IDW - Rom #11

Title: Long Roads to Ruin Part 1

Plot and Script by: Christos Gage and Chris Ryall

Art by: David Messina and Guy Dorian Sr. (Side Story)

Inks by: Michele Pasta and Sal Busema (Side Story)

Colours by: Alessandra Alexakis

Letters by: Shawn Lee

Editorial Assist by: David Mariotte

Edited by: Carlos Guzman

Publisher: Ted Adams

Plot

Orphion has tasked Livia and Rom with flying around Earth to analyse and deal with the Wraith situation, whilst he deals with some mysterious secret business, which totally does not seem dodgy... Despite his earlier hopes, Rom sees that Livia has become  blood-thirsty and just wants to take out the Wraiths regardless of the situation, so Rom decides to show her a different way,,,

The duo soon locate a cruise boat, where a couple of Wraiths are busy posing as being retired, Livia approaches them, and prepares to kill them on sight. Rom takes her away, but reveals that he does plan to kill them. Rom uses his Translator to spy on the Wraiths, revealing that they were there for a reason, and learn who they are going to warn about the Knights being there, then proceeds to kill them, with no collateral damage. Before they can act on their new information though, a giant Wraith squid grabs them from the water, and drags them under.....

Meanwhile, in Rhode Island, Ruan and Darby begin their mission against the Dire Wraiths, by breaking into a storage facility they control, so Ruan can steal a severed Solstar Knight arm from them, so Darby can use it to identify Wraiths by herself, however in the process, Ruan kills himself to get the arm, leaving her on her own again...

At Pismo Beach Medial Centre, a couple of Wraith cops "visit" Camilla, intending to put her out of her misery due to her rejecting her Wrait, but as they attack her, Camilla accidentally activates her now inert Wraith powers and defeats the duo, freaking her out, and leading her to run away.

Battle Scars Part 1

Rom is flying around Earth, looking for Wraiths to kill, when he remembers his old friend Fy-Laa, and of a mission they went on to the planet Verdulun-5, where upon touch down, Fy-Laa is enveloped by a gelatinous substance, that appears to be cleaning any impurities on his armour. Rom however discovers that there are Dire Wraith life signs around them, which the substance confirms, as it announces that it is both a Wraith and the indigenous life of this planet.....

Characters

Solstar Order

Orphion

Rom

Livia

Fy-Laa (Battle Scars Only)

Dire Wraith

Ruan Sablik Likely killed when getting Fallen Knight's arm

Squid Wraith

Gelatinous Wraiths (Battle Scars only)

Retired Wraiths Killed by Rom

Warehouse Wraiths Killed by Darby and Ruan

Wraith Cops Defeated by Camilla

Wraith Priest (Mentioned) Dead

Human

Darby Mason

Camilla Byers

GI Joe (Mentioned)

Notes

• This issue features the first "Tales of the Solstar Order" side stories...YAY!
• What is Orphion's "true business" all about? Could it have something to do with the upcoming First Strike crossover?
• This is the first issue that I've read since it was announced that post First Strike we're getting a joint Micronauts and Rom comic...let's keep an eye out for bug sized cameos from here on!
• So...Ruan's big plan is to loudly break into a warehouse with his human buddy, then kill himself to give her a severed Space Knight arm with no knowledge on how to work it? Good fella!
• Also, speaking of the arm, I'm pretty sure that's Fy-Laa's arm, aka Rom's likely former partner and best friend along with Livia before their joining the Solstar Order.
• So...if we take it at face value, one of the Wraith cops implies that he had sex with Camilla in the past...I guess he can keep up his human guise whilst....um...climaxing?
• Despite having the Dire Wraith removed from her body, it seems that it's presence has left her body altered to be a Human-Wraith hybrid
• So...there's a giant squid Wraith.....HIDE!!!!