Thinking about Bill Mantlo and "Cloak and Dagger"

This rendering of Marvel characters Cloak and Dagger by Jon Racimo is how most people think of writer Bill Mantlo, who created the characters.

But that's not all he did.

He was also well known for writing stories for Micronauts and Rom: Spaceknight. Anyone who has ever had to deal with writing stories for various licensed properties will tell you this can be a stressful experience.

Yet he wrote every single one of the 75 monthly issues and four Annuals for Rom.

He also wrote a memorable run on the Incredible Hulk from issue 245 to 313, when he and John Byrne switched books, with Mantlo taking Alpha Flight in new directions.

Then there was "Swords of the Swashbucklers" from Marvel's Epic comics, that was a rip-roaring space pirate story.

He also had a fine run on Spectacular Spider-Man. At one time or another in fifteen years, he wrote a vast array of stories, primarily for Marvel.

But to me, personally, and to several of my friends, Cloak & Dagger was his personal contribution to comics lore, with characters he created.

The old adage that "you never appreciate what you have while you have it" applies to comic companies as much as anyone else, unfortunately, and as work became sparse, he did some stories for DC, notably the Invasion! series, then retired from comics, having passed the Bar exam and becoming a public defender.

A few years later, in 1992, he suffered "traumatic brain injury" in a car accident, and was institutionalized after awaking from a year long coma. He's not expected to ever fully recover, though there's another saying that "miracles do happen", and who knows, someday one might.

I do not know him personally, and I never had the opportunity to meet him. I was just looking at this piece of art and was thinking about him, grateful for what he did while he was able.

Sometimes it helps to know there are people thinking of you, and remembering your accomplishments, or perhaps it helps family or friends, or fans.

In looking again at the page above, I hope that somehow, Cloak protects him from the worst ravages of darkness as Dagger guides him toward the light.

Mike