Two years ago, Image Comics/Skybound released a comic called Void Rivals. Towards the end of the issue, something major happened. One of the Autobots appeared. No one expected this to happen despite Daniel Warren Johnson’s Transformers No. 1 debuting in the same month. In the second issue of Transformers, Starscream was defeated by a pilot who was revealed to be Duke from G.I. Joe. The funny thing is, the Joes hadn't been created in this universe. Later, in 2024, mini-series Cobra Commander, Scarlett, and Duke all contributed to what is known as the Energon Universe.
The Energon Universe is one of the best comic book storylines of the last decade. There’s been betrayal, new origins for well-known characters, and unbelievable battles thanks to amazing artists like Jorge Corona, Marco Ferrari, and Lorenzo De Felici. All of that contributed to the success of the Energon Universe.
Now, it's time for the franchise to take its next step, as it has been revealed that the Energon Universe getting an animated series. More importantly, this will be an adult project.
G.I. Joe toys debuted in the 1960s, while its animated series began in the 1980s, along with the Transformers' animated series, which continued both of their popularity for a while. The problem is that the cartoons didn’t grow with the audience. Plus, a lot of the reboots weren't that good. Even the ones that were well-received, like Bumblebee and Transformers One, have been forgotten. Thankfully, creators like Kelly Thompson (Scarlett), Robert Kirkman (Void Rivals), and Joshua Williamson (Cobra Commander) are changing things for the better.
The creators in the Energon Universe are writing stories that readers wouldn’t normally see. Granted, G.I. Joe and Transformers have never shied away from death and adult content in their stories. The difference is that things are more brutal and emotional then ever. Mature content like this has been more popular since comic book shows like The Walking Dead, Preacher, Invincible, and The Boys emerged.
You may remember that the end of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts showed Noah Diaz getting a business card that said G.I. Joe. As of now, nobody is saying it won’t happen. However, the announcement of an animated universe could spell disaster for that project. Not because the live-action projects wouldn’t do well. It’s that there’s little chance that the cartoons won’t be better, especially with showrunner Joe Henderson (Lucifer) behind it. That means, if you can get something better at home, why would you pay to watch the other? Stay tuned to Bam Smack Pow to see if that’s the case.
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