ROM SPACEKNIGHT #10

Warrior Over Washington!

Recap:
Rom breaks Brandy Clark and Steve Jackson out of jail. He then flies to Washington, DC where his Neutralizer is being held by the Wraiths at Project Safeguard. He is attacked by fighter jets for flying over DC. Rom wins. He is then abducted by Wraiths. Meanwhile, Steve is replaced by a Wraith Doppelganger. Uh Oh!

Favorite Panels:
Nothing too great this issue.

Is that like a Slow Cooker?

I really should have been keeping track of how many times the phrase "Death-Ray" is used. Another regret.

Wow!

"It lies in that direction." Seriously, Brandy?

BAIL OUT!

The ejected pilot just cracks me up.

Reflection:
Rom Spaceknight?

I just had my mind blown by Polar Banana Seltzer. I drank a liter in 5 minutes. Uncontrollable forces were at play.

Sorry if you were expecting something good in this section.

ROM SPACEKNIGHT #9

The Stalker in the Night!

Recap:
Brandy Clark and Steve Jackson are at the hospital where they learn that Artie Packer has died. Suspiciously enough, the doctor operating to save his life was a Dire Wraith. Brandy and Steve are taken into custody by the police because of their ties with the "Rom Murders." Rom finds himself in a large cave under the cemetery where he collapsed last issue. He explores. Serpentyne catches up with him. They trade a lot of back story. Serpentyne wants the glory of wiping out the Dire Wraiths to himself. He dies fighting Rom.

P.S. Rom still doesn't have his neutralizer but he knows where to find it.

Favorite Panels:

Artie Dead!

 Would you trust a doctor that has eyes like a hammerhead shark? WRAITH!

Back Stabber!

 Leave it to a cold-blooded lizard to strike an unarmed Spaceknight from behind.

The Death of Serpentyne!

When I read this the first time around (a year ago) I was really excited that Serpentyne would become Rom's sidekick. Too bad!

Reflection:
The fragility of life. One wrong step can spell the end of a life. It's frighteningly easy. We forget how easy it is.

Serpentyne missteps and is impaled on a sharp rock. Just like that it's over. Granted it's not everyday you find yourself in a subterranean cavern with sharp rocks but the danger still lurks everywhere.

All it takes is and impact on the head or a cut in the right place. We all drive cars and handle knives etc. on a daily basis. Just a thin layer of skin is keeping your blood inside of you. Be careful people-- but don't be afraid!

All Artie Packer had to do was be crushed in the thorns of a living plant!

ROM SPACEKNIGHT #8

Deathwing!

Recap:
Rom leaves Brandy Clark and Steve Jackson at the lab with the mess left from the fight last issue and to deal with the officials. Rom states that Artie Packer is alive but just barely.

The town coroner notices that the men Rom "killed" were all born on the same day. He is suspicious.

Rom watches some Wraith's putting on a funeral and interrupts it. Since he is still without his Neutralizer, he kills the Wraith Priest by feeding it to a Deathwing. Rom collapses into a hole after the fight.

Favorite Panels:

Women's Rights.

 Sometimes the forms that shape shifters choose are questionable.

Skaaa!

So Deathwing, what is your favorite musical genre?

Serpentyne.

Wait a minute. Someone else hates the Dire Wraiths?

Reflection:
This is Rom's second time collapsing recently. I'm worried. He was lucky to have Steve there the first time, but now he's collapsed into  a hole. Can't he see this affects everybody?

Yep, that's all I got.

ROM SPACEKNIGHT #7

As I Lay Dying

Recap:
In the aftermath of Rom's fight with the Dogs of the Dark Nebula, he collapses.

Steve Jackson is working desperately to revive the fallen cyborg. State trooper and friend, Artie Packer (not to be confused with Archie Stryker), arrives on the scene to talk to Steve about some things that didn't add up on the highway last night (Firefall being taken away by "government officials" (Dire Wraiths)). He is surprised to find Steve helping Rom. After a short talk, he agrees to help Steve bring the unconscious Rom to the Pharmaceutical Laboratory where Brandy Clark works. Steve tries to work on Rom with the superior equipment of the lab. Some living plants are sent by the Wraiths to attack. They kill Artie Packer. Rom finally wakes up and saves the day.

