At first I was gonna update the previous posting to let any other would be interested parties know that the Onyx mini-series has been sold but then I decided to just replace the previous posting since a sale announcement posting serves no real entertainment or archival purpose. But to those of you who caught it as I said I would probably include some envelope art in the deal. Oh indeed it's such a better deal then what was being offered up at ebay and it happened with only the 2nd interested party here only the first inquirer turned out to be a flake.
Nothing new to talk about or share here and I suspect their won't be until around FCBD. I've seen on twitter and facebook how people are just sucking up to IDW about the new series with the usual base compliments and "likes" it's like nobody dares post anything negative any where where Chris Ryall might see it. I know for a fact that most everybody is not happy with the new look for ROM rather you hate it or just think it needs some more work. I Also know many of you have been waiting for this for a long time so don't you owe it to your self to take a few minutes and let IDW know what's on your mind instead of just passively watching them . . . do what it is they're doing like a deer in headlights? Well I certainly have, although I'm not holding my breath for IDW to ever print that letter.
Update February 13th: Thank you to Brian W. for bringing this to my attention today (see today's comments). It's nice to see an old school ROM cover artist back at it again although to be honest this isn't some of the best work from him I've ever seen especially if you compare it to the ROM covers he did in the 80s. All of which I love ofcourse but may favorite I think is issue 18 with ROM and The X-Men fighting Hybrid. Notice how the armor design here is more a reflection of the zero issue art cover as opposed to the interior? Don't know if that's what Rom's neutrilizer is gonna look like even though we don't get a really good look at it here. I hope IDW doesn't foul that up to and come up with something radically different looking not to mention that cool looking straight line stream of crimson energy that the neutrilizer discharged. If you're in the mood to see a some old school Mantlo/Golden era fan art check out what I found today over at deviant art . . .
http://www.deviantart.com/art/Rom-VS-Acroyer-587533905
Update February 14th: Now that's more the kind of ROM I want to see. I lifted this image off of the latest Hasbro cinematic multiverse online chatter this morning. I'm not gonna get into all that but I just really like this illustration ROM looks so fucken slick not all "beefed up" and clumsy looking like that Michael Golden variant. Like I said before the minor but noticeable changes IDW had for him at first were fine with me but they just went way too far.
Nothing new to talk about or share here and I suspect their won't be until around FCBD. I've seen on twitter and facebook how people are just sucking up to IDW about the new series with the usual base compliments and "likes" it's like nobody dares post anything negative any where where Chris Ryall might see it. I know for a fact that most everybody is not happy with the new look for ROM rather you hate it or just think it needs some more work. I Also know many of you have been waiting for this for a long time so don't you owe it to your self to take a few minutes and let IDW know what's on your mind instead of just passively watching them . . . do what it is they're doing like a deer in headlights? Well I certainly have, although I'm not holding my breath for IDW to ever print that letter.
letters@idwpublishing.com
 |
| Left click to enlarge |
February 10th Update: WRITING WORKS!!! I will have you all know that I just copied and pasted Joseph's comment with the facebook replies into an email and fired it off to IDW and got a pretty prompt response. Out of respect for confidentiality I won't make their response public but I can assure you all that IDW is aware of the public criticism of the new look for ROM but seem to be "bewildered" about it. The correspondence actually went on as I'm writing this update which is around 11 AM pacific time. They even refereed to the manga style armor of the Jim Starlin 2001 spaceknights mini-series as rationale for this new look for ROM. I even told em straight up just go with what you guys had on the cover and how we were all happy with that and the collective WTF through out the internet when we saw the inside pages. Folks, it's clear to me IDW just doesn't get it and we're going down the Star Wars pre-quel path here with George Lucas. At what point did it make good marketing sense in the field of creative arts to not listen to the fans? For fuck's sake if you care anything for The Greatest of the spaceknights and the legacy of Bill Mantlo & Sal Buscema's creation email IDW now! Or hit em up on twitter and farcebook, it may be all for nothing but ask your self . . . what would ROM do?
 |
| Rom on roids cover variant by Michael Golden |
http://www.deviantart.com/art/Rom-VS-Acroyer-587533905
Nice envelope art! Thank you for showing us.
