Ya know since my last posting aside from some updates to it I was really planning on taking something of a hiatus from blogging here in light of my all time low in terms of enthusiasm for the new IDW Rom series. Which took another hit by the way with the discovery last weekend of that Michael Golden cover variant featuring the "juiced up" Rom firing a ghostbusters gun. But that wouldn't be the last thing I would discover last weekend that got on my nerves and this one demanded a strong response. There's actually two matters I want to address in this posting but let's start with this prick you see pictured here. Now what you're looking at below are some cropped pictures I took of a couple pages from a comic book price guide listing. You know how they have this kinda index listing style with a random featured titles here and there and a bit of an editorial blurb to go with it? When I first came across this price guide at a used book store I saw the ROM entry and I was like cool and gave it a read. Not so cool actually, once I realized the condescending tone to the ROM spaceknight series that the editorial blurb was written in.
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The most insulting part is when he compares the dire wraiths in the pages of The X-Men with Team America (yeah as in the motor cross bike comic series) in the pages of The New Mutants. He's basically saying that the ROM spaceknight series is lame on the level of the short lived Team America Marvel 80s comic book series. I mean is this guy one pretentious douche bag or what? Anyways, screw this idiot 40 Year Old Virgin sequel casting call and this garbage he wrote. But keeping things in perspective, I've gathered in print and online a ton of articles and editorial shorts on ROM over the years all of which have been overwhelmingly positive but with any loom of grapes there's always gonna be a rotten one in the bunch. As to the price guide I've been talking about...
http://bamcc-bam.blogspot.com/2011/04/comics-shop.html
Every single ROM fan I know out there has been turned off in one way or another to some degree over what they saw in the preview pages of the zero issue. In essence we've been waiting for decades for something like this and just like every Star Wars movie that's come out since Jedi this new ROM series would not have been possible with out the enduring fandom. I feel like we deserve a book that suites our taste and not that of some millennials who were still in elementary school when 911 happened and thought the Star Wars pre-quels were pretty cool because they never saw the original trilogy.
So I ask you my friends why the reluctance to express your concerns to IDW? Why? What's all this it's "too early to judge" or this "wait and see" approach? The zero issue doesn't come out till early May and the first issue not for another two months after that. If IDW were to respond with some changes for the better thanks to fan feed back wouldn't you want to see that sooner then later in the series? So why is it such a challenge for so many of you to be a little pro-active and simply drop them a line by saying something like "Hey I'm a long time ROM fan and was really excited when you guys released the cover art but not so much when I saw what ROM looked like on the inside". Hit "send" button now, done. Seriously, it's so easy even a cave man can do it, so what's stopping you?
If that book come out as is, there will be even more condescending and contemptuous articles about ROM. We must act now as a group to let IDW know how we REALLY feel about the way he has been depicted in the 0 issue. Maybe, just maybe, they may change it.
ReplyDeletewhen i used to work as a graphic designer in advertising we sometimes made these ads known as a "call to action". that's basically what the bottom half of this posting is. on a related note yesterday i was listening to some talking heads on some political show on the radio. it's funny at one point they referred to republicans who weren't conservative enough as R.I.N.O s (republican in name only). but as you know if you substitute the word republican with ROM you get a different meaning for R.I.N.O that quite possibly might end up applying to the new series. it's still winter although you wouldn't know it here in California but we still have to wait till Fall just to see the zero issue.
DeleteI thought the zero issue was coming out in May, unless it has been delayed?
ReplyDeleteI meant to say Spring not Fall. So indeed you'll only have to wait till May to read R.I.N.O the spaceknight.
DeleteBecause it *IS* too early to judge, and I do personally want to wait and see...
ReplyDeleteI mean, all we have seen is a cover, a variant cover, and one panel of interior art (that I'm aware of). I have seen no more than that- and we have read nothing. Once I see, and read, an entire issue that I paid for (or, well- FCBD, whatever!) then I have a right to criticize it, if I so desire.
I'm a ROM fan, not a Buscema-only-ROM-fan. I still enjoyed the book with Ditko on pencils, because Mantlo was still telling his story... I enjoyed Spaceknights for what it was- and I was happy they were at least doing something new with ROM.
Now, all these years later, again- someone is actually doing something new with ROM! And sure I don't like the fact he has fingers, but I can't wait to see how this new ROM Spaceknight comic is gonna play out!
So, I'll walk, thanks... I don't need a ride on the bandwagon you're trying to pull.
Well K.O.T, rather it's ditko, the spaceknights a mini-series or this current Michael Golden cover variant we'll just have to agree to disagree. If say only time will tell but I suspect regarfdless of how this shit turns out we'll end up seeing it differently anyways.
DeleteHahaha! We usually do...
DeleteIm kinda in the same boat as KOT. All we have seen is that one panel shot of him. I find I liked his alien speach and his red chest glare. I disliked his legs and feet and ju ju bee shaped head. That being said it was more square then the round head cover. I don't want a round head for ROM . I also liked the soaceknights mini for what it was. Said that many times. I really enjoyed how Axar (the neutralizer)had a sentience and had to choose who was worthy to use it. Just the stain glass of our ROMs story in the intro was enough for me to tie it all together. The Angel elite was icing on the top. I enjoyed ROM with Ditko because the same reason it was still Bills story. Those last few issues were always some of my favorite storys in ROMs run. I am aboard though with disliking that terrible Golden art with ROM shooting a proto stream. Dont want see that. Im looking forward to the wraiths new story the sol star order story/ history . If they do those right I think I will like it more then dislike it. It cant please everyone in every way . Least of all us old school ROM fans.
