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Summary
Rom the Spaceknightis one of the most influential Marvel character reference they do not own . Launched in 1979 , and lasting well into the 1980s , Rom the Spaceknightchronicled the cosmic warrior ’s conflict against the Dire Wraiths of the Dark Nebula . Along the manner , Rom rubbed shoulders with other Marvel icons , including the ex - humans .
Rom the Spaceknightwas based on a plaything created by Parker Brothers ( now owned by Hasbro ) in the late 1970s . The high-pitched - technical school toy included lights and sounds , but no backstory , save that he push the Dire Wraiths , and even they were not specify . Bill Mantlo , one of Marvel ’s magnanimous writer of the time , fleshed out Rom ’s backstory . Mantlo , and artist Sal Buscema , breathed life sentence into the admittedly one - dimensional character , creating a story inflect with paranoia and poignancy .
Bill Mantlo was also instrumental in launchingThe Micronautsat Marvel as well . LikeRom , Marvel eventually lost the rights toMicronauts , but it is now give in omnibus edition as well .
Rom Was the Greatest of the Spaceknights, Marvel’s Cosmic Cyborg Army
Rom’s Story Bears a Strong Resemblance to That of the Silver Surfer
When Rom made his fiery entering into the Marvel Universe in 1979’sRom the Spaceknight#1 , fan were only given a glance of his rootage . Over 200 years prior , the Dire Wraiths , shape - shifting aliens from the Dark Nebula , attempt an encroachment of the planet Galador . confront experimental extinction , Galdaor ’s Prime Director put out a call for volunteers for a young course of study , called the “ Spaceknights . ” Rom was the first to step up , undergo an intensive process that stripped him of his “ humanity , ” and turned him into a elephantine bionic man being . Inspired by Rom ’s illustration , 1,000 Galadorans step up to become Spaceknights .
As promised , the Dire Wraiths try out to invade Galador . The Spaceknights formed a defensive line around the planet . They held the demarcation , and despite losses , Galador bear . However , the terror of the Dire Wraiths persists , and Rom decides to forsake birth his human race restored . Rom learned the Dire Wraiths had begin infiltrating less developed planets . In prison term , they would manipulate these planets , and then use them as groundwork to strike at the rest period of the universe of discourse . Rom then sets off into the cosmos , leaving behind his beloved Ray - Na . finally , Rom ’s pursuance bring him to Earth .
More than a few commentators have observe the grapheme ’s origin bears more than a passing resemblance to the Silver Surfer . Both were prize in their cultures , who sacrifice everything to save their planet from destruction . Both were also transformed into silver , metal organism . Yet that is where the similarities end . Rom had no master like Galactus to rise up against . or else , Rom was full in charge of his destiny from the beginning .
Rom Traded His Humanity For Great Power and Longevity
Rom Has Weapons That Made Marvel’s Tech Geniuses Envious
When Galador ’s Prime Director sent out a call for recruits to the Spaceknights , he was upfront about what they would be sacrificing : their “ humanity . ” As remark inRom the Spaceknight#1 , this ail the people of Galador . voluntary such as Rom were adjoin into Galador ’s Hall of Science , undergoing encompassing physical conditioning and upgrades . Each Spaceknight had his own various power .
The Marvel Universe is full of alien elements , such as Vibranium and Mysterium , andRom the Spaceknightintroduced a new one : Plandanium . Rom ’s armour was compose of this element . Plandanium is super - solid , and as seen inRom#18 , was able to take a thrashing from Wolverine ’s adamantium claws . The armor is the source of Rom ’s powers : flight , super - strength and survival , as well as enhance reflex response . As a Spaceknight , Rom also had no motivation to eat or wassail traditional food or body of water . InRom#6 , he assimilate power from a low-cal - bulb .
As a Spaceknight , Rom had three elemental tools he used in his pursuit against the Dire Wraiths :
The Neutralizer proved resistless to Marvel ’s tech hotshot , include Forge , who in an military issue ofUncanny X - man , made a copy .
Rom’s War Against the Dire Wraiths Brought Him To Earth–and the Marvel Universe.
