Writer – Bill Mantlo
Artist – Sal Buscema
Inker – Ian Akin, Brian Garvey
Colours – Ben Sean
Letters – Janice Chiang

Rom gets a fond farewell from its king and its citizens and before he sets off on his quest, he takes a little time to swim with some whales and learns that the Earth has more than one kind of intelligent life.  But as ever, his reason for being on this planet pulls him forward and he must get back to it for while he might take a break, the Wraiths never do.  So it is that Rom makes his way to Wales where he encounters a young boy strung up like a sacrifice, and upon further investigation, finds that it is indeed a sacrifice for the Dire Wraiths who are tormenting the local village.  Rom is angry and two things happen in this story by Bill Mantlo and Sal Buscema, one that changes Rom for all time and another that sees him swear vengeance upon the Wraiths.  That big, life-changing moment sees Rom take a life.  True, it was just that of a Dire Wraith, one of the most evil beings in the entire universe, but it was a life nonetheless and Rom is fairly upset about it.  But what is a little strange, is that after pondering it for only a few seconds, he seems to make a peace with it as he realizes that it permanently solves the Wraith problem instead of simply banishing them to Limbo where there is always the possibility that they will return one day.  Hopefully Rom does not remain this way, as peaceful Rom is a little more interesting than killer Rom.  Way back in Clairton, Brandy Clarke sits at Starshine’s grave, thinking on her love for Rom and how both she and Starshine both loved the man, only to lose him.  In an intriguing turn of events, she somehow receives Starshine’s power from beyond the grave and what this means going forward will remain to be seen, but it should shake the book up as well as Rom, just a little bit.  Once again, a wonderful, moody and spooky story featuring everyone’s favourite cyborg.

4 out of 5