Friday, October 18, 2013

MARVEL, the good ol days and the latest bullshit

So I'm going to open up this posting with something from the past when Marvel was actually cool. I want everybody to give it up for The King of Thessaly (K.o.T) for sending me this clip art from New Warriors Annual #1 (1991). Can't believe I didn't know about this already! As you can see this Rom cameo flash back is making a reference to Rom #24, however the editorial seems to be a bit off there were no spaceknights in that issue it was only Rom himself fighting along with the Champions of Xandar against a Skrull invasion.  Hey K.o.T, was this issue one of your flea market or dirt mall questing finds?


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Moving right along, let's talk about the present, which is a not so good time for Rom fans when it comes to Marvel. I told you all a while back when Infinity #1 came out that jonathan hickman would do this. This panel which came from the recent Avengers Infinity #21 (thanks for the heads up Gary Martin Jr.) is some of the table scraps that I told you all hickman would throw to Rom fans to try and keep us on the hook.
This doesn't even make any sense. The character intro at the beginning of the issue shows a head shot of Starshine as the armor was in it's original incarnation (more or less) that we saw in Infinity#1. So why are we seeing the Starshine 2 armor (but with a pony tail) here? I don't have to tell long time Rom readers why that doesn't make any sense. And as you can see Ikon is there too which also makes no sense since they were both on Galador when it was destroyed. Is hickman gonna come up with some "creative writing" or is this just some inconsistency they didn't think anybody would catch? Whatever, hickman you're still a douche so you don't get my money on this one either.

LAST CALL! Look, speaking of douche bags don't be one and let Bill Mantlo's birthday come and go this year with out showing this great man a sense of gratitude in a way that's the next best thing to telling him in person. Even if you live on the East Coast if you can get off your ass and get a card into the mail addressed to me in the next 2 - 3 days that should still leave enough time for it to arrive before I send the whole thing to his brother.

Alright so let's end this posting on a fun note as with the latest video from The King as he shows us his extensive action figure collection along with some other things like published clip art from Marvel and DC that was so disturbing it'll have you saying to yourself "What the Hell were they thinking!?"






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Ok so one last thing here. I wrote this posting after midnight when I finally got home from work and this morning I end up finding this innovative fan art. This obviously doesn't fit a narrative of the Rom universe as we know it but then again it isn't supposed to since it's a homage piece to those old mystery and sci-fi novels of the 30s which were largely regarded by the "literary community" as pulp. But then again those are the same sorts who say that about comics and let's not even get into all the art snobs out there who think comic book art is beneath their notice. Remember I was an art major in college (multi-media) so I was around a lot of those assholes for years. Rather you like the concept or not you gotta hand it to the artist (Rob Reis) for having some serious illustration skills.

45 comments:

  1. Cool flash back find thanks for sharing KOT. and quite right no spaceknights were involved save ROM. That issue to me always seemed like a fill issue before we got to my all time fav issue 25. I did like the very start of him fumbling around the controls. The whole golden galaxy has been moved thing the first time was ok but then only to be moved again in 27 and later only the beyonder or gladaitor can get you there.

    Yep there are the scaps from infinity but didnt they die? lol

    Deff will check out KOTs latest vid after i cloak and d it up sometime today.

    Card to bill via my son to bill in route .

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    1. Nice!
      I am running stone-sober these past few weeks. I'm starting to feel like that last new episode of It's Always Sunny...

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    2. i think #24 felt forced. Used to tie up all the old Nova open plot threads since Wolfman had left Marvel at that point.

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    3. i never heard anybody say that about issue #24. but i suspect that's coming from a more Nova specific fan perspective at the time. nothing wrong with that most of us here love Nova too.

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    4. yeah there were some definite plot threads left by Marv Wolfman. It makes me wonder if Marvel editorial made Bill strip Nova of his powers since John Byrne was about to introduce a new Nova.

