ROBOCOP: THE LAST STAND #2
Written by Frank Miller, Steven Grant
Art by Declan Shalvey, Korkut Öztekin
SC, 32pgs, FC, SRP: $4.99
FOR ROBOCOP, THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE END. Robocop must defend the people of Detroit as a fighter for justice and a symbol of resistance. But will that be enough to prevent the hostile takeover and destruction of his city? With the help of his new-found, mysterious ally, Marie, he may have a chance.
3 GUNS #2
Written by Steven Grant
Art Emilio Laiso
SC, 32pgs, FC, SRP: $3.99
The noose tightens around both Trench and Steadman as the gun deal they’re brokering between the Russians and the revolutionaries falls apart. Meanwhile, undercover BATF agent Joey Dodge has begun playing the two guns off of each other, in an attempt to send the whole house of cards crashing down…
ROBOCOP: THE LAST STAND #1
Written by Frank Miller, Steven Grant
Art by Declan Shalvey, Korkut Öztekin
SC, 32pgs, FC, SRP: $4.99
FRANK MILLER’S VISION FOR ROBOCOP’S FINAL CHAPTER REVEALED!
Frank Miller’s incredible screenplay has been brought to life in this hard-hitting Steven Grant (2 GUNS, PUNISHER: CIRCLE OF BLOOD) penned adaptation. With all the brains, guts, and bullets that made the first film an instant classic, this is a comic event not to miss.
The police force has disbanded. The people of Detroit have been evicted from their homes. ED-209’s and OCP officers run the streets. With OCP’s vision for Delta City well underway, Robocop may be his city’s last hope. This is Robocop’s last stand, as it was always intended to be.
2 Guns came out shooting, taking the number one spot this weekend and bumping last weekend’s top film, The Wolverine, to second. The movie put out by Universal Pictures and based on the Steven Grant written comic by BOOM! Studios took in an estimated $27.4 million for the weekend. The action movie starring Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg cost about $61 million to make.
2 Guns was heavily marketed to African-American and Hispanic audiences and it looks like it helped. African-Americans made up 28% of the audience with Hispanics making up 14%. The studio crafted specific advertisements for those two audiences, making sure actors appeared on networks associated with and on popular shows watched by those two audiences. Women made up a shocking 49% of the opening weekend crowd. In my viewing there were many couples watching, so this isn’t too surprising really. It is a good date movie. The rated “R” movie had an older audience, with 77% over the age of 25.
With its two stars and decent reviews, the movie should do well in August which is generally a quieter month for releases. The movie is steady at 58% on Rotten Tomatoes and has an audience rating of a B+ CinemaScore.
The Wolverine dropped to second bringing in $21.7 million for a two-week domestic total of $95 million. That’s a 59% drop in its second week. Comparatively, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, brought in $122.1 million at the dame point in its run. The movie is doing well overseas where it has brought in $160.2 million bringing its current global total to $255.2 million.
As good as 2 Guns has done for Universal, another of their films based on a comic, R.I.P.D., continues to tank. In its third week it dropped out of the top 10 with a domestic total of $30.4 million so far. That film cost $130 million.
Trench was a deep-cover DEA agent. Steadman was an undercover Naval Intelligence officer. Now, after racing headlong across the Southwest, desperately outrunning Feds and mobsters alike while trying to clear their names, Trench and Steadman are pulled into another impossible situation: brokering gun deals between the Russians and anti-government revolutionaries… from opposite sides. And little do they know, a Third Gun has her eyes set on the ultimate prize–and she won’t go down without a fight.
I’m a sucker for a good crime story. There’s something about the cool attitudes of characters, the double crosses, the femme fatales that draws me in. I read the first volume, 2 Guns, as a collected edition, so I’m jumping at the chance to read 3 Guns as it comes out issue by issue to see if the experience is different.
Perfectly timed to coincide with the release of the 2 Guns movie, 3 Guns picks up some time later and quickly draws us back into a world of double crosses and shady characters. Much like the first volume we’re thrown into the action with as little information given as possible. That only adds to the mystery, like who the “3rd gun” will be (I’m guessing the woman depicted on the cover).
