Is It Good? Robocop #4 Review

The cover by Goñi Montes is marvelous; Robocop dances to the touches of Killian’s fingers as the master controls the puppet.

Is the rest of the book just as good?

Robocop #4 (BOOM! Studios)

The city of Detroit is at critical mass as the citizens continue to riot, demanding the return of their firearms.

Meanwhile, Robocop is enjoying a Monster Truck show and even getting to take a ride in one! (Well, behind one, that is.) The ride is so enjoyable, Nash offers to give Officer Lewis a ride as well. Despite Robocop being dragged around offering absolutely zero resistance (come on, put up a fight), he slips out of the chains dragging him behind the truck once Officer Lewis is in danger. The sequence goes from controlled torture to chaos. Officer Lewis puts a bullet between the eyes of Nash, not giving him a chance to surrender. Carlos Magna ups the gore quotient with a gruesome skull-bashing image resulting in a grape splatter of brains strewn across the page. Robocop and Lewis show no mercy and expunge Nash and his gang.

However, when the world is watching, Robocop and Lewis must tone down the violence while confronting Killian. Lewis takes the bureaucratic roadblocks and runs them over. She disperses the riot by giving them what they want: hope that their guns will be returned. Killian is caught off guard and exposes himself for the fraud and criminal that he is. Despite this revelation, the people of Detroit are oblivious. They do not notice his obvious lies or the discussions he has with his partners. Williamson’s portrays the citizens of Detroit is as a mindless mass of flesh, only effective when doing what they are told.

Moving away from the riot, Williamson struggles to juggle Lewis’ promotion and her brash actions during the protest. Lewis and Murphy have an emotional conversation about her choice to take the detective’s exam right outside the door where the Mayor and the OCP are discussing the fallout of her actions. The whole conversation is out of place. In one panel she is stressing about being fired and the next one she is fretting over the strength of her relationship with Robocop.

After this excruciating scene is over, he is able to get back on track. Killian continues to manipulate the OCP and the mayor’s office in grand fashion. He is able to isolate Lewis and disarm Robocop in one fell swoop, all the while continuing his gun smuggling at an even greater level than before!

Is It Good?

Robocop #4 is below average. Robocop is able to miraculously escape situations he had been placed in after being beaten down and offering no resistance; there is one sequence which is completely out of place and forced: addressing Lewis’ detective exam. The artwork is good and the skull-crushing scene definitely opens the reader’s eyes. The story is forced and a retread of the last two books with the only change being the scale of the crimes committed.