Robocop vs. The Terminator HC Review

I remember when the Frank Miller cybernetic crossover first hit comic book shelves in 1992. Seeing Walt Simonson’s vibrant and action-filled cover made me drool in anticipation. Unfortunately, my parents grounded me for some fifth-grade hijinks, which prevented me from reading comic books for almost a year.

I never went back to read it when my sentence ended, but thanks to Dark Horse Comics, I get to revel in a lost relic of my childhood.

The strength of this story lies in the portrayal of Robocop’s humanity. The fact that his existence leads to the creation of Skynet makes perfect sense and works flawlessly. The narration is informative and never takes the foot off the pedal when conveying the gravity of the situation.

Time travel storylines are either done very well or very poorly, and Miller seamlessly switches back and forth between timelines as futures and pasts consistently checkmate each other in an attempt to save their version of reality.

Whoever coined the phrase less is more never saw Walt Simonson’s artwork as splash pages, and “Krunch” and “Gronk” moments kept my eyes glued to the page. Steve Oliff’s coloring brings a gritty sense of wonder and despair to these images.

This newly restored edition is perfect for those who want a good crossover with depth and awe and those who want to enjoy it again for the first time.

Score: 9 / 10