The Energon Universe is set in the present.[citation needed] The franchise name makes reference to the substance that Transformers need to survive.[3]
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.[4]
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.[5]
Publication history
Background and development
Void Rivals co-creator and writer Robert Kirkman acts as "showrunner" of the EU comic line.[6]
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.[1] Kirkman and De Felici had previously worked together in another comic titled Oblivion Song.[9]
Since that day, Skybound officially announced to have gained the comic book licenses of Transformers and G.I. Joe.[6]
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."[10]
Michael J. Kelly, who was 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.”[10]
Void Rivals is followed by a Transformers ongoing series and four G.I. Joe limited series.[11] Kirkman also brought up the possibility of adding other brands from Hasbro in the future.[12] He also confirmed there are no plans to have more than four series running at once.[citation needed]
Distribution and localization
In January 2024, Moztros (a publisher from Spain) announced to have gained the rights to distribute Spanish translations of the franchise.[13][14]