Deletewell if you didn't mind ditko in the original series or what marvel came up with in regards to the spaceknights mini-series then it would stand to reason you find this new look for ROM more palatable then i do. hence forth you feel no reason to express any misgivings to IDW at this time since your misgiving are mostly marginal. i'm of a different mind set of course. i've been saying this for years now when it comes to marvel and DC but based on what i've seen from IDW so far in this new Rom in name only series it further reinforces that new comics these days just aren't for me or worth spending my money on.
DeleteIm going to be honest, I love the original ROM comics but why are you all obsessed with the fingers?
DeleteROM with Fingers is still ROM.
Manga-Rom, though, not so much...
His fingers don't bother me as much but the rest of him I don't like so much, agreed.
Delete@Joseph: Rock on! ...I agree on his jelly-bean shaped head too. But things like the shape of his head, squareness of his chest-plate, and anime-mech-ness of his legs/fingers, I think, depends entirely on the artist drawing from the new design.
DeleteDavid Messina and Paolo Villanelle are the series artists to start with, I believe... The art is by no means bad art, I can understand if it's not someone's cup of tea though. -But who is to say they'll be on the book forever? -I've seen plenty of comics in my life where the art is completely different by issue #2.
I'm honestly more interested in how they are going to tell the story anyways...
One thing I have not heard anyone talk about from that one panel is how good they did (like the design or not) at making ROM look so huge. We only get one look at ROM, but they did put out a three page preview: http://www.comicbookresources.com/comic-previews/rom-spaceknight-fcbd-2016-0-idw -I'm still excited!
@Messinissa: I'm not obsessed with the lack of mitten-hands... it's just a cosmetic change I do not like. Like when they gave Spider-Man organic web-shooters, or took away Superman's trunks. -It's not a huge change- but it's a symbolic change that I just can't get behind or see the point of.
Hey how about that K.o.T it turns out your boy Joseph did indeed express his concerns to IDW despite sharing your optimistic view of the series. Anyways, just for the record I never minded the mittens by giving him fingers is an understandable update.
DeleteHahaha... he's not my boy! I don't even think he goes to my site.
DeleteAnd what can I say? -I'm a half glass full kind of guy.
As for the hands: Evey other superhero out there has fingers, why take the one that doesn't and make him like EVERYONE else- makes no sense... it's a minor cosmic change that has deeper cosmetic roots- that just makes NO sense...
Ha ha . I do visit from time to time kot. I enjoy your dirtmall finds. Sky Lynxx was a steal. I still remember that.
Delete@ KoT Um... I always thought the organic web shooters were an improvement. The idea that he could make something that defies modern physics in his bedroom never made sense to me and always felt unnecessary. And Im neutral on Supermans trunks. So lets agree to disagree?
DeleteOh, well then CHEERS! for that, Joseph! Much appreciated!
DeleteThe Dirt Mall season is fast approaching... Maybe I can find 'ol SkyLynx's other half!
@Massinissa You liked the organic web-shooters??? Damn millennials... Hahaha, I kid- I kid...
Peter is kind of a science genius, though- it's his thing. Conners, Otto, Stark, Reed... they have all acknowledged this.
I'm loving the Parker Industries angle they are doing in Amazing.
I sent one disapproving message about the art style.
ReplyDeleteThe reply they gave me (I think its nice they gave one actually) was that we should wait and see it before passing judgement on it.
That doesn't make any sense. We already have SEEN the art style, and none of us are complaining about the comics content (yet). What part of "We don't like the art style" is so hard for them to understand?
By the way, about 6 years ago, Figeuroa started using this terrible movie inspired art style in the Transformers ongoing that everyone hated. They eventually replaced the style with a more G1 centric style that has been used since. It took a LOT of complaints but eventually they changed it. Hopefully if enough of us complain they will change it, but then, we arnt as important as the TF Fandom is.
Though, personally I don't think im going to send them any more emails other than that one until the comic actually comes out. Maybe more of us will be willing to complain when it comes out.
Oh one more thing. Uh... Im one of those millenials that was in elementary school when 9/11 happened. So uh. Stereotyping much? I still love the original ROM comics (Even if I don't entirely understand the Mittens obsession), and as I mentioned in the message above, I don't like Manga-Rom's art style either.
ReplyDeleteMassinissa, I stand humbled before you and the wisdom and good taste you have demonstrated for a person of your generation. But seriously thank you for taking the time to contact IDW with your grievance and also your insightful comments I really enjoyed reading them.
DeleteI did voice my concern to Ryall himself right away Dave. He replied and shot back a few things that would make any ROM fan happy if they come to pass. So I'm kinda stuck in that wait and see mode.
ReplyDeleteWell that sounds cryptic, but intriguing. My chat with IDW unfortunately didn't make this Rom fan too happy however. Well at any rate Joseph I guess we'll get at least some of this mystery unraveled on FCBD. Too bad that's still two and a half months away still.
DeleteI'm waiting for a few reasons. I'm not a fan of the face especially in the interior art, but I do want to see how everything else comes out. BUT...if the artstyle bugs everyone so much, they can always write in a nice little letter stating how a certain Dann Phillips artist would be a fantastic replacement. Just sayin'....
ReplyDeletewell I've said everything I could to make the case for speaking up to IDW sooner then later so enough of that. aside from ROM's armor design i'm cool with the art work although I do know what other ROM fan and artist on deviant art who doesn't mind the new ROM design on the inside of the issue but other wise hates the art in fact he said he was "crushed" when he heard who was doing it. i'm not sure what about the interior art in general is so terrible to him it looks like most any art in comics these days which I think is very good for the most part so go figure.
ReplyDelete