RoboCop (franchise) RoboCop (franchise) RoboCop is an American superhero cyberpunk media franchise featuring the futuristic adventures of Alex Murphy, a Detroit, Michigan police officer, who is mortally wounded in the line of duty and transformed into a powerful cyborg, brand-named Robocop, at the behest of a powerful mega-corporation, Omni Consumer Products. Thus equipped, Murphy battles both violent crime in a severely decayed city and the blatantly corrupt machinations within OCP. The franchise began in 1987 with the film "RoboCop". "RoboCop 2" followed in 1990, and "RoboCop 3" in 1993. There have also been various television series, video game and comic book tie-ins.
RoboCop hideouts reflecting this concern. Massive unemployment is prevalent, being reported frequently on the news, as are poverty and the crime that results from economic hardship. Director Paul Verhoeven, known for his heavy use of Christian symbolism, states in the documentary "Flesh and Steel: The Making of RoboCop" (featured on the "RoboCop" DVD) that his intention was to portray RoboCop as a Christ figure. This is represented in: Murphy's horrific death (read: crucifixion); his return (read: resurrection) as Robocop; the showdown with Clarence Boddicker at the steel mill, which finds RoboCop trudging through ankle-deep water (this creates the illusion of him