RoboCop Secret Uncovered After 33 Years

“I was stripping the wallpaper. When I uncovered the picture, I was impressed,” Young said. “A 13-year-old little boy doing his thing with his brother. It was nice to uncover it.” Since the Robocop drawing was signed, Young’s 22-year-old daughter Chloe posted an appeal online asking if anyone knew David Hodges. “Someone sent the link to his Instagram account,” she said. 

“I had a look and sent it straight to my mum,” Chloe recalled. He is amazing! Just the stuff that he draws is incredible.” Dave Hodges, now 46 and a married father of two, currently lives in Melbourne, Australia, with his family. The revelation of his childhood artwork prompted a flood of memories from a bygone era when RoboCop was a cultural phenomenon.

Reflecting on his youthful exuberance, Hodges recalled the painstaking effort behind the drawing, which he etched on his brother’s bedroom wall before his mother decorated it. “I was a 13-year-old boy, and RoboCop was an amazing film back then,” he said. “I did think someone will find this one day. I didn’t think it would take 33 years!”

“I remember, after drawing the [Robocop] head and taking ages, my brother drew a stick man body under it. I remember being really frustrated,” he continued. Hodges, now skilled in photorealistic art, acquired his expertise through self-teaching aided by instructional videos on YouTube. Reflecting on his childhood, he acknowledged his natural talent for drawing but never pursued it seriously until 2017.

Despite his artwork being a hobby, Hodges has managed to sell some pieces and occasionally takes commissions, although balancing this with his full-time job and family responsibilities proves challenging. Each piece of artwork demands significant time, with Hodges dedicating 30 to 40 hours to complete a single piece. 

The RoboCop franchise began in 1987. Directed by Paul Verhoeven, the first movie, titled RoboCop, stars Peter Weller as police officer Alex Murphy, who is transformed into the cyborg law enforcer after being murdered by criminals and revived by a mega-corporation. Set in a crime-ridden Detroit, the movie explores themes of humanity, identity, corporate greed, and corruption.

RoboCop was praised for its clever action sequences and deeper philosophical messages, although reviewers were conflicted about its extreme violence. Despite initial censorship concerns, the movie was a financial success, earning $53.4 million upon its release. Over time, the movie has been critically reevaluated and hailed as one of the best films of the 1980s

The success of the original film led to the creation of a sequel, RoboCop 2, in 1990.  Directed by Irvin Kershner, the second installment follows RoboCop as he returns to protect the people of Old Detroit. But is faced with various challenges when a rogue OCP member secretly creates an evil new cyborg. The film is known for being even more violent and edgy than the first.

RoboCop 3 was directed by Fred Dekker and released in 1993. The story sees the OCP evicting Detroit citizens to clear the way for Delta City. RoboCop teams up with a group of urban freedom fighters to save the city. The film differs from the first two in tone, cinematography, and cast. It also features the disappearance of the iconic villain, the Old Man, without explanation.

A RoboCop reboot was released in 2014 by director José Padilha. The movie stars Joel Kinnaman as Alex Murphy, who becomes critically injured and is transformed into a cyborg police officer. The supporting cast includes Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton, Samuel L. Jackson, Abbie Cornish, Jackie Earle Haley, Michael K. Williams, and Jennifer Ehle.