ReplyDeleteUnreal That people are not taking a stand for ROM and telling IDW how they really feel.
It's been way too long to allow this to happen, let us speak up now while we, possibly, can effect change.
I know I will.
So aside from the whole ROM issue, haven't they handled the other properties that they publish like Star Trek, Transformers,GI Joe etc. pretty decently? So I don't get why then they'd choose to make the types of changes to anger ROM fans when that's the whole group of people responsible for trying to keep ROM's name and brand relevant in the first place?
ReplyDeleteone of the many mysteries in the genre of the sci-fi and comic book industry my friend. why did Lucas keep making shitting movies in spite of continuous disapproval by the old school fans? till this day there's no evidence to suggest it was all about the money. apparently as hard as it is to believe it was just his vision of the story prior to episode 4.
Deletelikewise, according to Ryall who is also an old school ROM fan he spent 10 years trying to get the rights and had just about given up on it when he got the green light from hasbro. then after introducing an updated design (yet still largely faithful to the original) that enjoyed approval among most fans he blind sides us only two months later with something that differs to the point where it hardly looks at all like ROM. pretty much at this point i've just thrown my hands up and said whatever.
Amen Brother
DeleteWelcome to the party Fiona.
DeleteCool fan art . Thanks for the blue streak orginal art and rom print . Your Bluestreak Prime got many "likes" on g1 only page on farcebook. As for ROM cover art vs whats inside its pretty alarming but I asked Chris only one thing ROM as noble as Bill did. Thats all I want.
ReplyDeleteMAKE
DeleteWell ofcourse I want that to Joseph but a also want the main character to look right. As it stands now I feel like there's a movie coming out soon I've been waiting for a very long time only to find out the actor was gonna play the lead role declined only to be replaced by an actor who's totally wrong for the part. It's kind of a hard thing for me to get past. I really really really don't like buying a comic book series in a begrudging manner as I did with ROM during the ditko art era. When I throw down my money I want to get a product that satisfies me not something I kinda sorta like some things about. Glad you got the sketch card I was beginning to worry it got lost in the mail.
DeleteI get what your saying totally. Its like the THING prequel. Shot with almost all practical Fx. Then delayed for months for re shoots. They took out 99% of the practical fx they did and replaced it with piss poor cgi. I can't really judge the new ROM as a big switch a roo like that but I was so disappointed with the thing Im still not over it. I promised myself to never be as hyped for a movie again but this is a comic book and this is ROM. I didnt like his ju ju bee head I mentioned before but I did like when he spoke. Made sense to me till is uses his translator. He isnt what i was expecting art wise vs the cover but he still looks like ROM. Maybe just the zero issue will be like this ? Maybe it was just this panel ? Maybe thats all we will see of him in the issue? Will find out soon enough.
DeleteAs for people being vocal about it they are many comments to that on that old bring back rom spaceknight page. Here are some examples
DeleteJeff Johnson
Suit has a gundam look
Nathan Schamis
It looks like an evangelion ángel, ive thought that maybe just his hands were tje major changes but I see too much new, also his backstory wont be the same, I will pick it up just for curiosity but this is not my ROM I loved. Mantlo and buscema boxy sleek ROM is and still will be my choice, sorry dont like it, glad a rescue of ROM was done, but Im biased too by the older look and story, hope sal buscema at least make a homage of the older ROM someday, sorry dont like this
Al Burr
No. I'm not into anime ROM. Sorry. Hire Ron Frenz and Sal to ink.
Scott Kaplan
I thought IDW was bringing back ROM. This isn't ROM. I think I may pass on this series.
Keith Thomas
I like the look, save for the "boots." That 90s manga thing with the boots: foot-wide ankles.
Christos Manson
Hmmmm....well i'm not sure ....first impression is that i don't like him but maybe it's because i love so much the old look (and grow up with this...)..let's wait and see .....
That last one sums up my feelings the best about it. Couldn't have said it better.
Joseph- I hate that they did that to The Thing! One of the greatest travesty's in recent cinematic history to be sure!!!
