“Is this what you Micronians mean by a ‘shotgun wedding’?”
Robotech: The Macross Saga #25
Comico The Comic Company (February, 1986)
“Wedding Bells”
ADAPTATION: Markalan Joplin
ARTISTS: Mike Leeke & Mike Chen
COLORIST: Tom Vincent
LETTERER: Bob Pinaha
EDITOR: Maggie Brennen
Max goes for his date with Miriya but she sees this as an opportunity for revenge for her many losses against him in battle both real and virtual. Unfortunately for her the streak continues. This final embarrassment is all she can stand and she begs him to take her life. Instead he takes her heart and the two are married. This is the last straw for Dolza, who orders an all out attack. Seeing this wedding and the defectors as signs of peace Miriya easily convinces Max and Rick to shoot to disable while Zentraedi aboard Breetai’s ship refuse to potentially attack their own. This new situation forces Breetai to retreat as the Sterlings settle into their new life as husband and wife.
What they got right: With the exception of the discussion between Max and Miriya I actually think they did a better job with the dialog here, although the changes could also qualify as something wrong. The addition of the edict of the “Great Warrior” that Zentraedi shouldn’t harm Zentraedi (I’m guessing Khyron didn’t learn that one) adds extra incentive for the mutineers to make their case and for Exedore, the one who usually is a stickler for orders, to be against attacking the ship with their own people. Dolza ordered the capture of the ship makes more sense in the overall Robotech narrative (since they’re supposed to be trying to reclaim the protoculture factory for the Robotech Masters) than the episode’s order to destroy it.
What they got wrong: On the other hand even Joplin’s alterations last issue and this doesn’t make this romance rather rushed. Miriya sure switches from great warrior to struggling housewife rather fast and I don’t think she’s been around them long enough to have had the personality switch we saw in the show. The comic doesn’t have time to focus on it so it’s not as jarring a change. I know some marriages happen fast. My parents did and so did my cousin and her husband but this seems a bit too fast.
Recommendation: A good issue but unless your following the saga already or know enough about it to be curious it won’t hit as well as those following the series. Still worth looking into though.
While the series continues on this is the last issue I own. However, there’s more Robotech to come as next time we begin Robotech II: The Sentinels. From there you can guess which video review is late again if you know the series.
BW Media Spotlight 
Comico’s Robotech Macross back issues are definitely worth picking up. Or if one would prefer, there are the omnibus collections of Comico’s Robotech Macross which are put out by Titan. Bear in mind though that Titan’s Omnibus collections do not include the letters page that you will find in the original Comico Robotech Macross issues. The letters pages in Comico’s comics are legendary. For instance, Elvis Orten was a very eloquent letter writer in all the Robotech comics and Johnny Quest comics. Plus, the omnibus misses out on all the nostalgic Robotech product advertisements or advertisements for store catalogs that sell all kinds of “Japanimation” (as said in the 80s) products. For instance, it was through Comico’s Robotech comics that I ordered a catalog from a store in the Boston area that sold various models from Japanese animation. That’s how I was able to purchase some Starblazers model kits (a “good guy” ship and a Gamilon ship) along with Macross model kits (the Zentraedi battleship, Zentraedi battle pod, and one of those battle robots….Destroids? (not the planes that transformed) of the “good guys” or whatever it was called). Allowance money from doing household chores went a long way in the 1980s because the prices were lower. While other kids were building model kits of cars, boats, or planes, I was working on glue models from Revell’s Robotech, Macross, and Starblazers. I look back now and wish I had the chance to work with the Gobots models. Didn’t you have a Gobots model kit, Tronix?
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I did not. The two GoBots model kits I’m aware of were actually Mosepdia models if memory serves. I know “Cy-Kill” was the Mospedia cycle it self (aka the Cyclones of Robotech) and I think “Leader-1” was the fighter (forget the Japanese name) but I’m not sure. There might have been a Spay-C model but I don’t recall for sure.
The only model kits I had were some Masters Of The Universe vehicles that did not hold up to play (the box lied), a Knight Rider and a C-3PO model, both of which showed why I shouldn’t attempt glue-together kits, some other Star Wars vehicles that also fell apart, a couple Gundams and a few Zoids, and this Mega Man action figure I still have yet to assemble.
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Interesting…..I totally forgot about the Masters of the Universe model kits. There also were the Grenadier miniatures from Masters of the Universe. If bought, the person would just have to paint them.
And yes, there was a Spay-C model along with one or two other Gobots. That Knight Rider model must have been pretty cool. C3-PO…..I wasn’t aware of Star Wars model kits!
Over time, I did get better with glue model kits. The U.S. Navy destroyer I put together in 6th grade Model Building club (during Activity Period) was kind of a disaster. The two Revell Robotech models I put together in 7th grade were a little better, but still not the best. I did put Trigon and whatever the other Revell Robotech model’s name was on display at the 7th grade hobby fair in our middle school gym (remember that event, Tronix? I believe it happened either just before or right after our 7th grade field trip to New York City). During 8th grade, I used my allowance money to purchase those Macross and Starblazers model kits from the Boston area store catalog (thanks to the ads in Comico’s Robotech). By that point, I was much better at putting together glue based model kits. In fact, I was very proud of how those Macross and Starblazers models came out. Wish I still had them.
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[…] history of Max and Miriya’s romance, from their first meeting, to the arcade battle, to their rather unusual and quick marriage. Even this Joplin improves. In the original arcade meeting Miriya agrees to the date (though I […]
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