Duke Joins the Energon Universe in New Skybound Series
By Liam McGuire
Nov 10th 2023
The Energon Universe is officially expanding with a new Duke series from Joshua Williamson and Tom Reilly.
This year, Skybound revealed it had acquired the rights to classic Hasbro properties, Transformers and G.I. Joe, and planned to tell an interconnected story in the newly created Energon Universe. The shared universe debuted in Void Rivals by Robert Kirkman, Lorenzo De Felici, and Matheus Lopes, a stealth relaunch of both titles, with later title announcements including Daniel Warren Johnson’s Transformers and a continuation of G.I. Joe: The Real American Hero from legendary creator Larry Hama and artist Chris Mooneyham. After Void Rivals and Transformers, the next series to debut is Duke.
For longtime fans of G.I. Joe, the new miniseries serves as a rebirth of sorts. The comic will focus on Duke, the survivor of a Transformer crashing on Earth, throwing him directly into a conflict between humans and robot aliens. Duke isn’t the only familiar face in the comic, as characters co-starring in the series include the Baroness, Hawk, and Stalker.
The new miniseries features several covers for its first issue. Duke #1’s main cover comes from Tom Reilly, featuring the titular hero standing above a fiery crash. David Aja brings his trademark style to an action-packed new cover featuring Duke shooting at his enemies. Tyler Boss draws a yet-to-be-revealed 1:10 variant. Steve Epting’s 1:25 incentive variant features Duke dual-wielding guns while escaping a dangerous, explosive scene. Andrea Sorrentino and JonBoy Meyers are set to draw the unrevealed 1:50 and 1:100 variants for Duke #1. Check out Reilly’s main cover art. CaptCan Comics will have all incentive variants available for purchase upon release.
CODENAME G.I. JOE STARTS HERE. Conrad Hauser has made first contact with an alien being and lived to tell the tale. But no one, not even Colonel Hawk, believes the story of the jet fighter converting into a colossal alien robot that nearly killed the man known as Duke. Now, one of the US Army's most decorated soldiers is on the hunt for answers, drawn into a conflict that no amount of training could ever prepare him for. A war that only a real American hero has any chance of surviving… Superstar writer JOSHUA WILLIAMSON (Superman, Batman) and artist TOM REILLY (The Thing, Ant-Man) kick off the first of four action-packed miniseries that will introduce the best and worst humanity has to offer in the Energon Universe.
The new Energon Universe miniseries will run four issues. For fans of G.I. Joe and Transformers who have long imagined a new team-up between the classic characters, you’re about to get your wish when Duke #1 from SkyBound Comics debuts on December 27, 2023. Don’t forget to pre-order a copy of issue one and the entire miniseries online or in-store at CaptCan Comics.
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