The Story of ROM Spaceknight: From Failed Toy to Important Comic Character 

"At least as hard as Adamantium and Vibranium and twice as fictional." Genius. Pure genius.

I love how non-committal that commercial is: “you can imagine he comes from another galaxy.” We’re not committing to that, but you can imagine it if you’d like.

"You couldn't swing your arms in the toy aisle without knocking over space robot toys.... I mean, you could but they would ask you not to.". Comedic gold.

Bill Mantlo is one of the most underrated and underappreciated comics writers of all time and ROM is one of his greatest works.

I'm close friends with Mike Buscema (Sal's son.) And i just sent this over to him to show his dad (who is doing well) Rom was one of his favorite books he did. I'll let you know what he thinks!

Literally one of the best comics ever produced by Marvel. A completely (basically) original idea, which became entwined into the entire Marvel canon. This and Micronauts, will never be forgotten.

Still one of my all time favorite comic book characters.

I remember reading my uncle's ROM comic everytime we went up to visit the grandparents.

Rom is an amazing comic it is a shame it has never been reprinted.

I've never clicked on a Toy Galaxy video faster.

I remember when James Gunn wanted to put ROM in Guardians of the galaxy but couldn't because of all of this. One of the few videos I knew answers to before Dandalorian could inform me of it. A shame though...imagine ROM in the MCU

ROM is still out there hunting dire wraiths, but don’t call him Shirley.

Collecting older X-Men comics in the 90's was my introduction to ROM. I thought he was really interesting, as I do have a soft spot for sci-fi stories. It is a shame when rights issues get in the way of that.

DON’T TELL ME WHAT I CAN IMAGINE, VOICE OVER GUY!!!

ROM was and is one of my top 5 fav comics of all time. It was so dark. Buscema and Mantlo put together such a deep and ultimately sorrowful story.

I'm only 52, was fascinated by the ROM comic series and actually sat still for this entire video

I “discovered” ROM in about 1985 when I was 13 and loved it. I quickly went out of my way to get every issue of that original 75 issue run.

I really wish Hasbro would make a Rom figure for Marvel Legends.

If there is ever a Rom Omnibus it would sell out immediately!

Thanks for this video, Mr Larson! Rom is a franchise that doesn’t get that much attention, so having you talk about him will hopefully get more people interested in the character.

Growing up in WV, ROM was always one of my favorite characters because he crashed to Earth in WV. We didn’t show up in comics much back then. 😃👍

Rom and the Micronauts are the characters that started me reading comic books

ROM’s scanner is one of the sounds from my childhood that will forever be seared into my brain 😱 ...in a good way 😁

“When you are waiting to see if Dan will ever cover Battlebots and Robot Wars on Toy Galaxy”

Enjoyed the Volume 1 era of ROM during my teen years. He was a gallant soul, yet a tragic hero. Seeing Brandy become Starshine was heartbreaking, but that transformation was shortlived thankfully.

Even I sold my comic book collection my complete ROM run was one of the free things I kept.

ROM is the whole reason I got interested in Marvel comics and made me a lifelong fan of Marvel.

If Hasbro owns ROM, and they make Marvel Legends, then when can I expect a ROM Marvel Legends figure?

I always had a weird theory that part of the reason Rogue tried to change and leave the sisterhood of mutants and join the X-men was the time she tried to 'steal' Rom's powers, only to find, and absorb, the memories of a man so committed to doing what was needed to defend his people, and all the peoples of his and other galaxies from an evil he had inadvertently released on them that he'd given up his humanity for two centuries of endless battle, and was committed to continue for as long as it took. Because he believed everyone deserved to be protected from the threat. And he was just...human. Unpowered. I imagine it's kinda hard to hold onto a 'all humans bad' kinda mentality in the face of that.

ROM after defeating the "Dire Wraiths": So I have to go chasing after these assholes now?!

I had the entire Rom series back in the day. Wish I kept em now knowing what happened there. And I also had that spaceship toy you featured in the beginning too! An anime series would be totally appropriate for Rom. Thanks for the awesome videos...

