Sal's Sunday Punch #16

It's been a while, and I have left you without the gloriousness of a Sal Buscema punch. To make up for that I thought I'd post something a little bit special. There's been something of a Hulk/Spider-man bias so far with the Sal Buscema punches. The reason for that is simple -- Sal had a very long relationship with both Spidey and the Hulk, with long runs on Incredible Hulk, Spectacular Spider-Man and the Defenders.

So let's look at a different character with whom Sal had a long and eventful relationship. Rom: Spaceknight!

From Rom #21 by Bill Mantlo and Sal Buscema.

Oooo! ouch, Rom!


Rom #21, from which this is taken, is almost like a backdoor pilot -- an attempt to have a lesser character (in this case the Torpedo, a character who began in the pages of Daredevil) elevated to major player status by mixing it up with a much more popular character.

When he's not punching Rom Torpedo looks a little something like this:

He's really the star of #21. We see him move to Rom's town of Clairton (I don't care to explain how this was Rom's town right now), try to settle in and make friends, only to have his past haunt him. We see him think that Rom is the villain (as you do, in Marvel comics) fight him, and then realise that actually it's the Dire Wraiths who are the enemey (as you do, in Rom stories).

It's a good issue, well worth a read, and is actually part of a two-part story where the Torpedo and Rom  fight Wraiths disguised as Rocketeers in a Virginian high school. It's pretty great stuff.

--Andrew S.
(Plus, what a punch!)