I’ve got so much to do before leaving for BALTIMORE COMICON this week that I’m going to have to keep the posts relatively brief until I get back. I thought I’d keep with the theme of looking back at the fun times Todd and I had on SENSATIONAL SPIDER-MAN by posting a sketch of the Wall Crawler with one of my favorite SPIDER-MAN supporting characters/foes/friends– THE PROWLER. I always loved the PROWLER design (by, I think, the legendary John Romita, Sr.)– and Todd was hip to working in the character into SENSATIONAL, even though Hobie Brown– the PROWLER’S secret identity– was paralyzed at the time. A disgruntled recently fired hospital employee steals Hobie’s PROWLER gear when he’s brought in after his life-altering injury and starts using the costume for petty thievery and revenge on old enemies. Of course, SPIDER-MAN has to get involved to clear the PROWLER name. It was a blast to do, as were all the stories we worked on…..

R.I.P. Steve Irwin– aka the CROCODILE HUNTER. Apparently Irwin was killed by a stingray while filming a segment off the Australian coast yesterday. I watch a lot of ANIMAL PLANET, and had watched a ton of Irwin’s adventures on his various shows on the cable channel. I had sort of moved away from checking out his shows the past couple of years– but I will always remember him as being a super-high energy and person who was ultimately enthusiastic about wild animals and wildlife conservation. I remember clearly one CROC HUNTER episode in which an old female croc Irwin had kept on his preserve for many, many years died of old age. He cried like a baby and had a very emotional eulogy and burial for her in his compound. Anyone who loves animals– even ill-tempered dangerous and very ugly ones like that old female croc– is MORE than alright in my book.

Rest well, CROC HUNTER.

This is Entry 274.

Mike