Woody Woodpecker Explains How We Got To The Moon In 1950, Or, A Solution To The ROM Problem?

Dude, this is complex, so try to keep up...

America's early rockets tests were pretty unsuccessful:

Well, if at first you don't succeed...

...make your goal even more unrealistic, and ask private business to pay for it!!

I mean, if you can't even get an unmanned rocket to lift off successfully, maybe you should try mastering the baby steps before you suddenly leap to a manned mission to the moon?

But the professor has brilliant new designs...so we just have to sell the idea to rich guys with millions to throw around!!

Hmmm...some fairly obvious re-lettering going on here...

You had them at the word "atomic":

Now, you may be saying, "snell, you promised us Woody Woodpecker!"

Here's the deal: this is Charlton's Space Adventures #23 (1958). It's a reprint of Fawcett's 1950 adaptation of the 1950 movie Destination Moon. Producer George Pal was best buds with Woody creator Walter Lantz, and got permission to use Woody in the movie. Observe:


So, when Charlton reprinted the comic, they didn't have permission to use the character, so they re-colored and re-lettered Woody Woodpecker into Danny The Duck!!

Dear Marvel...do you think this approach would work in allowing you to reprint Power Man And Iron Fist #73, or Marvel Two-In-One #99, which they can't currently reprint because they guest-starred ROM? A little judicious re-coloring and re-lettering, and they could be the only Marvel appearances of DON the Tracenite!!

OK, you come up with a better one...

The Best Solution To The ROM Rights Crisis!

Looking for the best way to get ROM put back into the spotlight?

Just take one beloved American classic:

And drop one letter, so you get...

ROM And Michelle's High School Reunion!!

Yes, I know that's terrible. But I worked a really long time on it, so just pretend it doesn't suck, OK?

New Contest: Two Words, Ten Letters, 2015

On Formspring, Tom Brevoort spilled a bean or two about Marvel's future plans:

If all goes as planned, our big storyline for 2015 will have a title that’s two words long, ten letters in total.

Well, then, game on. Two words. Ten letters. Go!

I, Marvelman

It might take that long to actually clear up the rights tangle.

But it's a great name for a series, right?

Of course, the question then becomes, how exactly does Marvelman fit into the Marvel Universe? Does Doctor Gargunza know Dr. Doom? Does Mike Moran work at the Daily Bugle? Or would this just turn into another Sentry-level clusterfrak?

Darth Vader

By 2015 Disney will have given the Star Wars comic(s) to Marvel. And why not be ambitious about it? An Exiles team leaps into the Star Wars universe, and inadvertently brings Vader back to 616. Ah, the ensuing havoc. Especially when it turns out that The Force is...

Hey, it makes more sense than having Norman Osborn run things during Dark Reign...

Malibu Wars

Marvel will finally resolve whatever the pesky contractual problems are, and revive the Malibu Universe, and integrate it into Marvel-616. Black September II, dawg!!

ROM Revived

Speaking of intractable rights problems...

Well, it's late, that's all I've got. Your turn now.

Big storyline. Two words. Ten letters. GO!!!

Donald Duck--Spaceknight?!?

From the letters page in this week's Avengers Academy, Christos Gage explains why the can use old Rom villains, but not Rom himself:



A few comments:

A) Marvel, you are owned by Disney. You are literally made of money, and have a legal team that could rival the Borg for relentlessness. If you could sort out Miracleman Marvelman, you can do this. Make this happen.

Plus, I've got visions of a Rom/Donald Duck crossover. Make. This. Happen.

B) To whomever is holding the Rom rights: exactly how much coin are those rights making you right now? Are you waiting for Spielberg or Lucas or something? Ain't gonna happen. Something is better than nothing. Plus, a deal with Marvel/Disney virtually guarantees Rom his own show on one of the Disney channels, which in turn means lots of opportunity to re-launch the toy line, so, mega-coin. Make it happen!!

C) You'd have to "change his armor, weapons and name"? Well, you could just call him Shazam...oh, wait...

D) Hey, Marvel/Disney, while you're at it, throw a few buck to the holders of the Sax Rohmer rights, so we can get Fu Manchu back (by name) and finally start reprinting Master Of Kung Fu. And when the hell are you going to relaunch MOKF with Brubaker writing? I'm running out of patience...

Manic Monday Bonus--Most Misleading Cover Ever

From 1997:

Yes!! A ROM-Star Trek crossover!!!

Damn!!

I was expecting this:

Oh, well, at least the children still love ROM:

Live action ROM pic pilfered from Plaid Stallions...it's a way cool site you should all check out immediately. Because the 1970's rocked...

Hopping on the Bandwagon

Dudes, I know how to join a meme:


I have no knowledge of the status of the ROM rights, or who has 'em, or what the flipping problem is. But this must end now.

It's not like there's any huge amount of value in Rom's rights, right? So somebody cut somebody a check and let's get this party started.

I'm reminded of a similar situation faced by the best TV show of all time, Mystery Science Theater 3000. They tried to get the rights to riff a terrible 1950 Z-movie, Radar Secret Service. Apparently whoever held the rights thought they had a hot commerical property on their hands, and were waiting for Spielberg or NBC or someone to step up with a big check. It didn't happen, and 3 years later they called up MST and said their movie was available.

So seriously...whoever holds the rights to ROM, really...what are you waiting for? A Michael Bay made summer blockbuster? George Lucas to step forward with a kajillion dollar check? It ain't gonna happen, Rom-rights holder.

Let's take the first step. I personally pledge $1 to the Free Rom fund, one whole dollar towards buying his rights or settling the lawsuit or whatever. C'mon, people, together we can do this...

Now about Miracleman...