Monday, November 9, 2015

Happy Birthday Bill Mantlo

Damn, is it November already!? Where did 2015 go? It's not to say that it hasn't been a pretty good year and that there's certainly things to look forward to in 2016 but really it just feels like the years go by so fast in the last half decade or so. Anyways, you'll no doubt recognize the clip art here from the calendar back side cover of Marvel Age magazine.

Left click to enlarge
Here's an editorial cartoon from Skull Slayer #5 I bet many Bill Mantlo fans haven't seen yet. Turns out that was another title Bill wrote for a while not to mention one where he and Sal worked on together. I assume that's Sal at the drafting table but I'm not 100% certain for more information for Bill and Sal on that series go to http://diversionsofthegroovykind.blogspot.com/2009/03/if-you-blinked-you-missed-skull-slayer.html

Fantastic fan art by Gary Martin Jr. left click to enlarge
On an interesting side note today also happens to be the birthday of the daughter of my biggest contributor to this blog. Here's to a very happy birthday for both Emily and Bill. As for  the rest of us, it's Monday I guess it's time to get on with the work week.

Nov. 10th Update:
In response to some complaint emails I sent to IDW about the excessive lag time between Onyx issues and my concerns about the new ROM and Micronauts series next year possibly suffering the same problem I got this today . . .
"Correct—Rom #0 is already under way and will launch on Free Comic Book Day, the main series in July. We’re going to have multiple issues done before launch and ship every issue on time. We have two art teams, too, so no worries there. Gabriel on Onyx is just a unique situation."

So? Thoughts or opinions on this? Cmon folks when I don't hear any feed back for a while it makes me feel like I'm just talking to myself with these blog postings. Except talking to myself is much less work and less time consuming.


11 comments:

  1. Happy Belated Birthday to Bill. Hope he's doing ok and in good spirits.

    Man, don't get me started on how fast time seems to go by these days....So true brother.
    Hope you and the missus are doing okay btw:)

    DAT MINI PIKE THO:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. All is well on my end. But still it would be great if I could get my wife's dog to stop shedding and leave me alone when I'm trying to eat. As for Bill, his brother has a farce book page on Bills behalf you can always see the latest goings in his life.

      Delete
  2. All modesty aside, I'd like viewers to know that my cake-wielding Spaceknight was colored by our host Dave Holsey aka Shlomo Ben Hungstein, with minimal direction from yours truly. My daughter loved it, I super-appreciate the 'fantastic' compliment, and surely it'll make Bill Mantlo smile; mission accomplished all around.

    Speaking of collaborations, I was pleased to learn here from you that Bill & Sal had a comic series team-up previous to the Wraith War, so I'm going to have to read up on Skull The Slayer when I get time. Alas (as ROM would say?), time, she does indeed fly. But we're having fun...at least you, Dale & I are. ;-)

    You're not alone in waiting for Onyx #3 either (next week finally according to http://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/JUL150425); until that IDW quote intimating that the artist is the cause, I had been wondering if maybe Chris Ryall was re-tooling the story to turn it into a 'prequel' (or 'sequel'?) to next year's ROM. Who knows, maybe he's had that in mind all along? That's the main reason I've been anticipating the rest of Onyx, actually.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. there might be an even longer delay for Onyx 3 according to my source at IDW but we'll see. as for that Onyx/ROM prequel possibility i wouldn't hold your breath for that but it looks like you're gonna have to wait till around late January (Onyx 4) to find that one out. as for issue 3, i more want it to finally get released just to see if they printed my letter in response to issue #1.

      Delete
  3. I did see it was Bills Birthday.I Hope he is in good spirts . That art is awesome and amazing ! Great work Gary and Shlomo! Happy Birthday to you too Emily!
    ROM 0 on free comic book day then 1 in July cant wait! I was unable to find any Oynx issue 2 the at my LCS (a huge quality one).
    Sometimes its long between postings here but your never talking to yourself Shlomo.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. glad you liked the art i'm sure Gary appreciates the well wishes for his daughter. as for Onyx, my LCS had the first issue on the shelves but didn't carry it after that the only way I was able to get a copy of #2 the day it came out was that somebody else had special ordered it and the owner sold it to me because he didn't think the other guy was gonna come pick it up. of all the comic shops I've visited in the past couple months I don't remember having seen a copy of Onyx on the shelf so it's not just your LCS. I haven't bothered going to a FREE COMIC BOOK DAY for the past couple of years because quite frankly the freebees are hardly worth making the trip for me but obviously next year will be a different matter.

      Delete
    2. I checked again over the weekend at my LCS for with no luck but saw something even more joyful. Back issues of ROM displayed in center isle face up Next to Micronauts in the same way. I have never see that and maybe with IDW comming they both got more choice store space. Both books had pleanty in the bins as well but the face up center isle. I was susprised to say the least.

      Delete
    3. Micronauts toys are also comming back too via hasbro . Hope they do a new ROM too
      http://news.tfw2005.com/2015/11/16/tfw2005-coverage-of-hasbro-investor-day-2015-305388

      Delete
    4. yeah Gary shared that link with me a couple days ago they don't show you much but it's intriguing. indeed we are due for a cool ROM figure after all this time i'm sure I don't need to remind you how much I hate that heromugg doll.

      Delete
  4. Here's another one, where a Hasbro guy talks about the high likelihood of a new ROM toy after Micronauts:

    http://toynewsi.com/news.php?catid=278&itemid=25004

    Joseph, thanks from Emily & me! IIRC you've got a son who knows ROM, you could make him a card with ROM's "Be Happy" cake, I'd like that. I've already used it again with a nephew. ;-)

    ReplyDelete