I loved the comics so much. You guys just got me right in the "feels"! Keep up the AMAZING work!

It’s amazing how many Marvel comics had Rom and the Wraith War feature prominently here and there, or guest starred in Rom’s own book. One of my favorite characters and I hope we get a six inch Marvel Legends style figure, similar to the 3.75 inch Comic Con exclusive we got a couple of years back.

ROM THE SPACE KNIGHT DESERVES AN MCU ANIMATED SERIES OR A LIVE-ACTION FILM ADAPTATION! 🚀🎬🎥👍

Even though I was born in the 2000’s, I was fortunate enough to have my dad’s childhood toys as a kid. So, even though I was born in the 2000’s, ROM was one of my childhood toys. It had all its accessories, electronics worked perfectly and even lighted up. Loved that sucker.

Hoping for a modern toy of this !!! Never grew up with ROM , but i liked the history

I was 23 and only reading X-Men in the early 80s but I got hooked on Rom. I loved his self-sacrifice and sense of duty and honor. It was a clear-cut good vs. evil story. Those pretty much disappeared in the next decade as all heroes had to be flawed and the lines between good and evil had to blur. I read his story to the end with him returning to Galador, reclaiming his human body, and joining with his love, Brandy Clark to restart and rebuild the planet. I was very glad that he got the happy ending he deserved, and Marvel gave the comic the chance to finish the story.

That random shade-throwing at Robocop at the end had me laughing my ass off!

I bought the first issue when I was a child. Used to love Rom. Wish I still had that 1st issue.

My favorite comic character! I was thrilled to see this posted. LOVED the comic growing up and have collected pretty much everything related to the character (not exactly a lot of merchandising). Just had a commission done of Rom and Starshine by Sal Buscema. :)

Got the ROM toy for Christmas in 1979 and still remember running around the house detecting if my family members if they were "good" or "evil"

Funny story: my Mom bought me a ROM toy when I was a kid but I'd never heard of it. I thought it was very cool but could never quick figure out the combinations of the two buttons on the back to control the sounds. Thinking it was just broken, my best friend and I disassembled the toy and used the sounds and lights to retro-fit my Millennium Falcon and Tie Fighter with sound and laser canon lights. So, it appears that in my head canon, ROM gave his life for the Rebellion and the Empire. LOL! That said, the ROM toy is still around (albeit without effects) and the other two have been lost to history. Apparently, ROM is forever. : )

It’s how I got my name Rhom. When I was a kid loved seeing a comic close to my name

My aunt got me one of these for my birthday, I was so excited because to my recollection it was the ONLY comic book related toy around and I loved comics. I was so disappointed with it she took it back and got me the Star Wars droid workshop/playset.

I still have dozens of the comic's 75 issue run. It was really good.

I wanted a Rom Space Knight so bad when I first saw the commercial, but never got one. Years later, a friend in Highschool had one that he showed me - while a little disappointed, I still wanted that damned toy... A few years before that there was another robot toy, marketed to a slightly younger audience, that was semi-popular: Tobor the remote controlled (sorry, "telesonic" controlled) robot that used audio clicks from the "controller" to change it's direction (forward, or turning).

Mannn as a KID i wanted 1 of these SOOO BAD!!!!

I had this toy as a child and played with it a LOT! I also have the comic book series and a limited edition garage resin model kit. I would LOVE to see a movie done with ROM! It can be done!

Thanks so much for getting around to this video! I’d seen his books around stores in the early 80s. I was ten years old when they stopped publishing. I would pick up a random issue from a used bookstore several years later. It was so cool. ❤️

My editing teacher in 1994 cut the Rom toy commercial. He screened a film print of it to demonstrate how you could make something fly that doesn’t.

Thanks for covering Rom. One of my favorite comics as a kid.

I got ROM for my birthday in 1980. Being *totally* into any toy with electronics, my 7-year old self thought he was the coolest thing ever, probably my favorite gift from that birthday. Until my cousin broke his backpack switches from pressing too hard and the lights & sounds stopped working like they were supposed to 🤦🏻‍♂️. Still have fond memories of ROM to this day.

