Reports on Reddit have emerged that certain blind bag copies of the first issue of Skybound’s new M.A.S.K. series contain an unannounced ROM one-shot by Void Rivals writer Robert Kirkman, artist Lorenzo De Felici, colorist Mat Lopes, and letterer Rus Wooton. You can check out the cover courtesy of Reddit users, who’ve shared pictures of their copies below:
Pulled this from the mask blindbags
byu/Glum-Cucumber7825 inEnergonUniverse
SPOILER IS JOINING THE EU
byu/Flashy_Curve_43 inEnergonUniverse
Rom the Space Knight, to use his full name, was a toy that debuted from Parker Brothers (now owned by Energon Universe licensor Hasbro) in 1979. The character is a cybernetic Space Knight from the planet Galador, who gave up his “humanity” to battle the evil Dire Wraiths. He subsequently debuted in a Marvel Comics series that year, by Bill Mantlo and the late Sal Buscema, that ran until 1986, and then in IDW’s version of the Hasbro Universe from 2016 to 2020.
The character’s apparent Energon Universe debut is something of a surprise, because while Skybound gained the rights to other Hasbro properties like Transformers and G.I. Joe, the rights to Rom had instead seemingly returned to Marvel, who printed an omnibus of his classic appearances in 2024. Hasbro also released a new toy of Rom, based on Busema’s design, in the Marvel Legends range last year.
The surprise drop echoes how the Energon Universe itself was announced in the pages of Void Rivals #1 three years ago, with reports of Skybound’s acquisition of the comics rights to Hasbro’s properties having initially gone unconfirmed by the imprint. Kirkman has form in this respect, having previously dropped Die!Die!Die! #1, and what turned out to be the final issue of The Walking Dead, without any prior warning.
With any luck, Rom’s apparent addition will lead to him making his first-ever animated appearance in the currently planned Energon Universe cartoon. M.A.S.K. #1 is out now.
