Imagine dropping RoboCop into the dystopian future of the Terminator franchise. Well, that’s what Dynamite Comics has done in Terminator RoboCop: Kill Human.
In their official canon, Skynet and RoboCop don’t even exist in the same universe, but the new ongoing comicbook series from Dynamite will explore what might happen if the two were to face-off, bringing together a talented team, writer Rob Williams and artist P.J. Holden to do it.
This will be Williams’ last comic project for Dynamite, as he has recently signed an exclusive contract with Marvel Comics, excepting just this one last project, which he had already begun at the time.
The premise is this: RoboCop has been put into suspended animation until needed again, Demolition Man style. When he is finally awoken, he finds himself among the final survivors of the war brought about by Skynet and its terminator robots.
The themes of the story will, of course, be humanity, and what makes a person a person.
As RoboCop’s story is a clear Pinocchio tale, Murphy will be torn between his human side and his robot side.
He’ll be able to see the humans as needing protection and pity, but will also be capable of identifying with the robots, seeing them as brethren, and understanding their desire for a more ordered, humanless world.
Both sides will be accepting of him, and he will have to make a decision between the two halves of his own make-up.
No word on which Terminator characters will appear in the series, but as it takes place in the Terminator universe, we can pretty safely assume that none of the RoboCop characters other than Murphy will appear in the story. Although, it would be pretty sweet if ED-209 made an appearance at some point, perhaps even as a sympathetic member of the robot cause – pitiable because he still cannot navigate stairs
“I’m hugely excited to bring together two much loved Hollywood war machines in the ultimate mash-up of action sequences, satire and very heavy metal,” says Williams. “What makes for a stronger machine? The desire to uphold the law or the desire to wipe out humanity? We’re going to find out!”
“As someone who grew up on a strict diet of 80s/90s machismo and robot laced action movies (not to mention the dark humour of 2000AD) – Robocop/Terminator is dream project for me,” says Holden. “I’ve known Rob for years, and it’s a real pleasure to finally work with him. I look forward to drawing many, many, things being blown up while I speak all the dialogue to myself in a faux Ahnuld accent.”
Terminator RoboCop: Kill Human #1 will hit shelves in July of this year.
