Rom 17 (Apr 1981) VF/NM (9.0)

Hybrid!

Script: Bill Mantlo (credited) (writer, storyteller); Sal Buscema (credited) (storyteller); Chris Claremont (credited) (consultant)

Pencils: Sal Buscema (credited) (artist)

Inks: Sal Buscema (credited) (artist)

Colors: Barry Grossman (credited as Ben Sean)

Letters: Michael Higgins (credited)

Characters: Rom; the X-Men [Colossus; Nightcrawler; Storm; Wolverine [Logan]; Sprite [Kitty Pryde]; Professor X [Charles Xavier]]; Brandy Clark; Steve Jackson; Dr. John Stennis; Marjorie Marks (also in flashback); Jacob Marks (a Dire Wraith, also in flashback, death); Hybrid [Jimmy Marks] (first appearance, also in flashback); Silas Lane; Jonathan Clark; Sarah Clark

Synopsis: Cerebro detects a powerful new mutant and Professor X sends the X-Men to investigate. Their destination is the town of Clairton where Rom and the town folk are just discovering that many of their friends and neighbors are Dire Wraith's in disguise. They head to the Marks' farm where Jacob confesses that he is a Wraith but is in love with his human wife whom their son, a human/Wraith hybrid has drained almost to death. Rom battles the monstrous Hybrid but, when the X-Men show up and see a killer robot beating on what appears to be a little boy, they decide that Rom is the bad guy.