"They were...Not kind to ROM" Whoever "wrote" the first Thor movie definitely played with ROM as a kid. I think you should do an Episode about Space 1999, There was a short run action figure line, including the cool ship! Just a suggestion. Also, I miss Starbird, that thing was super badass at the time!

Awesome video ... Been waiting for this one from you guys ...

ROM comicbook grabbed me in 1980. Space warriors in shiny metal armor always got my focus: ROM, Silver Surfer, Iron Man, Robocop, Cyclops, Colossus, Dr. Doom, Darth Vader, the Stormtroopers and the redhooded guards. Even SilverHawks. (Though War Machine was too ridiculously over the top for me, showing that my joy for the trope has its limits.) My favorite Joe figures were Snake Eyes, Destro, metalmask Cobra Commander and the Crimson Soldiers. This showed that my psyche was already well damaged by that time to always want my head encased in metal. I even wore the white knock-off Darth Vader helmet with the laser sound effects and orange stickers.

I have ALMOST the entire comic book collection. Loved it as a kid and hated when it ended.

O.M.G! I was just thinking about ROM last month December 2020! I saw another youtube video talking about the Marvel comic and how it's in limbo. I was a huge fan of ROM as a kid.

Ok im convinced y'all come from an alt universe where childhood was straight up magic! I have never heard of a lot of things you cover on this channel. Great work.

ROM the Space Knight was my favourite comic growing up. I miss the era when people had big ideals!

I got a ROM action figure for Christmas when they first hit the shelves. And I had issue #1 of the Marvel comic. Thanks for the nostalgia!

When I was a kid, Marvel's ROM was one of my favorite comic books. I never had the toy but loved the comics. I wish Marvel could republish them in a graphic novel or Omnibus.

First, thanks for covering Rom and giving me an update on this character. One of my favorite, underrated Marvel characters. I have every issue from 1 to 30...the stories and art work was starting to get lane. Rom meets the X-Men is a classic. Plus the Dire Wraiths were more dangerous and darker than the Skulls. Even Galactus is scared of the Dark Nebula, it narrowly killed him. Now knowing the real reason why Marvel couldn't do everything more with him, makes sense. I thought they cancelled he long ago.

This was such a great comic with some fantastic stories and artwork, especially with covers by Micheal Golden, Mike Zeck and Frank Miller. I managed to get the entire series at a Fan Expo for $45. I was like: "Take my money already!!"

Rom’s look is reminiscent of the Day the Earth stood still robot. “Gort”

I still remember seeing the commercial for the electronic ROM action figure. One of the kids who lived down the street from my Grandmother had one, which made him the coolest kid on the block for a while.

ROM is still my favorite comic run of all time. The last 25 issues is some of the greatest comics ever written.

I remember the comics! Never heard of the figures... Now, thanks to another great video, I'll be sure to hunt down one!

Wow , I still remember getting ROM for Christmas. Thanks for the history fill in. Never knew.

Well, looks like im off to eBay to find some comics and a Matt Trakker action figure. Thanks again Toy Galaxy.

OMG. Rom! I remember this from my childhood 4 decades ago

That Galador logo reminded me of how much I missed Caldor’s department store.

Holy shit, I had a Star Bird as a kid. It was a hand-me-down, so I never had any idea what it was. My memory of it was so fuzzy I had no idea how to even describe it! All I could describe was one of the "interceptor" pieces, and I knew the bridge cowling came off. I know it's not the point of this video, but seriously I never would have gotten that without this. THANK YOU!

I work with a 54 year old guy and he was talking about this comic today, he collected it as a youth.

I was fairly young when I started a subscription to ROM comics, I started with issue 36 until the final issue only missing one thanks to it never being delivered in the mail. It also happened to be the end of the Wraith war.. One finger salute to the post office for that one.

I was eight years old when the Starbird ships hit the toy stores, and I distinctly remember wanting them so badly at the time. I did get ROM the next year for Christmas, though. Btw, "Dandemonium" would be an awesome channel name.

ROM was the title where I first saw Bill Sienkiewicz's art. He's still my favorite comics artist.

