Energon Universe - ongoing Transformers and G.I. Joe comics from Skybound
- Thread starter SHIELD Agent 47
- Start date
Speedrunning Bumblebee's early years there.
Ratchet (or whoever): "We used a Nucleon-powered Pretender shell to revive Bumblebee, but now it's like he's some sort of second-generation GoBot! He looks like a gold bug!"
Optimus: "Yeah, screw it. He's Goldbug now."
Goldbug: "What just happened?"
Ratchet (or whoever): "We used a Nucleon-powered Pretender shell to revive Bumblebee, but now it's like he's some sort of second-generation GoBot! He looks like a gold bug!"
Optimus: "Yeah, screw it. He's Goldbug now."
Goldbug: "What just happened?"
Comics...now with added sound!
Apparently, the eleventh printings (my goodness!) of Transformers #1 and Void Rivals #1 will have sound chips included so that they'll play some noise when you open them. Like a fancy Greeting Card.
It'd probably get real old real fast. Taking out or maintaining the tiny battery would also be a pain. But, I'll admit, I'm curious what sound or sounds they'll pick to play.
Transformers #1 & Void Rivals #1 Special Printings With Sound Chips
Transformers #1 and Void Rivals #1 get special premium printings, now with sound chips, coming in September 2025, from Image Comics
bleedingcool.com
Apparently, the eleventh printings (my goodness!) of Transformers #1 and Void Rivals #1 will have sound chips included so that they'll play some noise when you open them. Like a fancy Greeting Card.
It'd probably get real old real fast. Taking out or maintaining the tiny battery would also be a pain. But, I'll admit, I'm curious what sound or sounds they'll pick to play.
Comics...now with added sound!
Transformers #1 & Void Rivals #1 Special Printings With Sound Chips
Transformers #1 and Void Rivals #1 get special premium printings, now with sound chips, coming in September 2025, from Image Comicsbleedingcool.com
Apparently, the eleventh printings (my goodness!) of Transformers #1 and Void Rivals #1 will have sound chips included so that they'll play some noise when you open them. Like a fancy Greeting Card.
It'd probably get real old real fast. Taking out or maintaining the tiny battery would also be a pain. But, I'll admit, I'm curious what sound or sounds they'll pick to play.
WOO WOO WOO WOO WOO
Maybe?
GI Joe #5 is out!
And it's another perfectly solid issue. Not much in the way of reveals or plot, but there's more action and explosion than you can shake a stick of dynamite at. It's a good action comic. Nothing at all in Transformers references, though. So, it's safely skippable, if you only care about that side of things.
And it's another perfectly solid issue. Not much in the way of reveals or plot, but there's more action and explosion than you can shake a stick of dynamite at. It's a good action comic. Nothing at all in Transformers references, though. So, it's safely skippable, if you only care about that side of things.
Is that...LOVE I see in Destro's eyes, as Baroness resists his threats to torture her? I don't know. If this is actually going to end up being a romance in this universe, it's starting in a weird place, that's for sure.
Clutch uses a entire tank to shoot at Destro at point blank range...and misses. Yup...this is still GI Joe, alright.
So, apparently the Brainwave Bomb will mind control anyone in a 5 mile radius of it's explosion, but completely erase the mind of anyone within the first mile radius of the blast. So, I just wonder if maybe one of the Joes will end up having to "sacrifice" themselves to stop the bomb and end up getting their mind erased in the process *looks over at Baroness*. Crazy thought, I know. But, it would make a few things align.
"For Rock n' Roll!" D'aww...that's kind of sweet.
Everyone manages to escape, but Duke stays behind to stop the Bomb from detonating in Washington DC. So, we get our first confrontation between Cobra Commander and Duke! I do wonder if Duke will find out he's a Snake-Man this early. That might be an interesting twist on things. Or maybe Duke will be the one to get his mind erased and he'll be the one to join Cobra. This book does seem like it wants to twist things around, a bit. I could see that being a twist they'd do.
Clutch uses a entire tank to shoot at Destro at point blank range...and misses. Yup...this is still GI Joe, alright.
