Rom - Review

It's been a long, long wait, but Rom is finally free from limbo and back on the comic stands. Despite having to basically start from scratch in terms of the character's mythology, it's clear this new series has a lot to offer fans of this '80s pop culture icon.

Rom #1 picks up exactly where the recent FCBD special left off. Luckily, if you haven't read that story, it's reprinted in the front of this issue (hence the higher $4.99 price tag). Over the course of that prologue and the first full-length story, writers Christos Gage and Chris Ryall efficiently set up the new status quo for Rom. The basics remain the same. Rom is the greatest champion of the Solstar Order, and he's come to Earth to rid the world of the insidious Dire Wraiths lurking among humanity. It's a clean, straightforward premise that proves equally inviting for fans and newcomers alike.

In some ways Rom #1 plays out like a fairly traditional superhero comic. Despite his extraterrestrial origins, Rom really is a costumed avenger at heart. It's more the personalities of the two leads that sets the book apart. Rom himself is very entertaining in an unapologetic, old-school way. He's prone to long monologues and verbalizing his thoughts on those dastardly Dire Wraiths, and he always has a solid '80s action hero comeback ready in the wings. In a different context this might prove grating, but under Gage and Ryall hands it's all very charming. It gives the character a sense of personality despite his implacable armored exterior. It's easy to see Rom fitting in right alongside with the rest of the IDW universe when the Revolution crossover begins.

Contrasting that fun, adventurous approach is Darby, Rom's obligatory human sidekick. Darby is a much more serious character, one who struggles with PTSD and finds herself unwillingly drawn into the war between Rom and the Dire Wraiths. Her very real struggle helps balance out the books sillier elements and helps establish the toll this war takes on ordinary humans. I'm looking forward to seeing how the Rom/Darby dynamic plays out over the course of the series. In that sense, the series could become IDW's answer to the current Silver Surfer comic.

David Messina's vibrant pencils and colors are a terrific match for the over-the-top nature of the script. So much of Messina's past IDW work has involved books like Star Trek and True Blood where photo-realism is key. And while his figures have a definite weight and vitality to them, realism is no longer the main goal. Messina taps into the Saturday morning cartoon vibe of the character while also giving it a thoroughly modern spin. This Rom may be sleeker and more dangerous, but he's still the Space Knight we know and love.