I just completed my collection of Marvel ROM comics including all the issues he guest starred in. I always loved the character.

I had a Rom figure in 1979. I was 9 years old. My dog ate his legs because apparently expensive toy legs are a dogs favourite snack I had every one of the 75 comic run from Marvel and the annuals. The character is single handily responsible for defeating Mutant X with Claremont's X-men, giving Rogue a sense of honour while she was still in Mystiques gang, the death of Tornado, serving as the herald of Galactus and leading him to the Dire Wraiths homeworld where Galactus found he could not consume the planet and then uniting the ENTIRE Marvel universe to fight the Dire Wraiths in a final battle before returning to Galador to reclaim his humanity. I have since bought all the IDW graphic novels and Last year, my wife tracked down a complete Rom figure for my 50th birthday. He now sits in a display case on my shelf with his weapons on display and a copy of issue 1 of Rom Spaceknight, right next to her original Empire Strikes Back Darth Vader 12 inch figure in its original box. I have considered uniting Rom with a Space Pirate Captain Zargon and a Space Ranger Action man figure, but price and rarity are holding me back. its a shame Paramount/Hasbro dont just make merry with Marvel and make some money from one of the most important characters to the Marvel Universe (the 1st time there was a united 80s universe before Secret Wars 2 where The Thing brings Ultron back to Earth in a Galadorian helmet he kept as a souvenir We are waiting Hasbro!

Wow! Rom is back? He was my guilty pleasure when I was a kid. All my friends thought he was stupid, but didn't know how cool he really was! I'd watch a Rom movie. I might be one of two people in the theater, but I'd watch it. 😝

This brings back memories. Rom was one of my favorite Marvel characters, still is. Really appreciate this upload. Thanks for posting...😁👍

I have been waiting for this! Thanks so much you guys! I still have my big ROM figure from like Christmas 1980!!

I can't even begin to describe how much I loved the original Marvel comic book. Gods what I'd do for a collection....

ROM is easily one of the best comic runs in Marvel’s history. It was dark, had real stakes, and ROM was a tragic figure that experienced loss on a regular basis. He has to return to Marvel and continue his proper story and origin. An MCU appearance MUST happen.

Thanks for another Great video, Dan! I loved the original ROM comic book series and recently got a copy of issue #1.

I wish I still had that first issue, I also had the last. Loved the series 👍❤️

I love Rom and have the original comics as a treasured part of my collection. A fun fact: In the late 80s X-Men Storm lost her powers for several years. It was due to a weapon Forge made for Shield to fight the Dire Wraiths which Peter Gyrich wanted to repurpose to use on mutants.

This brings back some memories. I had two of these, first one I got for Christmas and I played with it till it just wore out and I got another for the next birthday. Plus the comics. So many awesome toy memories from my childhood on this channel.

Steve Ditko on pencils, P Craig Russell embellishing and Flexigraphic printing ! That comic rocks to this day-Thanks Dan, your are firing on all the cylinders!xxx

I've been waiting for this one!!!

Been waiting for this one, I read the Transformers/ROM crossovers and was instantly hooked.

Congratulations 🎉🎊🍾🎈 on over 200K!!!!! You guys more than earned it!!!!!

OMG I had both the Star Bird and Rom toys and remember having a few of the comics. Nostalgia overload!

Another great video. Good work guys.

As histórias da Marvel, com o Rom, eram mesmo incríveis. Quando ele se encontrava com outros heróis da Marvel, ficava ainda melhor.

I became a fan of ROM when I purchased some old comics of his at a flea market in the early 90's. I did not know there was a toy line.

I got a job at a comic store when I was a kid just so I could get Rom and Spidey comics the second they hit the shelves. I still have all my old comics but my favorites were always the original Rom Marvel series and the team-ups he was featured in.

So glad you did this video! Not too long ago, a neighbor gave me a stack of ROM comics.

Watching a toy ad I watched as a kid in modern times on my handheld space modulat-or is like an out of body experience. Time travelling

I like how the commercial gives us permission to imagine a set number of things.

I remember getting a Rom when I was very young, did not get any other accessories than what the basic figure came with.