So, apparently the Brainwave Bomb will mind control anyone in a 5 mile radius of it's explosion, but completely erase the mind of anyone within the first mile radius of the blast. So, I just wonder if maybe one of the Joes will end up having to "sacrifice" themselves to stop the bomb and end up getting their mind erased in the process *looks over at Baroness*. Crazy thought, I know. But, it would make a few things align.
"For Rock n' Roll!" D'aww...that's kind of sweet.
Everyone manages to escape, but Duke stays behind to stop the Bomb from detonating in Washington DC. So, we get our first confrontation between Cobra Commander and Duke! I do wonder if Duke will find out he's a Snake-Man this early. That might be an interesting twist on things. Or maybe Duke will be the one to get his mind erased and he'll be the one to join Cobra. This book does seem like it wants to twist things around, a bit. I could see that being a twist they'd do.
Correct.
This continuity splits the difference between Sunbow and Marvel Cobra Commander by having him be a human who was taken in by Cobra-La
Yeah, fair. I kind of forgot about that scene in the Cobra Commander mini where they even kill off the Cobra-La guy who looks like Sunbow's version of Cobra Commander. Mea culpa on that one. To be fair, this universe is taking so much from the Sunbow universe, it's easy to forget some things are a little different.
But, at the same time, it does look like he has some Cobra-La "modifications" on him while he's in the hospital in CC#1, such as a snake-like eye on his forehead. So, he probably would look a little "Cobra-La-ish" at least. I think my point still stands. If Duke saw under CC's helmet, I think Duke would still think he's a "alien" or somesuch. Duke would be in for a shock.
Plus, it could lead to a bit of fun dramatic irony. If Duke saw under CC's helmet and thought he was a "alien", then he'd probably jump to the conclusion that they're the ones behind the "giant robots" who killed his friends. He'd probably assume they're on the same side, since he's already been leaning that way anyway. It would just lead to a classic misunderstanding that would lead us into that Joe/TF crossover that's surely coming any day now.
But, at the same time, it does look like he has some Cobra-La "modifications" on him while he's in the hospital in CC#1, such as a snake-like eye on his forehead. So, he probably would look a little "Cobra-La-ish" at least. I think my point still stands. If Duke saw under CC's helmet, I think Duke would still think he's a "alien" or somesuch. Duke would be in for a shock.
Plus, it could lead to a bit of fun dramatic irony. If Duke saw under CC's helmet and thought he was a "alien", then he'd probably jump to the conclusion that they're the ones behind the "giant robots" who killed his friends. He'd probably assume they're on the same side, since he's already been leaning that way anyway. It would just lead to a classic misunderstanding that would lead us into that Joe/TF crossover that's surely coming any day now.
Also, June solicitations are out!
Image Comics Full June 2025 Solicits, With Spectators & Lazarus Fallen
Image Comics Full June 2025 Solicits, With Spectators, Spawn, Transformers, Lazarus Fallen, Fallout & Fairyland
bleedingcool.com
And some commentary on the solicits.
Looks like it's going to be a Baroness-focused issue of GI Joe. That should be fun.
Over in Transformers, Optimus is going to fight...someone. Probably Megatron? They probably just don't want to spoil that Megatron is back for the people who haven't caught up yet? Also, Shredhead's looking pretty cool on that cover.
Darak and Solila are back to fighting each other over in Void Rivals. So, I guess whatever Darak's dad told him has him choosing to fight against waking up the Goliant.
And we get a release date for that Worst Bot Ever OGN that's getting a preview on Free Comic Book Day. That should be fun. We even get a 4-page preview of the comic in the link above, if you want to check it out. The art's more cartoony than I expected.
Over in Transformers, Optimus is going to fight...someone. Probably Megatron? They probably just don't want to spoil that Megatron is back for the people who haven't caught up yet? Also, Shredhead's looking pretty cool on that cover.
Darak and Solila are back to fighting each other over in Void Rivals. So, I guess whatever Darak's dad told him has him choosing to fight against waking up the Goliant.
