Summary

• Skybound's Energon Universe has successfully revitalized the Transformers and G.I. Joe franchises, attracting new fans while delighting old ones by merging them into a single shared continuity.
• The inclusion of surprise appearances and the interconnectedness of the Energon Universe has made both iconic franchises feel more complete and immersive.
• The shocking moments so far, such as Optimus Prime suplexing Starscream and future G.I. Joe leader Duke's first encounter with the Transformers have raised the stakes, generated major fan excitement for the Energon Universe.

Skybound Entertainment shocked the world by announcing they had acquired the G.I. Joe and Transformers licenses last summer, and planned to incorporate them into an epic shared continuity. This began with the debut of new title Void Rivals, and since then, the Energon Universe has been the talk of the comics world.

Skybound’s Energon Universe took the industry by storm in 2023, creating a buzz for the two Hasbro toy-lines that hasn’t been felt in years. With creators like Robert Kirkman, Lorenzo De Felici, Daniel Warren Johnson, Joshua Williamson, Tom Reilly and others contributing, Skybound has ensured the Energon Universe line is one of the very best imprints running. With bold new takes that also keep true to the classic lore of the Hasbro properties, Skybound has G.I. Joe for a new age, creating new fans and delighting the old ones. The argument could be made that 2023 is the year of the Energon Universe, and here are ten reasons why.

10 Optimus Prime Suplexes Starscream

Transformers #1

It may seem like a minor moment in the grand scheme of things, but Optimus Prime putting Starscream in a German suplex in Transformers #1 was a giddy moment that announced to the world that the new era of everyone’s favorite Robots in Disguise was playing by its own rules. It perhaps shouldn’t be surprising given that writer/artist Daniel Warren Johnson is a massive fan of pro wrestling, but adding this unique element to the combat makes this new era of Transformers stand out from previous incarnations immediately. Most importantly, it’s just plain cool to see Optimus Prime fold Starscream in half while throwing him over his back.

9 Void Rivals’ Guest Stars

Void Rivals #1-5

The Energon Universe truly kicked off with the surprise appearance of Jetfire at the end of Void Rivals #1. Robert Kirkman and Lorenzo De Felici’s series subsequently kept the heat coming with further guest appearances, from the furthest reaches of the Transformers universe. A Skuxxoid bounty hunter appeared in Void Rivals #2, while the Quintesson Prosecutor and Judge appeared in subsequent issues. Void Rivals also gave readers a look at present-day Cybertron, revealing Shockwave was left in charge of the ruling Decepticons while the other Cybertronians fled their world to search the universe for more Energon. Keeping the list of guest stars appearing in quick succession held fans’ excitement, while making the Energon Universe feel more complete.

8 Larry Hama Returns To G.I. Joe

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #301

Larry Hama continued his original Marvel Comics run on the classic G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero at IDW for ten years before the series drew to a close with G.I. Joe: ARAH #301. Featuring fantastic artwork from Chris Mooneyham, Hama’s G.I. Joe continuation has never looked better, and it feels right to have the godfather of all things G.I. Joe continuing his forty-year-long run at the franchise's new home.

7 M.A.R.S. Uses Energon To Make Weapons

Duke #1

There’s a reason why the Energon Universe is named after the Transformers’ primary fuel source. Duke #1 provides greater context for the name of the imprint. In a universe where the most valuable resource is Energon, everyone is looking to take advantage of the powerful fuel source, including Destro and his M.A.R.S. Industries. The weapons manufacturer uses Energon to create classic Cobra vehicles like the H.I.S.S. tank and the S.N.A.K.E., further enmeshing the two Hasbro properties together into a unified whole. Given that the Cobra Commander series will see the titular villain on the quest for Energon, it will be most interesting to see what further connections await between Transformers and G.I. Joe.

