Total War!
After the murder of every single person in Clairton, West Virginia, ROM and Starshine declare “total war” on the Dire Wraiths.
As part of the war, ROM works with the U.S. Army until he learns that they, too, have been infiltrated by the shape-changing wraiths. These issues lead to some pretty bloody battles. For a toy comic, this book has gotten gruesome! And it’s great!
There’s also some blood against humans—check out the SHIELD agent getting his heart punched-through by a Wraith. For the 1980s, this was pretty gorey mayhem.
It culminates with Nick Fury taking ROM to see the President, and Reagan declaring an all-out domestic war against the monsters.
The book is also broadening its scope—over the next several months, ROM will start appearing in other Marvel books, along with the Wraiths.
In this issue, the Wraiths are spoken of as suspects in the disappearance of major Earth heroes. We the readers know this is a tie-in to the Secret Wars, but it’s well done–and reminds me of the more recent Secret Invasion of skrulls.
ROM is 50 issues in and actually getting better!