All you Rom and Guardians of the Galaxy fans check this out

[Paul Render]

We did retrospectives on two oft-forgotten comics here

http://www.renderwrx.net/sequentialdaze.htm

and we are wondering what you think about our column. Did we do Rom and The Guardians of the Galaxy justice with our ramblings and reviews? Please let us know.

[epp101]

God - nostalgia lane for sure. I first picked up Rom during the Hybrid storyline which also featured the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. There was a great scene in there where Rogue plants a kiss on Rom and discovers he's not a robot. Although I found the character fascinating, I didn't start collecting Rom again (at this point, my comics were off the magazine stand at the local grocery store) until the final conflict with the Dire Wraiths on Earth and then the year or so of wandering in space before coming back to his home planet. I unfortunately missed out on most of the early stories while he was battling the Dire Wraiths on earth.

Rom was amazingly appealing for a character that started out as a toy. I think the success had as much to do with his primary villains - the Dire Wraiths, as it did with Rom himself. It was such a contrast to see the cool, clean, sleek Space Knight doing battle with those hideous abominations. How could you not rally behind the guy.

Nice write up and handling. Certainly brought back some fond memories.

[Ozymandas]

I've got some old copies in my collection - usually involving guest-stars - but not many. Tis a pity. Rom had some great artists on his book for a licensed property.

[matt levin]

Really enjoyed the old GotG characters; so much so, never could warm up to the revised team.

[IronMagnus]

Not a GotG fan, but I loved ROM, and I enjoyed reading your retrospective. Nice job. :cool:

[Will.S]

Yeah, ROM is the tits.

Practically the holy grail of unobtainable licensed properties. In fact his legal standing feels legendary in itself given how impossible it is to peg who owns him. Does Hasbro still hold the rights?

[Paul Render]

Thanks for the nice comments people on my article.

Yes Hasbro still has the rights, and from what I have read, my sense is that they are into marketing out ROMs rights. They tried with Platinum last year, but it fell through. I just wonder what it would take to get Rom going again. And why Marvel is not interested? WIth all their space comics recently, why they didnt try to get Roms rights again, is a mystery.

[Will.S]

Thanks for the nice comments people on my article.

Yes Hasbro still has the rights, and from what I have read, my sense is that they are into marketing out ROMs rights. They tried with Platinum last year, but it fell through. I just wonder what it would take to get Rom going again. And why Marvel is not interested? WIth all their space comics recently, why they didnt try to get Roms rights again, is a mystery.
That is pretty strange on Marvel's part if they haven't raised any interest in the rights.

Perhaps they're holding out for Hasbro to just sell it to them so that they can own it.

[Kongzilla]

Civil War and Secet Invasion done right would have been a Dire Wraith-Skrull civil war, snowballing into knock down drag outs with everybody a la the final battle against the Wraiths in ROM. :)

Dire Wraiths could support some cool stories even ROM-less: a wraith trying to knock Strange off for the title of Sorceror Supreme, renegade good aligned Wraith hybrid etc.

Guardians of the Galaxy is so firmly entrenched in my adoration of Gerber's work that it would be hard for anyone to follow that run successfully for me.

I am also stunned that in his relentless mining of the greatness of others- ie Secret Invasion really is a ripoff of the climactic battle in ROM imo, that Bendis hasn't hijacked Howard into one of the interminable Avengers books. But- early days.

Now that we have DS9 ghetto avengers we should be due for a Howard reappearance.

[Paul Render]

I just updated my Rom article with an old comic page found only in england that came with the purchase of the toy. Its pretty cool looking, I have to say.

As to Hasbro and Marvel rights, I believe it is just like you say Will S.

Marvel wants the rights completely instead of just licensing them.

I think Marvel has only done a few licensed properties in the past decade or so (Halo, Stephen King properties, Dabel Bros. and the current Euro comics line). Those listed are all big brands, recognizable in large parts of the world. And are certainly profitable for the company.

The profit vs. loss margin on licensing for Rom I don't think would be acceptable to marvel considering Rom doubtfully would be able to support a very high selling long running comic book. Let alone licensing a character that would only be a guest star in other marvel comics, in which no discernable linked profit would be coming from those guest appearances.

Now if they could own the character outright, then they would have no qualms about using Rom even in a series that would eventually fail possibly. Because they own the character completely and not being forced to pay another company for his usage.

That is my opinion.

