AUGUST 1985

 

1985 AUGUST

ROBOTECH's MACROSS MAIL

1547 DEKALB ST. NORRISTOWN, PA 19401

ROBOTECH THE MACROSS SAGA #5 

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Dear Carl and company:

All I can do right now is praise you for the fine job you are doing on ROBOTECH, which has improved con- siderably since the first ish. However, though, I feel the dialogue could be bet- ter in some areas but considering that you, Carl, are busy handling both the comics and the television series, I give you credit for being able to handle the pressure of doing both and making both among the best in their respective fields.

Keep up the good work on ROBOTECH THE MACROSS SAGA.

It's ichi ban!

Aaron Reed    Brockton, MA

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Dear Comico,

For years I have been tuned out to the comic scene, due to the fact that the companies that had (nearly) cor- nered the market were producing such commercial crud that all the characters were the same superheroes with cardboard cut-outs as accessory characters and enemies that belonged in the funny farm. The art looked like black and white sketches with color arbitrarily thrown in to keep readers satisfied and the storylines were totally interchangeable.

With sci-fi comics the setting was so futuristic that all problems were solved through technology and the villains did what they did just for the sake of being evil. It seems that it took the Japanese to throw us out of our apathy with the animation of Macross and an alternative company like Comico to start as a catalyst for change.

In ROBOTECH THE MACROSS SAGA the heroes are not super in any way, just intelligent or gifted. The villains are not villains; the conflict is between the haves and the have-nots, although the haves don't know that they have anything. I liked the innovative artwork in the first issue and was somewhat disappointed by the second issue's artwork, but I guess a deadline is a deadline.

Are there any plans for other Japanese cartoon-comics? 

Doug Welch   Redwood City, CA

[Editor's reply;

"By now, Doug, you should have been able to pick up both ROBOTECH MASTERS #1 and ROBOTECH THE NEW GENERATION #1 at your local comics emporium.   These two exciting new comics are adapted from the popular ROBOTECH TV series currently in national syndication.   The MASTERS and NEW GENERATION segments of the ROBOTECH show are based upon the Japanese animated series, Southern Cross and Mospeada, respectively."]

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Dear Comico,

I can't believe it. I read MACROSS #1 and ROBOTECH THE MACROSS SAGA #2 and there's only one word (or more) that can describe those issues. Totally awesome! Excellent! Extravagant! Spectacular! In other words, It! Was! Great! I loved every page.

Gintas Grabauskas   Chicago, IL

[Editor's reply;

"Thanks! A! Lot!"]

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Editor:

When I saw the first ads for MACROSS in Comico comics, I was overjoyed. I thought it would either be an English translation of the actual Japanese comic or the photo-novel style of STAR BLAZERS. When the first issue came out, I was disappointed not only because it wasn't what I expected, but also the following: the art did seem distantly inspired by the Japanese version, but I'm afraid I found it substandard.  The backgrounds were also not skillfully done.

The second issue was a definite improvement with an excellent cover and the inking skills of Rich Rankin improving the inside art as well.   The pencillers still have to work on small details, such as Japanese-style eyes, as well as overall art to achieve the "integrity" desired.  Cityscapes, for example, are difficult but a real disappointment if not done well.

On the whole, ROBOTECH is a hopeful project and I look forward to following its progression. 

Craig Maher   Poughkeepsie, NY

[Editor's reply;

"And on the other hand... Craig Maher, meet Dan Cherney..."]

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To the production staff of ROBOTECH THE MACROSS SAGA:

I was quite impressed with the first issue of this new comic. The cover art alone was worth the price of the comic. I was also pleased that you decided to recapture the feeling and look of cel animation in your artwork. All in all, a job well done.

But... that first issue did have its pit-falls.  The artwork on page 2 is god-aw-fully bad.  There are a few other complaints (mostly with background artwork), but it's nothing that a few lessons in perspective and proper color usage couldn't cure.

