Lesser known licensed properties of the 80s

A big thanks to Michael Mantlo for sending me this photo from this weekend's visit to Bill. As you can see I sent a copy of my ROM Micronauts holiday fan art to Michael just in time for him to have it for what was then the upcoming visit to Bill. It's so cool to think that the same guy who wrote the entire ROM series along with so much other great stuff for Marvel during the 80s is enjoying something I drew that's based on his prolific career. As you all know Bill had a knack for writing comics based on toy lines but let's have a look at a couple of toy based titles Bill didn't write that are worth having a second look at . . .

Another big thanks to the lovely and ever charming Randomnerd for loaning me her Crystar series. I've already read the issues I used to have and it's been a real joy reading them now as opposed to when I kinda sorta did in my early teens. They're actually pretty well written and ofcourse in general it's great to now be able to read all 11 issues of the series. Written by Jo Duffy by the way, you all should know of her aside from her career in Marvel Comics I've also posted about her here because of her editing work on ROM spaceknight.

And on the same day I got Random's Crystar collection so also arrived the 3 issue mini-series of The Power Lords from ebay. Ever since I coincidentally found issue one at a flee market last summer I've been wanting to read the other two issues again.  Back in the day (1983) I used to have issues 2 and 3 and shortly there after as a random gift selection my mother had gotten me a few of the figures for X-Mas. I think as far as the comic goes the big selling point for me back then was the inherent intriguing visual nature of the characters which I think Mark Texiera's dynamic pencils really brought out the best off.

In terms of the story and dialogue it was largely what one might expect from a toy based mini-series of the early to mid 80s but it wasn't a bad read in the here and now and it still brought back some good memories. But at the same time I think Mantlo and Duffy would have done more justice to it. The Power Lords franchise has earned a place in the 80s vintage toy arena despite it having been some what less then a success back then but like with Crystar I'll always have a bit of a soft spot for them.

Jan. 12 update: Gary, I don't know how you find this stuff! What a fantastic article this 2009 #32 of Back Issue magazine has about the Al Milgrom alternate ROM #1 cover art as well as on Bill Mantlo and the business of comic book titles based on licensed properties. So now we know where that "mock up" in my Jan. 1st posting came from.You can read a digital copy online at the link below . . .

http://twomorrows.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=98_54&products_id=735

But here's just a sample to whet your appetite . . .

But regardless of which cover you prefer thank the Gods of Galador the cover art for ROM #1 was never this version it almost makes the cover art for the ROM remix project look good . . . http://sanctumsanctorumcomix.blogspot.com/search?q=rom+1

The 80s Easter egg I totally forgot about!

Rom spaceknight #5 (Space Notes page) 

For those of you who have been reading Marvel Comics since the early 80s ask your self how many times you've seen this little editorial cartoon by Al Milgrom? I know I have! Although I'm pretty sure it's been years since I last saw it and I certainly didn't make the whole Bill Mantlo/Rom - Micronauts Easter egg connection at the time and until it just turned up on farcebook earlier today I had totally forgotten about all together. According to Michael Mantlo, "this pretty much sums up bill's reputation at marvel in the late 1970's"

Also, here's something I bet many of you haven't seen yet despite me having posted on this blog before. It's a fun little slide show check it out when you have a few minutes.
http://www.slideshare.net/romspaceknight/etter-about-rom-spaceknight-sento-to-hasbro-marvel-and-disney

left click to enlarge

sketch card

For those of you who saw my note here earlier I want to let you know that this new fan art from Dann Phillips I'm posting here today (June 17th) is not what I was anticipating. It's just coincidental that it turned up recently but who cares I'm just happy to post some sweet ass fan art whenever I get the chance. But with any luck I'll have even more to add here from some one else in what I hope will be within the next 48 hours (hint hint).

The Rom and Crystar team up that sadly never happened

No, this isn't the fan art I've been anticipating getting for the past couple of days either we're still waiting for that. I just whipped this up this very morning for a good friend I haven't seen in a while until recently. It's probably no much bigger then that ROM sketch card by Phillips.

The hunt for related ROM artifacts, a team effort

Just as Moses was given the responsibility of bringing the ten commandments to the world so have The Gods of Galador given Gary Martin Jr. the awesome responsibility of curating all Rom related published references most of which you've seen at this blog over the years. So here's a nice little back story I'd like to share with you all since it is rare that I find anything that Gary doesn't have or at least know about already.
I came across this boxed Hawkeye doll at the Big WOW Fest I was at recently. I gave Gary a heads up about it and the vendor's contact information because the packaging has the cover art of West Coast Avengers #1. As it turned out Gary didn't know about this and so given the Rom head shot among all the other floating heads of Marvel superheroes it has since then become part of ($20 later) his Hall of Science along with all the other curated Rom related collectibles he has. Now on the flip side here's something Gary shared with me which I didn't know about which is usually how our networking situation goes . . . .

Starlog Magazine #96 July 1985

You all remember Starlog Magazine right? It was the premier monthly publication on all things sci-fi and action adventure with a primary focus on movies and television. But the magazine did cover sci-fi and action adventure in other media as well. It ran from 1976 till 2009 with a grand total of 375 issues!
Our ever vigilant curator Gary Martin Jr. spotted this little Rom reference here along with other 80s Marvel titles that Bill Mantlo wrote and some he didn't. On a side note here, issue #24 of Starlog (also curated by Gary) features the Parker Brothers Rom doll among other electronic toys of the late 70s that were cutting edge technology at the time.

Sorry folks, no new Rom related fan art to feature this time around there just hasn't been anything out there for a while that's caught my eye. But on a high note for myself I did find some Sabra appearance titles on the cheap from this comic shop I visited for the first time today. Those issues were # 1 and 2 of the Union Jack mini-series and X-Men #69 and 72 (1997).

Union Jack #1 (2006)

X-Men #69 (1997)

So what ultimately is the Sabra character all about? It's simple, don't fuck with the Jews. The entire Union Jack mini-series can be found here in a nice readable online format . . .
http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/thread/2266003/Union-Jack--London-Falling-2006-GagePerkins/?page=1

I've got a quick Monday update here. I just found something interesting in the way of some newly discovered fan art. It's a bit unusual but well worth a look, opinions?
http://julepe.deviantart.com/art/ROM-OF-GALADOR-459448272