And we get a release date for that Worst Bot Ever OGN that's getting a preview on Free Comic Book Day. That should be fun. We even get a 4-page preview of the comic in the link above, if you want to check it out. The art's more cartoony than I expected.
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So, there's a bit of confusion surround these "Compendium" reprints of the Marvel G1 comics, and I think I've figure out what's what.
"The Transformers Compendium" is a two-volume reprint of the Marvel US stories, with the first 46 stories of the main series and the four-issue Headmasters mini being in the first volume, while the second volume's contents are yet to be known at this time (but will presumably contain the remaining 34 stories of the main series and other stuff to match the first volume's 50 issues' worth of content). These two volumes will be normal retail releases.
The Kickstarter campaign is for hardcover editions of eight individual Compendium volumes. Two of these hardcover volumes will contain all the US stories (presumably the same volumes as the two described above, but with special edition hardcovers), two more volumes will reprint the UK stories, and the other four volumes are a Kickstarter-exclusive "Til All Are One Definitive Edition" four-volume set that contains all of the US and UK stories arranged together into a single narrative.
So it looks like there's actually three different options here:
And regardless of whether they use new remasters or the same ones from IDW, there's also the notion that using the US versions of the US stories creates some continuity issues with the UK-original stories, as several US stories had some edits made to them for their original UK releases in order to make them better fit with the continuity of the UK stories, such as adding references to Galvatron being on Earth as he was in the UK stories, removing references to Cobra since the G.I. Joe crossover was out-of-continuity with the UK stories, changing the dialogue of Shockwave's "death" to make it more apparent that he didn't die so that the UK stories could continue to use him after he stopped appearing in the US stories, and more.
When Hachette used the IDW remasters of the US stories for their "Definitive G1 Collection" reprints, the IDW remasters were of the US versions of the US stories, which lacked those UK edits and made for a slightly awkward reading experience.
But of course, even if the US stories were to be reedited to put back in the original UK edits, that would make things awkward regarding the G.I. Joe crossover since it is in-continuity with the US versions of the US stories, as it tells how Bumblebee became Goldbug. Since the UK stories ignored the crossover (and did their own unrelated crossover with Action Force), Bumblebee was given a new origin story for Goldbug in the "Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!" mini-saga set between certain US stories. So the US and UK comics are already separate continuities on their own, with the UK continuity having slightly altered versions of almost all the same events from the US continuity.
EDIT: I have been informed that the "Til All Are One Definitive Edition" will have the UK edits made to the US stories, but it remains to be seen if the same will apply for the other two releases of the US reprints, or if one will have to buy both the two-volume Compendium releases and the "Definitive Edition" release to get the original US and UK-edited versions of the US stories.
"The Transformers Compendium" is a two-volume reprint of the Marvel US stories, with the first 46 stories of the main series and the four-issue Headmasters mini being in the first volume, while the second volume's contents are yet to be known at this time (but will presumably contain the remaining 34 stories of the main series and other stuff to match the first volume's 50 issues' worth of content). These two volumes will be normal retail releases.
The Kickstarter campaign is for hardcover editions of eight individual Compendium volumes. Two of these hardcover volumes will contain all the US stories (presumably the same volumes as the two described above, but with special edition hardcovers), two more volumes will reprint the UK stories, and the other four volumes are a Kickstarter-exclusive "Til All Are One Definitive Edition" four-volume set that contains all of the US and UK stories arranged together into a single narrative.
So it looks like there's actually three different options here:
- The normal-retail two-volume US reprints,
- The special hardcover two-volume US reprints and two-volume UK reprints (which may be a Kickstarter exclusive; the text is vague on the matter but since the information come from Kickstarter...),
- The four-volume "Til All Are One Definitive Edition" that reprints the US and UK stories together in one narrative (which IS a Kickstarter exclusive).
And regardless of whether they use new remasters or the same ones from IDW, there's also the notion that using the US versions of the US stories creates some continuity issues with the UK-original stories, as several US stories had some edits made to them for their original UK releases in order to make them better fit with the continuity of the UK stories, such as adding references to Galvatron being on Earth as he was in the UK stories, removing references to Cobra since the G.I. Joe crossover was out-of-continuity with the UK stories, changing the dialogue of Shockwave's "death" to make it more apparent that he didn't die so that the UK stories could continue to use him after he stopped appearing in the US stories, and more.
