I swung by a comic shop on my way home from work last night. While browsing at some random stuff I took a look at Avengers Academy #25. At one point in the issue one of the characters informs the others that Hybrid was defeated before by a spaceknight's weapon that disintegrated Hybrid and sent him to Limbo. After which another responded with "Where do we find him?". The reply to that is, "We don't, he's dead".How about that? It all but sounds to me like those sons of bitches at Marvel pretty much hammered in the nails to Rom's coffin. For a moment I was actually considering picking up the issue so that I could scan and post that conversation but I just wasn't in the mood to give Marvel any of my money. In fact, I have no intention of buying any more new Marvel comics indefinitely I'm so pissed. If you go back a couple of postings ago I had already decided to disregard Avengers Academy 23-25 along with a few other shitty ROM spin off continuities in a concept known as Krypton-Revisionism http://www.economicexpert.com/a/Krypto:revisionism.html
Here's my letter to the editor William Rosemann:
Avengers Academy #25. Cmon guys what was that!?
The Hybrid 3 issue story arc seemingly started off as a tribute to Rom spaceknight but pretty much ended up being a slap in the face to old school Rom fans by declaring him as being dead in issue #25. And by the way thanks for not providing an explanation for Hybrid's return along with such predictable ending to him (back to Limbo how original!). Unfortunately I had already picked up 23 and 24 but at least I was able to save my money for 25. And please don't bother reminding me about the Rom licensing issue it's been all over the net for years now. Nothing a spelling tweak to the name and having him in human couldn't fix. Aside from Christos, Abnett & Lanning also have pretty much butchered the legacy of Bill Manlto's work. What a shame!
Update: This is a portion of the response I got later in the day from Rosemann. This pretty much confirms what we surmised why Marvel won't bring Rom back unfortunately. But I gotta hand it to him for bothering to get back to me after that rather scathing email of mine:
Remember, Giant-Man just said that the spaceknight in question was dead…but he can certainly be incorrect in his assumptions, yes? After all, he didn’t produce a body, did he?
And unfortunately, just changing a letter in a name or showing the character in his human guise wouldn’t satisfy those pesky lawyers. We wish it weren’t do, but thus is the litigious world we all live in.
So, just know that both Christos and DnA are huge fans of Bill Mantlo’s work, and this is all of our way of doing what we can to keep these great characters alive and introduced to a new generation of readers.
I've got to say, Rosemann sounded like a class act there. It definitely seems that DnA and Gage WANT to use the characters, and probably looked at a dozen different ways and just couldn't come up with a way to please those damn lawyers... I obviously don't know NEARLY as much on the subject as you do, but could Marvel simply buy the rights of the character outright? Or is that out of the question? But I must say, it was pretty cool of Rosemann to get back to you in such a timely fashion.
ReplyDeletei think Marvel trying to buy the rights would be the equivalent of somebody wanting to buy a floor model of something at a department store or perhaps maybe some art work that's on display that's part of the decor. it would be such a hassle i'm sure that it hardly would be worth bothering with. either way i'm sure Marvel has considered it but hasn't made a move for what could be any number of business related reasons. and yeah you're right about Rosemann thanks for the comment Nate.
DeleteRosemann's cool, I'd say. Everything else is hardly a surprise, isn't it?
ReplyDeletep.s.;
ReplyDeleteNice little photoshopped "pictorial editorial" up top.
Looks crisp.
Good job.
well let me tell ya i could stage the same scene with Avengers Academy 23,24 and The Annihilators 1-4 (1st mini series) with this recycling bin with out the use of photoshop i assure you.
Deletelol
DeleteI'm sure you could.
Hurm... don't know what happened to my first comment. The 2nd has the "p.s", but the first seems to have vanished.
But, I basically said that i was going to blog the same thing (re: Pym saying; "He's dead, Jim.", but I was going to add the caveat of "no one dies forever in comics".
Still, you beat me to it.
Kudos!
I think its a matter of Marvel not wanting/needing to pony up the money for a character they consider 'minor' who has a small (though vocal & loyal) following. It costs them NOTHING to make up all the characters they want so why SPEND money when there isn't a significant return in their eyes? I think the Rom storyline would make for an excellent movie but then it gets into money share with Hasbro and McCoy. So why go down a path that you know is full of headaches? I would have to research just what "Public Domain" rights are and when they might come into play but I think that the only way we see Rom again is if an underground artist started making his own saga and who really has the time and talent to do THAT for free? As I have posted before in my rant to Hasbro, why hold onto something that is making you NOTHING when you can compromise and possibly MAKE money on the associated toys/memorabilia you could produce? Like the old saying goes: you gotta PRIME the PUMP.
ReplyDeleteThat's why I've learned to be more tactful in my blistering responses. Sometimes using logic breads useful ideas without closing the mind of that same person who by right probably does deserve it. Rosemann uses this skill well right down to answering quickly! He has honor and I believe him on trying to sneak in a tribute for the hell of it.
ReplyDeleteSo tell me Dave seeing how I didn't fully follow the ins and outs of the legal issue what truly makes this a problem anyway? If its the money why not make it buy putting the product (Rom) out to play instead of holding on to something in the long run won't earn anything for anyone!?!
that's only a question the toy company that still holds the rights to ROM can answer. i would just be giving you a bunch of more meaningless speculation.
DeleteThe Graphics Whiz who's comment is just above yours sent them a letter last year and got that kind of "We'll take your suggestion under consideration" canned response. translation: don't bother us with shit like this we've got more important things to worry about.
It wouldn't be quite so frustrating if someone would just come out and explain WHY. WHY the toy company won't let go. WHY Marvel hasn't bought it yet. There hasn't been any reasoning behind it. Kinda makes you want to pull your hair out.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good fight, buddy. Major props to your efforts here, and we have gotta keep putting the pressure on Marvel to uphold and respect Rom's legacy. They are bringing back Hybrid in Avengers Academy and the Dire Wraiths in Annihilators and Darkstar & The Winter Guard (which was fantastic BTW), but until we see Rom, we gotta keep pushing until they stop pussing!
ReplyDeleteDon't forget, the Wraiths are also in FEAR ITSELF : THE FEARLESS mini-series.
DeleteLots of Wraith sorcery going down there.
from what i've seen there's a dire wraith working for Sin that is part of some group called the D.O.A. but as of yet i haven't been able to find any information on who this particular wraith is and why she's working for Sin. the Fearless issue where she tried to tongue spike Luke Cage was a pretty cool moment. did you get my comment on your blog about Avengers Academy #25?
Deleteby the way thanks for the kind words Rick and for being a part of it all.
Rick Hansen hit the nail on the head:
ReplyDelete"Keep up the good fight, buddy. Major props to your efforts here, and we have gotta keep putting the pressure on Marvel to uphold and respect Rom's legacy."
It ain't always easy being a True Believer. But kudos to you, David, for fighting the good fight in such a noteworthy manner!
thank you Dana the kind words help although i'm pretty worn out at the moment. it's really hard to imagine Marvel reversing course at this point.
Deletebut i gotta tell, it was all worth it alone just to know Bill Mantlo really got some enjoyment from the stuff i've come with here. not sure where to go from here but i'm sure some inspiration will be along sometime in the near future.