What’s great here is the interaction of characters. The banter, the comments, how folks go back and forth, that’s the draw and entertainment. The first issue begins to set everything up for what I’m sure will be a while ride. In fact I know it’ll be a wild ride based on the last page of the comic.
Combined with the great storytelling and writing of Steven Grant, art duty falls to Emilio Laiso who ads a nice gritty feel that fines the crime/noir genre. Laiso’s style mimics cover artist Rafael Albuquerque, a favorite artist of mine.
One issue in and the comic is a fun and entertaining time. I’m looking forward to see where this goes from here and if similar crazy twist and turns and be pulled off in the second volume.
Story: Steven Grant Art: Emilio Laiso
Story: 8 Art: 8 Overall: 8 Recommendation: Buy
The premise of 2 Guns is simple. A DEA agent and a naval intelligence officer find themselves on the run after a botched attempt to do their mark in the War in Drugs. Based on the comic series by Steven Grant and published by BOOM! Studios, the movie is an entertaining crime caper filled with double crosses and lots of action.
The plot is pretty straightforward and the movie version actually improves on the comic by streamlining the comic’s plot, which at times was a bit muddled as to what was going on. The plot is straightforward, the two main characters, played by Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg, must go on the run when the money they thought they were stealing from drug dealers actually is someone else’s who wants it back. So the two, must attempt to resolve their issue while figuring out who set them up. It’s pretty simple overall, and the story itself is fine. There’s nothing crazy here or new that makes it all stand out. What does make the movie stand out as my favorite “comic” movie so far this summer is the interaction between Washington and Wahlberg.
Going in to see the film, I was convinced it’d sink or swim based on the interaction between these two stars. And the pull it off in an entertaining way, taking an average plot and making it all fun with their back and forth. Washington is the cool character he seems to have embraced in the latter part of his acting career. Wahlberg is the smart-ass who throws out insults and lines with an ease and comedy chops that not only had me, but the entire theater, howling.
And that’s what I really liked about the film. It wasn’t deep, but it was fun. A lot of fun. Every time Washington and Wahlberg weren’t on screen together I wish they were, they’re the draw and enjoyment of the film. To hear the things that come out of Wahlberg’s mouth alone is worth the time watching the film.
The rest of the cast is ok. Bill Paxton plays a character who builds off the slimy character type he shined in with True Lies. Edward James Olmos is a drug dealer who is reserved, almost a bit too much. James Marsden is fine as a crooked Navy officer. No one here is bad at all. They all play their roles and do it well.
The action is as over the top as you’d expect with chases and gun fights that are absurd but entertaining. Scenes don’t necessarily make sense when you dissect them, but they’re fun and that’s the point. This is a movie I wanted a few things from. Some gun fights. Some car chases. And lots of smart ass remarks. And the film delivers as I expected. What really stands out to me is the lack of some of the devices we’ve seen abused and used way too much in modern movies. Shaky cams, slow mo, bullet time, that’s thankfully not used a hell of a lot, if at all.
Overall the film isn’t rocket science, we’re not talking Oscar contender. However, the film was fun not just for me, but clearly the rest of the theater who were laughing throughout the film and left smiling and laughing. They enjoyed it. The banter from the film is so good, I wish there was more of it. This is an action film that doesn’t break the mold, it does what it’s supposed to, entertain us for a few hours.
Direction: 7.25 Acting: 8 Plot: 7.5 Overall: 7.5
3 GUNS #1
Written by Steven Grant
Art Emilio Laiso
SC, 32pgs, FC, SRP: $3.99
Trench was a deep-cover DEA agent. Steadman was an undercover Naval Intelligence officer. Now, after racing headlong across the Southwest, desperately outrunning Feds and mobsters alike while trying to clear their names, Trench and Steadman are pulled into another impossible situation: brokering gun deals between the Russians and anti-government revolutionaries… from opposite sides. And little do they know, a Third Gun has her eyes set on the ultimate prize–and she won’t go down without a fight.