[Expletive Deleted]

I think Marvel has only done a few licensed properties in the past decade or so (Halo, Stephen King properties, Dabel Bros. and the current Euro comics line). Those listed are all big brands, recognizable in large parts of the world. And are certainly profitable for the company.And none of them are connected to their shared universe setting. If Marvel loses the rights to one of those licensed titles, they won't find themselves in a situation where they have to omit issues from collections, etc.

Let's say Marvel licenses Rom again and uses him in a cosmic event. What happens when they lose the rights yet again? It's just not worth it to them in the long run.

[JulyDarth]

We did retrospectives on two oft-forgotten comics here

http://www.renderwrx.net/sequentialdaze.htm



Epic! Thanks for this

[[]D[]/\/\[]D @ Nite/So-tite]

Thanks for the nice comments people on my article.

Yes Hasbro still has the rights, and from what I have read, my sense is that they are into marketing out ROMs rights. They tried with Platinum last year, but it fell through. I just wonder what it would take to get Rom going again. And why Marvel is not interested? WIth all their space comics recently, why they didnt try to get Roms rights again, is a mystery.

There's only one problem.

When it comes to Rom, Marvel owns everything except for Rom's name, his armor design and his weapons. Marvel owns everything else including Rom's backstory, his villains, all the other Spaceknights, Galador and Rom's supporting cast. Without those items, the property is useless.

What good is it going to do for Hasbro to "license out" the property to another publisher or studio? What would a publisher like Platinum do with it?

Remember that the toy completely tanked. Hasbro doesn't own the components that made Rom a viable character or property in the first place.


I just updated my Rom article with an old comic page found only in england that came with the purchase of the toy. Its pretty cool looking, I have to say.

As to Hasbro and Marvel rights, I believe it is just like you say Will S.

Marvel wants the rights completely instead of just licensing them.

I think Marvel has only done a few licensed properties in the past decade or so (Halo, Stephen King properties, Dabel Bros. and the current Euro comics line). Those listed are all big brands, recognizable in large parts of the world. And are certainly profitable for the company.

The profit vs. loss margin on licensing for Rom I don't think would be acceptable to marvel considering Rom doubtfully would be able to support a very high selling long running comic book. Let alone licensing a character that would only be a guest star in other marvel comics, in which no discernable linked profit would be coming from those guest appearances.

Now if they could own the character outright, then they would have no qualms about using Rom even in a series that would eventually fail possibly. Because they own the character completely and not being forced to pay another company for his usage.

That is my opinion.

Well, if it's anything, Rom did manage to be one of Marvel's most popular licensed titles.

[Alan2099]

I don't see why they couldn't just change ROM's name and look like they did with Godzilla.

[[]D[]/\/\[]D @ Nite/So-tite]

I don't see why they couldn't just change ROM's name and look like they did with Godzilla.

Or why not just go with his human form until they can get the rights back?

[Expletive Deleted]

I don't see why they couldn't just change ROM's name and look like they did with Godzilla.If you change Godzilla's name and appearance, you've still got an all-purpose giant monster. If you change Rom's . . . what's the point?

Besides, it's a very fine line to walk. If they make it sufficiently clear that the "altered" character is really the licensed character, it's still a problem, whatever they're calling him. Look at the current J.D. Salinger lawsuit over a book featuring a character who's clearly Holden Caulfield, but is never explicitly identified as such.

[[]D[]/\/\[]D @ Nite/So-tite]

If you change Godzilla's name and appearance, you've still got an all-purpose giant monster. If you change Rom's . . . what's the point?

Besides, it's a very fine line to walk. If they make it sufficiently clear that the "altered" character is really the licensed character, it's still a problem, whatever they're calling him. Look at the current J.D. Salinger lawsuit over a book featuring a character who's clearly Holden Caulfield, but is never explicitly identified as such.

What if they go the Micronauts route?

[Expletive Deleted]

D[]/\/\[]D @ Nite/So-tite;11093542']What if they go the Micronauts route?That's what Starlin's SPACEKNIGHTS mini-series was, more or less.

If you don't have Rom himself, what's the point?

[[]D[]/\/\[]D @ Nite/So-tite]

That's what Starlin's SPACEKNIGHTS mini-series was, more or less.

If you don't have Rom himself, what's the point?

That mini was garbage since Starlin disliked the character in the first place and the whole thing completely went against what Chris Batista had wanted and set out to do. I doubt it was just the lack of Rom.

