Spaceknight Saturdays: Rom's Day at the Beach

Rom Spaceknight kicks off its second year with shorter stories leaving room for a Saga of the Spaceknights back-up feature. Finally, the whole story shall be revealed!

But we still have to deal with the present. If you remember, we last left Rom falling to Earth like a meteor, dropping into the ocean never to be seen again. WRONG! (You are so naive.) The tide washes him ashore and with the help of pubescent lighthouse keeper's daughter and Nancy Drew enthusiast Virginia Dare, her dog Teaser and a rather large fishing net, he is rescued from the waves. But there seems to be something missing...
Rom's memory! He'll just have to go on gut instinct because this issue will pit him against he most established Marvel villain he's yet set eyes on. Doctor Doom? Magneto? Stilt-Man? Nope, it's the Plunderer, AKA Parnival Plunder, i.e. this guy:
He's Ka-Zar stepbrother who appeared steadily through the 60s, 70s and 80s and yet hadn't gotten himself a better costume yet (note how he also forces all his goons to wear the same thing). He's fought Daredevil and the Fantastic Four and recently got his ass capped bu the Punisher. He's SOMEbody! (Yeah, I know, I'm not convincing myself either.) His scheme: Capturing a fleet of yachts so he can smuggle vibranium with them.

Cue Rom, Leader of Men. The Spaceknight frees the captured crews and sics them on Plunder's fashion nightmares.
He's more dangerous however, seeing as he has weapons that can atomize every metal known to Earth. Well, #1, Rom ain't FROM Earth. And #2, he has unerring aim.
After Plunder's been told, he still manages to hit Rom in the side, and the pain - the pain restores Rom's mind.
No, Rom. You're THE man. He almost rips the Plunderer in half right there.
And now for an ironic ending:
So Rom is sent back into the depths. Maybe never to rise again. (NAIVE!)

Victoria? Any last words?
From one "funeral" to another... The Saga of the Spaceknights begins where Galador is saved from the Dire Wraiths and, Viking-like, the fallen knights are all pyred up.
So now, the survivors can all go back to their lives, right? Well, no. The war against the Wraiths isn't so much WWII as it is Vietnam. Or maybe the "War of Terror". There's no getting out easy. Rom's ready to quit, but his girl Ray-Na sets him straight.
Wow. That sucks.

No choice then, Rom and the Spaceknights will fight for hundreds of years if need be, while suitors no doubt converge on their women. Such is the price to pay for ridding the galaxy of evil!

Comments

Sea-of-Green said…
Siskoid, I am so glad you post these Rom articles on occasion. I used to read Rom, and though I still have my old Rom action figure, I no longer have my comics. These posts are a treat. :-)
Siskoid said…
you still have quite the treasure there!
rob! said…
that titled panel was way cool.
rob! said…
er, TILTED panel.
LiamKav said…
Ah yes, trying to break up with your emotionally fragile man while wearing extremely revealing clothing. Otherwise known as the Padme Method.