RoboCop, the 1988 animated series

March 18 2022

RoboCop is a 1988 animated superhero series based on the 1987 RoboCop movie of the same name. The cartoon aired as part of the Marvel Action Universe programming block. The series is set in an alternate continuity where events similar to those shown in the film have occurred, excluding the death of Clarence Boddicker, which occurs in the last episode.

The show made a number of changes to the RoboCop universe to make it more appropriate for younger viewers, including replacing bullets with laser weapons and moving the series to a more sci-fi setting. In this series, RoboCop had a red light in the center of the visor (which occasionally made the entire visor slide).

The series was animated by AKOM Productions.

In Italy most of the episodes are also published on VHS by Stardust Video.

History

Alex Murphy + RoboCop, the animated series

Based on the original film, the series features cyborg cop Alex Murphy (RoboCop), who fights to save the city of old Detroit from underworld criminals and, at times, fights to reclaim aspects of his humanity and maintain his usefulness in the eyes of the “Old Man”, President of Omni Consumer Products. Many episodes see RoboCop's reputation tested or soured by the interventions of Dr. McNamara, the creator of ED-260, the upgradeable version of Enforcement Droid Series 209 and the main competitor for OCP's financial support. He continually develops other mechanical threats that threaten RoboCop.

In the police force, RoboCop befriends Officer Anne Lewis, who is depicted with romantic inclinations towards him, but is also targeted and criticized by biased Lieutenant Roger Hedgecock (who appeared as a minor character in the original film) , who is determined to get rid of him and his kind, which he sees as time bombs. Their rivalry reaches its climax during the episode "The Man in the Iron Suit," in which Hedgecock comes close to finally beating Murphy with the help of a new weapon system developed by McNamara. He nearly kills Lewis when she interferes, infuriating Murphy by having him tear apart Hedgecock's iron suit and nearly crushing his skull before Lewis comes to his aid. RoboCop is managed by Dr. Tyler, RoboCop project director.

The title sequence features a short animated variation about Murphy being shot and killed by Clarence Boddicker and his gang. Throughout the series, RoboCop struggles to cope with the pain of losing his humanity. Other themes include racism ("Brotherhood"), prejudice at work ("Man in the Iron Suit"), environmental espionage ("In the Desert"), terrorism and the Middle East peace process ("A Robot's Revenge") .

Although this series is based on the original film, there are significant changes in RoboCop and its environment. RoboCop is faster and has more freedom of movement than movies. The old Detroit of the series is also considerably more technologically advanced: lasers replace guns and robots are the order of the day, Dr. Tyler (who appears in the original film) is the creator of the RoboCop program, not Bob Morton, and he also acts from Murphy's Confidants and His Caregiver, along with Dr. Roosevelt. Clarence Boddicker and his gang of him, the men responsible for Alex's Murphy's death before he became RoboCop, died in the film. Here they stay on the loose and fight RoboCop again in "The Threat of the Mind".

Characters

Alex murphy
Anne Lewis
KRUD station manager
Dr. Tyler
The Old Man, Clarence Boddicker, Casey Wong, The Scrambler, Ace Jackson, Coates - ED-260
Lieutenant Roger Hedgecock
Robocop
Wilson wheels
Birdman Barnes, Joe Cox
Sergeant Reed, Dr. Roosevelt
Cecil, Ralph

Episodes

1 "The band of vandalsRich Fogel and Mark Seidenberg October 1, 1988
Dr. McNamara hires a very dangerous gang, the Vandals, to cause waves of mass crime in Old Detroit. If RoboCop fails to stop this threat, Dr. McNamara will unleash his ED-260 weapon on the streets of Old Detroit.

2 "scramblerRich Fogel and Mark Seidenberg October 8, 1988
A former OCP member, now a criminal, enters RoboCop's control system and breaks out of prison with the help of a brainwashed RoboCop. The criminals control RoboCop and entrust him with the mission of assassinating the leader of the OCP, The Old Man.

3 "disturberDonald F. Glut October 15, 1988
The OCP Project Deathspore experiment goes terribly wrong. He escapes into the sewers and streets of old Detroit and feeds on the energy of the city and the power of RoboCop.

4 "The Dragon-Octopus project"John Shirley October 22, 1988
RoboCop encounters a high-tech criminal gang similar to the Ku-Klux-Klan calling themselves “The Brotherhood”. Their goal is to destroy all robots and cyborgs in old Detroit with a high-tech ball that causes errors in robots and cyborg programming.

5 "The Clin Clun ClanRich Fogel and Mark Seidenberg, October 29, 1988
Dr. McNamara creates an iron suit designed to be far superior to RoboCop. He has Lieutenant Hedgecock put on the suit to challenge RoboCop and prove to the Old Man that his product is far superior. The Old Man is concerned only with which product would be more profitable, so Hedgecock and RoboCop compete to determine which product is more valuable.

6 "The crime robot"Marv Wolfman, November 5, 1988
Dr. McNamara frees the Vandals from prison and hires them to steal RoboCop's office chair; without it, RoboCop is a piece of junk. The Vandals get RoboCop's chair and try to sell it to Dr. McNamara.

7 "The theft of the regenerating chairJohn Shirley November 12, 1988
Dr. McNamara sabotages OCP's new tank, the AW7, to attack the people of old Detroit. A corrupt reporter attempts to "vilify" RoboCop, but faces a number of obstacles in the process.

8 "The night of the archer"Michael Charles Hill November 19, 1988
RoboCop investigates a man named Archer, who plays Robin Hood as he steals from the rich and gives his bounty to the poor of old Detroit. Spurring violence across Delta City, rioters begin looting and burning down shops and malls in reparation for what the OCP has done in Detroit since the construction of Delta City to alleged air pollution from an oil refinery. With the spread of violence and the attempted murder of The Old Man, what is the true meaning and motive of this archer? And with Lewis in a moral crisis unable to link Archer's message to the violent actions of the rioters, can RoboCop stop it on its own?

9 "Rumble in Old Detroit"Donald F. Glut November 26, 1988
A gang war erupts when an illegal weapons depot is stolen from the Metro West police station. Gangs attack gangs and the only one who can stop the violence is… RoboCop.

10 "Revenge of the robotsJohn Shirley December 3, 1988
RoboCop and Anne Lewis are tasked with protecting Middle Eastern leaders, Prince Zoras and Ilmar, while drafting a peace treaty. Two terrorists send an ED-260 to assassinate the two leaders.

11 "Robocop against the OCPRoger Slifer December 10, 1988
RoboCop investigates an OCP factory that pollutes water and the environment.

12 "The terrible necklaceRoger Slifer December 17, 1988
A dangerous microcircuit amulet appears on the black market. RoboCop discovers that the leader of the gang is Clarence Boddicker, the man responsible for Alex Murphy's death. This episode also features Ace Jackson, Wheels Wilson and Birdman Barnes, the three members of RoboCop's Ultra Police squad.

Technical data

Author Edward Neumeier, Michele Minatore
Developed by Rich Fogel, Marco Seidenberg
Regia Bill Hutton, Tony Amore
Music Haim Saban, Shuki Levy
country of origin United States, Canada
No. of episodes 12
Executive producers Margaret Loesch, Giuseppe M. Taritero
Duration 30 minutes
Production company Marvel Productions, Orion Pictures Corporation
Distributor New World Television
Original network Syndication
Original release date 1 October - 17 December 1988