But what I meant was, what if Marvel pulled a Space Glider/Arcturus Rann or Galactic Warrior/Bug and have something like Rom in his human form with the name "Artour," with them exploring his role on Galador or his role as administrator of the Spaceknights, etc.? At least until they can find a way to get the rights back.

[Expletive Deleted]

D[]/\/\[]D @ Nite/So-tite;11094954']That mini was garbage . . . It was Marvel doing a Rom project without the stuff Marvel doesn't own (i.e. Rom). The fact that Starlin was phoning it in didn't help, but it debuted at cancellation level sales.


D[]/\/\[]D @ Nite/So-tite;11094954']But what I meant was, what if Marvel pulled a Space Glider/Arcturus Rann or Galactic Warrior/Bug and have something like Rom in his human form with the name "Artour," with them exploring his role on Galador or his role as administrator of the Spaceknights, etc.?Ooooh, administration! That'll set people's hearts racing!

Seriously, though, two things:

(1) MICRONAUTS was an ensemble book. ROM was a solo book. If you take out the stuff Marvel doesn't own, the Microns are still somewhat viable. You still have a decent cast (Rann, Bug, Mari) and a fairly unique setting (the Microverse). Take Rom out of ROM and . . . well, you've gutted it. ROM without Rom, whether you use a version of the character so obscured as to be unrecognizable or just do without him altogether, would have to be a completely different book. It wouldn't be the ROM series that some of us fondly remember and want to see again.

(2) Note that in the previous item, I said "somewhat" viable. Maybe I missed something, but are the Microns really burning up the charts? Typically, they only show up as guest stars when someone wants to do a Microverse story.

Again, I don't see a lot of people running out to buy ROM if it's not, y'know, ROM.

[[]D[]/\/\[]D @ Nite/So-tite]

It was Marvel doing a Rom project without the stuff Marvel doesn't own (i.e. Rom). The fact that Starlin was phoning it in didn't help, but it debuted at cancellation level sales.

Ooooh, administration! That'll set people's hearts racing!

Seriously, though, two things:

(1) MICRONAUTS was an ensemble book. ROM was a solo book. If you take out the stuff Marvel doesn't own, the Microns are still somewhat viable. You still have a decent cast (Rann, Bug, Mari) and a fairly unique setting (the Microverse). Take Rom out of ROM and . . . well, you've gutted it. ROM without Rom, whether you use a version of the character so obscured as to be unrecognizable or just do without him altogether, would have to be a completely different book. It wouldn't be the ROM series that some of us fondly remember and want to see again.

(2) Note that in the previous item, I said "somewhat" viable. Maybe I missed something, but are the Microns really burning up the charts? Typically, they only show up as guest stars when someone wants to do a Microverse story.

Again, I don't see a lot of people running out to buy ROM if it's not, y'know, ROM.

What, so you're saying Nick Fury in space wouldn't be awesome? :tongue:

Plus, in this case, it wouldn't necessarily require him receiving his own book. It'd be pretty cool to simply see him and Galador featured in cosmic stories.

[Expletive Deleted]

D[]/\/\[]D @ Nite/So-tite;11095335']What, so you're saying Nick Fury in space wouldn't be awesome? :tongue:Sure. But it wouldn't be ROM.


D[]/\/\[]D @ Nite/So-tite;11095335']It'd be pretty cool to simply see him and Galador featured in cosmic stories.No argument on that score.

[[]D[]/\/\[]D @ Nite/So-tite]

Sure. But it wouldn't be ROM.

No argument on that score.

Well, I would see something like this as a stop-gap until whenever or IF Marvel manages to get the rights back and have him re-don the armor (resulting in a smooth transition with some already prior build-up to it).

And if they don't, at least they're still left with a good supporting character in the cosmic line with tons of history behind him, fleshed-out development, a connection to and a role as a focal point an entire section of the cosmic MU (Galador/Spaceknights) and prior connections to the other various aspects of the MU.

[Expletive Deleted]

I guess I'm just not seeing how a non-Rom stop-gap would do any good.

Rom fans wouldn't be happy because they want the real thing, new readers wouldn't have any context for it, and it might end up squandering some of the good will that's been built up around the character over the years.

[[]D[]/\/\[]D @ Nite/So-tite]

I guess I'm just not seeing how a non-Rom stop-gap would do any good.

