One of the nice things about the ROM exhibit I went to last month (here) was that they had copes of the benefit project book, Mantlo: A Life in Comics. Bill Mantlo, as some of you may know, was a prolific comic book writer from the mid ‘70s to the late ‘80s. He wrote many of my favorite comics from my childhood and created several unique characters along the way. In the early ‘90s, Mantlo was hit by a car and never fully recovered from the brain injury that resulted. The purchase of this book goes toward his care.
Reading this slim, but jam-packed magazine was a great stroll down memory lane. So many wonderful stories and superheroes came flooding back, Cloak and Dagger, the smart Hulk, the crossroads Hulk, ROM, Micronauts, Jack of Harts, Peter Parker the Spectacular Spiderman, Rocket Raccoon, Rawhide Kid, Champions and Iron Man. Bill Mantlo was an amazing writer and his work holds up very well by today’s standards. I’ll take his version of the Marvel Universe over what’s currently going on at the house ‘no’ ideas. Pick it up. It’s well researched and a joy to read. 
An interview with the author of Mantlo: A Life in Comics, David Yurkovich, here-Swinebread
2 comments:
I'm slightly annoyed by an industry that spouted nothing but derision to the writing skills of Bill Mantlo (guys from the same era that derided Jack Kirby) but now are showing a modicum of respect.
It may be that the people who did so have moved on and the Fanboys-turned-creators (ie Joe Q) that enjoyed his work are now in charge and working the biz.
Good to see you sleestak. :)
I never understood why he was treated with such disrespect. Maybe it was actually jealousy. His work outshone so many others. Marvel needs to step up to the plate and collect his work.
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