Then came your second issue a truly shocking disappointment.  The cover art is one of the most garbled, busy, and confusing pieces of cover art I've ever seen.  Terrible stuff, just terrible.  What happened?  And then there's the interior art and lettering.   It was a big let down to see that you abandoned the "cel-animation" technique, but I suppose that I'll eventually get used to the standard comic art format.

All criticisms aside, I wish you good luck on your future efforts. There is room for improvement in your book and I think you can turn it into something special.

Dan Cherney   Cleveland, OH

[Editor's reply;

"We here at Comico already think our ROBOTECH books are something special, Dan!   As much, however, as we would like to return to a cel-like approach to the art, it's simply not practical for a series like ROBOTECH, which is published twice a month.   Still, we do think you'll agree that each of our titles maintains the integrity of its Japanese counterpart and the books are improving all the time!   By the way, what did you think of this issue's creative team?  Everyone involved really put their heart and soul into the issue you're holding... and we think it shows!"]

[NEXT ISSUE: Join us for the debut of the art team of penciller Mike Leeke and inker Chris Kalnick. You've seen their outstanding covers these last three issues, now watch what happens when they take over the entire book! Be here for "Blitzkrieg"!]

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[NOTE: These Letters to the Editor, were mainly aimed at issue ONE (MACROSS), and issue TWO (now called ROBOTECH The MACROSS Saga), published 8 to 4 months after their printing. (December 1984, & April 1985  to now August 1985).   People writing their views via APPs, and the Internet, can get replies to thier feedback, within seconds, or minutes, or at the very least a few days.  What a differance!]

[NOTE:  Dan Cherney of Cleveland, OH. USA. had a "shocking disappointment" when came to the "cover art", and the "interior art", but looked like he was resigned to "that I'll eventually get used to the standard comic art format."  the Editor's reply being "As much, however, as we would like to return to a cel-like approach to the art, it's simply not practical for a series like ROBOTECH, which is published twice a month." So massive deadlines, and time constraints for a $1.50 comic book! ]

[NOTE: Craig Maher of Poughkeepsie, NY. USA. Had high hopes for the MACROSS comic book "When I saw the first ads for MACROSS in Comico comics, I was overjoyed.", this must have been in late 1984 (I would guess 1 to 3 months before its 1984 DECEMBER printing),  but "I thought it would either be an English translation of the actual Japanese comic or the photo-novel style of STAR BLAZERS."  - It maybe that in 1980 and 1983 printed photo-comic\novel style (issues 1 to 5 by West Cape) books had a limited run for STAR BLAZERS, as it would be a few more years before Comico would themselves run 2 mini series.]

ROBOTECH THE MACROSS SAGA #5

$1.50 USA   $2.25 CAN

SCRIPT: JACK HERMAN,

PENCILS: DAVE JOHNSON,

INKS: JEFF DEE,

LETTERS: L. LOIS BUHALIS,

COLORS: TOM VINCENT,

EDITS: DIANA SCHUTZ

ROBOTECH The Macross Saga #5, August 1985. Published by COMICO the Comic Company, 1547 De Kalb St., Norristown, PA 19401. "ROBOTECH" is a trademark owned and licensed by Revell, Inc. Used here with permission. This story and the distinctive likenesses herein are 1985 Harmony Gold U.S.A., Inc./Tatsunoko Production Company, Ltd. All rights reserved. All other material, unless otherwise specified, is © 1985 Comico the Comic Company. All rights reserved. No similarity between any of the names, characters, persons and/or institutions in this publication and those of any existing or pre-existing person or institution is intended and any similarity which may exist is purely coincidental. ROBOTECH The Macross Saga is published 9 times a year. 

Printed in the U.S.A.

ROBOTECH THE MACROSS SAGA #5 AUGUST 1985.

"TRANSFORMATION"

ROBOTECH's MACROSS MAIL.

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