The cover above is the variant of issue #1 that my local comic shop set aside for me. While it isn't my first choice of variant covers, it has grown on me how retro and classy it looks.
I was excited to finally pry open the pages of a ROM comic after nearly 30 years since I last read a new issue of ROM the Spaceknight. The #0 issue first introduces ROM after he had just landed on Earth as opposed to seeing him crash down dramatically in the first issue of the Marvel series. Immediately we are introduced to the 'ROM is a random killer' trope when he takes down some dire wraiths disguised as humans.
Dire Wraiths now come in various shapes and sizes. Some look like H.R. Giger's Alien, some have cords that come out of their hands and suck body fluids ala the "I come in peace/Dark Angel" film's alien drug dealer, some can manipulate living things like people or fauna, and some are just beastlike (i.e. the Wraithhawk). This variety of baddies is pretty cool, and I really love the 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers' and 'They Live' movie vibe the storyline plays out.
ROM predictably ends up with a female sidekick Darby Mason (i.e. like Brandy in the Marvel series) that has a progressive twist in that she's an African American female soldier. I don't mind that as much as long as she doesn't become the predictable love interest that Brandy became in the Marvel series. Let her just be a warrior in the long run that works along side ROM.
One of the biggest aha moments in this issue is the reveal that Dire Wraiths can control plant life in addition to controlling humans. We get an Evil Dead possessed trees moment where ROM has to escape a possessed forest and then obliterate the Dire Wraith controlled fauna.
Another character, Camilla Byers, is a survivor of the first encounter between ROM and the Dire Wraiths and she is the victim of an interesting twist to the story. Having been grazed by that alien sucking cord that comes out of the hands of one of the Dire Wraiths, she is infected by something that gives her the ability to see and hear Dire Wraiths in plain sight (think of the sunglasses in the movie 'They Live'). Very cool idea that should be an advantage to ROM in future issues.
The last thing I'll mention is that the Dire Wraiths have now infiltrated Earth so much so that many government agencies are compromised. This includes the most popular Hasbro government agency, G.I. Joe. Very cool way to end the first issue with the promise of a shared universe with another popular toy of my childhood. Before anyone balks at the shared toy universe going on at IDW, remember that Marvel did the same with ROM by having cameos and interactions with many famous Marvel characters fighting with/against ROM and the Dire Wraiths.
Overall the first issue left me feeling this new series will be promising by touching on my favorite toys and storytelling genres (i.e. Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror) and I was left wanting more when I was done reading. I am highly anticipating the next issue.
Please leave any comments regarding your thoughts of the first issue of IDW's ROM #1 (and issue #0 which is included in issue #1) and what cover variant you got or like the most.
Grade: A-
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