Rom 1

## [Source]

***Rom 1*** is the first issue of IDW Publishing's *Rom* series. It contained two stories; Earthfall: Prelude (which had previously been published in *Rom 0*) and Earthfall, Part One. The issue was released on July 27, 2016.

## Publisher's Summary

*WE’VE BEEN INVADED AND ONLY A SPACE KNIGHT CAN SAVE US! First there was his epic return in this year’s FCBD #0, and now the ongoing tale of ROM begins in earnest! Christos Gage, Chris Ryall, and David Messina kick off the wildest new series of the year as Rom’s war with the DIRE WRAITHS hits close to home in “Earthfall, part 1!”*

## Earthfall: Prelude

***Earthfall: Prelude*** is a comic story featuring Rom. It was published in *Rom 0* released on Free Comic Book Day, and republished in *Rom 1*.

### Plot

Police officers Camilla Byers and Omar Ruiz respond to reports of a fire in the woods along Highway 101 in Northern California. On arrival, they find a group of soldiers already on the scene. The source of the disturbance is the arrival of Rom on Earth. Of the four soldiers, three are Dire Wraiths, shapeshifting alien magicians posing as Humans. Rom kills two with his Neutralizer, while the third kills officer Ruiz to power his spells and turn into a Wraith Hawk. Rom kills him too, then informs the surviving soldier and Officer Byers that their world has been infiltrated.

### Appearances

**By type**

Characters

* Rom
* Omar Ruiz

Locations

	+ California
		- Highway 101
		- Pismo Beach

Organizations and titles

* Magician
* Officer
* Solstar Order
	+ Space Knight
	+ Lord of the Solstar Order
* U.S. Army

Sentient species

	+ Wraith Hawk
* Human

Weapons and technology

* Neutralizer

Miscellanea

### Trivia

#### Real life references

* There is some confusion as to which police force Officers Camilla Byers and Omar Ruiz are serving in. Firstly, they are shown driving a correctly-liveried Pismo Beach Police cruiser. However, their brown uniforms and shoulder insignia depict them as members of the California State Police; the Pismo Beach Police wear dark blue uniforms. In the real world, the California State Police no longer exists, having merged with the California Highway Patrol in 1995. In addition, neither Byers or Ruiz wears an actual police badge on their chest. For the purposes of this wiki, Byers and Ruiz are depicted as members of the California State Police.
* The military vehicle show overtaking Byers and Ruiz's police cruiser is a Stryker armored fighting vehicle.
* When the Dire Wraith soldier mentions Rom's name, Omar Ruiz replies with "What, like CD-ROM?"

## Earthfall, Part One

***Earthfall, Part One*** is a comic story featuring Rom. It was published in *Rom 1*.

### Plot

At Vandenberg Air Force Base, the soldier who survived Rom's arrival is being debriefed by Earth Defence Command. At the conclusion of the briefing, they reveal themselves as Dire Wraiths and convert him.

In the town of Cooper's Mill, Rom detects a large presence of Dire Wraiths, just as Darby Mason returns home from serving in the military overseas. Unknown to Darby, her whole family has been taken over by Dire Wraiths, and now they seek to convert her because of her access to Vandenberg.

Rom arrives just in time to save Darby from her converted family, but discovers that the entire town is full of Dire Wraiths, ones who have evolved and are more powerful than Rom has encountered before. Rom triumphs, and rescues Darby.

Officer Camilla Byers, carrying a Wraithmark from her previous encounter, contacts her superiors in the police department, only to find out that she is now linked to the Dire Wraiths and can hear their telepathic communication.

At Vandenberg, the surviving soldier boards a helicopter alongside members of G.I. Joe.

### Appearances

**By type**

Characters

* Joe Colton
* Cusiter
* Darby Mason
* Dave Dubosky
* Enrique Mason
* Ken Francis
* Bryce Kukuk
* Roadblock
* Rom
* Omar Ruiz
* Scarlett

Locations

	+ United States of America
		- California
			* Cooper's Mill
				+ Mantlo Park
			* Lompoc
				+ Vandenberg Air Force Base
		- Monument Valley

Organizations and titles

* G.I. Joe
* Police officer
* Soldier
* Solstar Order
	+ Space Knight

Sentient species

	+ Wraith-Stalker
* Human
* Transformer

Weapons and technology

* Neutralizer

Miscellanea

* Wraith-Rot
* Wraith Hive

### Trivia

#### Rom references

* Mantlo Park in the town of Cooper's Mill is a reference to Bill Mantlo, a comic book writer who worked on the original Marvel run of *Rom* comic books.

#### G.I. Joe references

* David Dubosky is the real name of the G.I. Joe member Countdown. Countdown was one of the team's astronauts, so it is fitting that he is currently serving at Vandenberg Air Force Base, which is under the jurisdiction of the Air Force Space Command. His speciality of "military engineer" is a reference to his filecard's secondary military speciality of "electronics engineer."

#### Real life references

* Vandenberg Air Force Base is a real military installation located in Lompoc, California.

## Cover gallery

3D Variant Cover. Art by J. H. Williams IIISubscription Cover A. Art by Zach Howard, colors by Nelson DanielSubscription Cover B. Art by Tom WhalenSubscription Cover C. Photo by Jack Rivera, from the collection of Chris RyallSubscription Cover D.Retailer Incentive A. Art by Michael GoldenRetailer Incentive B. Art by P. Craig Russell, colors by Lovern KindzierskiRetailer Incentive C. Art by Sal Buscema, colors by Mike CavallaroIDW Convention Retailer Exclusive Cover. Art by David MessinaSan Diego Comic-Con/Diamond Retailer Exclusive Cover. Art by David MessinaRob Liefeld Creations Retailer Exclusive Cover. Art by Rob Liefeld, colors by Romulo Fajardo Jr.Painted Visions Comics, Cards and Games Retailer Exclusive Cover. Art by Lance Sawyer, colors by John-Paul BoveStarbase 1552 Comics Retailer Exclusive Cover. Art by Dave DormanStarbase 1552 Comics Virgin Retailer Exclusive Cover. Art by Dave DormanUltimate Comics/NC Comic Con Retailer Exclusive Cover. Art by Tommy Lee EdwardsBedrock City Comics Retailer Exclusive Cover. Art by Nick Pitarra, colors by Mike GarlandSan Diego Comic-Con/Previews Retailer Exclusive Cover A. Art by Nick Pitarra, colors by Mike GarlandSan Diego Comic-Con/Previews Retailer Exclusive Cover B. Art by Nick Pitarra, colors by Mike GarlandSan Diego Comic-Con/Previews Retailer Exclusive Cover. Art by Nick Pitarra, colors by Mike GarlandVA Comic Con Retailer Exclusive Cover. Art by Kevin RobertsVA Comic Con Retailer Exclusive Cover. Art by Kevin RobertsBell, Book and Comic Retailer Exclusive Cover. Art by Stuart Sayger

## Notes and references

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 *Rom 1*
2. ↑  *Rom #1* on Comic Vine
3. ↑ *Rom 0*
4. ↑ *Rom 2*