Robotech: the Graphic Novel


By Mike Baron, Neil D. Vokes, Ken Steacy & various (Comico)
ISBN: 978-0-93896-500-8

Robotech was a minor comics phenomenon of the 1980s based on some rather deft marketing of assorted Japanese fantasy exports. Whilst American TV company Harmony Gold was cobbling together and re-editing three separate weekly science fiction anime series (Super Dimension Fortress Macross, Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross and Genesis Climber MOSPEADA) US model-kit company Revell was selling Japanese mecha kits based on the aforementioned Fortress Macross, Super Dimension Century Orgus and Fang of the Sun Dougram as Robotech Defenders, complete with an all-new English language tie-in comic produced by DC Comics.

A copyright clash resulted in the DC title being killed after two issues after which TV produced Carl Macek and Revell went into limited partnership in a Macross co-licensing deal which saw three shows translated into an 85-episode generational saga wherein Earth was rocked by successive alien invasions decades apart and only saved from annihilation by a fortuitous spaceship crash which had allowed humans to master extraterrestrial Robotechnology.

The American TV hybrid and mecha toy range naturally led to Role Playing Games, novels, an animated movie, art books and comicbooks which have been semi-continuously in print since 1984.

The premise revolved into The Macross SagaFirst Robotech War a desperate conflict with giant Zentraedi warriors seeking to retrieve a crashed space craft; Robotech MastersSecond Robotech War wherein Terrans battled a fresh wave of Zentraedi, come to discover what happened to their lost fleet and Robotech Masters or Third Robotech War, with enemies becoming allies to confront an even greater foe: the horrendous Invid – from whom the Robotech Masters originally stole the near-magical, cataclysmic, semi-spiritual power source Protoculture, reverentially worshipped as the Flower of Life and the motivating force behind all Robotechnology….

Comico produced separate titles set twenty years apart (Robotech Macross Saga, Robotech Masters and Robotech the New Generation) from 1984-1989, after which Eternity Comics, Academy Comics, Antarctic Press and WildStorm took up the perennial favourites in their turn.

In 1986, at the height of the furore Comico produced an original oversized 48 page European album format graphic novel plotted by Carl Macek which filled in the heretofore unknown backstory; telling the story of that fateful First Contact when a starship crashed on the island of Macross. It was scripted by Mike Baron, illustrated by Neil D. Vokes & Ken Steacy (with painted colour by Tom Vincent and lettering by Bob Pinaha)…

In ‘Genesis: Robotech’ far away on the other side of the universe SDF-1, a two kilometre long spacecraft is seeding desolate worlds with a unique plant. Unconventional and rebellious Philosopher-Scientist Zor is attempting to grow the energy-rich Flower of Life in soil not sanctioned by his Robotech Masters, over the protests of dutiful warrior-commander Dolza.

This allows the insidious Invid to track them and attack, fanatically attempting to wipe out the Zentraedis who stole their sacred bloom and daily desecrate its holy purpose…

Although temporarily driven off, the Invid fatally wound Zor but not before he dispatches the ship on a pre-programmed jaunt across the universe to a world only he knows of…

On orders from the enraged Masters Dolza returns Zor’s body to the homeworld so any useful information can be extracted from his cells whilst Field Comander Breetai is ordered to take a fleet and follow SDF-1. If Zor has been seeding worlds in secret both the ship and its destination must be found…

It is 1999 on planet Earth and a third global conflict is about to erupt. Brush-wars, resource squabbles and border-skirmishes are occurring everywhere. In the sky above the Pacific fighter pilot Roy Fokker is engaged in another deadly dogfight with mercenary T.R. Edwards which once more ends inconclusively…

Returning to the aircraft-carrier Kenosha Roy meets Senator Russo, Admiral Hayes and his own Commander Gloval who have an intriguing plan to end the faux-war before it ends humanity…

Meanwhile in America a little boy named Rick Hunter is learning flying tricks with his grandfather that will one day save the world when the sky is set ablaze by a vast object. Destined to crash far out in the North Pacific, in its thunderous passing the “meteor” triggers storms and earthquakes, disrupts electronic communications and causes global panic…

All over Earth hostilities cease and a military task force led by Gloval and Fokker, with arch enemy Edwards representing the once-opposition, explore the downed SDF-1, which has crashed on a barren rock once used for atomic testing.

On board the humans discover wonder, horror and the potential to create a golden age on Earth, but unbeknownst to them Breetai’s pursuing force is closing in…

Although designed as an in-filling prequel this is a classy traditional sci-fi romp which happily stands on its own merits for new readers whilst providing added narrative value to any readers – or indeed viewers – familiar with the greater saga it introduces.

Fun and adventure in the grand old space opera manner and superbly easy on the eye, it’s about time these 1980s epics were revisited by a more comics friendly readership.
“Robotech” ™ Revell, Inc. © 1986 Harmony Gold, USA, Inc./Tatsunoko Production Company, Ltd. All rights reserved.