Just so we’re all on the same page, everyone know what Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots are? If not here’s a commercial from a time before fun was invented.
I know I’m not the only one who looked at the trailer for Real Steel and immediately thoughts of Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots. I mean, there’s clearly a moment in the trailer where a robot’s block is literally knocked off. But dammit if I’m not a sucker for nostalgia.
And violence.
I know I went a little overboard with the Photoshop effects in the last panel. But what can I say? I wanted to make it colorful!
I don’t know that I have too much more to say about Real Steel except that I really wish they hadn’t thrown in the kid as some kind of conduit for Hugh Jackman’s redemption. It’s an old trope and it reminds me too much of Over The Top… and not in a good way.
If you haven’t seen Over The Top, it’s a movie starring Sylvester Stallone as a truck driver that reconnects with his son through the power of competitive arm-wrestling. You read that right. Arm-wrestling.
It’s a horrible, horrible movie – redeemed only by it’s high 80s cheese-factor. A crazed man drinks a quart of oil out of the can as a psych-out move before a competition. That happens.
Do you see where I start to draw the comparisons with Real Steel?
I mean, I get why they had to throw a kid in there. They have to sell toys, after all. It’s pretty much the same reason Jake Lloyd was cast in The Phantom Menace. Little kids need to see themselves on screen as some kind of proxy… I guess.
Although if you’re taking your 7 year-old to a movie about robot boxing, well… there are bigger problems in the household that need to be addressed.
Do I still want to see Real Steel? Of course! Why? Because I’m mentally 7 years-old and I have a driver’s licence, that’s why.
I CAN DO WHAT I WANT!!
I wanted to post a quick reminder that I currently selling prints of comics from my 1,000+ archive. Making a purchase couldn’t be easier. Just comb through the archives and find your favorite strip. Then click on the “BUY PRINT” icon in the navigation field just below the comic. Send me $5.00 and I’ll ship to you a SIGNED print on lovely cardstock paper – suitable for framing!
I’ve already received a bunch of orders since announcing the option last week. Thanks to everyone who have already ordered prints. I really appreciate it! I’m finding it very interesting to see what comics are people’s favorites. Some nice surprises in there!
As always, anything you can do to help spread the word about Theater Hopper helps. If you could click on one of the icons below to share this comic on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or with a friend on e-mail, I would really appreciate it. Word of mouth is the most valuable form of advertising there is! Think about it: Right now, one of your movie-loving friends has NO IDEA Theater Hopper exists. Share it with them, won’t you?
That’s all for now. If you have comments about Real Steel or Over The Top, throw ’em into the comments ring below, ya?
"Real Steel?" The should have just called it "Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots: The Movie."
You. Take. THAT. Back.
And if I don't?
I'll knock your block off!
HA! Try it!
POW!
Love love LOVE that last panel.
Also, this. http://xkcd.com/335/
Leave it to XKCD to cross the event horizon of brilliant concepts.
that last panel is AWESOME!
EXCELLENT job, Tom. This comic looks fantastic.
That was exactly what I said, out loud, when I first saw the trailer for Real Steel. “They’re making… Rock’em Sock’em Robots… into a MOVIE!? AWESOME!” My 14 year old son just stared at me…
Yes, I will see it. I am also 7 with a car. I plan on taking a few other 40-somethings with me
You used ALL THE PHOTOSHOPS!
Where’s the like button on this thing?… π
I liked this comment so much, I installed a comment rating plugin to the site?
WHHAAAAAAT??
The last panel is fantastic.
So for Hungry, Hungry Hippo the movie; do you see Lidsay Lohan making it a come back film about a conservationist in Africa getting people to work with nature (feel good drama) or do you see it as a Megan Fox vehicle where the hippos are on a rampage and she is the great white hunter to save the day. (horror/suspense)
The part of the Hungry Hungry Hippo will be played by Lohan.
The part of the “food pellets” will be played by cocaine.
Wait.. is it NOT Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots: The Movie? I totally thought it was a licensed adaptation. That was the first thing I thought when I watched the trailer.
I also lost the last panel very colorful. real steel was also loosely (very loose at that) on the richard matheson story. like its so lose there is none of the original story left but they still give him credit lol.
As I said recently, I love your layouts! The way the top panels are really narrow makes the last panel feel even bigger and more energetic!
When I saw the trailer I annoyed everyone around me by asking “What, are they doing Matheson’s story?” like anyone there but me knew anything about Matheson’s story. The original Twilight Zone did it and did it well in under a half hour; that screams “big-budget bloat” to me, in a big budgeted, bloated sort of way.
See the TZ version here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYyfdNPh7No
THat said, I always liked Rockem Sockem Robots, and Don Martin himself couldn’t best that last panel. Sheesh!