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  2. Yup, it sure was- picked it up with a bunch of comics at The Dirt Mall back in http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iJd7Jie-3Q and just got around to reading it the other night.
    It was Part 2 of the Kings of Pain storyline. You gotta love those 1991 Annuals with the four-parters running through them...
    The back-ups in the issue had each member of The New Warriors with a quick three-page story that was basically just a summation of who the fuck they were... That panel came from "Kid" Nova's (by Eric Fein & Tom Morgan). I had no clue that was in there when I got the book, I was just as surprised to see it.
    Also- there is an AMAZING Speedball story in that issue, by Dan Slott, where he's in New York going around trying to activate his Speedball powers- which he needs an impact to do- and he keeps getting "saved" by one of the 127 different superheroes operating in Manhattan. Is only six pages, but it is some funny stuff.
    I won't spoil the Kings of Pain story-line but this issue ends with one HELL of a BUM-DA-DUMMM cliffhanger!

    That's lame about Infinity, but typical... Still- I'm gonna be jumping back on the Marvel bandwagon, sorry to say, for the first time is years. -Because those new Silver Surfer, and Ghost Rider titles they announced look awesome as fuck. Not to mention the return of Speedball, and The New Warriors! Hell to the yeah!!!

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    1. "first time IN years" ...not is.
      Goddamned typos......

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    2. well i'll be damned, we were looking straight at that New Warriors Annual since mid August in your video and none of us including you had no idea about the Rom cameo gem. this is like fucken walking along one day in public and finding a $20 bill laying on the side walk or when you happen to find money in your pocket you had no idea was missing in the first place. just the sort of stuff i love to post about.

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    3. -Or when you find I dime-bag on the ground that some careless stoner dropped!

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  3. I sold off that New Warriors annual years ago, never regreted until now. Good find T.o.K.

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    1. thanks for sharing Greg. stuff like this little known flash back cameo is just the sort of thing i like to feature on this blog. you find out all sorts of feed back from people about like your comment.

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  4. Holy cow. I think I have that issue. Guess I'll be digging through my OLD boxes tonight. I didn't even remember seeing the ROM reference, and I thought I had good recall as far as New Warriors went. As always when I find out stuff I didn't even know I needed to know, it's on the Blog for not Dicks.
    I've done enough ranting today about the modern houses of the Big 2, so I'll just leave that alone.
    And save KoT's vid for when I can pour some scotch and really enjoy it.

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  5. I meant to say, I love that pulp cover. I think it would look perfect next to my movie poster of "The Day The Earth Stood Still". But then I was raised on old sci-fi mags and artwork, so those homages always feel like something of a relief to me. Familiar, friendly, and needing of popcorn.

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  6. @KoT, excellent video, I'm so jealous of your HeMan figures I can't even tell you. I've had Batman's like that before and I always imagined he was doing the Batutsi (sp?). Good enough explanation for the spastic river dance. You know, I watch that show and always wonder why those guys don't just go on ebay or find a collector who will pay for it. In some cases I get it, the stuff is hard to unload, they need the advertising exposure, etc. But mostly I think they all just want quick cash for the gaming tables. Oh, and nice catch on Venture Bros. I actually shouted at the tv on that one "You've got a learning bed and they didn't cover comics?!!!" Seriously, dudes that nerdy should be into comics. It gives them a group of protection.
    Oh, and my bedroom is nerdier than yours. That's a little sad.

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    1. actually i thought K.o.T's bedroom kinda reminded me of an amateur porn studio with that tripod sitting there along with the room being devoid of any decorations.

