Oh talk about a cool blast from the past I found this full page house ad in Avengers # 177 which also happens to be a great action packed issue ( November 1978). Here's the TV commercial for it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITMYl_oygRU So the deal here is if you send in some sort of proof of purchase from the packaging of a Micronauts Battle Cruiser you can get two free Marvel Comics. This was a good way of getting kids who were into The Micronauts toy line also interested in Marvel Comics assuming they weren't already which had obvious marketing benefits given that Micronauts #1 debuted January of 1979. To no surprise this was the last paragraph that appears in the Bullpen Bulletin page of that very same Avengers issue.
Alright so that was Marvel Comics back then, let's take a look at the here and now which I couldn't be less enthusiastic about.
 |
| Left click to enlarge |
OK THIS ALSO REALLY PISSES ME OFF! I just found out that Bill Mantlo doesn't own any portion of the rights to the current White Tiger character apparently because that character is now a woman. But keep in mind the new White Tiger is actually the daughter of the original and wears pretty much the same costume and mystic amulets. Now also keep in mind that permission to conceive or use this new White Tiger was never obtained by marvel from Michael Mantlo who is Bill's legal guardian. And marvel has been using that character in both print and in it's TV cartoons for at least a couple years now if not longer. Now considering how marvel won't use the name ROM or even have Rom appear in human form you gotta ask yourself what the fuck is going on with those assholes who run marvel comics these days!?
Whoa! That micronauts vehicle is awesome! I think I even remember that ad! Fantastic find! ...now onto the Hybrid appearance,..seriously dudes what the hell??? No explanation at all? Are there Hybrid clones running around? Is Hybrid immortal? Did I miss something? I dont understand this!! Marvel needs to stop messing with my reality sphere.
ReplyDeleteoh it gets even better my friend! i'm going to update this posting with some interesting info i just got from Michael Mantlo on face book that will have you hating marvel even more now, stand by.
DeleteI actually have 2 of the Battle Cruisers. Neither one has a working motor and they're both missing the big missles...but this is such a cool toy. In fact, they were all pretty great. I just got a Biotron in the mail a few days ago!
DeleteDUDE!! Biotron was the one where you could put a figure in the chest right?! Thats awesome man! What a great acquisition! I cant believe you have 2 battle cruisers too! ..ever considered sending some pics to Shlomo?
Deletei didn't mention it in this posting but in the past on this blog i've talked a lot about how much i loved the Micronauts toy line and it's what got me initially interested in the comic series back in the day. but i never did have the battle cruiser unfortunately which as we can see is quite awesome. i updated this posting with among other things a link to an old TV spot for the battle cruiser.
Delete@ Dann: That's why I never got into those types of gimmick toys as a little kid. Ones with interchangeable pieces and motorized parts- too fragile and easily broken, small and necessary parts were too easy to lose... Even if you were really careful with your toys- stuff like that would often just stop working right.
DeleteOh I So Loved that Battle CruiserI thought is was the coolest toy out besides the Model of the Starship
DeleteEnterprise Ha always wished I had it but I lived in a world if you wanted something you better get it yourself!!
I like how one of the Battlestar- er, I mean Battle-Cruiser transformations looks exactly like a docked boat. -And two more look identical- except for some wheels... and another 2 just different fin-placement. Then there is the toaster transformation. Hahaha! Old toys sucked so hard...
ReplyDeleteReminds me of Dairugger XV. Fifteen separate vehicles, huh? HALF OF THESE ARE JUST RECTANGLES WITH WHEELS! ...bastards.
As for a character (especially a villain) coming back in comics with no real explanation as to how- WOW, this is the FIRST time that has EVER happened!!! Who cares... and who the fuck was even reading Avengers Academy anyways. HA! -Leave New Warriors alone; it's a great book. I'm glad it's back.
I do not like the way Hybrid is drawn here though... not really eye-puke inducing at all.
rather it's Micronauts, Star Wars, Shogun Warriors, G.I.Joe, Transformers, Gobots or most anything else from the late 70s and 80s i'll take those toys any day over the stuff i've see on the shelves in the last 15 years.
DeleteHey, you've seen my videos... you know how much I love my old toys.
DeleteThe character of Ava Ayala, the daughter of Hector Ayala: White Tiger, was created by Christos Gage and Tom Raney. It's an entirely new person and character. Unfortunately- that's the way it works. Marvel is under no legal obligation to compensate Bill for that. I agree- that really sucks.
ReplyDeleteBut another example- Spider-Girl, May Parker (daughter of Peter Parker) was created by Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz. She wears a Spider-Man costume and has similar powers... but she is legally an entirely different character. Stan Lee and Steve Ditko do not get a piece of, or need to sign off on, anything involving her. Just the way it works.
even if that's true legally speaking i still say fuck marvel just the same now i have another good reason not to buy their shit any more.
DeleteThe way that works is legalized robbery. Spiderman is Spiderman, changing the characters name, sex and or origin doesn't change the fact that the character is wrapped in a Spiderman suit, or a White Tiger one.
DeleteSometimes the way things work are just shameful.
I'm not saying I agree with it- but that's the way it is- and always has been... It was that way back when you were buying Marvel books. -Way worse, actually... So boycotting/hating on them now seems a bit pointless. They put out a LOT of good material.
DeleteAgreed, I just think it's dead ass wrong. And I didn't know ROM had a human form. Is it a hologram?
DeleteMantlo had a great run in Iron Man, some of my favourites issues ever. He made Tony Stark human for the first time.
ReplyDeleteKing's right, it is how it works unfortunately. So while I'm sure marvel to whatever extent they are helping or giving royalties to Mantlo and his family is doing just that, there are loopholes such as this that screw mantlo to an extent. Not illegal but should be.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I believe if you're a huge corporation like Marvel and DC are, that business practice is normal, and probably even required after learning the secret handshake(not Karl's hopefully)
That being said there are comic companies that aren't that shitty towards creators, like Dynamite, Boom Studios, Image, and Valiant. Support more companies like that, and we may see some change on the horizon.
Yeah- it's standard big-business practices...
DeleteHell- it's why Image Comics was formed!
Yup, always support the independent/creator-owned scene! ...I mean- as long as they're good comics. Don't just do it blindly. Then you're stuck with a bunch of issues of Warriors of Plasm! -Not even the fire wants them.
Hey, bro... Omega is asking for some last-minute over-time for his artwork, so I'ma push the date back to March 7th per his request.
ReplyDeleteSo if you still wanted in on this, and you haven't given yourself carpal-tunnel yet; you have some extra time to work something out now. Just don't go posting it early!
Dan and I already have ours locked and loaded...
i'll see what i can do, but patience is not one of my better virtues. bby the way you didn't say anything about that fan art from deviant art that had both Rom and Speedball i thought you'd be stoked with it WTF!?
DeleteI love the old ad at the top of this post! There's just something about ads back before it was cheap for people to put photos in an advert that makes me wish for a time machine. It would've been great being an illustrator then!
ReplyDelete