Rom Spaceknight was my all time favorite comic book growing up. It was the first comic that I really followed as a kid and looking back it still holds up very well. I remember the ad for the toy in the back of comic books, but never even seen one in any store (and believe me I did look). From what I heard the toy was a flop here, but the comic itself found a loyal following.
1:08 you can even imagine his respirator lets him breathe in any atmosphere! Kid:(while looking around smugly, thinking that he is such a badass) *I too like to live dangerously*
Thanks for this one, Mr. Tony! Remember seeing ads of Rom in Marvel Comics. Had Marvel Comics' Rom #1. He hailed from planet Galador and as his series was integrated into the Marvel Universe, he faced Galactus, the Hulk and later teamed up with the Avengers & Fantastic 4. His accessories were the Translator, the Energy Analyzer (which allows him to identify the Dire Wraiths), and the Neutralizer, his main weapon. At 13inches, he is at least compatible with Mego's Energized Spider-Man and Green Goblin. He can also be used with Mattel's Shogun Warriors. (Speaking of which, please consider a video on the Shoguns.) Never knew of the British variant. Thanks.
I remember this toy, it wasn't common and only kids with "well heeled" parents got this toy back then. Those same few lucky kids were also the ones that had every Micronauts toy too!
My gosh! My older brother had this toy. I played with it when he outgrew it. To me, he was usually a combatant against my rubber Godzilla. You have the best channel on RUclips!
I never had this toy but I did collect the comic book series, cool series. Wish they had made smaller figures of ROM and the dire wraiths, they are cool looking characters.
Another great video Tony!!!!! I just found a complete rom. This is one of my favorites from childhood. Didn't know about his palitoy history. Makes him that much cooler!!! Keep up the great work my man!!!!!
Great video ! Brings back a lot of happy memories, loved the toy and the comics, the comic made an appearance in Robocop when the thief picks one of Rom's comics in the market
Looks like a Cylon from Battlestar Galactica,, I remember having a 12” Cylon action figure back in the early 80’s which also had a light-up laser gun and moving eye.
You can imagine...I was pleasantly surprised you obtained one for this video Tony, the most successful comic, which run for 6 years, to one of the least successful toys ever I believe, Thanks a lot.
I never had ROM but I did receive a Star Bird spaceship that had similar electronic features. I’m pretty sure the same person that designed ROM also designed Star Bird for Milton Bradley.
So this is kind of the final form of Mattel's Capt Laser who became the base of the Battlestar Galactica large Cylon and Colonial Warrior figures. Pretty nice, would be awesome to have one actually chromed instead of grey plastic.
Very cool toy! Love your brand of play time archaeology. And interesting choices on the way you're altering your presentation here. Good luck with everything Tony.
I had one and collected all the comics. I'm pretty sure the single handheld device was the analyzer because he used that in the comics. I don't recall him ever using the huge two-handled translator in the comic.
I have always heard if this toy, but I've never seen one. Didn't know it had so many features. Pretty sure I would have driven my parents crazy if I ever owned one.
If only Parker Bros. had collaborated more with Marvel and made toys based on the Dire Wraiths and supporting characters from the comics... I loved the comic book so much but didn't really feel like asking my parents to get me a ROM toy if there weren't also the staple of villains and other characters to go along with it for a full re-enactment.
"Which means all you guys must be evil." I laughed at that joke way harder than I should have! 😂 This was one of those toys I always saw when I was a kid and always wanted...but never picked up.
I had one, I think my Dad got it for me at a Radio Shack. This is the first I’ve seen anyone give ROM any real clout, thanks AT! edit: now we need one on TOBOR, lol
I remember seeing ROM on the Action Man product posters and wanting one soooo badly. I never got one tho - the closest I got are a couple of early Rom comics.
This video brought back some great memories of the ROM comics as I collected those instead of the toys. As a result, I found a great ROM omnibus online and ordered it. Thanks for sharing.
“... let him breathe in any atmosphere!? ...” -I had always thought he was a robot space knight, not a flesh and blood humanoid in a suit. whoa. heheh Great video and an awesome action figure.
