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Some TMNT stuff really isn't for little kids. |
Robert Ervin Howard (January 22, 1906 - June 11, 1936; age 30) was an American author of westerns, weird fiction, and considered the father of the modern "sword and sorcery" genre. His most famous works were Conan the Barbarian, Kull of Atlantis, and Solomon Kane, and characters he named provided the basis for Marvel Comics characters Shuma-Gorath and Red Sonja. Howard was friends with fellow author H. P. Lovecraft, who nicknamed him "Two-Gun Bob" for his love of the American Southwest.
On June 11, 1936 at the age of 30, upon learning that his sickly mother had slipped into a coma that she would likely never wake from, Robert went out to his car, withdrew a gun from his glove box, and shot himself in the head. His mother passed away the following day. This action, combined with some evidence overlooked during his life, have given rise to many discussions of Howard's mental health throughout his time.
Mirage
Howard is one of four resurrected, ghost-like entities of famous people brought back by the evil sorceress Savanti Juliet as part of her revenge plan on the Ninja Turtles. Howard encounters Raphael, who at the time was searching for his friends Casey and April. Howard is fascinated by the mutant turtle, wishing that he could have known about him in his lifetime so he could write about him, and expresses regret that he has to "blow [him] away".
Raph swipes at Howard with his sai, but it goes through him. Howard points his index finger at Raph and says "Bang," which causes Raph to be knocked over as if shot for real. Raph doesn't recognize his attacker, and asks who he is as he's losing consciousness. Howard tells him that Lovecraft called him Two-Gun Bob, but Raph can call him "Mister Howard."