Void Rivals is a story by Robert Kirkman, who you probably know from Invincible or The Walking Dead. He’s now leading the new Energon Universe from Hasbro/Skybound. Described as a blend of Star Wars and Saga, it sounds like the perfect story!
Void Rivals isn’t the first story I’ve read in the Energon Universe, but I decided to pick it up because of its comparison to Saga—which is my favorite comic series of all time (stop reading this review and go read Saga!). While I definitely felt some Saga vibes, this comic stands on its own.
Before reading, I watched some interviews with Robert Kirkman, and I thought it was great that he’s focusing on making the series accessible to everyone. No decades of lore are necessary—just an engaging comic that still feels like it has depth.
The story revolves around two pilots, Darak and Solila, who come from opposing worlds that are fighting to claim the last remaining resources for their respective sides. The world-building here is incredible: the Agorrians and Zertonians are on opposite sides of the Sacred Ring, and the visuals are a feast for the eyes!
Watching Darak and Solila interact was highly entertaining, and I loved the difficult dynamic between them. They have to work together despite hating each other, and a relationship develops over the course of the volume. While this isn’t exactly a unique premise, I was glued to the pages, curious to see what would happen next.
In the second half of the comic, the story shifts into more of a prison-escape thriller, which definitely gave me Star Wars vibes. Given the story’s setup, we can guess that the two warring sides may not be the true enemies, but the behind-the-scenes conflict is teased in some very exciting ways.
For many readers, the most exciting aspect of this series will be the introduction of the Transformers into this universe! It’s a brief moment, but seeing these universes connect was really cool. I’m also curious to see how Transformers, G.I. Joe, and Void Rivals will all interconnect.
I absolutely loved the variety of species we get to see—Quintessons, Agorrians, Zertonians. Each planet was gorgeous to look at, and each side had a clear and unique culture, which Lorenzo De Felici did an amazing job illustrating.
Overall, this was a great first volume that felt satisfying while opening up tons of cool potential for future stories. Not quite as strong as Invincible, but certainly worth reading. I’m definitely picking up Volume 2 in the coming weeks, so stay tuned for my thoughts!
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