For what it's worth, the Marvel comics mad him a cyborg. It was actually a heavy running theme. That he gave up being a normal person in order to protect his planet. That he was fighting for his people, but was isolated from them. Later, Marvel would adopt a similar theme with Beta Ray Bill.
No mention of the recent IDW comic? I highly doubt he'll be in the MCU as he was already in Hasbro's shared universe, that IDW completely failed with. Great video though, I never knew much about ROM, so this video was very informative.
I loved my ROM toy. He fit well as a giant visiting my Star Wars crew. He was an ally fighting the bigger toys like Jaws (trapjaw game) and Shogun Godzilla. I liked that he could almost peek into the top floor of the Death Star. But, alas. Being a curious and inventive kid, I cut the wires leading to the 9-volt connector and wrapped them each around a paper clip. My goal was to plug ROM into a wall outlet using the paperclips as the prongs. I know, I know. I'm lucky to be alive. I inserted a paperclip into the first outlet hole and then used something to nudge the second one in. Well, old ROM's eyes flared like the Sun for a moment and then went forever dark. One of the paperclips shot out of the outlet. The experiment was a success, I suppose.
Great Rom review, Tony! Sadly, Marvel Comics let the publication rights for Rom go to the independent publishers IDW a few years ago and although new Rom comic books are now being published, they haven't been very successful! Marvel refused permission for IDW to use the Dire Wraiths as depicted in the Marvel Comics and so they had to create new versions, which upset the Rom fans!
Hi Tony how u been hope has been well.As a boy I only had a bunch of ROM comics never the toy.This toy would've made a great present.Was Rom rivals with Ultron?Be safe be blessed take care everyone.
Vincent Franklin, your avatar is causing me nostalgic memories of late 70’s early 80’s adverts that used Marvel comics characters, that bright yellow background and bright Spider-Man are awesome!
Yeah, a couple Dire Wraiths, Torpedo, Hybrid, and one or two other space knights would have been super cool. Oh, and it was a Marvel comic in the 80s, so you gotta have Rick Jones too 😁
The only toy I had like this was a starbird space ship it had similar sounds I remember seen this on the toy selves in the early 8os when everything went sci fi like Britain’s toy soldiers and action man
Wow, what a cool toy... I must admit, I don't remember that one. Oh and I am sat here watching this whilst stroking a cat sat in my lap.... and THAT is why ROM "bonged" twice!! haha
@@AnalogToys ohhh I see I only knew of ROM from reading they Marvel comic line back in the 80's and he used the one handed analyzer, to detect the dire wraiths, and i think he might have used the two handed translator once or twice the whole run.
I remember seeing this figure at store, but not there now, and I have the marvel comic based on this character though, and I have some those comics too, and so does my cofounder and friend Jeff💁🏻♂💯.
After all, if ROM entered the MCU, lets not forget the last time a Sci Fi themed comic from too long ago for anyone to remember did, the Guardians of the Galaxy, look how successful if was, so you never know if lightening could strike twice
Rom was part of Action Man?! Mind blown.
I got both ROM and the Palitoy Millennium Falcon for Christmas '81...BEST Christmas ever!
I had him.Good times.
My brother and I each had one. It was really cool and so were the Marvel comics. We played with them so much they fell apart.
Great demonstration of a working ROM I've ever seen I've only ever seen 2 in person and neither of them work
The comic book was awesome. I collected it from issue #1 until 15 or so. One-hundred percent believable story too! : )
Cool! One of my favorite comics growing up!!!😊😊😊
ROM is such an awesome toy!
I had one! Got it at Christmas with some Battlestar Galactica toys 1979 or 80
I haven't heard those sounds in 40 years. Thanks for the nostalgic memories.
Glad you enjoyed it
I received one in 79 for my birthday as I was lying in a hospital bed after my open heart surgery. Still have him in his well played with condition.
Rom Spaceknight was my all time favorite comic book growing up. It was the first comic that I really followed as a kid and looking back it still holds up very well. I remember the ad for the toy in the back of comic books, but never even seen one in any store (and believe me I did look). From what I heard the toy was a flop here, but the comic itself found a loyal following.
Cool item indeed
Well done!
1:08 you can even imagine his respirator lets him breathe in any atmosphere!