When Hachette used the IDW remasters of the US stories for their "Definitive G1 Collection" reprints, the IDW remasters were of the US versions of the US stories, which lacked those UK edits and made for a slightly awkward reading experience.
But of course, even if the US stories were to be reedited to put back in the original UK edits, that would make things awkward regarding the G.I. Joe crossover since it is in-continuity with the US versions of the US stories, as it tells how Bumblebee became Goldbug. Since the UK stories ignored the crossover (and did their own unrelated crossover with Action Force), Bumblebee was given a new origin story for Goldbug in the "Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!" mini-saga set between certain US stories. So the US and UK comics are already separate continuities on their own, with the UK continuity having slightly altered versions of almost all the same events from the US continuity.
EDIT: I have been informed that the "Til All Are One Definitive Edition" will have the UK edits made to the US stories, but it remains to be seen if the same will apply for the other two releases of the US reprints, or if one will have to buy both the two-volume Compendium releases and the "Definitive Edition" release to get the original US and UK-edited versions of the US stories.
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Transformers #19 is out!
It's a solid issue. This entire issue is a flashback and...I think that's all I can really say about it outside of spoilers. It's mostly one big fight. But, there's definitely some interesting tidbits in here. It's...interesting. I don't want to spoil too much, so I'm going to try to leave it at that for the spoiler-free part.
This issue does have a different artist than usual. And they're fine. Not the most amazing artwork ever, and we have gotten kind of spoiled with the artists we've gotten on this book, but it's solid enough. I do think this artwork would look better with a different inking or coloring style, though. The linework has a lot of dynamic "Japanese" or "manga" influences to some of it's flourishes, but the inking is too thick to really take advantage of the style. It needs a little bit of tweaking, but I think this artist could be really good in the future. I would be interested in seeing the original pencils and seeing if those look a lot better than the finished product. Because I think the "pencils" for this are actually really good. Sometimes a inker or colorist just doesn't "gel" with certain styles of pencils. It just depends and I think that's what happened here.
But, yeah, good book. And it's relatively self contained. I don't know if I'd recommend jumping onboard with this issue, but I almost could see someone being able to do that.
I'm going to be spoiling EVERYTHING below, so this is your last warning.
And in other comics news, it looks like Skybound's Kickstarter is already a big success!
So, if you want one of these G1 collections, I think you're pretty safe in getting it, now.
It's a solid issue. This entire issue is a flashback and...I think that's all I can really say about it outside of spoilers. It's mostly one big fight. But, there's definitely some interesting tidbits in here. It's...interesting. I don't want to spoil too much, so I'm going to try to leave it at that for the spoiler-free part.
This issue does have a different artist than usual. And they're fine. Not the most amazing artwork ever, and we have gotten kind of spoiled with the artists we've gotten on this book, but it's solid enough. I do think this artwork would look better with a different inking or coloring style, though. The linework has a lot of dynamic "Japanese" or "manga" influences to some of it's flourishes, but the inking is too thick to really take advantage of the style. It needs a little bit of tweaking, but I think this artist could be really good in the future. I would be interested in seeing the original pencils and seeing if those look a lot better than the finished product. Because I think the "pencils" for this are actually really good. Sometimes a inker or colorist just doesn't "gel" with certain styles of pencils. It just depends and I think that's what happened here.
But, yeah, good book. And it's relatively self contained. I don't know if I'd recommend jumping onboard with this issue, but I almost could see someone being able to do that.
I'm going to be spoiling EVERYTHING below, so this is your last warning.
When I say this entire book is a flashback, I MEAN this ENTIRE book is a flashback. We don't even get a framing sequence leading us into it. Megatron just wakes up captured by the Quintessons and he's just as confused as some readers might be about how he got here. Years ago, during the war on Cybertron.