The Dire Wraiths’ Shape Shifting Powers InfusedRomWith Paranoia
Mentioned in passing in the ad copy for the Rom toy dog , Mantlo and Buscema built the Dire Wraiths from the solid ground up . They make up one’s mind to colligate the Dire Wraiths with another shape - change wash in the Marvel Universe : the Skrulls . It was unwrap that the Dire Wraiths were the product of tamper with Skrull deoxyribonucleic acid by the Celestials . This experiment was alike to the one political campaign on Earth thatcreated the Eternals and the Deviants .
When readers first meet the Dire Wraiths inRom#1 , they appear as racy - skinned humanoids , with shadows obscuring their face . Their true soma were suggest at for over a year before they were finally revealed . They used their powers to infiltrate the small townspeople of Clariton , West Virginia . Over the years , they slowly took over the townsfolk , posing as normal Earth citizenry . The Dire Wraiths also do to work their fashion into positions of power on Earth . Several government official , and even a SHIELD agent , are revealed to be Dire Wraiths in camouflage .
Usage rights for the Dire Wraiths is a little equivocal . Marvel make the Dire Wraiths fans roll in the hay and love , but Hasbro owns the name . Marvel has continued to apply thier version of the Dire specter , although under a different name . During IDW ’s Rom reboot , the Dire Wraiths were redesign again , to make them dissimilar from Marvel ’s version .
The Dire Wraiths ' plan to capture Earth was menace by Rom ’s reaching . The Wraiths took advantage of the public ’s mistrust of aliens and made Rom out to be a killer . Indeed , when Rom blackball a Dire Wraith to Limbo , it leave behind a trail of ash . This made it look like Rom disintegrated his victims , and the spook impound on this fact . Anyone could be a Dire Wraith , and this helped giveRom the Spaceknightits dramatic heft . This paranoia , reminiscent of picture show such asThey populate , helped transmute Rom into more than just a comic about a toy .
Rom Met Many Marvel Icons In His Heyday
Rom Is Ripe For a Return to the Marvel Universe
Despite not being created by Marvel , Rom nevertheless interacted with many of their characters . Rom ’s first encounter , of sorting , was with Doctor Strange inRom#5 . In issue 12 , Rom meet Jack of Hearts , who fight the Spaceknight nearly to a standstill . SHIELD was also present betimes on in Rom ’s run , thanks to an hugger-mugger Dire Wraith . Rom ’s running play - ins with the X - workforce are also fabled . InRom#17 - 18 , the Spaceknight team up with the go - humans to contend a Wraith / human mash - up befittingly called “ the Hybrid . ”
During a fighting with the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants , Rogue tries to steal Rom ’s powers . or else , the experience fundamentally castrate Rogue , and eventually turned her to the side of good . Rom also participated in theSecret Wars IIcrossover , which helped found the Good Book ’s end game . Marvel lost the license to Rom in 1985 , and did not bother to renew it . This think Rom ’s appearance alongside the X - man , the Hulk , Luke Cage and Iron Fist , could not be reprint . This conduct to some awkward moments in collection and omnibuses , as sometimes life-sustaining material was missing .
Now that Marvel has reacquired the licence , it is clock time for a new genesis of fans , and lineament , to meet Rom . Rom ’s leger concluded with his humanness restored . This means if Marvel brings him back , the new creators must receive a way to get him back into the armor . Furthermore , Rom ’s book end with him marrying Brandy Clark , the human who had stuck with him throughout the entire serial publication run . Rom would make appearances , sort of , throughout Marvel books in the 1990s , albeit in human kind . Rom ’s most illustrious coming into court occur in 1994’sIncredible Hulk#418 , at the marriage ceremony of Rick Jones .
wonder plans for three omnibuses edition pile up the entirey of Rom ’s first run at Marvel .
There are a turn of characters who have been created since Rom ’s first run in the Marvel Universe . These include : Venom , Deadpool , Miles Morales Spider - Man and Ms. Marvel , to name a few . The cosmic side of the Marvel Universe , which Rom was firmly grounded in , has changed importantly since his last tally . At this point , a story involve Rom and the Guardians of the Galaxy seems like a no - brainer . Each of these prospective team - ups is ripe with story potential . Rom leave a endure impression on the Marvel Universe during his first political campaign with the newspaper publisher . With the rights toRomnow back at Marvel , the Spaceknight can soar once again .
