The Energon Universe, from Skybound/Image Comics, kicked off stealthily with Void Rivals #1. With a truly shocking twist, the original sci-fi story suddenly introduced an Autobot, and then slowly more elements of the Transformers universe over the course of the following issues. Robert Kirkman hasn’t always successfully meshed the Transformers elements of the story with the main Void Rivals plot points, however.

Over in Daniel Warren Johnson’s excellent Transformers series, a failed jet fighter assault on the marauding Decepticons introduced GI Joe character Duke, in a small cameo.

That small, seemingly throwaway cameo has cleverly set up Duke’s own series, with the soldier becoming frustrated at the inability of his superiors to tell the truth about the giant, transforming robots he saw. When he’s offered an opportunity to investigate a shady technology company who may also have access to some pretty advanced technology, he jumps at the chance. Yet the mission he’s sent on will change everything for Duke; likely even more than the Decepticon he saw out in the field…

Now this is how you kickstart a new, connected series. Though the initial Void Rivals twist was clever, I really do think that Robert Kirkman has either no interest in Transformers or has no idea how to properly integrate them with his story, as they stick out like a sore thumb, and just feel like a distraction to the much more interesting, main story in Void Rivals.

Here, writer Josh Williamson uses the incident in Transformers in such a smart way, and gives Duke a plausible motivation to start acting against the military. In a cast of colourful characters as part of GI Joe’s main, original lineup, Duke was never the most interesting if characters, but Williamson has really gone to great lengths to make him a strong enough character to carry his own series, and it works brilliantly here.

Tom Reilly’s nicely angular art style and Jodie Bellaire’s deliberately muted colour schemes do a great job with the pseudo-realism of the story too; this first issue, despite me not being a huge fan of Duke as a character beforehand, has really won me over.

With the Transformers ongoing and Duke kicking off the GI Joe corner of the Energon Universe, it seems to be in great hands right now. Long may it continue. Go Joe!