Titan Comics' ROBOTECH #1 Wins with a Bold, New Vision

Originally scheduled for release on July 26th, it was announced at yesterday’s SDCC Robotech panel that a minor distributor delay has pushed it back to August 3rd.

Producer Carl Macek was tasked with adapting the anime for the US Market. To meet syndication​ ​requirements, Macek skillfully edited three Japanese anime series (Super Dimension​ ​Fortress Macross, Super Dimension Cavalry​ ​Southern Cross and Genesis Climber MOSPEADA) and created the concept of Robo-technology, to tie them together into one epic​ ​85-episode saga.

But the animation no longer stands up to the quality of today's shows. The characters are outdated.

The beauty of ROBOTECH was in danger of being lost to a new generation of micronian viewers because it's not aging well. After reading ROBOTECH #1 by Titan Comics, fans that share the same sentiment no longer need to worry.

ROBOTECH #1 is the update fans have been waiting for!

Written by Brian Wood, with art by Marco Turini and Marco Lesko, the re-imagining of this series is a pleasant surprise. The first issue trims a lot of fat from the first episode of the series. Wood does a great job at keeping the story relatable yet fresh; making it appealing for fans. Any noticeable changes up to this point in the story won't rock the boat, even if they add to the saga. Turini's art reincarnates old concepts with a refreshing new look that still retains an air of nostalgia.

Titan Comics has assembled a team of Robotech 'Masters' to work on this book. Their knowledge of the franchise passes with flying colors.

So far it doesn't appear that any character is degraded by this re-imagining. I heard the voices, from the anime, in my head as I read this issue. That's a good sign that the dialogue is on point with the show's legacy. Great care was taken to ensure that all the good parts were left in and the not-so-good parts have been improved upon.

• Minmei continues to be a bit naive, but she's no longer obnoxious and flighty.
• Rick is confident but no longer ignorant.
• Roy is commanding but no longer insincere with a lack of concern.
• Captain Gloval is perfectly recreated.
• Lisa Hayes continues to be focused and determined, without being a 'sourpuss'.

The art provides a beautiful rendition of finely detailed Robo-technology and the Zentradi ships and Battlepods are replicas of their animated counterparts. Titan Comics has taken the classic anime and re-mastered it with a bold, new, cinematic vision, in comic book form.

If you are a fan of ROBOTECH, or a fan of science-fiction, this comic book is a fantastic read. With promises of a "deeper layer of twists for old-school protoculture addicts" it's sure to bring back memories, while making new ones.

If you need some more hype before August arrives, check out the trailer created for the comic book here!