Void Rivals

[Andy Turnbull]

Read Void Rivals Issue 1 - decent stuff, and lovely art. Optimistic about things.

[Nigel]

Jun 10, 2023 23:14:39 GMT Andy Turnbull said:

If you want to see what I believe is the spoilerrific 1:100 variant cover it's on a flyer which has hit some comic stores already.

Image is in the spoiler tag.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}

It's not a flyer, it's a whopping great A1(ish) poster. A copy came with my delivery today - I was going to post a photo but you beat me to it. I laughed when I saw it - so much for the advice to avoid spoilers and read it as intended.

I found the comic to be fine in itself but the Transformers element felt shoehorned. The afterword seems to suggest

SPOILER: Click to show

- as does the story itself - that that's likely to be it in terms of Transformers in Void Rivals.

It also seems to suggest that readers will be able to pick and choose titles and they won't all be must-read and directly connected. Presumably Skybound's original titles in this shared universe will be largely standalone. I'm curious as to the legal arrangements, which must be vastly different to the old Marvel days when anything originated in Transformers was automatically Hasbro's property. And I guess Hasbro will have first dibs on licensing, if there's anything suitable in the pipeline.

[The Doctor]

Perhaps there hasn't been enough time to 'miss' new TF comics.

-Ralph

[Benn]

I've read this now, and... eeh? Bog standard story, nice art but I'm not exactly counting down the days 'til part two.

[Nigel]

Two Transformers covers for the second print. bleedingcool.com/comics/printwatch-void-rivals-spider-man-india-dead-by-daylight-more/

[primenova]

Jun 18, 2023 14:09:39 GMT Philip Ayres said:

Solicits bleedingcool.com/comics/transformers-gi-joe-reboot-for-image-comics-detailed/

TRANSFORMERS #1 CVR A JOHNSON
IMAGE COMICS
APR239513
(W) Daniel Warren Johnson (A) Daniel Warren Johnson
Transformers #1 begins an all-new era for the iconic robots in disguise from superstar creator Daniel Warren Johnson (Extremity, Do a Powerbomb,DC's Wonder Woman: Dead Earth) and colorist Mike Spicer (Stillwater). Optimus Prime was supposed to have led the Autobots to victory. Instead, the fate of Cybertron is unknown, and his allies have crash-landed far from home, alongside their enemies-the Decepticons. As these titanic forces renew their war on Earth, one thing is immediately clear: the planet will never be the same. New alliances are struck. Battle lines are redrawn. And humanity's only hope of survival is Optimus Prime. In Shops: Oct 04, 2023 Final Orders Due: Sep 10, 2023 SRP: $4.99

DUKE #1 CVR A REILLY
IMAGE COMICS
APR239514
(W) Joshua Williamson (A) Tom Reilly
The new Energon Universe expands in December with Duke #1, a limited series from Joshua Williamson (DC's Superman, Dark Ride), Tom Reilly (The Thing) and Jordie Bellaire (W0rldtr33), that tells the story you've never read before – the origins of G.I. Joe and Cobra in a world grappling with the arrival of the Autobots and Decepticons. When Conrad S. Hauser (codename DUKE) investigates the mysteries behind The Transformers, the answers will lead to the birth of forces for good and evil that the world never imagined. Duke will be the first of four G.I. Joe limited series coming from Skybound, setting the stage for a fresh new take on G.I. Joe, Cobra and the iconic characters that you only think you know! In Shops: Dec 27, 2023 Final Orders Due: Dec 03, 2023 SRP: $3.99

COBRA COMMANDER #1 CVR A MILANA
APR239515
(W) Joshua Williamson (A) Andrea Milana
Cobra Commander #1 launches in January 2024, from Joshua Williamson, Andrea Milana (Impact Winter: Rook) and Annalisa Leoni (Oblivion Song). In a world where Cobra doesn't exist, one man's sinister plans to utilize the mysterious alien substance known as Energon will send shockwaves across the globe.In Shops: Jan 17, 2024 Final Orders Due: Dec 24, 2023 SRP: $3.9

So the Void Rivals characters are owned by Hasbro

[Philip Ayres]

Apparently so

bleedingcool.com/comics/void-rivals-is-owned-and-trademarked-by-hasbro-too/

[The Doctor]

My money is on the two aliens in Void Rivals being unmasked as Duke and Cobra Commander.

-Ralph

[Andy Turnbull]

No, I don't believe that will be the case.

[The Doctor]

I'm calling it now.

-Ralph

[tomwe]

I really enjoyed Void Rivals. It's not breaking any new ground for originality but it looks amazing and the characters are well fleshed out. It just seems odd that Kirkman has created this stuff and then handed it to Hasbro. I guess that's what it takes to land the license.

[Pinwig]

Second print has two Jetfire covers:

[Nigel]

As reported a month ago.

Jun 16, 2023 12:49:00 GMT Nigel said:

Two Transformers covers for the second print. bleedingcool.com/comics/printwatch-void-rivals-spider-man-india-dead-by-daylight-more/

And they're out today.

[tomwe]

I know that these are just alternate covers but should the Autobrand behind Jetfire in the first one be a sign that Jetfire's lack of insignia in the comic is just a red herring, you think?

[Andy Turnbull]

From what DWJ has said he is unaware of the war and where things are, so I think he is unaligned and imagine his allegiance might play a part in the initial arc.

[primenova]

He did say he was on his way but crashed & had been offline for ages, but we dont know how long. But how does he have earth based jet mode?

[Benn]

I doubt it, given that everyone will be using the cartoon bodies.

[The Doctor]

I wouldn't read too much into cover images. Much of US based comics publishing long since departed from covers actually reflecting contents.

-Ralph

[Nigel]

Especially Marvel variants.

[Philip Ayres]

SDCC starts tomorrow

Void Rivals 2 was out today with more G1 cartoon references

bleedingcool.com/comics/how-the-transformers-universe-extends-in-void-rivals-2-spoilers/

[tomwe]

My copy is in the post so I won’t be clicking that.

[Nigel]

Jul 19, 2023 19:20:13 GMT Philip Ayres said:

SDCC starts tomorrow

Void Rivals 2 was out today with more G1 cartoon references

bleedingcool.com/comics/how-the-transformers-universe-extends-in-void-rivals-2-spoilers/

Said references appear on the cover of #2 2nd print. www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/JUN238041

#1 3rd print is another Jetfire cover. www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/JUN238040

[primenova]

Got #3 surprise within

Also long letters page then preview of #1

[Benn]

Not sure where else to post this, so here it goes.

Void Rivals, eh? I said I'd give it the first five or six issues, but so far it's not doing anything for me. It's not good or bad, it's just kind of there. Probably not going to be continuing with it, and I hope the Transformers book itself is more engaging.

I also hope they're not going to make it so that you need to pick this up to get all the TF story.

[KnightBeat]

I just bought issue 3. It works surprisingly well as a standalone story and a jumping-on point for the series.

The Age of Geoff reference was a surprise. I assume it has nothing to do with the DW series/era of the same name.

[primenova]

So no #7 - is it taking a break then returned after a few months after the 2 Gijoe minis?

[tomwe]

could be - six is billed as the end of the first story arc. I honestly don't mind if they do tha.

[Llama God]

Aye. Void Rivals is okay. Not bad so far, but not setting my world on fire either...

[Benn]

I still don't know how I feel about it. Liked this issue a bit more though.

[Benn]

Yeah, six issues down and while it has grown on me, I don't feel the need to keep up with this. It's at it's most interesting when it's world building the wider 'Energon Universe', so I think I'll be making the jump to trades when it continues.