Spaceknights #2 Annotations

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SpaceKnights #2 Annotations
by Lee K. Seitz
Version 1.1 - 12 Oct 2000

Copyright 2000 Lee K. Seitz
May be freely reproduced and distributed on the Internet as long as
no charges (membership fees, etc.) are required to access it and it
is not altered in any way.  All other rights reserved.

Please send corrections and additions to lkseitz@hiwaay.net.  And
while you're at it, visit Rom, Spaceknight Revisited at
http://home.hiwaay.net/~lkseitz/comics/Rom/.  Annotations for the
other issues of SPACEKNIGHTS can be found there, amongst other things.

*** Spoilers ho! ***

All character listings are from left to right, top to bottom unless
otherwise indicated.  Characters listed as [unknown] will be filled
in as soon as the needed issue is released.  Identities of characters
listed as [?] are uncertain.  (Help is welcome.)  For brevity, all
members of the new generation of Spaceknights are *not* designated
with their appropriate Roman numeral.

A Guide to Spaceknights' Real Names:
------------------------------------
Firefall       Tarn
Hammerhand     Bron
Javelin        Darin
Liberator      Tristan
Lightningbolt  Rand
Pulsar         Lan
Scanner        Rhanla
Sentry         Val
Starshine      Anarra
Terminator     Balin

==========

Cover:  Firefall, Terminator, Javelin, Pulsar, Lightningbolt,
Hammerhand, Scanner, Liberator, Starshine, Sentry.

General:  Batista did uncredited script revisions.

Page 1:  Notice the Angel Elite patrolling in the background.

Page 3, panel 1:  Tristan says this is *another* vision, but readers
have not seen him have one before.

Page 3, panel 1:  The "Mystical Dire Wraith" does not look like any
Dire Wraith readers have seen before.  Since Tristan recognizes it,
apparently the Galadorians know more than we do.  (In Batista's unused
script revision, he does not recognize the image, it simply projects
hatred.)

Page 3, panel 2:  And now Lord Gaspar appears.  Apparently he's been
replaced by a Dire Wraith.  Dire Wraiths are shape-changers with the
ability to absorb the memories of other creatures, killing them in
the process.  (But they do not *have* to absorb the memories of
another being to imitate its appearance.)

Page 4, panel 1:  Axadar rejected Balin in the previous issue.

Page 5, panel 1:  Batista's unused script revision states many of the
Spaceknights in his squad are children of the originals.  You might
wonder how this is possible, considering all the Spaceknights'
unused tissue stored on Galador was destroyed in ROM #75.  I can't say
for sure, but I imagine with the proper cloning techniques new body
parts could be created from the humanity still in use in their armor.

Page 5, panel 2:  Terminator, Sentry, Javelin, Hammerhand,
Lightningbolt, Firefall, Starshine, Pulsar, Scanner, and Liberator.

Pages 6-7:  There are no known first generation Spaceknights bearing
the names of Sentry and Liberator.  Except for Starshine, none of the
current Spaceknights' armor resembles their predecessors.
 * The first Hammerhand, who may be Bron's father, had mace-like
fists.  He was last seen in ROM #27.
 * The first Scanner had no offensive powers, only greatly enhanced
senses.  She was killed in ROM #75.
 * The original Terminator was discussed in last issue's annotations.
 * The original Firefall, Karas, was wielder of the Living Flame of
Galador and Rom's best friend.  He was captured during the Dire Wraith
attack on Galador and last seen inhabiting Limbo in ROM #19.
 * The original Pulsar, Plor, was able to generate force fields for
both offensive and defensive purposes.  He was mortally wounded by a
Deathwing during a solo encounter with some Dire Wraiths and
ultimately perished in ROM ANNUAL #4.
 * The original Starshine, Landra, could emit light beams from her
eyes for various effects.  These seem to be the powers the current
Starshine has as well.  Starshine threw herself in front of Rom to
protect him from a surprise Dire Wraith attack and died shortly
thereafter (ROM #28).  (Lady Prime) Brandy Clark was later magically
merged with the armor.  She later used her powers to completely
redesign the look of the armor.  It is this design that the current
Starshine's armor resembles.
 * The only previously known Spaceknight by the name of Lightningbolt
was a member of the rogue Spaceknights who destroyed Galador.  He
threw lightning-shaped bolts of energy, rather than projecting
electricity directly from his armor.  He was killed by Galador's
remaining humans in ROM #73.  It's possible there was an unknown
Spaceknight from the original generation that the second (and current)
one was named for.
 * The original Javelin, who was also named Darin and may be the
current Javelin's father, used a Plandanium javelin as a weapon.
Before the senior Darin became a Spaceknight, he was already well 
known for his spear-throwing ability.

Page 9, panel 5:  The sub-space batteries don't appear form nowhere,
but from sub-space (hence their name).  This is the same method used
by some of the original Spaceknights, including Rom, to summon their
weapons and the current Spaceknights to summon their armor.

Page 9, panel 5:  Note that in Batista's unused script revision, these
are *not* Galadorian batteries, but remote Trion sentries (called
Sentinels).  This makes much more sense, considering their design (it
doesn't look Galadorian) and the explosions around Terminator in panel
6.

Page 11, panel 1:  Liberator must have summoned his weapon from sub-
space between panels.  Its powers are unknown.

Page 12, panel 1:  The caption would seem to indicate that Tristan is
narrating this story sometime after it took place and has since
acquired additional knowledge about the goings-on.

Page 13, panel 4:  This is the second time this issue Sentry has been
witness to Terminator's rash behavior.  (See page 4, panel 6.)  How
much more will he take?

Page 16, panel 2:  The Wraiths' long-range scanning unit is of
Galadorian design.  Previously, the Wraiths have been unable to
duplicate Galadorian technology.  (The same goes for Spaceknight
armor, in particular.)

Page 16, panel 4:  Notice that unlike the Galadorian Spaceknights, the
Wraithknights all seem to wear the same armor.

Page 16, panel 5:  Batista's script says "masking spells", not
"masking projectors."  This indicates these Wraiths are using a
combination of science and sorcery, not just one or the other.

Page 16, panel 5:  The Wraithknights' eyes appear to be on the sides
of their heads instead of the front.  It would appear they do not use
any of their usual forms while wearing their armor.

Page 17, panel 4:  Tristan didn't duck to avoid the shot, but from the
pain his visions cause.

Page 19, panel 2:  Teleportation is a science previously unknown to
both the Galadorians and Dire Wraiths.  (Although summoning inanimate
objects from sub-space might be seen as some form of it.)  Dire
Wraith witches have been shown to use spells to transport themselves
in the past, however.

Page 20, panel 4:  Apparently the rest of the squad finished searching
their sectors already.

Page 21, panel 5:  Val's cast is missing.  Apparently searching the
sectors took some time.

-- END --

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