Happy Birthday to Bill Mantlo!

Happy Birthday to Bill Mantlo!

In 1981, he co-created Cloak and Dagger, and went on to write many of their adventures in the ’80s.

Bill wrote many other comics for Marvel throughout the ’70s and ’80s, including Incredible Hulk, Spectacular Spider-Man, and a celebrated run of Rom the Spaceknight. He also co-created Rocket Raccoon. In the late ’80s, he began transitioning out of comics and became a public defender for the Legal Aid Society non-profit organization. In the early ’90s, he was left comatose from a hit and run incident. He regained consciousness but the accident left him with severe brain damage. In 2014, Marvel Studios arranged to cover Bill’s in-home care expenses through a compensation package for Rocket Raccoon, who starred in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies.

Need I say it? Corey Blake of New Warriors Continuity Conundrum with his incredible calendar remembered the above.

I am going to share something I previously shared on my other site, The Comic Relief Podcast.

If you don’t know about Bill Mantlo, let me share this:

On July 17, 1992, Mantlo was struck by a car while rollerblading. The driver of the car fled the scene and was never identified. Mantlo suffered severe head trauma. His activities of daily living are severely curtailed and he resides in a healthcare facility where he receives full-time care.

Mantlo’s brother describes the injury; “Bill is, and has been, trapped in a world of confusion and despair since his accident. The cognitive deficits he suffered have left him unable to reason or understand his situation, and he struggles daily to maintain any control over his own mind. For someone with his intellect and imagination, this was the absolute worst type of injury that could ever have happened to him.”

In 2007, Yurkovich released the benefit book Mantlo: A Life in Comics, with all proceeds from the book donated to Mantlo’s brother and caregiver, Michael Mantlo, to help toward the costs of maintaining Mantlo’s care. In addition, on December 6, 2007, the Portland, Oregon, comic-book shop Floating World Comics sponsored “Spacenight: A Tribute to Bill Mantlo”, an art show consisting almost entirely of various artists’ interpretations of Rom, to help raise funds for Mantlo’s care. Throughout December 2010, Floating World Comics sponsored “Spacenite2”, also featuring artists’ interpretations of Rom, with all proceeds going to Mantlo’s care and an art auction at the end of December 2010.

In 2014, Mantlo was granted a private preview screening by Marvel Entertainment and Walt Disney Pictures of the critically acclaimed and successful Marvel Cinematic Universe film, Guardians of the Galaxy, which prominently features his creation, Rocket Raccoon, as a principal character. According to his brother, Michael Mantlo, Bill was pleased with the adaptation (which credits him by name as the character’s co-creator) and considered the occasion a happy day for himself and his family.

Cards, letters and drawings can be sent to Bill Mantlo:

Bill Mantlo
329 Beach 59st #920756
Arverne, NY 11692

Address updated based on this recent post from Bill’s daughter!