Spaceknights Limited Series Hype

My Marvelous Man,

Any chance of seeing Rom make a splashy return to the Marvel Universe? It's time we found out what happened to the Greatest of the Spaceknights! Perhaps a visit by Rom's inspiration, the Silver Surfer? We need to know! ROM ran for seventy issues! ROM deserves a second look.

--Bryan Krantz

There are those who would laugh at me when I say this, Bryan... but Rom rules! I love that toaster-headed Wraith-killer! That's why I'm stocked to tell you that the Space Knights are returning to action in ‹ what else? ‹ SPACE KNIGHTS! While this limited series will not star Rom (we don't own the copyright to him), it will swing the spotlight on his progeny and the next generation of star-soaring warriors! I'll give you the lowdown as we move closer to the series' launch date... and I have the feeling it's going to be the sleeper hit of 2000! And those that laugh at Rom can eat our exhaust!

From YOUR MAN @ MARVEL at http://www.marvel.com/yourman.

Your Man,

Will Marvel ever print another ROM series? I know the name is legally owned by Hasbro/Parker Brothers. Although I will support the upcoming SPACEKNIGHTS mini-series, it wouldn't be the same without ROM. Couldn't Marvel buy the name and rights to ROM from Hasbro/Parker Brothers since they haven't really used him since the 1980s?

--ROM fan

You'd think it would be that simple, but things are never simple when it comes to copyrights. It looks like, for whatever reasons, the toaster-headed space warrior known as Rom is off-limits to us. But no one said anything about his son and his friends in the Spaceknights! There are those out there who laugh when I say this (that's right, I can hear you!), but the SPACEKNIGHTS limited series (rocketing your way in September) is going to kick serious booty. First of all, it has Jim Starlin writing it, who knows a thing or two about cosmic action. Secondly, it has some of the coolest redesigns ever by penciler Chris Batista. And not a toaster head in sight!

From YOUR MAN @ MARVEL at http://www.marvel.com/yourman.

Marvel

It’s a double dose of armored action! First Chuck Dixon and Leonardo Manco pay a visit to the Doctor of Latveria in Doom 2000! Then it’s in the Mighty Marvel Manner when Space Knights blast off!

ALL HAIL THE SPACEKNIGHTS! If you're like me, you have fond memories of a toaster-headed champion of justice who came from outer space and called himself Rom. And if you're like me, you never thought you'd see him again! Well, you won't... because Marvel doesn't own the copyrights to that particular character. But we can tell you all about his offspring! You see, after our pal Rom defeated those nasty shape-changing, brain-eating aliens called the Dire Wraiths, he departed our green globe for the gleaming spires of his homeworld Galador. It was there that he and a generation of his friends were turned into cyborg warriors in order to defeat the Wraiths... and it was there he would finally retire. But now Rom has disappeared, and it's up to his two grown sons (Tristan, a.k.a. the Liberator, and Balin, a.k.a. the Terminator) to carry on his legacy! But which one will wield Rom's trusty Neutralizer? Broken into squadrons, the Spaceknights are now the peacekeeping protectors of their galaxy. What they don't know is that their greatest enemy has returned in a form they never thought possible! Now it's time to meet the new cosmic gladiators: Starshine (leader of this next generation), Pulsar (armed with his rays of destruction), Firefall (wielder of the Living Flame), Sentry (a member of the winged Angel Elite), Hammerhand (with fists of steel), Javelin (master of an unbreakable staff of Plandanium steel), Scanner (fastest Spaceknight of them all), and more! If you've been hungering for something other than straight super heroics from Marvel, here's your chance to prove it! And if you crave cosmic action in the Mighty Marvel Manner, then this tale of sci-fi action will deliver what you need! Best of all, it's written by a guy who knows a thing or two about cosmic comics, Jim Starlin! And you won't believe your eyes when you see the Spaceknight redesigned by penciler Chris Batista! I know that a few people are snickering at the mention of this series, but you'll know that Your Man steered you right once again when the first issue rockets your way in August!

From YOUR MAN @ MARVEL at http://www.marvel.com/yourman.

SPACEKNIGHTS #1

Written by Jim Starlin, art and cover by Chris Batista and Chip Wallace.

