In 1977, Marvel Comics debuted “the wildest super-hero of them all… because he’s REAL.” If their successful Star Wars comic took readers to a galaxy far, far away, this one would bring us back down to Earth. Specifically Canada. The Human Fly was a real-life stuntman, identity then unknown, who had licensed his masked persona to Marvel. (Decades later, he was revealed to be a man named Rick Rojatt whose fate after a failed rocket cycle stunt seems to still be a mystery.)
And we ate it up for 19 issues, started by writer Bill Mantlo and artist Lee Elias. The Human Fly met Spider-Man and several other major Marvel heroes, got an entry in the Marvel Handbook, and then… disappeared until 2013. At that point, an independent one-shot appeared (still available at Amazon) with art by a variety of people who had worked on the Marvel book, as well as a cover by Rafael Navarro. That was allegedly tying into a live-action film that never materialized, and though an ongoing comics series was teased, that didn’t happen, either.
art by Rafael Navarro
But you can’t keep a good quasi-fictional costumed stuntman down. Out of Sydney, Australia today we’ve learned that a new comics imprint is rising, and reviving The Human Fly. Not a continuation, not a sequel, but a full update for 2023, written by our old friend Christopher Sequeira. Check it out — from IPI Comics:
THE HUMAN FLY, the real-life Canadian stunt-man phenomenon from the late 1970’s – and star of a 19-issue run at Marvel Comics – will be returning to color comic-books for the direct market, and collections for the book trade!
Canadian company Human Fly International (HFI) has entered into an agreement with IPI Comics (IPI), a business unit of the Australian-based international genre fiction publisher SQ Mag Pty Ltd (SQ), that will allow the Human Fly to return in exciting new stories in color comics for the global comic-book specialty store market, and trade paperback collections to be released to regular book retail outlets worldwide.
art by Lee Elias
SQ Owner, Gerry Huntman, explains: “IPI Comics is an expansion of our business beyond our successful genre prose publishing line of novels and anthologies over the last ten years – under our ‘IFWG Publishing International’ label. The HUMAN FLY is a truly dynamic, unique property that will come to stand with our first comics releases as something fresh and unusual. Above all, just as we’ve done with prose, I have to stress the end-products will be all about quality! We know such a powerful concept, anchored with fascinating real-life history and a captivating character design, will get readers and superhero fans’ attention in a big way. So, we are going to work very closely with HFI to produce something memorable, that will make both new fans and those who have any of the old Marvel Human Fly comics in their collections very pleased indeed to see the concepts re-examined and revamped for comics and graphic novels today.”
HFI Co-Owner Tony Babinski said: “We’re very pleased to be entering into this venture with IPI. I’ve been fascinated by the Human Fly since I was 12 or 13 years old, and he first appeared in my home town of Montreal. As a kid who loved comics, I couldn’t believe a real superhero had arrived! We’ve been working hard to bring the Fly back to public attention across various media, and this will be a wonderful reintroduction. Gerry, and writer Chris Christopher Sequeira – are clearly dedicated to telling this character’s story the right way, and I think fans will truly benefit.”
The real-life Human Fly, now known to have been stuntman Rick Rojatt
Alan Brewer, Co-Owner of HFI further commented, “Re-introducing this inspiring, courageous, ‘real-life’ superhero who never gives up is truly exciting!
We are confident fans of comics will love what is coming and we look forward to a long and fun creative partnership with IPI Comics”
Sequeira, the writer of the initial storyline is a Sydney-based scripter and editor; and other announcements about art and story talent will follow. However, Babinski, and Los Angeles-based writer Dana Brawer will be contributing back-up stories, and discussions are being held with other top artists and creators.
Sequeira expressed huge enthusiasm: “This is a dream come true for me. I remember watching TV news in Sydney when I was a kid and seeing the Fly attempt the school buses jump on the rocket-cycle at the Montreal Olympic Stadium (which was actually covered during the Marvel run of stories). He was a real, masked guy doing something astonishing – blew my young brain! So, if you liked aspects of the Marvel material we’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed, but I must emphasize this WON’T be a retro-book; this will be an adrenalin-charging comic-book for readers of today, that envelops the amazing truths and rumors of this scenario, but is also a perfect new book for readers who have never heard of this character before. “We have seen ‘real-life’ costumed and masked protectors patrolling the streets in some cities for a few years now, but this is the guy who is the originator; how can that not make a completely fascinating basis for a comic-book series?”
Art by Eddie Newell
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In addition to running Fanboy Planet, Derek has contributed stories to Arcana Comics (The Greatest American Hero) and Monsterverse Comics (Bela Lugosi's Tales from the Grave). He has performed with ComedySportz, City Lights Theater Company and Silicon Valley Shakespeare, though relocated to Hollywood to... work in an office? If you ever played Eric's Ultimate Solitaire on the Macintosh, it was Derek's voice as The Weasel that urged you to play longer. You can buy his book "I Was Flesh Gordon" on the Amazon link at the right. Email him at [email protected].
