Spaceknights vs Silver Hawks

This one here has been around for a while now but has been hiding on deviant art in relative obscurity. The artist who goes by the handle desperateMe describes this as something he did many years ago and done with a felt tip. I wanna say this was done by referencing some clip art but I can't put my finger on it. But it's pretty cool just the same it has an intense feel to it. It's like he's looking down on an enemy he just gave a beat down to.

So that brings me to these guys. Late last month I was hanging out at a buddies place when he asks me if I'm in the mood to watch a Silverhawks CD he had gotten as a gift recently. I said sure why not even though I really wasn't and we managed to get through the first couple episodes but couldn't take any more after that. But I'll be damned if Silver Hawks like Robocop weren't in part influenced by Rom. I shit you not, watch this funny ass brief video review of the series that among other things goes over the premise of the Silver Hawks: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DmoCI0aopg

 And speaking of intense ain't she a dead ringer for Sabra? And unbelievably beautiful it's hard to stop looking at her face. Just as a reminder Sabra was created by Bill Mantlo and Sal Buscema with inspiration for the concept of the character supplied by Belinda Glass. And no I still don't know if Glass was Jewish or not.

Vodka and Comics

 

At last we have some new Youtube video reviews by fellow Rom fan, fellow Bill Mantlo fan, fellow discount back issue bin forager from his latest quest at the dirt mall. So get ready to take a trip back in time with The King of Thessaly (K.o.T) who's anything but sober or G rated. The first video primarily features Modok, Quasar, The Starriors and The Sectaurs (comics and toy line)  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ztM7k3aDoA   

Also, for you action figure collectors K.o.T has something for you too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2J7KwgJ1DAE 

 

So as far as Rom sightings this week go I'm sure by now you've all seen the Red Tornado & Rom team up cover art, thanks again Dale. And just in case you missed it my buddy Dan has a top ten list of comic characters that probably deserve their own movie and I think you'll be interested to know who made the cut: http://www.itsadansworld.net/2013/06/superman-aint-alone-comics-other-top-10.html

Continuing my Sabra theme in my postings lately at this time I would like to make an impromptu nomination for her to get her own movie deal too. Or at the very least she could maybe make an appearance in World War Z seeing as the movie in part takes place in Israel. More specifically Jerusalem, which kinda makes me wonder if the premise for the zombies is supernatural or biblical as opposed to scientific like in 28 Days Later. Either way I sure wouldn't want to see Sabra "zombified" like with the Marvel Zombies series. I must say a hypothetical live action Sabra practically has my mind racing with who might be the most ideal actress to play her. I'm thinking maybe mixed martial arts champion Gina Corrano. Corrano actually kinda looks like the Sabra character (plus she's fucken hot!) and as irony would have it she was trained by an Israeli Defense Force weapons specialist for her role as a secret agent in the movie Haywire.

Some new Rom fan art first thing next week.

Rom original sketch card art now on ebay

Well it seems the Rom logo redesign posting really brought the art critic in a lot of people so let's try this one on for size. I found this last night on ebay and it got me thinking. I like the direction this artist (Kio Pham) was going in but I feel like this art has an unfinished look to it. If someone was doing quick sketch art of people's favorite superhero at a carnival or amusement park I would say ok in those terms this looks great. But I'm assuming this guy wasn't under that type of time constraint so if he's got the skill to do what we see here why not spare an extra 15-20 minutes to take it all the way? That's what I would have done especially if I was looking to make a little cash off it. Be sure to right click and choose view image to get a closer look at it: http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330940267080

Most of you have probably seen this one before. We know how many times Sabra has tussled with The Hulk before so I'm assuming this artist (Rich Buckler) wanted to visualize how it might look to see Sabra going up against The Hulk's traditional Marvel power house rival Ben Grimm. Again we see something here that I basically like but would have also liked to have seen the artist take some more time with it. Just try to imagine this if it were inked by Akin & Garvey. It would be epic! All that aside I think it would have been fun just to throw a box of matzos into this to make it look like their fighting over it : )

Speaking of Akin & Garvey check out this ROM #43 variant cover. If I were to guess I bet this was the original concept that was fine tuned for the final version. If you need a quick reference for the cover art of #43 here you go: http://siskoid.blogspot.com/2009/02/spaceknight-saturdays-spaceman-saturday.html

Special thanks to Dale Bagwell for bring this to my attention today from the DC/Marvel cross over team up blog Super Team Family. This makes the 3rd time that blog has featured a posting with ROM so thumbs up for them. You can see the actual posting and full size art work here http://braveandboldlost.blogspot.com/2013/06/red-tornado-and-rom.html

New ROM logo header concept

So look what I just found. I've been mostly leaving links to newly discovered Rom related fan art on my postings but I thought this one would be a good posting because it's especially unique. From a design stand point I think it's pretty damn nice. And that's coming from someone who's done logo design and worked as a commercial graphic artist for 10 years. But as far as a header for the comic book goes I'm not sure it quite makes for an ideal replacement. Maybe it's because I've been seeing the original almost my entire life now or because the original "pops" in a way the more subtle redesign. But just to be clear I do like it I think it has merit for perhaps a house ad or some sort of packaging art.