Rom, Marvel's first Spaceknight, spent years banishing the evil Dire Wraiths from Earth. Finally successful, the gleaming guardian returned home to become the king of his homeworld, Galador. But now that Rom has disappeared, it's up to his two sons-Tristan, the Liberator, and Balin, also known as Terminator-to carry on his legacy. But which one will wield Rom's mighty Neutralizer? Broken into squadrons, the Spacknights are the peacekeeping protectors of their galaxy. But what they don't know, however, is that their greatest threat has returned in a form they never thought possible. Now it's time to meet the new cosmic warriors: Starshine, leader of this new generation, Pulsar with his rays of destruction, Firefall, wielder of the Living Flame, Sentry, a member of the winged Angel Elite, Hammerhand and his fists of steel, Javelin, master of an unbreakable staff of Plandanium steel, Scanner, fastest of them all, and the other new Spaceknights as they face off against the undying threat of the dreaded Dire Wraiths.

32 pages, $2.99.

YOUR MAN'S BEST BET: SPACEKNIGHTS #2!

When this project was announced, people snickered. When I told people that the character designs that I saw were really cool, people rolled their eyes. When SPACEKNIGHTS made its way into ads and promo spots, people laughed. But when the 1st issue came out, people said, "Oh... this is better than I thought." When the retailer panel of Comics Buyer's Guide read it they said, "The art is beautiful and detailed. Fans of Robotech should enjoy the body armor; it is so cool. This is going to be a well-thought-out story with lots of intrigue and conflict. Jump on with #1; you won't be disappointed." When those hipsters at slushfactory.com reviewed it, they said, "Great story by Jim Starlin, and cool armor from Chris Batista. Buy this book. You'll like it." When the second issue came out, and I saw the killer spread on pages 6 and 7, I said, "Now that is sharp." Do yourself a favor. Hunt down issue #1 (I'm sure you can still get it for cover price), grab #2 on Wednesday, sit down with a Coke and-this is the most important part-give it a fair chance. Is it the greatest story ever? Probably not. Is it a nicely structured sci-fi tale with huge doses of action, intrigue and eye-popping visuals? Heck yeah!

From YOUR MAN @ MARVEL at http://www.marvel.com/yourman.

Your Man,

Yes! Marvel's Spaceknights are back. I read an issue of Wizard yesterday that said a certain toaster-head of an alien had returned, and I was overjoyed. Rom the Spaceknight is one of my favorite comic-book characters from any company, by far. I've tried numerous times to pique public interest. For example, I was published third in Wizard's on-line e-mailer top-10 list a few years ago for bringing Rom back if I had the Marvel reins. I've even been published by in your column regarding Rom's return. It was then that you revealed the legal difficulties with Rom's ownership by Hasbro Inc. It was ingenious to create a comic book that sequels the Rom continuity while never revealing his name in the title.
Upon first seeing the Spaceknights cover picture in an ad in Wizard, I thought it was a campy comic for kids -- like the Avengers series based on the cartoon -- and didn't give it a second thought. When I found out it was a sequel to the Rom series, I could have kicked myself for not buying a copy. Luckily, my local distributor had a few left, and I got my hands on one. This comic rocks. The story is great, and the art is fantastic -- infinitely better than I had anticipated. I can't believe it's only a mini-series, though.
Is it possible a permanent series could result? Could Rom's name be used in the future without legal problems? Will there be a trade paperback? Since Rom is trademarked, I understand why Marvel can't advertise it as a follow-up title to his series, and it may surprise many to find out it's Rom-related. I can't wait for the next issue.

hammer187

Alright! Another SPACEKNIGHTS fan. Ever since I saw Chris Batista's redesigns, I've been singing this book's praises. And you can understand how excited I was when the comic itself came out looking so good. If I could give the first two issues to every 12-year-old alive, I know I'd create a new generation of comic book fans. As for whether we'll see a trade paperback or another series starring the Spaceknights, only time -- and sales -- will tell. But wouldn't it be cool to see the Spaceknights squad come to Earth to mix it up with our heroes?

From YOUR MAN@MARVEL at http://www.marvel.com/news/insider/.