Rom fans wouldn't be happy because they want the real thing, new readers wouldn't have any context for it, and it might end up squandering some of the good will that's been built up around the character over the years.

I guess it all depends on how they handle it and whom. Someone like Hickman or DnA (who are in charge of all things cosmic) might be able to pull it off.

[Expletive Deleted]

If they've got a great idea and a passion for the project, sure. But just to do it for the sake of doing it . . .

[Jason Abbadon]

I'd be happy just to see some of the known Spaceknights again- the green-armored Javelin knocked he crap out of Terrax with his phaseing javelin weapon- guys like that would be cool to show just patrolling and defending Galador's home system during some conflict.

I always wondered at some of Galador's wacky races- those winged "Angel Elite" guys seemed geneticly modified- not mutants or Eternals or whatever.
It seemed Galador had tech levels far surpassing the Kree/Skrulls....
probably why no one went to war with galador before the Wraiths (and the galadorians being all peaceful, of course).

[The Black Guardian]

If you change Godzilla's name and appearance, you've still got an all-purpose giant monster. If you change Rom's . . . what's the point?
You've got a kick-ass spaceknight!

And technically, they did change his name to Artour.

[[]D[]/\/\[]D @ Nite/So-tite]

I'd be happy just to see some of the known Spaceknights again- the green-armored Javelin knocked he crap out of Terrax with his phaseing javelin weapon- guys like that would be cool to show just patrolling and defending Galador's home system during some conflict.

I always wondered at some of Galador's wacky races- those winged "Angel Elite" guys seemed geneticly modified- not mutants or Eternals or whatever.
It seemed Galador had tech levels far surpassing the Kree/Skrulls....
probably why no one went to war with galador before the Wraiths (and the galadorians being all peaceful, of course).

Good point. I keep wondering why other Spacekinight haven't made more appearances. It's mainly just Dire Wraiths.

[Scelestus]

Civil War and Secet Invasion done right would have been a Dire Wraith-Skrull civil war, snowballing into knock down drag outs with everybody a la the final battle against the Wraiths in ROM. :)

That... that could've been so...

(head 'splodes from awesomeness overload)

[Jason Abbadon]

Well, the Dire Wraiths are back in Fantastic Four- and they've got all sorts on Inhuman-created powers on top of their usual schtick.

They have not revealed if they can still shape shift or if any are magic users or what...hopefully Hickman will get into it.

THere is also one super-badass Wraith Queen magic user out there in the MU post Rom #65. Dormammu tried to enlist her aid in the second Doctor Strange series (#2 if you want to get it)- he called pon the top evil magic users in the MU (via a kind of magical videoconference) and she was one.

It'd be great to see Doctor Voodoo get into it with her sometime.

[paulski]

Well, the Dire Wraiths are back in Fantastic Four- and they've got all sorts on Inhuman-created powers on top of their usual schtick.

Great to see the Wraiths back, but that just sounds... unnecessary. They were badass enough just being big, red, scary f*ckers who drilled their tongues into your skull and took over your identity!

Part of the reason I didn't enjoy Secret Invasion as much as I should have was all of the cheesy looking 'battle Skrulls' with their X-Men/Avengers/Spidey rip-off powers. I just couldn't take them seriously. :frown:

[Jason Abbadon]

Great to see the Wraiths back, but that just sounds... unnecessary. They were badass enough just being big, red, scary f*ckers who drilled their tongues into your skull and took over your identity!

Part of the reason I didn't enjoy Secret Invasion as much as I should have was all of the cheesy looking 'battle Skrulls' with their X-Men/Avengers/Spidey rip-off powers. I just couldn't take them seriously. :frown:

I always wondered what would happen if a Wraith (female) took the memories and life essense (and for of course) of someone with powers (a mutant say).
Would they gain that person's powers along with the memories and shape?

[Paul Render]

Thanks for reading the article everyone.

So I get the feeling that if Rom did come back with another publisher, but without the Marvel backstory, it would not succeed? Same as a Spaceknights comic without Rom?

[[]D[]/\/\[]D @ Nite/So-tite]

Thanks for reading the article everyone.

So I get the feeling that if Rom did come back with another publisher, but without the Marvel backstory, it would not succeed? Same as a Spaceknights comic without Rom?

Well, really... there would be nothing there. It would be almost like a completely different character.

Like I said, of what Hasbro actually owns, none of it was what made Rom successful in the first place.