Oh yeah, the Dire Wraiths have stolen Rom's neutralizer from Steve's unattended shop.

Favorite Panels:
This issue was kind of a low point for good panels.

"He once held his opponents wife's hand in jar of acid at a party."

This is the panel where Artie Packer dies. Watch as the life screams out of him.

Is this vegan friendly?

 Even sentient plant life is no match for Rom.

O.J. Simpson

The highlight may have been this boot ad featuring pre-sketchy O.J. Simpson.

Reflection:
Mortality.

It's up in the air whether Rom is dead for the bulk of this issue. Fortunately for us, and his ongoing series, he's alive. Poor Artie Packer dies though. Too bad for him!

Death is an unavoidable part of life. Everyone dies-- it's just a matter of when. Will you die with regret in your dying heart? After 200 years of fighting the good fight Rom is down and luckily he gets a second chance to continue his fight. Had he died then, I don't think he would have had any regrets. Artie Packer on the other hand: "Why did I come to this lab with Steve and this stupid robot!?" It just goes to show you that there's no telling when you're going to die. Or, when a mob of angry walking plants are going to attack.

Your life is held equally in your own hands and the hands of others.

I don't want to die with regret haunting my last moments.

Keep fighting the good fight.

ROM SPACEKNIGHT #6

Dog Day Afternoon!

Recap:
Steve drives Brandy to work and leaves Rom to sleep at his auto-body. He's a business owner! Rom wakes to find himself under attack by Hell Hounds of The Black Nebula. These Hell Hounds are Earthdogs that were genetically engineered by the Dire Wraiths. They have a humanoid form. They put up a good fight and attempt stealing the Neutralizer. Steve comes back to the shop and together he and Rom take down the dogs. Rom absorbs too much energy from a live-wire during the fight and collapses.

Favorite Panels:
This is the real reason I read comics.

Awkward...

This one speaks for itself. Definitely one of my faves. FOR SURE!

Death Wing = Giant-magic-pterodactyl Ghost

If you are a Dire Wraith, do not fail your masters.

Never leave a Spaceknight unattended.

After driving Brandy to work, Steve comes back to his Garage to find it completely destroyed. Rom Spaceknight: Force Majeure!

Steve, my mind is going. I can feel it.

Rom clearly has other things on his mind.

Reflection:
It is impossible to spend every single moment with the people you care about. So what goes on when you're not around? There's just no telling and it will almost always be a surprise. Maybe not as surprising as what Steve Jackson found when he came back to Rom at his shop, but a surprise nonetheless!

You can never be inside another persons head, and when your bodies are separated by distance, your outside-ness increases greatly. So when we are not together all we have is trust. Simple trust. Like the mutual trust between a dog and its man. (Unless you have a dog like mine.)

So let's trust each other. You have your secrets and I have mine.

I have too much in my own head to worry about! Psh! Talk to the hand!

ROM SPACEKNIGHT #5

A House Is Not A Home!

Recap:
Rom is hiding off the highway with Brandy Clark and her boyfriend Steve Jackson. The police are checking out what they think is the scene of a meteor fall. They find the crumpled (after Rom whooped his ass last issue) Archie Stryker in the Firefall armor. Some disguised Dire Wraiths come to scoop up Archie. Rom flees with his human allies and they take refuge in a house. The house attacks them.

Favorite Panels:
Some of my favorite moments in this issue.

Rom before he was a cyborg.

Rom is a man of love. End of story. See how he glares longingly at Brandy and Steve. Uh oh, can you keep that promise Rom?

We're from the government.

Really? You couldn't come up with anything better than that you Wraith Scum!? But the cops go right along with it.

