Rom #11
Published and © by Marvel and Rom © Parker Brothers, October 1980
Title: “Standoff!”
Synopsis: Rom lies captive within Project Safeguard, a national alien-research facility secretly under the control of the Dire Wraith!
Writer: Bill Mantlo
Artist: Sal Buscema
Review: How deep does the Dire Wraith threat go? Writer Bill Mantlo continues to explore that question with Rom in the clutches of a U.S. government agency secretly under Wraith control. The writer seems to be having a blast, mixing comic-book heroics and ’50s sci-fi paranoia to great effect. The death of a bit player offers surprising gravitas, and Mantlo delivers a cliffhanger with some real weight. The art, unfortunately, isn’t as strong. Sal Buscema’s pacing and action sequences are still solid, but his rendering looks a bit rushed. Still, an above-average – and quite enjoyable – outing.
Grade: B+
Cool factor: The Wraith “Most High One” deems Rom too great a threat to live and orders him killed. Immediately. It does’t work out that way, of course, but it was still a pleasant surprise hearing a big bad sound sensible for once.
Not-so-cool factor: “I figure I’m just about the most expendable of us good guys!” – Archie Stryker, two-bit crook turned spaceknight hero
Character quotable: “I figure I’m just about the most expendable of us good guys!” – Archie Stryker, two-bit crook turned spaceknight hero
Editor’s note: This review was originally published by Sequential Reaction (Vol. 1) on March 7, 2016.