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    2. Hahaha- that's nothing- you should see all the He-Man stuff I have! Those are all mine from childhood too... I wish I had the money to get all the new figures they have been making- I look at those online and drool... But what I spent on that entire shelf, in the video, this year- would buy me about two of those.
      Yeah- I guess he did do the Batutsi. No wonder I hated it. lol!
      Right? eBay- fuck. I would never take a third of what something is selling for just so some douche can go make the extra money off of it. I mean- in one episode, from one trip- he ends up making over a thousand bucks sometimes. It's criminal.
      When I saw that reference in Venture Bros. I pooped myself.
      It's okay- I cleaned up right after...
      Well, when I became single and got my house I decided to keep my nerdyness contained to one room. Sure it leaks out here and there- but overall I'd like to bring girls over who are not instantly put off by He-Man, Super-Hero, and Anime figures... When I meet the one who isn't- I'll have found my soul-mate but until then- I do like to get laid from time to time. ;)

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    3. I am of the firm opinion that your soul mate will be turned on by the giant Thor sticker and various ROM, X-men, Teen Titans artwork in your bedroom. Or they should be.
      Oh!! And if you ever want to try baking with molasses again, I've got the most awesome ginger snap recipe in the world. You won't be able to eat just twenty.
      @ Shlomo, This is where I differ. I hide the cameras. ;)

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    5. I just sent it. Hope you like them!

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    6. Coolio. Thanks, I'll let you know how it turns out! Cayenne pepper? Ohhh boy... Things are about to get crazy-go-nuts!

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  7. My bed room has a bed 8 vintage synth keykeyboards stacked and racked 5 drum machines sequencers 18 channel mixing board.another rack stack of various things and two ev 15 montiors and wires wires wires and more wires. Oh yea and vintage robots and transformers.they fit the theme. Nothing more can fit put 1345 something records into the guest room with the turntables and a few more keyboard.all use to be in bed room.my living room in normal for the ladys and i hear you on that KOT.my sons room iss cooler then them all.all the comics a nes with tons of games snes a sega master system turbografix 16 playstation 1 and a wii u . I need to deff downsize some to ebay never sold just bought but not his room all that is no longer mine to sell

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    1. Killer fiq collection KOT who is the brown blob up top? You got some sweet art from shlomo ben . I beleive this was submitted to a gallery way back im i correct ben ? I remember seeing this image and one of rom in the process of the spacenight graft a long time ago.killer stuff

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    2. my guess is that "brown blob" is DC's Clay Face but don't quote me on that. you may recognize that first piece i sent to K.oT. featured as my submission for the 2nd Bill Mantlo Floating Worlds fundraiser auction. thanks for the compliment, and since you know i'm an artist you can surmise how i may have spotted that color mishap on Nova's uniform. aside from having read plenty of stuff over the years with Nova i've included him at least a couple of times in my Rom related fan art as well as on this blog.

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    3. Thanks, man... sounds like you have a collection of a whole 'nother type going on in your room!
      Heh, the "brown blob"... Is that The Blob's Brother from another Mother? I'm not telling, but you can find out right at the start of this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbOsk9IzGiw
      TurboGrafix 16?!? SWEET. Sounds like you're missing an Atari, though... I am too- my child-hood one finally broke down quite a few years ago. And they are pricey now! -Even at the Flea-Market, where you have no guarantee it will actually work, they run between $60 and $150 and they're all dirty and fucked-up lookin'... I used to have 9 different systems all hooked up, and a library of games- I'm down to NES, SNES, & Genesis now and only a handful of carts. The essentials, I suppose.
      I picked up another N64 for free awhile ago- but I need the damn AC Adapter.

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    4. Holy SHIT KOT thats a pretty serrious fiq there. Perfect find .yea those adapters are a bitch when missing.my hording is exzactly the antiquie road show style kind. There old from the 80s the time of shitty electronics but retain value. I paid no more then 350 a board and could sell most for over a g .all work but even if one didnt power on or was wonky i could get more then i paid. Deff my nerd vise and i need to collect on a few i only need like 3. Though i do enjoy when the lights are out any everything is on its like the controls of a spaceship and the sounds of a carpenter flick.

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    5. Yup, gotta love a rubber-poop-monster.
      And what the adapter alone will probably cost on eBay- I could buy a complete system somewhere anyhow. Hell yeah, dude- you need to cash in! That's some serious greenbacks!
      So, do you make music and shit, or just play around for fun?

