Hi everyone,
It's time for me to write about the second issue of ROM: Spaceknight #2. This issue was titled "Second Coming!" It has a cover date of January 1980.
Only one of the crooks is actually a wraith, who manages to call his fellow alien beings while his companions keep the Spaceknight occupied. ROM quickly destroys a laser cannon that was operated by Archie Stryker to subdue the hero. The wraith soon sought refuge in the vault, but ROM tore open the vault door with his hands. The wraith used his laser weapon against the Spaceknight, to little effect, as he was soon banished to limbo by ROM's neutralizer.
Before disappearing to the otherworldly dimension, the wraith managed to press the master control button that set off the rest of the laser cannons in the facility. Having vanquished his foe, ROM soon flew off, having completed his mission, just as the complex was surrounded by police officers, who took the remaining crooks (including Stryker) into custody.
The next day, Brandy Clark's boyfriend Steve Jackson arrives at her parents' home to comfort her after her encounters with the Spaceknight. The family doctor is already there and has diagnosed Brandy with a mild case of shock. Brandy tells her boyfriend about what happened and expresses support for the armored alien, even though her parents seem to doubt her.
Frustrated, Brandy runs outside to the backyard, where Jackson once more offers his consolation. After his departure, Brandy and the family dog Tempest walk quietly along the property until they discover someone is hiding in the gazebo. It turns out to be ROM, who has returned to update Brandy on his latest experience with Dire Wraiths. Unbeknownst to both of them, Jackson secretly watched their conversation in shock and disbelief.
We then see a wraith who had fled the small town of Clairton, West Virginia, in the last issue, who has since transformed into a bird, make its way to a secure chamber at the Pentagon, where other wraiths were waiting for her. On page 18, we see the first transformation of a Dire Wraith into its natural alien shape before transforming once more into the guise of a human being. The newly arrived wraith recounts ROM's arrival on Earth. The group of Dire Wraiths commits itself to their primary goal of destroying the despised Spaceknight.
Back in Clairton, Jackson leaps from his hiding spot to try to rescue his girlfriend from the Spaceknight, whom he assumes has evil intentions. ROM quietly materializes his energy analyzer and points it at Jackson, who is bathed in light but unharmed. He explains to Brandy that he had made sure that Jackson was not a wraith.
Before his interruption, Jackson called the local police, who are now surrounding the Clark homestead. In the back of one of the police cars sits captured crook Archie Stryker, who tells the officer (who he doesn't know at the time is secretly a Dire Wraith) about the Spaceknight that he encountered earlier. The officer reaches into the car's glove compartment and pulls out a strange-looking device while he dismisses his knowledge of ROM as ongoing military intelligence.
Soldiers soon shoot at ROM, not knowing that bullets merely bounce off of his silver armor. Unfortunately, Tempest is caught in the barrage of bullets and dies. The unnecessary loss of life angers ROM, who reaches out to grab the empty gazebo and tosses it at his attackers. Some of the soldiers man a futuristic laser cannon and fire at ROM once. The Spaceknight is briefly stunned by the blast, but manages to fly up and land on the weapon, destroying it.
Inside the police car that Stryker rode in, the officer depresses a button on the strange implement in his hand, which activates a sonic weapon that assaults ROM's senses. The Clarks and Jackson continue to watch the events as they unfurl, and Brandy is pleading for someone to help the Spaceknight while being held back safely in Jackson's arms.
ROM eventually makes his way to the squad car, and brings forth his energy analyzer once more. He soon learns that the officer is indeed a Dire Wraith, and that his passenger in the back seat (Stryker) is human. ROM frees Stryker from the car and quickly tosses the car before using his neutralizer to send the wraith to limbo.
Having witnessed the banishment, Brandy's parents think that the Spaceknight murdered the police chief, not understanding that he was merely banished to another dimension. Jackson seems to agree with their assessment, and the quartet draws further away from ROM. The Spaceknight quietly soars away, while several of the humans on the ground, including Stryker, loudly curse him for his actions in the melee.
Well, that's all for now. ROM #2 is another masterful example of quality storytelling from writer Bill Mantlo, penciler and inker Sal Buscema, colorist Glynis Wein, and letterer John Costanza. Next time, I'll write about the third issue of ROM: Spaceknight, in which we see ROM confront a different Spaceknight. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.
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