 How about a little Sabra to go with your ROM posting today folks? And speaking of Jewish superheros from the Marvel Universe.

I recently picked up a copy of Incredible Hulk#319 from a dollar bin at a comic convention I was at

recently. I used to have it back when it first came out in 86 because it had a ROM flash back cameo in it and I wanted to read it again after all these years. It also had a guest appearance by Doc Samson who I didn't learn was a Jewish character (born Leonard Skivorski, Jr.) until after I had made (that fucken figures!) a video for Youtube about Jewish comic book superheroes only about two years ago.

Notice how Samson has long hair? Well in the biblical fable of Samson & Delilah he derived his superhuman strength from his long hair, and when it was cut he became vulnerable. Basically you've got an Achilles Heel sort of analogy. The biblical Samson was also Jewish in case you didn't know or surmise that already. It's kinda ironic also but probably not a coincidence that the gamma ray Samson is a psychiatrist given the amount of Jews in the field of medicine and psychiatry historically. Unfortunately I don't happen to be one of them otherwise I'd be better off these days I bet.

Traveling through the Bronze Age with Rom

I recently came across a tumbler page that contains a series of podcasts of Rom issues 1-7 by a couple of fans. The episodes for issues 1 and 2 are ok but 3 - 7 are more entertaining. Their definitely nice to have as something like back ground music while you're doing some cleaning, working out or maybe to listen to while you're on some public transit. Chances are even if you've read these issues before you'll get some new insight on them from the podcast discussions in edition to a few laughs as well. Another cool thing is you don't need to have an account or sign up for anything just go to the link and find the play bar: http://bronzeagecomics.tumblr.com/

So above we see a photo sent by one of my favorite commentators Bruce from Spain. What he has there is a print of the Toni Infante painting for the Floating Worlds Comics Bill Mantlo benefit auction from what I believe is 2010. I never knew Bruce had purchased anything from any of those auctions but the issue came up after Bruce noticed that I used that piece for my Atari cartridge mock up.
And to the left of you you're looking at something from the letter column of Marvel Age Magazine #22 (1984). I got it as part of a 3 for $1 deal in San Francisco at a comic shop near the Israel In The Gardens Festival I attended. I'm glad to see ROM was part of his pull list back in the day but I wonder if he's still collecting comics today given that he said he would until he dies.

 

And last up, some of you may have seen this already. This is a photo of Sal Buscema that's turned up recently on the internet unfortunately I don't know when it was taken.

So much awesome new stuff to kick off June with!

I'm not really into video games any more these days but back in the day my ATARI 2600 was the shit. Despite the low grade game graphics of the time one of the clever marketing strategies that ATARI used to utilize was to feature some really cool illustrations on the video game cartridges. Among my favorites was Defender, Missile Command, Asteroids, Berserk and Space Invaders. Aside from being well done illustrations they always seemed to tell a story that went well beyond the video game premise. If you need a reminder they're easy enough to see by doing a Google image search. It all makes me wonder what a Rom spaceknight game might have looked like.
This is too advanced for Atari of the 80s but just imagine a Rom  video game with graphics like this latest Rom spaceknight animation video that just turned up on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVpUydd3cjs

Left click to enlarge screen shot image

Perhaps it was just the appearance of some Rom spaceknight issues in a couple of scenes in the original Robocop but for years now I've heard speculations about how Robocop was in part inspired by Rom. I recently came across this fairly recent online article on expertcomics.com that seems to substantiate that rumor. And if that's true how could the original have been anything less then awesome having been inspired by Blade Runner, Judge Dredd and ROM? As for the new one, heh . . we'll see. In the mean time here are some other latest Rom related fan art finds: http://pcweenies.com/tag/rom-spaceknight/
 http://browse.deviantart.com/art/Uncommon-Heroes-151514250
http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryPiece.asp?Piece=1018523&GSub=117697

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CLASSIC-MARVEL-FIGURINE-COLLECTION-TORPEDO-SPECIAL-CUSTOM-EAGLEMOSS-/121091341503

left click to enlarge

And lastly, know your Sabras! We have four kinds to choose from here. And when I say I wanna get me some of that I'll you can which one of these Sabras I'm talking about here.