And the vast majority of this entire book is Megatron fighting wave after wave of Sharkticons as a series of trials. In order to try and break Megatron and show him that the Quintessons are the ones who are in control here. To...various results.
We meet a new Quintesson Prosecutor, Dezimir. I'm pretty sure he's brand new, not from the cartoon, or anything. And yeah, he's kind of a jerk, what do you expect? But, he DOES have a cool dragon alt mode. Or a "Mechanokoar"! I'm getting shades of Beast Machines Megatron here, and I'm not sure if that's intentional or not.
Oh, and Dezimir also has the "Decepticon Matrix" around his neck. Did I mention that? I know, it's such a small detail. But, yes, they don't actually CALL it the "Decepticon Matrix", but they do say that it's a copy of the Matrix that Optimus has, so this is NOT the ordinary Matrix of Leadership. "This Matrix is the dark equal to the one wielded by the Prime. There must be an opposing force." So, this is something else. And all these trials are trying to determine if Megatron is worthy of gaining some of it's power. So, that purple energy we saw last issue was at least "Quintesson Matrix Energy", even if Megatron doesn't have the actual Matrix inside him at the moment.
In fact that same "Quintesson Matrix energy" is how Megatron got his Gun mode. So, technically, this Megatron is a triple changer. He's got his original Robot and Tank modes, but the Gun mode, that lets him mind control others, comes from the power of this "Quintesson Matrix". So, this entire issue is short of an allusion to the Animated Movie, where he becomes Galvatron.
Also...apparently, Quintessons have "sparks" in this universe. I...guess that sort of makes sense, if they were all created by Quintus Prime in this universe? But, "The Master" specifically says that Megatron can control other being's sparks. So, either "sparks" are the same thing as "souls" in this universe, or more simply, Quintessons have sparks. That just seems like an interesting detail, to me.
But, that kind of raises an interesting question. Who is behind the Quintessons in this universe? We see a mysterious voice that the other Quintessons call their "Master". But, we never actually see who that is. It could just be a Quintesson Judge. But, I think they're playing this up as a actual mystery. I think this will eventually be a reveal down the line. I doubt it's Unicron, because the "voice" just doesn't sound right for him. But, I have to wonder if this could be Primacron. This universe has been HEAVILY Sunbow-inspired. And it would make sense to give Primacron a bigger role in this universe. So, that's my best guess for now.
But, anyway, Megatron forces Dezimir to blow up his own dragon. I guess the "Mechanokoar" worked like a Pretender Shell? It's a little unclear how that thing worked, but it won't be working anytime soon. Or maybe it's already repaired, since this entire issue happened a long time ago.
But, then Megatron gets sent back to Cybertron as abruptly as he arrived. And I feel like they're just implying that he got MEANER after his little "alien abduction". Still, it's weird that we never see how they keep kidnapping Megatron or knocking him out. Almost makes me think that it could all have been in his head. Like a virtual simulation. But, I doubt that.
But, yeah! This issue gives us a few new interesting mysteries to chew on! I'm actually rather happy about that. This book has needed a bit of a plot twist to liven things up, and I think this does that. I'm looking forward to see how this all plays out in the future.
This issue is structured a little strangely. But, that's probably by design, to make the readers feel as unsteady as Megatron himself feels in this situation.
And the vast majority of this entire book is Megatron fighting wave after wave of Sharkticons as a series of trials. In order to try and break Megatron and show him that the Quintessons are the ones who are in control here. To...various results.
We meet a new Quintesson Prosecutor, Dezimir. I'm pretty sure he's brand new, not from the cartoon, or anything. And yeah, he's kind of a jerk, what do you expect? But, he DOES have a cool dragon alt mode. Or a "Mechanokoar"! I'm getting shades of Beast Machines Megatron here, and I'm not sure if that's intentional or not.