Kid:(while looking around smugly, thinking that he is such a badass)
*I too like to live dangerously*
Never saw the toy..... but loved the Comics.:)
Wow! You still have that 41-year old toy and still in working condition.
I had no idea you could program him. Definitely a cool piece of toy history.
I still have mine after 40 years. Yes not complete but he still works. I have Damn near mummified in storage.
I don't remember having so much fun as an adult toy collector as when i first got my ROM and learnt how to work him.
That is cool. I would have loved to have that as a kid.
Thanks for this one, Mr. Tony! Remember seeing ads of Rom in Marvel Comics. Had Marvel Comics' Rom #1. He hailed from planet Galador and as his series was integrated into the Marvel Universe, he faced Galactus, the Hulk and later teamed up with the Avengers & Fantastic 4. His accessories were the Translator, the Energy Analyzer (which allows him to identify the Dire Wraiths), and the Neutralizer, his main weapon. At 13inches, he is at least compatible with Mego's Energized Spider-Man and Green Goblin. He can also be used with Mattel's Shogun Warriors. (Speaking of which, please consider a video on the Shoguns.)
Never knew of the British variant. Thanks.
My older brother collected the ROM comic books. I believe he still has them.
I got this when I was 7 years old, one of the most unforgettable toys I got for Christmas that year.
I never saw one in stores as a kid but wanted one desperately. This is the first time I've actually heard the noises he makes. Awesome!!!!
I remember this toy, it wasn't common and only kids with "well heeled" parents got this toy back then. Those same few lucky kids were also the ones that had every Micronauts toy too!
Absolutely awesome thanks for covering this uniquely complex for the 70s figure
The only kid I knew with a ROM got it thrown away because his grandma thought it was "demonic". I'm fairly certain he holds a grudge to this day.
Hah! That sounds like when I pulled the arms and legs off my Bionic Man and my grandfather thought I'd broken him and superglued them back on!
AS HE SHOULD!!!! LOL
Brilliant video! I had this toy as a child. Loved it. Brings back cherished memories.
My gosh! My older brother had this toy. I played with it when he outgrew it. To me, he was usually a combatant against my rubber Godzilla.
You have the best channel on RUclips!
Thank you!
I never had this toy but I did collect the comic book series, cool series. Wish they had made smaller figures of ROM and the dire wraiths, they are cool looking characters.
There is a smaller 80s GI Joe scaled ROM that’s apparently a Convention exclusive.
The comic book ad was the closest I got to the toy. The comic series is pretty good too.
wow! never seen one powered up, oh to be a child again (not that's stopping me getting one) thanks for sharing
Another great video Tony!!!!! I just found a complete rom. This is one of my favorites from childhood. Didn't know about his palitoy history. Makes him that much cooler!!! Keep up the great work my man!!!!!
Great video ! Brings back a lot of happy memories, loved the toy and the comics, the comic made an appearance in Robocop when the thief picks one of Rom's comics in the market
I didn't know that, thanks for sharing!
Looks like a Cylon from Battlestar Galactica,, I remember having a 12” Cylon action figure back in the early 80’s which also had a light-up laser gun and moving eye.
Thanks for the review...
My pleasure
I only knew one kid who had a Rom figure. A few years later I got into the comic which made me a fan for life.
I believe Hasbro did a 3.75' version of Rom in an IDW boxset comic con exclusive a few years back...along with a Dire Wraith.
You can imagine...I was pleasantly surprised you obtained one for this video Tony, the most successful comic, which run for 6 years, to one of the least successful toys ever I believe, Thanks a lot.
I never had ROM but I did receive a Star Bird spaceship that had similar electronic features. I’m pretty sure the same person that designed ROM also designed Star Bird for Milton Bradley.
Great review! Rom is pretty stellar. He looks great with the Space Rangers. See you in the next one, thanks Tony!
You bet
So this is kind of the final form of Mattel's Capt Laser who became the base of the Battlestar Galactica large Cylon and Colonial Warrior figures. Pretty nice, would be awesome to have one actually chromed instead of grey plastic.
Yeah chrome would be cool!
Very cool toy! Love your brand of play time archaeology. And interesting choices on the way you're altering your presentation here. Good luck with everything Tony.
Thanks Brian!