Achilles Heel Exposed!

Rom is invulnerable to flamethrowers but apparently not tables.

The Humans!

Even the table could not keep Rom down.

Reflection:
Rom has only been on Earth for a few days now and it is certainly not a welcome place for him yet. He is making progress though; Brandy and Steve are on his side, and even criminal Archie Stryker knows the truth about the Dire Wraiths. Rom is far from home, though. He is light years away from his real home.

Rom and "the humans" take refuge in a random abandoned house seeking safety. That is what a home is; somewhere that you are safe. This house proves to be very unsafe to the refugees. Rom stumbled into this house much as he stumbled on to Earth. Just as the house attacks, the Earth is attacking Rom. Where he sought safety with the house, he seeks to create safety on the planet Earth. To create safety. To create a home. Yeah Rom, way to go!

Rom does this not only for himself but for the entire universe. He want the universe to be a safe place. A home to everyone. Rom is a man of love. Isn't that what we all want in life? To be able to trust our surroundings. To fill our lives with the things we love. To love and be loved.

ROM SPACEKNIGHT #4

The Fire, The Friend, & The Foe!

Recap:
Rom is fighting with Archie Stryker who has been grafted to the Firefall (fallen Spaceknight) armor. He is a blind human pawn of the Dire Wraiths. Brandy has been kidnapped by some Wraiths. Her boyfriend Steve Jackson is in hot pursuit. By the end of the issue, Archie Stryker and Steve Jackson (both Rom-haters) realize that Rom has been telling the truth. Archie decides to believe Rom (with much disappointment) when he finds himself physiologically bonded to his Spaceknight armor. Steve realizes when he sees that his girlfriends captives aren't exactly of this world.

Favorite Panels:
These selections are all based around what's going on with Brandy Clarke this issue.

 In memory of Patrice O'Neal.

Chloroformed! This is only my second time reading through the Rom series but, I think this may be one of the best moments. Other than "Rom, I beg you, tell me where the woman is!" But, you'll have to wait til' around #70 for that.

Possums.

Don't worry, Brandy was only faking it. She works at a Science Lab. "I only had enough of the roofied drink to make it convincing." Brandy!

Ah!

Needless to say, the Wraith doesn't survive being run over.

Reflection:
It's too bad that Rom had to beat the crap out of Firefall (Archie Stryker) before convincing him that he was being used by the Dire Wraiths. He was so blinded by his hatred for Rom to see that he was fighting for the wrong side. Archie, a career criminal, was so disturbed by the sight of Rom "killing" humans that he vowed to do anything to stop him. Now his body is permanently bonded with the cyborg armor because he was taken advantage of. What a mistake!

A feller can't help but wonder, "Is somebody using my emotions against me?" The answer is Yes. The whole world is using your emotions against you. The main emotion is fear. Archie was afraid of what Rom was capable of and fell into the trap of the Dire Wraiths. Just as fear keeps us all doing what we are "supposed to do."

BLAH, BLAH, PROPAGANDA! IT'S A CONSPIRACY!

ROM SPACEKNIGHT #3

FIREFALL!

Recap:
This issue, Rom finds a Dire Wraith stronghold and starts dishing out some premium banishment. Brandy is abducted by some Wraith's disguised as government agents. Archie Stryker is put into the armor of a fallen spaceknight, becoming Firefall. Wait. Was that too short?

Favorite Panels:

Note: Don't mess with Rom!

If I had a fraction of Rom's confidence and ability my life would probably be a lot better.

What the!?

While at the underground Wraith laboratory, Rom destroys a device which causes electronic disturbances is Clairton, West Virginia. I may be superficially analyzing this panel but, I believe that woman is baking cupcakes in her microwave.

Anything but BANISHMENT!

There tends to be at least one panel per issue with a Wraith begging for death. Can you see why people mistake Rom for a killer?

Reflection:
I can relate to the Dire Wraith's fear of banishment.

In Limbo, your schemes will never be anything other than schemes. You are powerless from accomplishing anything. Forever.

