Energon Universe

"Energon Universe"
Official logo.
Publisher	Skybound Entertainment (Image Comics)
Publication date	June 2023 – present
Genre	Science fiction
Main character(s)	Original brands: Void Rivals Returning brands: G.I. Joe Transformers

Featuring characters from Transformers and G.I. Joe, alongside original intellectual properties, the franchise is the successor of the Hasbro Comic Book Universe by IDW Publishing (2005–2018).

The Energon Universe is set in the present (modern era); the franchise name makes reference to the substance that Transformers need to survive.

In the Sacred Ring, there is a war between Agorrians 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 other war between Autobots and Decepticons on Cybertron expands to Earth, leading to the foundation of G.I. Joe and Cobra in response. A chain of events will cause all those factions to fight against each other, changing the fate of humanity (and the universe) forever.

 

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 imprint of Image Comics, was in talks with Hasbro to acquire those licenses. Skybound would officially announce it in June 2023.

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 J. Kelly, who was Vice President of Global Publishing on Hasbro until December 2023, 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. Kirkman also brought up the possibility of adding other action brands from Hasbro in the future, and confirmed that they will not have more than four series running at once.

Distribution and localization

Ongoing series

Limited series

One-shots