Deleteare you guys talking about the one where they were trying to figure out who's The Thing by checking to see who had teeth fillings? if that's the one you guys are talking about I rented a DVD of it a few years ago and i remember thinking it wasn't bad.
DeleteYes that one. It was totally changed into what you saw from what it was suspose to be. Studio interface taking over a first time directors movie.
Deleteby the way Joe good job on gathering those comments on farcebook. it was the first thing i sent IDW yesterday and i can tell it really rattled their cage and prompted a reply from them. so at least now we have some sort of answers about why they're going with this design although their reasoning is beyond stupid. especially since they had a fairly good thing going with the cover art already. but despite making that point more then once IDW ultimately came back to me with this in their closing argument . . . .
Delete"If fans who’ve been wanting this for 30 years don’t understand that some updates need to be made, then they’re looking for nostalgia that we are unable to provide."
ya see, like i said they just don't get it and on top of that they had the nerve to feel "slighted" by a Star Wars prequel comparison i made at one point yesterday. but like Lucas their not listening to the fans either.
I was just posting that as something that spoke to the silence you mentioned that not all were that way. Well at least they know now. I personally was and im still optimistic . I understand it has to have changes I get that. I said from the start the preview shot he still looks like ROM. I guess I should be thankful for that.
Deleteon the cover he looked like ROM the rounder head, fingers and a couple of other minor design tweaks to the armor didn't take away from that. but on page 3, if you take away the mild similarities from the original he has on his chest plate and torso area he looks like a completely different character. if that was the latest mutant hunting sentinel in the X-Men that would be fine. but as the new ROM? not for me any ways. i don't even want to think about what they will come up with in regards to ROM's neutralizer and analyzer.
DeleteThinking as what would ROM do in IDWs closing argument they do have a point. There had to be a change. This isn't ROM for us die hards but a NEW ROM for the next and new generation. I do beleive they will attempt to make us old school fans as happy as they can while keeping it fresh and new. " I wouldnt be worthy of my humanity if I couldnt call IDW a friend of Bill " in this. Will see what happens. I think my biggest want the nobility of ROM that Bill made will remain intact. Regardless of his head,hands,legs,and Boots.
DeleteHmmm, yeah true. Do you think that was maybe those changes were part of the terms in exchange for getting the ROM rights, or he decided at the last minute to make those changes so as to avoid further legal issues or possible litigations in the future? I'm genuinely interested now in why he made those changes. Surely he had to know the negative reactions that would come from this, or maybe his brain's fried after that 10 year odyssey and he's gone all Syd Barrett on you guys?
ReplyDeleteNice envelope art! But then, I could be biased to that particular grouping.
ReplyDelete;-)
As for my distaste with the redesign, I DID post on Twitter that I wasn't thrilled with the design and that he looked like he needed a spray can to go with the "pants under his ASS" look.
THIS was sent to ROM spaceknight Twitter and ccd to Ryall.
I also asked Ryall of the variants were to be the kind like Archie have (and marvel / dc ate starting to make as well) where you can buy any variant foot cover price - Or if it's to be the BS type of retailer incentive 1:100 etc type that cost a fortune.
On the plus side, I told him that I liked the packaging idea of the 3D multi-pack on Micronauts and that they should do something similar for ROM.
BUT, while I'm not happy with the look, I'll give the first issue or three a chance.
Stupid autocorrect on my phone.
ReplyDeleteMakes me seem like an idiot.
Pardon the "typos".
So they're keeping this new look then....Damn, sorry man.
ReplyDeleteI'm with PTOR... I'm not crazy about it- but I'll give the first few issues a chance because it's still ROM. If they can't manage to win me over- I'll let them know exactly why.
ReplyDeletewhy delay? I think you should let them know now. at least just tell em you liked the design for ROM on the cover better (or waaaaaay better) then the ROM The Frankenspaceknight/Gundam design they settled on as seen on page 3.
ReplyDeleteBecause, like I said- it's one image by one artist. To soon to judge it that harshly.