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    6. I always just play around but due for some local cred i got djing for many years i was able to get my music with a like minded machine junkie on few record labels. Course got burned by one and really only make hard money playing live. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D9gVGim6G4&feature=youtube_gdata_player
      Its always been just a hobby playing around .i got music of mine on i tunes i dont see a cent for anyways beside all that and staying on point i
      Got a ROM thing in the starting works :)

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    7. Nice, dude. Hey, if you ever feel like fucking around and coming up with a 10 to 20 second theme for me- feel free! And let us all know when the ROM inspired one is finished.

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  8. Nice post Dave - that ROM cover is awesome. Always dig that retro pulp look stuff.

    KoT that is one awesome collection - from Hobgoblin to He-Man, as the camera panned, I kept seein so many cool toys! I agree too Sin-Eater never fully gets his due as a Spider foe. Thems were good times.

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    1. yeah i had Peter Parker The Spectacular Spiderman 108 a while back. i really liked Sin Eater too it cracked me up the way he used to rant with all his self righteous indignation while he was blowing people away with that double barreled shot gun.
      by the way Dan did you notice how the colorist messed up in that New Warriors clip art on Nova's arms? i'm not 100% certain about every single version of the Nova Prime costume over the last 30 years but i know it had sleeves in the mid 80s.

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    2. In ROM 24 he had sleeves for sure nice colorist error spot.

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    3. For real. I always wanted to see Sin-Eater Vs. Fool Killer.
      Thanks, Dan... I've got some pretty cool stuff. I need another "book"case to get the rest of it out- but the ones with full glass doors like that are harder to find and a bit expensive when you do. If you want to get a better look at some of it @ the 3:30 mark in this video I go through that other shelf more slowly- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltLaGvlHOYw -after moving and rearranging it back at The Flat.
      Yeah- Pulp ROM is a very weird choice but it does look cool!

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  9. Pulp styled ROM is beautiful. Big time props to the artist. That is a great find!

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  10. Great figure collection KOT! I especially love the ROM art. Thanks for the cameo snapshot... I never knew about ROM appearing in New Warriors.
    The pulp art is awesome. Love the Day the Earth Stood Still style of 'armor' :)

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    1. Mark, i think you might find yourself surprised with what you'll find in my back log postings if you do a search on this blog with keywords "New Warriors" and "The Day The Earth Stood Still".

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    2. Hey, thanks Mark... It's really not much but it makes me smile. Rescuing nostalgia from clutches of The Dirt-Mall... If Toy Story isn't fiction then I have some very happy figures.

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  11. Yo Brother things have been Ultra busy on my end first time I've been on in a bit!If it's not too late what's your address to send something! And if it is give it to me anyway for future things.

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    1. i sent you a note with a mailing address in deviant art i've never used that feature before let me know if it worked, thanks.

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  12. I was a Nova Fan before I was a ROM fan so I always knew about Rom #24. I bet many of the Nova fans today have NO idea how Rom played a HUGE part of his history. I didn't remember that flashback from New Warriors Annual #1. Glad I have it. Ok...question for everybody. Rom #24 was a BIG part of Nova's history. Unlike today *cough* back then if a guy lost his powers and went inactive or was killed it was considered permanent by the fans. That being said...when Bill took Nova's powers away do you think that was his decision or editorial mandate? Remember at that time Frankie Raye was about to become a "New Nova". Thoughts?

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    1. i don't think Bill and Sal could have made that happen with out some higher ups in marvel giving the green light.

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  13. Wow. More bread crumbs. Why can't they at least get someone to take 10 minutes to learn the history/design of the Spaceknights before they just start tossing ink around. I really tried to give the Ikon character a chance but she has been jerked around like the little tease she was to Quasar.

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    1. hey Brian nice to see you here again, good commentary : )

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  14. The ROM Pulp cover is great! I declined to buy Infinity. Like you aid, paying for those comics would be like rewarding bad behavior. I will seek out the scanned bootlegs and save my money for their competition.

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    1. well look who finally showed up. and unlike over priced marvel comics this blog is free of charge. and also unlike marvel comics when you come here you get to see Rom.

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