Hi everyone,
Today, I'll be writing about the thirty-sixth issue of Marvel's ROM: Spaceknight monthly comic book. The cover showed the titular character holding up a dessicated Dire Wraith in one hand, and his neutralizer in the other, while a young boy was trussed on a cross that was propped by two wraiths behind him. The Spacknight declared no mercy on his mortal enemies. The story was called "The Sign of the Victim is...Scarecrow!" The issue had a cover date of November 1982.
The tale began with ROM saying his goodbyes to Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner, and his subjects in Atlantis. Namor and Sybil bid the Galadorian a fond farewell. ROM soon found himself swimming amongst whales. He used his universal translator to interpret their soothing songs and marveled at the planet's myriad lifeforms. The encounter made him think back to his arrival on Earth and its value to him, even though he feared that his humanity was lost to him forever.
Meanwhile, in ROM's adopted hometown of Clairton, West Virginia, Brandy Clark stood in the cemetery before the grave of the fallen Spaceknight Starshine. She felt bad for the Galdorian, who had loved ROM just as she does. Clark knelt before the grave, saying she should have perished in the battle with wraiths instead of the Spaceknight. Just then, a strange light emerged from the grave. An apparition of Starshine appeared before the young woman. Brandy was startled, especially when the ghost spoke. Starshine stated that she and Clark were sisters of the soul and imbued her Spaceknight power on the human. The apparition disappeared, but when Brandy reached out for the tombstone, she saw a bright light emitting from her hands as she did so.
At the same time, ROM was still swimming with whales. He thanked one of them for sharing their songs with him before flying away. The Galadorian soon found land and noticed a young boy tied up on a cross alone in the middle of a field, as if he were being offered up as some sort of sacrifice. The boy asked the Spaceknight if he was there to take him, like all the others. ROM had no idea what the child was talking about, but walked up to him and broke the ropes that bound the child to the wooden cross.
When the Spaceknight asked him who had left him there trussed up, he explained that his parents did so, because it was his turn. He had been selected as an offering to fend off evil from his village of Gwillin Dale. The boy went on to explain that his town had been peaceful until evil in the form of Dire Wraiths arrived. The aliens stole several children and informed the townspeople that if they wanted their village to continue, they had to offer a child every time there was a full moon. The villagers initially resisted the request, but soon acquiesced, and the offerings began.
The child admitted that he had prayed to Saint Stephen, his namesake, in the hopes that someone would save Gwillin Dale from the evil wraiths. ROM explained that he would do his best. Just then, several strange-looking birds filled the night sky. They soon shed their disguises to reveal their wraith personas. A wraith high witch dared the Galadorian to banish his mortal enemies to limbo, as he had vowed to them. The wraith witch went on to say that they chose to congregate openly because once a year, the rays of their home dimension's black sun would reach Earth. That evening was just such a night.
ROM battled the witch, and the intervention of other wraiths diverted his neutralizer's aim. He quickly turned on his attackers and banished them to limbo. More wraiths attacked from behind, with ray guns whose blasts were able to disrupt the Galadorian's cyborg circuitry momentarily. While he was surrounded by a trio of Dire Wraiths, ROM saw young Stephen being carried away by two more wraiths. He summoned the strength to throw off his opponents and flew off to save the child, just after one more blast knocked the neutralizer from his hand.
Unfortunately, ROM wasn't fast enough to save the boy from being taken away by wraiths in the black portal that he had been carried off into. Frustrated, the silver Spaceknight tore the ground underneath him until more wraiths dove at him. He fought them off bravely, including one who changed shape before expiring in his hand. Stunned by the realization that he had taken a life, ROM was taken aback. He turned in time to see a pair of wraiths attempting to run off carrying his neutralizer. The Galadorian quickly overtook them and bashed them into each other, killing them instantly. ROM then declared that only death would befit such evil creatures.
He soon learned that the feeling was mutual, as more wraiths took up their guns and fired at the silver Spaceknight. This time, ROM casually pivoted and aimed his neutralizer rays at the Dire Wraiths, swiftly banishing them to the limbo dimension. Only foul-smelling piles of gray ash were left behind. ROM then looked at the cross that Stephen had been affixed to, and remembered how the child had compared him to a knight of ages past. The silver Spaceknight then vowed to not rest until Gwillin Dale's children had been saved.
The parallels between this issue and legends of King Arthur and other storied knights are quite obvious. I was initially surprised by the dark turn ROM took after killing a wraith, but I understood the anger that had been bubbling underneath. Fortunately, he never turned evil, like his fellow Spaceknight Terminator once did before redeeming himself.
This was an enjoyable issue, even though there weren't very many characters featured. I still preferred Buscema or Sinnott's inks, but I grew to appreciate Akin and Garvey's inks as the series moved along. It was a good solo tale that couldn't be contained in a single issue.
Well, that's all for now. Next time, I'll write about the thirty-seventh issue of Marvel Comics' ROM: Spaceknight. We'll find out what happened to Stephen and the other children from Gwillin Dale. Readers will also learn more about how Brandy's encounter at Starshine's grave would impact not only her, but also other important people in her life. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.
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