DeleteI'm more pissed about the fingers than anything.
think of it this way. regardless of who draws Spiderman his costume is always the way the writer and or editor dictates. if you don't like the black costume it doesn't matter who's drawing it it's still the black costume. the current design of Rom's armor applies exactly to the Spiderman metaphor i used. the cover artist was given specs to base that design on which i was cool with but the interior artist made Rom look like that based on continued redesigns he was given which i hate. it don't matter who's drawing him as long as their drawing him under the direction of who's calling the shots for Rom's armor design.
DeleteI keep thinking back to when the first US version of Godzilla was released, and the moviemakers thought they should update his look to something more realistic and new.
ReplyDeleteBut the fans hated it and from that point on the monster was known as G.I.N.O. (Godzilla In Name Only).
The newest G-film walked back on that and gave a decent middle ground, but it was enough of a compromise to satisfy everyone.
Let's hope IDW can do that.
Maybe this R.I.N.O (you get it?) Is exposed to some armor-transmogfifyer and they can change it to something in between the classic armor and...this.
good point about Godzilla! you must be talking about the Mathew Broderick one, i think the producers thought they were supposed to make another Jurassic Park movie. R.I.N.O (Rom In Name Only) as they say if the shoe fits.
DeleteJust saw Michael Golden post of ROM variant cover on Facebook.
Deletehttps://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10153949288106171&substory_index=0&id=44937601170
mmmm.... not one of the best Mike Golden pieces i've ever seen but thanks for sharing Brian.
DeleteYeah, the very first ROM issue I ever bought was the one cover he did with Serpentyne. I still think it's the best rendering of ROM and I have been hooked ever since
Deleteby the way Brian you didn't offer up your thoughts on this new look for ROM that IDW has going on as seen on page 3 of the zero issue.
DeleteMy first thought was "MangaKnight" which immediately caused severe convulsions, abdominal distress, and a desire to engage with the porcelain oracle. I soon started slipping into a twilight zone of the AngstKight miniseries followed by the traitorous and cruel destruction of Galador. But I was able to pull back from the brink and decide to give it a chance. The same way I did with The Farce Awakens.
DeleteThe first preview they did was not so bad. I even liked the fingers. One thing I always wanted to see in RTOS was another weapon like a Lance or sword. I kind of hope they add something else to supplement the Neutralizer.
well said, i had similar reactions although i think i also had an explosive case of the runs. i feel it's important to tell IDW right away about your misgivings i think we've seen enough to see that this is going wrong. it may never happen regardless of what we do but if there's a chance enough of an outcry from the fans gets them them to unfuck this i want it to happen sooner then later. i pro-active approach is what's needed here not a "give it a chance" or "wait and see" reactive one. but that's just me, i've been waiting too long for this to see it getting fuck up even before the zero issue debuts.
DeleteI agree with Shlomo. I think the new armor design sucks. ROM looks like a storm trooper. He looks too stiff and robotic and it is reflected in the drawing. I'm not blaming the artist, he was just working with what he was given.
ReplyDeleteNow, THAT'S more like it. Beautiful peice, nice pose and composition.
ReplyDeleteand true to the character as opposed to that "juiced up" version of ROM firing the ghostbuster style weapon in that Michael Golden variant. look at the energy discharge it looks just like in those movie when they capture a ghost.
DeleteI know and I really dislike it. I hope this is not how his weapon works in the new books.
DeleteThat image you lifted looks so nice . How everyone would want ROM to look. The other surprised me it was done by the cover artist who did some classic covers in the run. I totally agree dont make the ray proton streams but the path to wherever (prob will not be limbo) stream line. Will this ROM be a killer if no limbo? I wonder
ReplyDelete"That image you lifted looks so nice . How everyone would want ROM to look." and the sad thing is Joseph they more or less did when they presented the cover to us. and then some higher ups at IDW who are really big anime fans and probably saw Pacific Rim one too many times and came up with the bright idea to give ROM the whole giant robot look instead of the more faithful to the original look that all the fans like. yep, makes perfect sense to me.
DeleteP.S. Deadpool was freaking awesome and cleaned up big time at the box office this weekend. proving once again with it's R rating that giving the fans what they want is the best marketing strategy as opposed to cooking up something half baked some bean counter predicts will have more broad audience appeal.