good niche to be in right now for us. This does not mean we have given up on our own properties like 'Legend of Isis,' 'Nanny & Hank,' 'Logan's Run,' '10th Muse' and tons more. This is just another genre we are hitting, just like any other publisher we are growing. It was just natural after a year of doing politicians that we also tell stories of other people. With my background in Hollywood, this was the perfect fit." *

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