Publishers / Marvel / Rom (1979) / #18
18May 1981
$0.50; 0.50 CAD

Rom #18

Marvel · May 1981 · on sale 1981-02-17

First appearance: The Thing2 variants
Buy it now on eBay ›Graded copies ›
How to read this file
  • Every claim on this page traces to a public bibliographic record; the sources are listed at the bottom of the file.
  • A first-appearance badge means this is the earliest non-flashback appearance on record in this database.
  • Buy links are eBay affiliate links. They never change what the record says.

Identification plate

Series
Rom (Marvel, 1979 series)
Issue
#18
Publication date
May 1981
Key date
1981-05-00
On-sale date
1981-02-17
Indicia publisher
Marvel Comics Group
Price
$0.50; 0.50 CAD
Pages
36
Rating
Approved by the Comics Code Authority

Match the book in your hand against this plate before paying an edition-specific price.

Why this issue matters

First appearance of The Thing - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

The evidence

Claims here come from the story records for this issue, listed under Sources at the bottom of the file. Character hubs with full evidence tables are coming to this site.

Contents

SeqStoryTypePagesCreditsCharacters
0The Horror Called... Hybrid!cover1pencils: Frank Miller; inks: Terry Austin; colors: George RoussosColossus, Hybrid, Logan, Ororo Munroe, Nightcrawler, Piotr Rasputin, Rom, Storm, Kurt Wagner, Wolverine
2And a Child Shall Deceive Them!comic story22script: Bill Mantlo, Sal Buscema, Chris Claremont, Jo Duffy; pencils: Sal Buscema; inks: Milgrom, Giacoia, Sal Buscema; colors: Ben Sean; letters: M. HigginsColossus, Hybrid, Logan, Ororo Munroe, Nightcrawler, Kitty Pryde, Piotr Rasputin, Rom, Sprite, Storm, Kurt Wagner, Wolverine
4-promo (ad from the publisher)1letters: typeset
8An Important Announcement to All New Subscribers!promo (ad from the publisher)1letters: ?; typesetBen Grimm, The Thing
9Look Who Won Some Big Bucks!promo (ad from the publisher)1letters: typesetBruce Banner, Hulk, Stan Lee, Peter Parker, Spider-Man
11-promo (ad from the publisher)0.5The Thing First
13-letters page0.7script: Bill Mantlo, Allen Milgrom, Jack Abel
14-in-house column0.3letters: typeset

Plus 8.5 pages of advertisements and other matter across 10 sequences, as published.

Printings and variants

EditionHow to tell
Newsstandprice 0.50 USD; barcode 0714860232305
Britishprice 0.20 GBP

Where to read it

CollectionYear
Rom and the X-Men: Marvel Tales #12024On eBay ›
Rom: The Original Marvel Years Omnibus #1
ISBN 978-1-302-95671-4		2023On eBay ›
Rom: The Original Marvel Years Omnibus #1
ISBN 978-1-302-95672-1		2023On eBay ›
Rom Epic Collection: The Original Marvel Years #1
ISBN 978-1-302-96108-4		2025On eBay ›

Reading the story costs a fraction of owning the issue. Both routes are on every file.

Before you buy

  • Check the price box: Marvel ran 30-cent and 35-cent test-market price variants in 1976-77.
  • Canadian and Whitman editions exist for many bronze books; match the barcode area to the plate.
  • Look for Mark Jewelers inserts and date stamps - they affect collector preference, not authenticity.

Series context

‹ #1718 of 75#19 ›

Sources

Found an error in this file? corrections@comicrecord.com