Energon Universe

"Energon Universe"
250x450px Official logo.
Publisher	Skybound Entertainment (Image Comics) Hasbro (licensor)
Publication date	June 2023 – present
Genre	Science fiction
Main character(s)	G.I. Joe Transformers Void Rivals

[[Category:Science fiction comics|]]

The Energon Universe (EU) is an ongoing American comic book franchise and shared fictional universe created and published by Skybound Entertainment, an imprint of Image Comics, in collaboration with Hasbro. Featuring characters from Transformers and G.I. Joe, alongside original properties, the franchise is a successor of the Hasbro Comic Book Universe by IDW Publishing (2005–2018).

Publication history

Background

Before IDW Publishing lost the licenses to produce Transformers and G.I. Joe comics at the end of 2022, in December 2021, it was reported that Skybound Entertainment (an Image Comics company) was in talks to acquire those licenses.

Development

The Energon Universe debuted on June 14, 2023, with the original series Void Rivals, written by Robert Kirkman, drawn by Lorenzo De Felici and colored by Matheus Lopes. Kirkman and De Felici had previously worked together in another comic titled Oblivion Song.

Kirkman said, "It’s a tremendous honor to be able to reintroduce this world to a new audience under the Skybound banner. I’ve loved these characters for most of my life and to have the opportunity to add to the already rich tapestry Hasbro has built with the all-new Void Rivals is an unbelievable opportunity. If you look at everything done with Transformers and G.I. Joe, you can see the inkling of a vast universe with tremendous potential for crossovers and interaction that will enhance the fan experience while staying true to the individual identities of both concepts. I look forward to exploring that potential for years to come."

Michael Kelly, Vice President of Global Publishing on Hasbro, added, “When we first discussed plan for the surprise reveal in Void Rivals #1, I never expected it would be a secret we could keep for over a year. Now that it is finally here, we are all excited to finally be able to talk about all the amazing stories to come from our great new partners at Skybound.”

Void Rivals is followed by a Transformers ongoing series and four G.I. Joe limited series.

Setting

In the Sacred Ring, there is a war between Angorrians and Zertonians. When two rivals named Darak and Solila crash on a mysterious planetoid, they must work together in order to survive. In the process, they learn a secret that will change everything they believed about their war.

Meanwhile, the war between Autobots and Decepticons on Cybertron expands to Earth, leading to the foundation of G.I. Joe and Cobra in response.

List of works

2023

Title	Issue(s)	Premiere date	Finale date	Note(s)	Ref.
Void Rivals	1–	June 14, 2023	Present	Original series.
Transformers (vol. 4)		October 4, 2023
Duke	1–5	December 27, 2023	TBA

2024

Title	Issue(s)	Premiere date	Finale date	Note(s)	Ref.
Cobra Commander	1–5	January 17, 2024	TBA

Release order

1. Void Rivals #1–4
2. Transformers #1

Reception

Title	Critic rating	Critic reviews	Ref.
Void Rivals	8.4/10	39
Transformers (vol. 4)	9.0/10	13

See also

• Hasbro Universe
  • Hasbro Comic Book Universe (2005–2018)
• List of comics based on Hasbro properties