Creator Steven Grant (DAMNED, PUNISHER: CIRCLE OF BLOOD) returns along with original series cover artist Rafael Albuquerque (AMERICAN VAMPIRE) and interior artist Emilio Laiso (HACK/SLASH) for more action-comedy thrills!
A pulp story about cops and thieves and the men that are something in between. Trench has targeted a local bank to rob, and asked Steadman in on the job. Trench figures it’s a great way to score — considering it’s a cover for mob money. They’ll be thieves ripping off thieves. But what Steadman doesn’t know is that Trench is a DEA agent. And what Trench doesn’t know is that Steadman’s a Naval Intelligence officer. They’re both cops! And neither one knows that they’re not robbing the mob, they’ve been set up to steal $50 million from the CIA!
With the movie set to release this weekend, I felt it was well past time that I check out the comic book the movie was based on. Released by BOOM! Studios way back in 2007, 2 Guns is a fun if not twisty tale that holds up even after all of these years.
The basic story is straightforward. It’s a heist caper with double (and triple) crosses. It’s those crosses that pile on and on is one of the things that makes it a fun read (no matter how over the top they get). While you’re guessing what will happen next (and it’s rather predictable really) you never know where those double crosses will wind up. The story is pulp fun, meant to be enjoyed and not analyzed. A ride to enjoy the view.
There’s also the interaction between the main characters that’s entertaining. The trust and lack of it creates some fun scenes and overall the banter and situations have a cinematic quality about them. That’s a testament to writer Steven Grant‘s abilities. It’s no shock the comic has turned into a movie.
The art by Mat Santolouco is a solid addition as well. It fits the tone and situations and combined with Grant’s writing it increases the enjoyment.
Even after some time, 2 Guns is still an entertaining story, full of pop fun and more double crosses, twists and turns than you know what to do with. With a few months left of summer, it’s perfect to pick up now and round out your summer reading list.
Story: Steven Grant Art: Mat Santolouco
Story: 7.5 Art: 7.75 Overall: 7.5 Recommendation: Buy
BOOM! Studios provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
In July, BOOM! Studios will bring back into print the classic Steven Grant and Mike Zeck original series, Damned. This new collection will arrive in stores just ahead of the release of the 2 Guns feature film on August 2nd, starring Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg.
When Mick Thorne is paroled and released from prison, the only thing on his mind is keeping a promise. But in keeping that promise to deliver a message to his dead cellmate’s sister, he draws the attention of the local crime boss. This sharply designed collection of the classic noir in the vein of Richard Stark’s PARKER novels includes the entire series plus a brand new foreword by Grant and character studies by Zeck.
Damned will arrive in stores on July 31st, 2013 and is available for order under Diamond order code MAY130950. The 144-page, full color soft cover collection retails for $16.99.
BOOM! Studios will bringing four exclusive variant covers to Phoenix Comicon, which will be available only at the BOOM! Studios booth #559. From the KaBOOM! imprint, copies of Adventure Time #1 and Regular Show #1 both with southwest-themed covers by Meredith McClaren will be available for purchase. Additionally, BOOM! Studios is pleased to partner with local retailer Jesse James Comics on two limited edition variants, Suicide Risk #1 with a cover by Joëlle Jones and Clive Barker’s Next Testament #1 with a cover by series artist Haemi Jang.
BOOM! Studios is thrilled to host Steven Grant along with Eric Esquivel, and Caleb Monroe at the BOOM!/KaBOOM! booth all weekend long. Grace Randolph will also be at our booth on Saturday and Sunday.
Travis Hill will also be at the BOOM!/KaBOOM! booth sketching GET-A -SKETCH covers all weekend long! Make sure to stop by for your chance to pick up the hottest comics, trades and variant covers.
BOOM! Studios is also a proud sponsor of the Bleeding Cool Fan Awards, to be presented at Phoenix Comicon on Friday at 6PM in Room 132. Attendees will receive a free Adventure Time #16 limited edition variant cover. The exclusive Adventure Time #16 variant is ONLY available by attending the Bleeding Cool Fan Awards. The Fan Awards are rated for mature audiences.
