Energon Universe - ongoing Transformers and G.I. Joe comics from Skybound

ZakuConvoy

Well-known member
Citizen
August solicitations are out!
bleedingcool.com

Transformers/GI Joe/Void Rivals' Energon Universe August 2025 Solicits

Transformers, GI Joe and Void Rivals of Image/Hasbro/Skybound's Energon Universe are part of Image Comics' August 2025 solicits
bleedingcool.com
bleedingcool.com

Image Comics' August 2025 Full Solicits And Solicitations

Image Comics' August 2025 full solicits, including launches for Escape, Invisible Man, Space Opera Xanadax, Pizza Witch & The Book Of Shame.
bleedingcool.com

And some commentary:
Sounds like we're going inside the Matrix for the end of DWJ's run. That should be interesting. I wonder which batch of past Primes Skybound will take inspiration from? Probably the cartoon ones, but they might surprise us.

Springer versus Proximus! Round 2! Given how the last fight went, I suppose Proximus almost HAS to win this one. Story structure demands it!

Also, the Void Rivals solicitation reveals a spoiler SO shocking, SO mind-blowing, that I'm going to need another layer of spoiler tags for this one! Click ONLY if you DARE!
Skuxxoid LIVES!!! Yeah, I figured from the other books that have been solicited. You can't keep Skuxxoid down! Kirkman loves this character...I guess?

How much do you want to bet that both bisected halves of him will BOTH grow back like a earthworm, and we'll end up with TWO Skuxxoids? I could see it happening. It's either that or Mecha-Skuxxoid, I guess.
 

ZakuConvoy

Well-known member
Citizen
GI Joe #7 and Void Rivals #19 are out!

Let's start with GI Joe first. It's a solid issue. It's mostly one big heist that goes a little sideways. It's a fun, action-packed issue. It doesn't leave you with a lot to talk about. But, you'll probably enjoy the ride while you're on it.

Beach Head makes his first appearance in this universe! This is a big deal, apparently! I dunno, I guess I like him well enough. In this universe, his whole thing is that he's a veteran who's been doing this for years, but doesn't want to retire yet. So, the whole issue he's kind of questioning if he still has the chops to do this sort of stuff. It does give him a bit more character. I like that this issue is partially a character study, in between all the action.

The biggest thing this issue for me is that we finally get a name for "GI Joe Dark". Night Force! Not the most original name But, at least now we have something to call them officially. It only took them over a year. That actually is something from the old toyline. They have their own logo and everything. Neat! I can't wait until "Crazylegs" shows up!

Anyway, Beach Head is after something a millionaire bought from Darklonia. The people who read the Destro miniseries should recognize that name. And, yeah, it turns out to be a BAT. I was actually expecting a Transformers arm or something to be in the box.

"Box 47" is actually a reference to the first Marvel comic that Beach Head ever appeared in, so that's kind of a cute reference. I had to look that up, so I might as well share it.
marvel.fandom.com

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 47

Featured Characters: G.I. Joe Supporting Characters: Antagonists: Cobra Other Characters: Locations: Items: Vehicles: Flint's rescue team is picked up by the W.H.A.L.E. crew, and they haul "Ripcord" on-board, unaware that he is Zartan. The W.H.A.L.E. launches heat-seeker missiles, striking the...
marvel.fandom.com marvel.fandom.com

Dragging the entire box out of the mansion with a semi is pretty EXTREME! Wait..no...that's a different team.

Major Bludd ends up killing his entire crew in fit of rage. So, he's going to have to hire another crew. Normally, I'd say it'd probably be the Dreadnoks, but they seem to have their own thing going on. So, I'm not actually sure who he's talking about.

So...who wants to bet Night Force is going to turn the BAT into a new member of THEIR team? Could Robo-Joe be in our future? Or...something similar to that, anyway. I'm not sure if a repurposed Cobra BAT was ever a Joe before.

I do find it interesting that they mention liking the Dinobots in the letters page. I still feel like there's a plan there. For them AND Snake Eyes.

And now for Void Rivals and...hoo boy! This is a...this is an issue alright. It...it NEEDS to be experienced. Let's put it that way.

I don't want to spoil too much. But, let's just say...the cover isn't a lie. Yeah...we're doing this. There's no going back, now. This is the book now. Better to just get used to that.

So, yeah. Pick this up. I had to read this. So, you all have to, too.

(Seriously, though, it is a pretty solid issue. And there's some interesting ideas in here. Plus...you KNOW this is going to pay off down the line. It's...not boring, at least)

I CALLED THIS! I wish I hadn't! But, I did! Even down to the "regrowing both halves like a earthworm" thing! Just LOOK at my post from last Friday! FEAR ME and my incredibly useless foresight! Why do I only ever correctly predict the STUPIDEST things?!

