ROM: The Original Marvel Years Omnibus vol. 2

Rom: The Original Marvel Years Omnibus

by Bill Mantlo, Marvel Various, Sal Buscema (Illustrator)

Collects Rom (1979) #30-50, Rom Annual (1982) #1-2, Marvel Two-in-One (1974) #99.

Locked in an endless struggle with the Dire Wraiths, Rom's solemn quest to eradicate them from Earth brings him into conflict with the Metal Master and his army of spiders, Mystique and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, and more! The Spaceknight joins Namor to battle monsters of the deep, and Shang-Chi lends his deadly hands to thwart the Wraiths' black magic! Meanwhile, Rom's human friend Brandy Clark is transformed, and the impending arrival of the dreaded Dweller on the Threshold may spell doom for all! It's a cosmic epic featuring Doctor Strange, the In-Betweener, the Living Tribunal…and the human form of Rom?! Has he been freed from his armor at long last? All that, plus the Skrulls, the ever-lovin' Thing - and a tragedy that even Rom cannot withstand!

Genres: Comics, Marvel, Graphic Novels, Superheroes

664 pages, Hardcover

First published June 18, 2024

About the author

William Timothy Mantlo is an American comic book writer, primarily at Marvel Comics.
(source: Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this ROMnibus, Rom goes through the wringer once again, killing Dire Wraiths by the score while battling his most difficult enemy - love!

ROM may be the perfect encapsulation of Bronze Age Marvel comics. It has action, melodrama, and pulpy dialog while being very compelling. Rom continues to battle the shape-shifting Dire Wraiths. Unlike most monthly comics, Mantlo wasn't afraid to upset the status quo on a regular basis. At the end of the volume, I'm unsure what direction he'll take the book in the last 25 issues since the shit really hit the fan in the last few stories.

Sal Buscema is an ace on the penciling. ROM 41 makes me wish he did about a 100 issues of Doctor Strange with all the other dimensional craziness. He also manages to keep ROM's blocky ass interesting by varying up the panels and poses.

Is this Bill Mantlo's best work at Marvel? I would have said Micronauts before but now I think it's ROM. When the hell does the final volume come out?

4 out of 5 stars.

[Alberto Martín de Hijas · Rating 3 out of 5]

La entrega anterior tendía bastante a lo dramático para ser una serie inspirada en una línea de muñecos pero aquí Mantlo hace que gire hacia el horror (introduciendo algunas incoherencias con lo publicado anteriormente, pero de forma que funciona bien) por lo demás, Buscema le respalda con un excelente dibujo que refuerza la ambientación y la trama (aunque el entintado no siempre le favorece)

[OmniBen · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Zero spoiler review) 3.75/5
A marked improvement on the first offering, which was far too bogged down in silver age silliness to truly excel. Volume 2 brings about a near instantaneous change in setting and tone, resulting in a refreshing and much needed change in the characters, the lore, the stories, etc. Moving from the hokey trappings of its earlier work into a much more accomplished and profound experience. There is a dud issue here and there, and the loss of long time inker Joe Sinnot was a loss, almost made up for by Akin and Garvey. Sal Buscema's artwork was outstanding throughout. Ahhh, the days when a great artist could do more than four issues in a row. Buscema is over four years on the book now...
I don't think I'll ever re-read volume one, but I will absolutely be returning to this at some point. And that's a strong indicator of quality in my book. 3.75/5


OmniBen.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was blown away by the first Rom Omnibus, but I wondered if my nostalgia for the series was coloring my judgment. Thankfully, Volume 2 proved that my enthusiasm was well-founded. With fewer nostalgic ties to this set of issues, I was pleased to find that the series still holds up remarkably well. While some storylines do feel a bit repetitive, the payoff is well worth it. The long-term plot threads are expertly woven, and some jaw-dropping events will kept me at edge of my seat. Even with the occasional dip in pace, I highly recommend Rom Omnibus Vol. 2.

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second volume of Rom is somewhat more mixed than the first.

It leads off with the brilliant return-of-Hybrid storyline, which is amazing for how well it shows off the Brotherhood (Sisterhood) of Evil Mutants and sets up Rogue's near-future role as a reluctant hero.

But then Rom goes on the road. There are some lovely stories, as Mantlo increasingly riffs off of the horror genre, especially in stories like "Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory ..." (Rom #33), but in losing Rom's homebase in Clairton, we also lose most of the comic's supporting cast. The Marvel-Team-Up model that follows isn't Rom at its best, even if Mantlo makes great use of some of the guest-stars.

It's hard to know entirely how to take the last few issues, which are essentially a reboot of the Rom comic. They're certainly powerful writing, but Mantlo first confusingly reimagines the wraiths (for the better!), then engages in some largescale fridging. Is it what the comic needed to continue on? Maybe. I guess the biggest question will be whether it can resurrect itself from the ashes of the last few issues.

(Back in the '80s I believe I left off my Rom reading with issue #42, so the last four issues here and the next volume are all-new, with the exception of a Secret Wars 2 crossover down the line.)

[Davide Pappalardo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating 3/3.5

The book keeps the oldschool elements of the previous omnibus, while growing increasingly darker and more violent in the last stories, especially the 50th issue. The tone is more akin to gothic horror than sci-fi now, and ROM's characterization takes a turn toward self-pity and tragedy in a somewhat forced way. Once again this is clearly a product of its time aimed to young readers, but it has some surprisingly mature moments that set it apart from other contemporary outputs from Marvel.

[Gabriel Rojo · Rating 5 out of 5]

ROM probably peaks here - new inkers Akin and Garvey add incredible layers of mood to Sal Buscema's art, while Mantlo's scripts become less wordy and even more powerful. The events in issues 49 and 50 are jaw-dropping and would be still talked about if they had come from an Alan Moore comic or something like that. Can't wait for volume 3.

[Jacob · Rating 5 out of 5]

The omnibus did an excellent job of raising the stakes and creating an even more three-dimensional Rom. I also really enjoy how the story will make big decisions regarding the story without going back on it. Very excited to finish this comic series, and I see myself being a very big Rom fan moving on.

[Mh430 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would have loved Joe Sinnott continuing the book's inking a bit longer but even so the series remains highly entertaining here in Omnibus Volume Two with intriguing new storylines and heighted emotional angst. Yes, these tales are ostensibly taking place within the Marvel Universe but the issues without superhero guest stars are actually more enjoyable!

4 stars.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

it is definitely a product of its time, both for good and for bad. the expressionless robot aliens that dominate much of the story are still the biggest weak point, but Bill where is that with a large cast of interesting human characters and guest stars to keep the audience interested.