It's funny Rom was in Action Man since Hasbro 40 years later made a modern G I Joe scale Rom figure for the SDCC exclusive box set.
I had one and collected all the comics. I'm pretty sure the single handheld device was the analyzer because he used that in the comics. I don't recall him ever using the huge two-handled translator in the comic.
I believe he did use the translator, just not often. He really only needed to use it once for languages he didn't know.
I have always heard if this toy, but I've never seen one. Didn't know it had so many features. Pretty sure I would have driven my parents crazy if I ever owned one.
If only Parker Bros. had collaborated more with Marvel and made toys based on the Dire Wraiths and supporting characters from the comics... I loved the comic book so much but didn't really feel like asking my parents to get me a ROM toy if there weren't also the staple of villains and other characters to go along with it for a full re-enactment.
"Which means all you guys must be evil."
I laughed at that joke way harder than I should have! 😂
This was one of those toys I always saw when I was a kid and always wanted...but never picked up.
Great video mate👍
I had one, I think my Dad got it for me at a Radio Shack. This is the first I’ve seen anyone give ROM any real clout, thanks AT!
edit: now we need one on TOBOR, lol
Great review Tony!👍😁
This is something I would have loved as a kid! It looks great😁
Thanks Bill!
Excellent as ever. Thank you.
IDW comics are currently doing a run of comics based on ROMs adventures
I remember the comic.
I remember seeing ROM on the Action Man product posters and wanting one soooo badly. I never got one tho - the closest I got are a couple of early Rom comics.
Great review, I didn’t even realize there was a ROM toy
I loved the comic as a kid but could never find this toy. Kids today as so fortunate with their internet and all.
Still have mine with all parts, works great. I even saved a few of the comic issues.
Brilliant Tony, I never had one, but always wanted one.
This video brought back some great memories of the ROM comics as I collected those instead of the toys. As a result, I found a great ROM omnibus online and ordered it. Thanks for sharing.
I love the comics from Marvel. Only found abput the toy past year, it is amazing.
“... let him breathe in any atmosphere!? ...”
-I had always thought he was a robot space knight, not a flesh and blood humanoid in a suit. whoa. heheh
Great video and an awesome action figure.
For what it's worth, the Marvel comics mad him a cyborg. It was actually a heavy running theme. That he gave up being a normal person in order to protect his planet. That he was fighting for his people, but was isolated from them. Later, Marvel would adopt a similar theme with Beta Ray Bill.
Interesting video thank you. I have a ROM figure. Needs some attention and no accessories but i'll find them one day .
I was a huge ROM fan in the 80's and didn't even know this existed. I used to pretend my GoBots command center was ROM.
Horzzo u lucky at least u had a Gobot command center.I never had that or ROM? I had a stack of ROM comics only.
I could've sworn they used to have ads for the toy in the comic itself.
Great video! Good memories! Thanks Tony!
If I could go back in time and tell myself to box up all of my toys...
Hey Tony, I noticed you have a tattoo of The Saint on your hand, nice.
ROM is the most noble character that was in Marvel comics! ROM LIVES! [: ] ÷=---------vreeeeeeeet------
Never got one back in the day [As I was more into Star Wars] remember thinking "his arms look weedy and he has froggy feet"
No mention of the recent IDW comic? I highly doubt he'll be in the MCU as he was already in Hasbro's shared universe, that IDW completely failed with. Great video though, I never knew much about ROM, so this video was very informative.
I got ROM, the action figure of Alien and the Star Wars Droid Factory for my birthday one year.
I loved my ROM toy. He fit well as a giant visiting my Star Wars crew. He was an ally fighting the bigger toys like Jaws (trapjaw game) and Shogun Godzilla.
I liked that he could almost peek into the top floor of the Death Star.
But, alas. Being a curious and inventive kid, I cut the wires leading to the 9-volt connector and wrapped them each around a paper clip. My goal was to plug ROM into a wall outlet using the paperclips as the prongs. I know, I know. I'm lucky to be alive. I inserted a paperclip into the first outlet hole and then used something to nudge the second one in.
Well, old ROM's eyes flared like the Sun for a moment and then went forever dark. One of the paperclips shot out of the outlet. The experiment was a success, I suppose.