Oh no! I've been in Limbo since I graduated from college! Mind melting Limbo. Please Rom, spare me from this eternal imprisonment. My schemes and dreams are too good to be wasted.

ROM SPACEKNIGHT #2

Second Coming!

Recap:
This issue starts out at Laserium Corp. (a laser factory) where Rom has tracked down a Dire Wraith. His plans of banishment-inducing wrath become complicated by the Archie Stryker Gang who happens to be robbing Laserium Corp. at the same time. What a coincidence. Rom still takes care of the Wraith (who was posing as the factory manager) and scares the heck out of the gang. Archie Stryker, the gang's leader, is especially upset by watching Rom "slay a human."

The next day we find Brandy being seen by a psychologist in her home. The psychologist, her boyfriend Steve, and her parents think she's crazy. She can't get them to believe that Rom's not a murderous monster.

She storms out into the backyard and finds Rom in hiding in the gazebo. They chat until her boyfriend (and the police) find her.

BUSTED!

A fight ensues. Her dog, TEMPEST, dies. Which brings me to my FAVORITE PANEL(S):

ARF ARF

Rom banishes some Dire Wraiths among the police force and blasts off leaving Brandy with her thoughts.

Reflection:
One thing that stood out to me: The difference in the perception of reality between any two individuals. When Rom banishes a disguised Dire Wraith, to the human eye it looks like he's vaporizing a person. Rom can explain away his actions but people only see what they see, and not what he sees.

Throughout our lives we experience several different things, sometimes on our own and sometimes with others. While these experiences are shared through our physical bodies (two people occupying the same space), the mental experience is something you can never fully share. You can use words to communicate ideas but, words are merely physical. Our minds are limited by our bodies.

So why does Brandy believe Rom? She says she caught a glimpse of his soul. This glimpse assures her that he is telling the truth and he means no harm. Is that what really draws people together? The soul?

Mind. Body. Soul.

Deep.

Spaceknight? What's THAT?

Ad for Rom Comic

What I should have done before the first post is share this with you:

The intro-paragraph from Marvel Comics "Rom" issues 2-75 (1979-1985):
Two-hundred years ago, the evil Dire Wraiths threatened the peace-loving planet, Galador. In their homeworld's darkest hour, a thousand brave, young Galadorians sacrificed humanity itself to become Cyborg Warriors, a last desperate line of defense. Though hopelessly outnumbered, these Spaceknights triumphed and pursued the remnants of the Wraith horde across the universe. Now, alone in the Enemy's mightiest stronghold, on a backward planet called Earth, one Galadorian Warrior faces his most awesome challenge.

My Loyal Readership:
I promise never to break your mind with another long winded recap. Warning: I am not very good at keeping promises.

Ad for Rom toy

In the late 70's, Parker Brothers attempted (and failed) at making toys by introducing Rom Spaceknight. The toy had some LED lights and a whopping two points of articulation. Yes, he could move his arms. Blah, blah, blah and Parker Brothers licensed the character to Marvel Comics to promote the toy. The toy died off and the comic book lived on. And it's a good thing that the comic lived on because it is one of my favorites. I initially read it about a year ago and this will be my second time reading through the series. There are 75 issues and a few tie-ins that span from 1979-1985.

Please,  join me as I...

RETURN TO GALADOR

ROM SPACEKNIGHT #1

ARRIVAL!

Since this is the first issue, the recap came out a lot longer than I anticipated. I'm sorry, good luck.

My reflection is at the end if you need to skip ahead. Or care. At all.

Prepare to be utterly disappointed.

Recap:
Rom makes his action packed crash landing on the highway in Clairton, West Virginia. He causes Brandy Clark to swerve off the road and saves her in the nick of time. He then proceeds to scare her further by scanning her with his Energy Analyzer, which looks an awful lot like a weapon. With Brandy on the verge of wetting her panties, Rom blasts off for downtown Clairton in search of his enemy, the Dire Wraiths.

