ROM (1979 series) #3

At Project Safeguard in Maryland, hardened criminal Archie Stryker is shown footage of Rom devastating a National Guard unit, then brought before General Sutherland, Senator Carlisle, psychologist Dr. Rachel Sweet, and S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Kevin Kraller. They offer him freedom from his armed robbery charges in exchange for becoming a weapon against Rom. Stryker is taken to Safeguard's secret training facility — called The Farm — where he endures a brutal physical obstacle course. Satisfied with his performance, the team presents him with a gleaming golden suit of cyborg armor and tells him he will be grafted into it. Stryker agrees.

Meanwhile, Brandy Clark drives home to her Clairton apartment, troubled by her belief in Rom and the incomprehension of everyone around her. When she arrives, two men in suits are waiting inside, demanding she come with them to answer questions about Rom. Alarmed, she flees. Steve Jackson, having gone to Brandy's parents' home — Jonathan and Sarah Clark — and learning she has already left, races after her toward Clairton.

On a West Virginia hilltop, Rom uses his Energy Analyzer on a wide-beam sweep and detects an enormous concentration of Dire Wraith activity deep underground. He tunnels into the earth and finds a vast subterranean cavern teeming with Wraiths who are building an interdimensional transporter — designed to pull their banished brethren back from Limbo. Rom activates his Analyzer to confirm their nature, then attacks with his Neutralizer, banishing wave after wave of Wraiths to Limbo. The surviving Wraiths, stripped of their weapons and sorcery in human disguise, can only try to warn Safeguard before Rom hurls an equipment vehicle into the transporter's dish, demolishing it. The energy surge tears through the cavern and erupts skyward through a transmission tower, knocking out electricity across West Virginia.

Back in Clairton, Steve finds Brandy's apartment ransacked by the power surge and races toward the cavern. In the subterranean ruins, Rom stands amid the ashes of the banished Wraiths when a blast of intense golden flame strikes him from behind. He recognizes it instantly — the Living Fire of Galador, the most powerful energy source of his homeworld, once wielded by one of the greatest Spaceknights. He searches the blazing armor for a familiar face, crying out the name of his old comrade: Karas. But the voice that answers rings with hatred, not recognition. The armored figure identifies himself as Archie Stryker — and tells Rom to call him Firefall.