Retro Comic Review: ROM: Spaceknight #46

Hi everyone,

Today, I'll be writing about the forty-sixth issue of Marvel's ROM: Spaceknight title. The cover shows the titular character ensnared in a mass of tentacles of varying sizes and colors. The story was called "Bestiary!" The issue had a cover date of September 1983. 

The action began on Russian soil as wraith hellhounds attacked ROM, Starshine, and their new allies, the Soviet Super Soldiers. Although their coloring was lighter than in previous appearances in this comic, the hellhounds were no less formidable. The Galadorian was used to their attacks by now, and his neutralizer swiftly sang its song of banishment. Starshine's lighteye rays disintegrated the wraiths, leaving their Earthly hound counterparts behind. 

Ursus Major took on a pack of hellhounds that were part of a dog sled team led by what appeared to be a human being. His sheer savagery left his teammates in awe, as did the revelation that their leader was a Dire Wraith who turned into ash after being defeated by their comrade. Afterward, the hero quintet resumed the battle. They fought their way toward the building in the vicinity. They eventually came across more wraiths disguised as humans, as revealed by ROM's energy analyzer. He quickly replaced the analyzer with his neutralizer and sent them to limbo, signifying the end of the conflict. 

While ROM and his companions regrouped, Ursus Major explained how he had been injured (as shown last issue). He had followed the Gremlin into the compound. He crept inside carefully and was stunned by what he saw. Before him was a large pit in the ground. Men were forced to work around it by aliens who he now knew were Dire Wraiths. Before he could discover what was in the pit, Ursus was attacked by wraith hellhounds. He held them at bay and allowed the Gremlin to continue on, knowing that he was not the enemy in this situation.

The heroes made their way to the installation, only to find the humans that Ursus had just talked about were lying dead in front of the pit. They were then attacked by a wraith ray from above. As ROM and his companions worked to find a way out of the force field they had just been entrapped in, Vanguard noticed movement coming from the hole in the earth. Elephants, rhinos and other long-dead animals arose from the opening and moved to attack the Spaceknights and Soviet superheroes. 

During the conflict, several animals began collapsing, as their advanced ages finally caught up with them. The securasphere eventually dissipated, after the Gremlin deactivated the wraith device. More wraiths attacked, but were soon sent to limbo by ROM's neutralizer. After the battle was over, the Soviet heroes decided to keep the building as their base. Vanguard, Darkstar and Ursus Major asked the Gremlin to join them in their cause. He agreed, and was glad to finally have a place where he felt accepted. They bid ROM and Starshine farewell, as they moved on to meet the growing wraith threat elsewhere on Earth.

I felt that this was a satisfying conclusion for this two-part story. I liked the fact that the Gremlin, a former enemy of the Hulk, becamse a hero and the former outcast found people who accepted him for who he was. It also showed Brandy becoming more accustomed to her Spaceknight abilities.

Well, that's all for now. Next time, I'll write about the forty-seventh issue of Marvel's monthly ROM title. In that issue, we'll see a significant change in the Dire Wraith species. ROM and Starshine will also encounter another established Marvel character that you might remember from another one of their since-cancelled books. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.