Rom: Dire Wraiths

Rom: Dire Wraiths is a limited comic book series by Chris Ryall, Luca Pizzari, Guy Dorian Sr and Sal Buscema. It is based on the toy of the same name by Hasbro, and is published by IDW Publishing.[1]

For the fictional extraterrestrial species, see Dire Wraith.
Rom: Dire Wraiths
Issue #1's cover A.
Publication information
PublisherIDW Publishing
FormatLimited series
Genre
Publication dateJanuary 15 – December 30, 2020
No. of issues3
Creative team
Written byChris Ryall
Penciller(s)
Letterer(s)Shawn Lee
Colorist(s)
  • Jim Boswell
  • Ross Campbell
Editor(s)David Marionette

The series debuted on January 15, 2020[2] and concluded on December 30, 2020, following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on comic book industry.

Premise

The main story features NASA's Apollo 11 astronaut crew during the 1969 Moon landing, where they will confront the inhuman presence of Dire Wraiths waiting to conquer Earth.[3] A back-up story features what happened to Rom during those events.[4]

Publication history

Background

After IDW Publishing acquired the comic book licence of Rom and other Hasbro brands, the company announced in January 2016 the Reconstruction campaign to converge these franchises in the Hasbro Comic Book Universe, featuring the crossover events Revolution and First Strike.[5]

In April 2018, it was announced that this shared continuity, the Hasbro Comic Book Universe (HCBU), would end with Transformers: Unicron in November.[6]

Development

The series was firstly announced during San Diego Comic-Con on July 18, 2019.[1] The series will contain three issues written by returning Rom writer Chris Ryall, with art by Luca Pizzari.[7] A back-up story will also be written by Ryall, with art by returning artists Guy Dorian Sr. (pencils) and Sal Buscema (inks).[8] Ryall said that “returning to Rom for any reason is a happy occasion. Being able to use this story as a way to celebrate the monumental journey of American heroes is even better.”[7]

The series was rescheduled from November 20, 2019 to January 15, 2020.[2] Due to the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic over comic book industry, the third and final issue was delayed for December 30, 2020.

Issues
Issue Title Written by Drawn by Colored by Publication date
1a "One Small Step for Dire Wraith-kind, Part 1" Chris Ryall Guy Dorian Sr., Luca Pizzari Jim Boswell January 15, 2020
In July 1969, the Apollo 11 crew (Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins) was landing on the Moon, joined by members of the Adventure-One Team (Arsenal, Badger, Hank, Mixmaster, Scalpel and Dr. Sandra Shen). Unaware to any of them, a small group of Dire Wraiths was marooned on the Moon, waiting to bring the rest of their race to colonize the Earth. After noticing the humans' presence, the Wraiths have decided to take advantage; Hank is killed by a Red Wraith who takes his form.
1b "One Small Step for a Spaceknight, Part 1" Chris Ryall Sal Buscema Ross Campbell January 15, 2020
Prior to events on the Apollo 11's Moon landing, the same Dire Wraiths were on planet Marn-33, trying to steal the life force of Spaceknight Dhorian. Despite Dhorian fought back the best he could, killing a Wraith High Priestess in the process, he was outnumbered and his life force was taken away, but not before his comrades Rom and Nikomi got aware of his death. The Wraiths used that energy to transport themselves to Earth.
2a "One Small Step for Dire Wraith-kind, Part 2" Chris Ryall Guy Dorian Sr., Luca Pizzari Jim Boswell March 11, 2020
During the fight between the Adventure-One Team and the Dire Wraiths on the Moon, the Blue Wraiths kill Arsenal, Mixmaster and Scalpel, while the Wraith impersonating Hank kills one of the astronauts before receiving a transmission from Dr. Shore.
2b "One Small Step for a Spaceknight, Part 2" Chris Ryall Sal Buscema Ross Campbell March 11, 2020
Upon arriving at Marn-33, Rom and Nikomi find the portal to Earth, but Dhorian's body and armor are possessed by the same Red Wraith who killed him. The Wraith uses the armor to escape to Earth, taking Rom and Nikomi with him.
3a "One Small Step for Dire Wraith-kind, Part 3" Chris Ryall Guy Dorian Sr., Luca Pizzari Jim Boswell December 30, 2020
Dr. Shen manages to kill the Red Wraith that murdered Hank while gaining a blood sample from its body. Meanwhile, Badger and the last two astronauts continue fighting the last Blue Wraith, but the latter kills Badger in order to escape Earth. Luckily for the astronauts, Rom arrives in time to kill the Blue Wraith. The astronauts return to Earth, unaware that one of them is actually another Dire Wraith.
3b "One Small Step for a Spaceknight, Part 3" Chris Ryall Sal Buscema Ross Campbell December 30, 2020
Rom and Nikomi destory the Dire Wriath impersonating Dhorian, but as the portal closes, Nikomi decides to send Rom back while staying marroned in the process. Rom then uses his neutraliser to open a portal to Earth and save the astronauts on the Moon.

Reception
Issue Publication date Critic rating Critic reviews Ref.
1 January 15, 2020 6.5/10 7 [9]
2 March 11, 2020 5.7/10 3 [10]
3 December 30, 2020 6.5/10 2 [11]
Overall N/A 6.3/10 13 [12]

Collected editions
Title Material collected Pages Publication date ISBN Ref.
Rom: Dire Wraiths
  • Rom: Dire Wraiths #1−3
 96 January 27, 2021 1684056810, 978-1684056811 [13]

See also

References
  1. "ROM Returns to IDW with DIRE WRAITHS". Newsarama. June 18, 2019. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
  2. "IDW's ROM: DIRE WRAITHS Pushed Back 3 Months". Newsarama. November 6, 2019. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  3. "IDW to Launch Rom: Dire Wraiths Comic in October". Bleeding Cool. July 18, 2019. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
  4. "Sal Buscema Returns for Backup Story in IDW's Rom: Dire Wraiths #1". Bleeding Cool. June 25, 2019. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
  5. Whitbrook, James (January 6, 2016). "IDW Is Merging G.I. Joe, Transformers, and Its Other Hasbro Comics Into One Giant Universe". io9. Univision Communications. Archived from the original on December 25, 2018. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  6. "Transformers: Unicron Event is a 'Grand Finale' to 12 Years at IDW". Newsarama. Purch Group. March 24, 2018. Archived from the original on July 13, 2018. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  7. "IDW to Launch Rom: Dire Wraiths Comic in October". Bleeding Cool. July 18, 2019. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
  8. "Sal Buscema Returns for Backup Story in IDW's Rom: Dire Wraiths #1". Bleeding Cool. June 25, 2019. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
  9. "ROM: Dire Wraiths #1 Reviews". ComicBookRoundup.com. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  10. "ROM: Dire Wraiths #2 Reviews". ComicBookRoundup.com. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  11. "ROM: Dire Wraiths #3 Reviews". ComicBookRoundup.com. Retrieved 2020-12-25.
  12. "ROM: Dire Wraiths Reviews". ComicBookRoundup.com. Retrieved 2020-11-01.
  13. Rom: Dire Wraiths Hardcover
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