*HUFF* But, yeah, anyway...Wreck-Gar and the Junkions are in this, too. As is Akronus! Remember Akronus? Dear, sweet Akronus? Cobra-La guy who managed the amazing feat of having a name? Left for dead in Void Rivals #16? No? Not ringing any bells? Well, I guess I can't blame you. I guess Akronus didn't manage to figure out the Rockeroid's controls in time to take control of the ship himself.

Anyway, "our" Skuxxoid has a scar on his face. So, at least we can keep track of him.

And we get that DEEP SKUXXOID LOOOORE that we've all been craving. The Skuxxoid can regrow from any wound, as long as the chunk of him that gets cut off is big enough. That's....disturbing in a number of ways. And good news, it gets worse! Because, the Skuxxoid's wife and child left the original Skuxxoid. NOT this one we've been following. I'm not even sure how long it's been, or how long-lived The Skuxxoid is. But, the original Skuxxoid's memories are always the ones that are strongest, so the Skuxxoid-buds are always losing their recent memories in favor of their old, original ones. GEEZ...I was not expecting this high of a sci-fi concept from the SKUXXOID, of all creatures. But, you could actually really dig into this. There's some real psychological horror gold to be mined here, potentially.

"I am NEVER going to Earth" Hmmm...we shall see about that. I wouldn't be surprised if that Quintesson War they teased in the Free Comic Book Day issue eventually ends up spilling onto Earth.

And then ANOTHER random guy pops up out of nowhere and kidnaps our Skuxxoid...s. Skuxxes? Skuxxoidsies? Whatever. Honestly, this guy kind of looked like he could be someone from some other franchise. I can't quite place him. He does kind of give me "Robo Force" vibes, but that's not it. A robot guy with a monitor for a head. Maybe it just reminds me of Brian K Vaughan's Saga?

'Same Bat-Time! Same Bat-Channel!" I'm surprised they can get away with saying this. But, hey, what DC/Warner doesn't know can't hurt them.

I bet you could probably pick out every Junkion line as actually coming from some real TV show, but I have no idea where some of these lines specifically come from. The Junkions and the Cobra-La guy make a pretty fun unlikely buddy team by the end of the book. Yeah, I could see them coming back, down the line.

"This other one has never eaten!" That's a good point, actually. Man, wait until Skuxxoid #2 tries food. Food's the best!

But, let's take a moment here. All that DEEP SKUXXOID LOOOORE might have you wondering..."Wait, if the Skuxxoid can regenerate himself every time he gets a piece cut off of him, couldn't he like...make an unstoppable army of himselves on purpose?" And I have good news for YOU! YOU think exactly like Robert Kirkman! Because he had the exact same thought!

So, we meet Skuxxoid Alpha and his Super Samurai Skuxxoid Squad! Yeah, I guess this is that original Skuxxoid. Or at least closer to the original than the one we've been following. Seems like a bit of a missed opportunity to call him "Skuxxoid PRIME", but, hey, you can't have everything. And he's built himself a little army. So, I guess we have another faction for that Quintesson War that's coming up.

I do wonder if Skuxxoid Alpha's staff is special? That purple crystal looks like it could do something. But, I don't recognize it from anything. So, who knows?

So, we went from ZERO Skuxxoids to HUNDREDS of Skuxxoids in the course of a single issue. This has been an all-singing, all-dancing Skuxxoid issue! The Skuxxoid's never been LESS dead than he is now! Skuxxoid FOREVER! Skuxxoid and Skuxxoid a thousand years! Kirkman even has a little "apology" in the back explaining why he did this, taking up most of the letters column. But, I'll never forgive. I'll never forget.

...Okay, seriously, this was kind of a fun issue. This...might actually be the best issue of Void Rivals, so far. I hate to admit it but...the Skuxxoid could PROBABLY star in his own ongoing, now. There's enough meat on this bone to at LEAST support a miniseries of his own. And that's...not impossible, given how much Kirkman seems to love this character. You finally did it Kirkman. You made the Skuxxoid interesting to me. Congratulations! Hopefully, you have space on your shelf for that Eisner this issue has probably earned you.
 
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LiamA

Active member
Citizen
1) What was going on with Skuxxoid doesn't surprise me. Kirkman did the same thing in Invincible.

2) Kirkman might not be a Monty Python fan. I didn't notice a Monty Python reference when Wreck-Gar was talking.
 
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