Reinforcements, Part 1

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ROM #5
Reconstruction
ROM 5 subcvrA.jpg
"Reinforcements, Part 1"
Publisher IDW Publishing, Ted Adams
First published November 23, 2016
Cover date November 2016
Written by Chris Ryall and Christos Gage
Line-art by Paolo Villanelli
Colors by Alessandra Alexakis
Letters by Shawn Lee
Editorial assistant David Mariotte

After the Revolution, Rom finds himself more alone than ever before... but not for long.

Synopsis[edit | edit source]

After helping to save Autobot City from a Dire Wraith-empowered Baron Karza, Rom flies away to continue his mission. As he leaves, the Transformers, G.I. Joe, and Action Man reflect on what to do about the Wraith invasion. Each agrees that they should stay on alert, but that they have their own priorities to deal with. As they part ways, Joe member Grunt notices Beach Head sulking. Beachhead says he’s tired of cleaning up after every alien invasion, telling Grunt that they protect the world, not aliens. Grunt says that they have orders from Scarlett, but Beach Head says that if she could, she’d give the order to I.D. a threat and stop it, whether its Rom, the Wraiths, or both. Grunt questions if he means going rogue, to which Beachhead says he means saving their planet.

Meanwhile, in Santa Barbara, California, a duo of Wraiths kill numerous people around the city and assume their form. The Wraiths revel in their new freedom, happy that the Cybertronians killed their superiors. As they discuss plans to “blow up” the town, the taxi cab they stole explodes. Two unseen figures watch from the shadows. One comments to their partner that it was bit extreme, but the other just says it was a good start.

Rom flies back to Cooper’s Mill, the only place he feels any sense of home on Earth. Flying past an army guard stationed at the town, he arrives at the home of Darby Mason to find Camilla Byers, further mutated by the Wraith infection within her. Outside, the guard is dispatched by the figures from earlier as the two make their way toward the Mason home. Rom’s Analyzer reveals that Camilla’s infection is far greater than he anticipated, and that she has two options: Rom can either try to excise the infection without killing her, causing much pain without a guarantee of success, or if she prefers, a quick and painless death. Before Camilla can choose, the Wraith overtakes her and attacks Rom. The Wraith forces Rom outside, with Rom holding back for fear of harming Camilla. Behind him, one of the figures tells him to kill the monster and end it. Rom turns around to see two of his fellow Space Knights: Livia and Orphion, who are here to wipe the planet clean.

Featured characters[edit | edit source]

Characters in italic text appear only in flashbacks.
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Space Knights Dire Wraiths Humans Others

Quotes[edit | edit source]

"Is this our new normal? Robots big and small rampaging across the world while we pick up the pieces?"

Beach Head complaining to Grunt


"You've grown sloppy, Rom. You waste time. Cease toying with this Wraith and end her."

"Then the three of us may do what you should have done from the start... wipe the planet clean."

Orphion and Livia to Rom

Notes[edit | edit source]

Continuity notes[edit | edit source]

  • Per an editor's note, Rom's guest appearance in Revolutionaries #1 occurs before the start of this new storyline. Although the Space Knight's narration alluding to that story is overlaid on the scene of him departing Autobot City, common sense dictates that his trip to Schleteva must fall between that scene and the rest of this issue.
  • Beach Head and Grunt were part of the Joe team that saw Rom kill the Dire Wraith Joe Colton in Revolution #1.
  • The Dire Wraith leaders were killed in the attack on Autobot City in Revolution #4.
  • Orphion and Livia landed on Earth at the end of ROM #4.
  • Rom destroyed all of Cooper's Mill save for Darby Mason's house in ROM #2.
  • Rom first battled Axiom in the ROM: Revolution one-shot.

Errors[edit | edit source]

  • The opening scene of this issue is at odds with the ending of Revolution #5, which saw Rom leave right after the destruction of the spacebridge.
  • Grunt's speech bubble spells Beach Head's codename as one word despite it being two words in all other Revolution-associated stories.

Other Hasbro franchise references[edit | edit source]

  • The sleepy soldier who's "guarding" Cooper's Mill seems to be listening to a Jem and the Holograms song shortly before he's attacked by Orphion and Livia. Oddly enough, the letters page for this issue also states and explains why IDW's Jem comics aren't part of the main IDW-Hasbro universe that ROM is a part of.

Other notes[edit | edit source]

Covers (5)[edit | edit source]

  • Regular cover: Rom kneels on an asteroid, by Bob Layton and Mike Cavallero
  • Subscription cover A: Rom and Orphion, by David Messina.
  • Subscription cover B: A colorful Rom flies away, by Jeffery Veregge.
  • Subscription cover C: Rom flies above the ocean, by Nelson Daniel.
  • Retailer incentive cover: A Dire Wraith with Rom's image in the background, by Nick Percival.

Advertisements[edit | edit source]

  • The Bill Mantlo Support Fund
  • ROM: Vol. 1 Trade Paperback