Oh, and Dezimir also has the "Decepticon Matrix" around his neck. Did I mention that? I know, it's such a small detail. But, yes, they don't actually CALL it the "Decepticon Matrix", but they do say that it's a copy of the Matrix that Optimus has, so this is NOT the ordinary Matrix of Leadership. "This Matrix is the dark equal to the one wielded by the Prime. There must be an opposing force." So, this is something else. And all these trials are trying to determine if Megatron is worthy of gaining some of it's power. So, that purple energy we saw last issue was at least "Quintesson Matrix Energy", even if Megatron doesn't have the actual Matrix inside him at the moment.
In fact that same "Quintesson Matrix energy" is how Megatron got his Gun mode. So, technically, this Megatron is a triple changer. He's got his original Robot and Tank modes, but the Gun mode, that lets him mind control others, comes from the power of this "Quintesson Matrix". So, this entire issue is short of an allusion to the Animated Movie, where he becomes Galvatron.
Also...apparently, Quintessons have "sparks" in this universe. I...guess that sort of makes sense, if they were all created by Quintus Prime in this universe? But, "The Master" specifically says that Megatron can control other being's sparks. So, either "sparks" are the same thing as "souls" in this universe, or more simply, Quintessons have sparks. That just seems like an interesting detail, to me.
But, that kind of raises an interesting question. Who is behind the Quintessons in this universe? We see a mysterious voice that the other Quintessons call their "Master". But, we never actually see who that is. It could just be a Quintesson Judge. But, I think they're playing this up as a actual mystery. I think this will eventually be a reveal down the line. I doubt it's Unicron, because the "voice" just doesn't sound right for him. But, I have to wonder if this could be Primacron. This universe has been HEAVILY Sunbow-inspired. And it would make sense to give Primacron a bigger role in this universe. So, that's my best guess for now.
But, anyway, Megatron forces Dezimir to blow up his own dragon. I guess the "Mechanokoar" worked like a Pretender Shell? It's a little unclear how that thing worked, but it won't be working anytime soon. Or maybe it's already repaired, since this entire issue happened a long time ago.
But, then Megatron gets sent back to Cybertron as abruptly as he arrived. And I feel like they're just implying that he got MEANER after his little "alien abduction". Still, it's weird that we never see how they keep kidnapping Megatron or knocking him out. Almost makes me think that it could all have been in his head. Like a virtual simulation. But, I doubt that.
But, yeah! This issue gives us a few new interesting mysteries to chew on! I'm actually rather happy about that. This book has needed a bit of a plot twist to liven things up, and I think this does that. I'm looking forward to see how this all plays out in the future.
This issue is structured a little strangely. But, that's probably by design, to make the readers feel as unsteady as Megatron himself feels in this situation.
And in other comics news, it looks like Skybound's Kickstarter is already a big success!
Skybound’s The Transformers Kickstarter Campaign Sets Day One Record
Skybound’s The Transformers Kickstarter campaign sets a Day One record to kick things off...
bleedingcool.com
So, if you want one of these G1 collections, I think you're pretty safe in getting it, now.
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We also have a review of it by Alarts on the front page!
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Not sure when the info got posted to the Kickstarter, but it states the second volume is #47-80, TFTM #1-3, and G2 #1-12. So I suppose that fixes one potential problem for the Til All Are One combo - Goldbug will just get his UK origin since the GIJOE crossover is omitted.
Kinda trying to decide if I want the US + UK combo, or the Til All Are One edition with the mixed-together stories, but leaning towards the latter. And it looks like the cost for the combo is $300 (though +$50 shipping) which is on the low end of our estimates, thankfully.
The only thing giving me pause is the likelihood that they'll be colored using the IDW Classics/Hatchette "remasters" that added a lot of new problems and muddied up some of the art.
Well, I can't really afford the Kickstarter-only thing that decided to come at the worst possible %&$#ing time, but I'll wait and see how the retail version is received. At least then I'm getting back most of what I lost/was taken from me, nothing more.
If my life weren't still a mess I'd go for the Til All Are One edition. It's the Marvel collection I've been waiting for. I will be annoyed if I never get the chance to own this.
This and this and just all of this.
Why is this the year everyone is acting like we all have money?!?
Seriously, the markets are trashed. Tariffs are just raping everyone who isn't an oligarch. WHY LAUNCH NOW?!