The people of this small town greet him as a small town greets most outsiders: Judgement from a safe distance. Rom scans the townspeople with his Analyzer-- he isn't pleased. He puts it away and summons forth his Neutralizer. Brandy Clark arrives just in time to witness as he opens fire on the town. This obviously causes mass panic. As the town flees the grizzly scene, Brandy remains behind. She wants to understand-- go figure!

Elsewhere, we learn that a secret group of people know Rom and intend to deal with him.

Meanwhile, Rom whips out his Translator and shows it to Brandy.

So they can talk!

Rom tells Brandy that the townspeople he killed were not human but Dire Wraiths in disguise. He then gets into "THE LEGEND OF THE SPACEKNIGHTS."

"Condensed" Version:
The peace-loving Galadorian Traders  (from Galador, Rom's home-world) stumble into the Dark Nebula (stomping ground of the Dire Wraiths). The Wraiths ambush the Galadorians and kill all(?) of them, with the help of a Death Wing (think giant-magic-pterodactyl ghost). As if killing a fleet of peaceful traders wasn't enough, the evil Wraiths plan to make the trip to Galador and kill everyone else. Learning of these plans, the Prime Director of Galador decides to create a force of cyborg warriors (out of the peaceful youth of Galador) to defend the planet from the imminent threat. Who was first to volunteer in sacrificing his humanity? Rom!

Rom and thousands of others became Spaceknights. A grafting of man and machine. (Apparently, they remove some body parts and store them away for safekeeping. More on that in the future.) They greeted the Dire Wraith's attack with searing laser fire and taught them a lesson about preying on technologically advanced utopias. The Spaceknights even killed a Death Wing(star-swallower). After the Wraiths retreat, Rom is revered as a war hero. This isn't good enough for peace-loving Rom. He proclaims that the battle isn't over until every last Wraith is cast into Limbo.

Rom has been hunting down Dire Wraiths throughout the galaxy for 200 years. The Wraiths are magical shape shifters so he must scan them with his Energy Analyzer to reveal their true identity. Then, if they indeed are of Wraith-kind, he banishes them to Limbo with his Neutralizer. He doesn't kill them; he banishes them. Downside: Rom is the only one who knows what's really happening. So, to the average human that doesn't know what he's doing (i.e. EVERYBODY!) it looks an awful lot like an evil space robot killing innocent people.

Back to the current:
Brandy now believes Rom's story. Unfortunately, the National Guard has caught up with him and he pulls his Energy Analyzer to see if they are really human. Which brings me to...

FAVORITE PANEL(S)

Do you suppose it's a Death Ray?

Hint: Click images if you can't read the text.

The Guard opens fire on Rom, but Earth-weapons have no effect on his Galadorian-armor. So, some Wraiths hidden among the ranks use their own weapons to dish out some pain. Rom banishes them. "AGGH! Death is better than eternal banishment! Noooooo..." The humans retreat. Rom's goal for the day accomplished, he leaves Brandy with her thoughts.

End of Issue No. 1.

Congratulations on surviving torture. Now...

Reflection:
In this premier issue of Rom, we find ourselves in a situation we can all relate to: The addition of a new person into our lives and the changes/consequences that result from this. Rom comes crashing into Brandy Clark's life like an asteroid (literally) and he is now a part of it. This is something that she cannot ignore whether she's ready for it or not. She chooses to trust him even though the rest of Clairton, West Virginia (and the World!) doesn't.

Another theme in this issue (and the rest of the series) is people not being what they seem. Not knowing the whole truth about somebody. Trust. Yeah man, TRUST. Brandy finds out that people she's known forever are actually shape-shifting-alien-sorcerers. That's a lot to take on. Who can you really trust? Do you really know anybody?

Don't forget that Rom has sacrificed his humanity to be a killing (banishing) machine to protect his home world, and the universe, from evil.

YEP.

Hopefully next time the reflection side is heavier than the recap.