Fans Forget That This ‘90s Sci-Fi Spectacle Is Actually Based on a Comic Book

Though its charms were largely lost on critics, the Jean-Claude Van Damme-fronted action picture Timecop nonetheless has a loyal base of fans who appreciate the flick in all of its campy charm. That much is evidenced by the box office returns and staying power of the property. The flick pulled in over $100 million at the global box office and eventually spawned a TV series and a direct-to-video sequel. But did you know that the film is actually based on a comic book? That’s right, the flick is an adaptation of the Dark Horse comic “Time Cop: A Man Out of Time.”

The comic was released two years prior to the film and ran as part of a Dark Horse anthology series simply titled Dark Horse Comics. The arc ran over the course of three installments before eventually getting the feature film treatment at Universal Pictures.

Timecop stands as one of the earliest adaptations of a Dark Horse property. Seeing as the comic was featured as part of a collection and only ran for three installments, many have since forgotten about it.

The Timecop Comic Is Significantly Different From the Feature Film

Like the feature film adaptation, the comic features Max Walker as the lead character. In both cases, Walker is a lawman sent back in time to stop a past event. Yet, that is largely where the similarities stop. The film takes some of the core elements of the comic as a jumping-off point and then carves out its own path from there.

The comic book follows Walker back to the 1930s, where he is tasked with stopping a time-traveling jewel thief from stealing a diamond from a South African mine. Once he arrives on the scene, Walker realizes that the crafty thief traveled back to the 1930s with a protection robot in tow. After he saves the diamond and returns to the future, Walker realizes that the robot has caused a time ripple to which he must go back and attend.

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The feature film, on the other hand, sees Walker (Van Damme) traveling back in time to thwart criminals who are working with a cynical senator called Aaron McComb (Ron Silver), and using time travel and their knowledge of history to profit from the stock market crash of 1929. Following a deadly ambush at his home, Walker ultimately teams up with fellow officer Sarah Fielding (Gloria Reuben) to look into McComb’s shady dealings in the more recent past.

The flick channels the essence of the comics while telling its own unique story set in the same universe. The feature adaptation is steeped in ‘90s excess, with camp to spare. The action is over-the-top; the performances are anything but grounded; and the fashions, hairstyles, and dialogue all reek of their era.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with any of that. The flick is a fun distraction that sees director Peter Hyams delivering intense action sequences and well-choreographed fight scenes, complete with plenty of high kicks and splits. It’s not top-tier cinema, but Timecop is nonetheless one of Van Damme’s better films. Now, that may not be the highest bar, seeing as a lot of the actor’s flicks have been met with an icy reception from critics, but if you’re a fan of rip-roaring action, you could do so much worse.

The flick benefits from an interesting concept that is not overly original, yet it is still filled with plenty of whimsicality and imagination. Screenwriter Mark Verheiden, who also worked on the comic, delivers a far-fetched scenario that allows viewers to go along for the ride and escape into the narrative. If you’re willing to turn off your brain and suspend your disbelief for 98 minutes, you’re all but guaranteed to have fun with this one.

More than 30 years on from release, Timecop remains a campy good time that gets more right than wrong. It’s great fun to see Van Damme kicking and punching his way through time, saving the future from the past. If you enjoy this action-packed romp, which is streaming on Tubi, might we suggest tracking down the comics by which the film was inspired?

What are your thoughts on Timecop? Are you a fan of the flick? Or do you find yourself distracted by the outlandish nature of the setup? There are no wrong answers. Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.