6 Transformers #1’s Runaway Success

Transformers #1

Skybound created an incredible amount of excitement when they announced the arrival of the Energon Universe over the summer of 2023, a build which paid off when Transformers #1 arrived the following October and broke franchise records. As both a critical and commercial success, Transformers #1 gave the franchise a focus in the comics world it hasn’t had in decades, and the lion’s share of the credit should go to Daniel Warren Johnson. The writer/artist not only created a blistering, high-octane action story, but was careful to ground all the robot action in strictly human , delivering one of the greatest, and most successful, Transformers comics of all time.

5 Duke’s First Appearance

Transformers #2

With Void Rivals and Transformers already out of the gate, fans were eagerly awaiting the Energon Universe debut of G.I. Joe with the publication of the Duke and Cobra Commander miniseries. To hold them over in the meantime, Conrad “Duke” Ha made his first Energon Universe appearance in Transformers #2, where the future Joe leader barely survived an encounter with Starscream. It was an encounter that proved to be incredibly important, as a shaken Duke would later be driven to uncover the secrets of the mysterious alien robots in his own self-titled series, leading him on a path to form the new G.I. Joe organization.

4 Starscream Declares Himself Decepticon Leader

Transformers #1

Ever since the beginning of the franchise in 1984, Megatron has traditionally been depicted as the leader of he Decepticons. Yet when Transformers #1 launched in October 2023, Megatron was nowhere to be found. In his absence, second-in-command Starscream takes over the leadership role, which finally sees the envious lieutenant fulfilling his dream taking over for Megatron. Fans still don’t know where Megatron is in the Energon Universe, as he was apparently thrown from the crash of the Ark spaceship after a brutal battle with Optimus Prime. One thing is for sure: whenever Megatron does make his grand return, it will be most interesting to see if Starscream will willingly step down as Decepticon leader.

3 Duke Goes AWOL

Duke #1

Following his death-defying encounter with Starscream, Duke is desperate to learn the truth about these new alien invaders, but the official line of the U.S. government is that they do not exist. Frustrated with the lack of answers, the future Joe leader goes AWOL in his search for the truth. Defying orders and acting on his own is a major development for Duke’s character, something that is manifested visually in his scraggly new look. Given that Col. Hawk assembles a crack team of future Joe heroes to hunt Duke down at the end of his first issue, it will be most interesting to see how the Energon Universe era of G.I. Joe continues to develop.

2 Bumblebee’s Shocking Death

Transformers #1

Starscream’s cold-blooded murder of a comatose Bumblebee in Transformers #1 was, in many ways, a throwing down of the gauntlet for the fledgling series, and the nascent Energon Universe as a whole. Starting off with the death of a beloved character like Bumblebee raised the stakes in the story immeasurably, setting up a world in which the conflict between the Autobots and Decepticons has devastating consequences. Of course, it’s entirely possible that Bumblebee could be repaired and brought back at some point in the future, but killing the character off right from the jump showed that the stakes in the Energon Universe were going to be higher than ever.

1 Jetfire’s Surprise Appearance

Void Rivals #1

It was the moment that kicked off the whole idea of the Energon Universe, and it’s still amazing to think that Robert Kirkman and co. pulled the surprise off. With no pre-release announcements or press releases ahead of time, Skybound announced they had acquired the Hasbro licenses by having the Transformer Jetfire appear out of nowhere in the final moments of Void Rivals #1, awakened on a distant moon by a pair of stranded pilots from opposite sides of a long-running conflict. This massive surprise – so difficult to pull off in the internet-era – stoked fans excitement for a reboot like little else could.

It’s the type of surprise that has become increasingly rare in our media-saturated world, where publishers announce everything well ahead of time, in an attempt to drive sales numbers of the eventual issues when they are released. Skybound’s decision to provide an unexpected thrill for readers who checked out their new series was a gamble, one that wound up paying off, as the buzz built in the aftermath of Jetfire’s surprise appearance created an incredible surge of excitement for their new imprint, ensuring that the Energon Universe era of Transformers and G.I. Joe would be a success from day one.