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The Spaceknight is back! Well, he’s kind of back, as Marvel doesn’t have new Rom content on the horizon, but there will be an omnibus (and more).
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Do you remember Rom? If you’re old enough, you probably do, since Rom was an action figure that was so popular that he got an adaptation from Marvel Comics. Of course that comic fleshed out the hero’s universe a lot more, but also actually brought him into the Marvel U. That’s right, Rom’s a kinda/sorta Marvel character.
The book ran for quite a while too, spanning 75 issues before it was closed up, and it pitted Rom up against some serious heavies. Side from his own villainous enemies, the Dire Wraiths, Rom battled the likes of the Skrulls and even the mighty Galactus.
And that’s not even counting the heroes he also ran afoul of. Rom went up against the likes of the X-Men, S.H.I.E.L.D., the Fantastic Four, and others while on his mission to wipe out those shape-shifting Wraiths.
Now you’ll be able to relive those adventures in a brand new Omnibus from the publisher.
ROM: THE ORIGINAL YEARS OMNIBUS VOLUME 1
ROM: THE ORIGINAL YEARS OMNIBUS VOLUME 1 will collect ROM (1979) #1-29 and POWER MAN AND IRON FIST (1978) #73. He strikes from outer space…and nothing can stop him! Marvel Comics is proud to present the iconic early adventures of the greatest of Spaceknights — Rom! Centuries ago, Rom pledged his life to protect his planet, Galador, from the evil Dire Wraiths. Now, Rom has tracked these vile creatures across the cosmos to Earth, where they have infiltrated the highest levels of power — including S.H.I.E.L.D. itself! Armed with his energy analyzer, only Rom can see the Wraiths’ true form — and with his neutralizer, he can blast them into Limbo! But what will Earth make of this armored invader? Will Rom’s quest be aided or hindered by encounters with the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, Jack of Hearts, Nova, and Power Man and Iron Fist? And when Galactus targets Galador, can Rom and his fellow Spaceknights save their homeworld from destruction?
Marvel Comics press release
As mentioned though, there’s more than just the one hardcover book. Marvel will also be presenting Rom in a special Facsimile Edition, which will reprint his first issue from 1979.
ROM #1 FACSIMILE EDITION boldly re-presents ROM (1979) #1, one of the all-time great Marvel comic books, in its original form, ads and all! Long ago, Rom offered his life to serve his planet of Galador as a Spaceknight — an armored warrior, sworn to protect his people from the vile alien invaders known as the Dire Wraiths. Now, his solemn vow brings him to Earth — the latest front in an ancient cosmic conflict! The Wraiths can assume human form, and they’ve been worming their way into our society. Only Rom’s trusty energy analyzer can detect them — and with his powerful neutralizer, he can banish them to Limbo! In this landmark first issue, Rom blasts his way into the Marvel Universe, meets his future ally Brandy Clark and begins his quest to free Earth from the Dire Wraiths’ invisible infiltration!
Marvel Comics press release
So is all of this Rom-love leading up to something? The company did do something similar with Planet of the Apes before announcing a new run, so maybe. Then again though, it could also be just a trawling of the depths, of what’s a vast ocean of properties and books that Marvel has produced over the decades. Stay tuned, we suppose.
Look for Rom: The Original Marvel Years Omnibus Vol.1 to hit stores in January 2024, and the Facsimile Edition to land significantly before that, in September of this year.
