Detroit finally gets it's Robocop statue and it's about damn time

If you were to do a Robocop word search on this blog you would see I've been talking off and on about all things Robocop and ROM for years now. The two characters have some obvious things in common and writers over the years have found clever ways of paying tribute to those commonalities. One has a spaceknight code, the other prime directives and ofcourse both are cybernetic organisms struggling with the loss of their humanity. Ironic how in recent years both Robocop and ROM fans finally got some really amazing stuff that was a long time in coming.

Anyways, back in early 2018 my wife and I decided to go visit some family in Detroit but the trip didn't happen until later in the year. In the run up to our trip I learned about the Robocop statue project which was supposed to get it's unveiling just before our trip so I was pretty excited about that. Unfortunately that didn't happen and there would be over 7 years worth of delays. But as of November last year, the the seemingly endless delays finally came to end and Detroit has it's Robocop tribute statue for all to enjoy. I may be due for another visit to Detroit this year.

The OCP marketing department came up with this logo emblem for ROM. What do you think? But seriously this really does look like it could be part of some packaging art. Like if they did some kind of action figure sized version of the Parker Brothers doll as part of some retro toy line.

January 27th Update: I don't know any details as of yet but I just literaly learned a few minutes ago about the passing of the great SAL BUSCEMA! In some ways Sal Buscema is even more responsible for getting me into ROM then even Bill Mantlo given that I was following the stories in comics from the art more then from the writing back in the early 80s. Afterall I wasn't even quite into my teens back then. Sal also co-created the Sabra character which I'm a fan of so I'm grateful for that as well. Rest in peace sir, your work was one of the many things that made the 1980s epic.

Sal Buscema's last issue on ROM was issue 58. After that there was ofcourse a noticable decline in the quality of the art work. But thanks to the embellshments of other artists on Ditko's pencils the art work was still decent from issues 59 thru 63. In a sense it was the last issue in the series I was able to enjoy both from a story and vidual stand point. After that it was only Bill Mantlo's story telling that made it possible for me to get through the rest of the series which ran for another 12 issues and 1 final annual.