Great video! Thank you. One of my favorite Marvel heroes
kinda wanted it, family said no, no one i knew had one so i never got to check one out.
seemed somewhat along the same idea of the starbird toys
Great Rom review, Tony!
Sadly, Marvel Comics let the publication rights for Rom go to the independent publishers IDW a few years ago and although new Rom comic books are now being published, they haven't been very successful! Marvel refused permission for IDW to use the Dire Wraiths as depicted in the Marvel Comics and so they had to create new versions, which upset the Rom fans!
Wished I got this back in the day. I had the comic series
The key phrase " you can imagine" imagination was soo great as a kid.. not sure todays kids really have that...
Agreed!
I can imagine Rom watching that old advert and feeling like Buzz Lightyear.😂”You can “imagine” Rom doing...”
I'm only missing the light bulb on the wire accessory. Wish I could find one
Ahead of it's time hope they make the movie
Awesome video!
Thanks
Buddy had one. Was the coolest thing, but don't think we realized it was programmable.
I still have mine in a box and my original broken toy lol . I wish i could send pictures to you .
How about a video on Muton and Cyborg? I have Muton. Great box art
Hi Tony how u been hope has been well.As a boy I only had a bunch of ROM comics never the toy.This toy would've made a great present.Was Rom rivals with Ultron?Be safe be blessed take care everyone.
The Marvel comic outlived the action figure. I wanted one myself, but I was too old.
Vincent Franklin, your avatar is causing me nostalgic memories of late 70’s early 80’s adverts that used Marvel comics characters, that bright yellow background and bright Spider-Man are awesome!
This toy has that design that reeks of the late 70's or early 80's and I love it!!! Any idea how much one would cost me on average?
No idea
@@AnalogToys I'll check Ebay then
Too bad they only intended this to be a one-off. Would've loved to have seen a couple more figures alongside ROM.
Yeah, a couple Dire Wraiths, Torpedo, Hybrid, and one or two other space knights would have been super cool. Oh, and it was a Marvel comic in the 80s, so you gotta have Rick Jones too 😁
Needs Starshine!
@@TheACcam Yes! Both versions!
I seem to recall Toyfare magazine mentioning at one point they did design a Dire Wraith figure which never got made.
The only toy I had like this was a starbird space ship it had similar sounds I remember seen this on the toy selves in the early 8os when everything went sci fi like Britain’s toy soldiers and action man
George Aitken I had Starbird myself which I believe was made by Milton Bradley. I also had the Big Trak that you could program.
I would love Hasbro to get back the license , and make a figure . They could do one wave . It would fly off shelves
I JUST picked him up in LA and its an Amazigh toy. I got his weapons and he works BUT no wire. Easy to find a replacement.
Where do you get a replacement wire? Thanks!
man I had almost the whole comic series of Rom...I really wanted to get this figure...
Wow, what a cool toy... I must admit, I don't remember that one.
Oh and I am sat here watching this whilst stroking a cat sat in my lap.... and THAT is why ROM "bonged" twice!! haha
you have the analyzer and Universal translator switched, In the Marvel comic, he mostly never used the two handed translater.
Parker Brothers was inconsistent with what they call the accessories. www.theoldrobots.com/images79/SpaceKnight-20.JPG
Thanks Tim, thats the exact image I used in my research!
@@AnalogToys ohhh I see I only knew of ROM from reading they Marvel comic line back in the 80's and he used the one handed analyzer, to detect the dire wraiths, and i think he might have used the two handed translator once or twice the whole run.
IDW, for reasons I don't know, somehow managed to bring Rom into the Aligned continuity of the Transformers multiverse.
I remember seeing this figure at store, but not there now, and I have the marvel comic based on this character though, and I have some those comics too, and so does my cofounder and friend Jeff💁🏻♂💯.
Cofounder of what?
Great vid, great memories (u got analyzer and translator mixed)
Parker Brothers was inconsistent with what they called the accessories. www.theoldrobots.com/images79/SpaceKnight-20.JPG
After all, if ROM entered the MCU, lets not forget the last time a Sci Fi themed comic from too long ago for anyone to remember did, the Guardians of the Galaxy, look how successful if was, so you never know if lightening could strike twice
It felt like it was advertised in every comic book. I don't remember how much it was?