# Void Rivals

Void Rivals is an American comic book ongoing series written by Robert Kirkman, drawn by Lorenzo De Felici, colored by Matheus Lopes and Patricio Delpeche, and published by Skybound Entertainment, an imprint of Image Comics.
It is the first original installment in the Energon Universe, a shared universe that combines new Transformers and G.I. Joe comics developed by Skybound, in collaboration with Hasbro.
The series debuted on June 14, 2023.

## Publication history
### Comics

Void Rivals was announced in February 2023 as part of an "all-new shared universe" developed by Skybound Entertainment.
The series is being written by Robert Kirkman, drawn by Lorenzo De Felici and colored by Matheus Lopes. Kirkman and De Felici had previously worked together in another comic titled Oblivion Song.
Kirkman said, "With every project I do, I’m always trying to challenge myself. One thing I’ve always loved doing is starting small with a story and expanding the depth, scope and stakes as we progress. With Void Rivals we’ll be going bigger than I ever have and at a much faster pace. This project is going to be monumental. I can’t wait for people to see what Lorenzo and I have cooking."
Sean Mackiewicz, publisher and SVP for Skybound Entertainment, also added, "Void Rivals takes every element fans expect from Skybound comics—incredible worlds, dynamic characters, and jaw-dropping twists—and kicks off our first shared universe. This comic is the start of something we’ll be talking about for years to come."
By the time the first issue was published, Skybound announced the series to be part of the Energon Universe, which combines new comics based on Hasbro brands Transformers and G.I. Joe.

### Toys

In March 2025, Hasbro announced a three pack toy line featuring Darak, Solila and Jetfire figures for San Diego Comic-Con.

## Premise

Around the Sacred Ring, there is an interplanetary war between planets Agorria and Zertonia. In the middle of this, two survivor enemies get lost on a planetoid and must work together to return home, but they also discover their war is based on a cycle of secrets and lies.
The truth is that both Agorrians and Zertonians are the same species, but those at the high seat of power want to keep them from unity for undisclosed reasons.

## Plot
### Volume 1: More than Meets the Eye

| No. | Title | Release date | ISBN |
| 01 | Void Rivals #1 | June 14, 2023 | — |
| Artist: Lorenzo De Felici The Agorrian pilot Darak crashlands after battling with an enemy Zertonian ship on a remote planetoid far from their home on the Sacred Ring. After Darak's artificial intelligence assistant Handroid revives him, they are ambushed by Solila, the Zertonian pilot. Darak wins the fight but spares her on the condition they work together to repair one of their ships and return to the Sacred Ring, to which Solila and Handroid reluctantly agree. During the repairs, Solila is nearly killed when she accidentally detonates part of their energy supply, and she leaves in a huff after Darak saves her. She returns several hours later with news of another spacecraft buried nearby, which Handroid confirms is neither Agorrian nor Zertonian in origin. Darak and Solila attempt to reactivate the ship but are astonished when it suddenly transforms into the Cybertronian scientist Jetfire; horrified at his eons-long slumber, Jetfire leaves them behind to return to Cybertron. Darak suggests salvaging parts from their flight armors to re-repair Solila's ship, which would mean removing their helmets and violating their peoples' most sacred degrees. Solila agrees, and they discover to their shock that they are actually the same race beneath their helmets, as foretold in a mysterious vision Darak had. ||||
| 02 | Void Rivals #2 | July 19, 2023 | — |
| Artist: Lorenzo De Felici Darak tells Solila about the vision he experienced after leaving Agorria on a mission from his leader, Minister Dulin, which detailed the history of the Sacred Ring – Agorria and Zertonia were once two warring planets whose populations united after their sun collapsed, and the Sacred Ring was built to contain the black hole. The surviving Agorrians and Zertonians took half of the Ring each, but the peace soon broke down and the conflict resumed fiercer than ever. However, the vision warns that unity must happen again soon as "Goliant" is coming. Solila believes the voice in Darak's vision belonged to the Zertonian religious figure Zerta, to his skepticism; regardless, both agree that they should continue working together to return to the Sacred Ring and discover the truth behind their war. The two spend the next twenty days crafting a patchwork shuttle out of the remaining materials despite Solila's conflicted feelings over her new relationship with a supposedly sworn enemy. The shuttle finally takes off, but Handroid informs Darak and Solila that they will take years to return to the Ring. However, they are soon captured by an asteroid-shaped spaceship and its pilot, the bounty hunter Skuxxoid. ||||
| 03 | Void Rivals #3 | August 16, 2023 | — |
| Artist: Lorenzo De Felici Darak and Solila engage the Skuxxoid and escape deeper into his ship. As he opts to inspect their shuttle rather than pursue them, Solila fends off a strange mechanical scorpion and Darak realizes she is actually a Zertonian warrior, not a mere pilot as she previously claimed. Darak agrees to release another of the Skuxxoid's prisoners in exchange for passage off the ship but discovers it is a Quintesson. The three return to the Quintesson's ship in the main hanger, where the Skuxxoid confronts them and offers them another deal; in exchange for the Quintesson and their junker shuttle, Darak and Solila can leave using another functional ship. The two accept, to the Quintesson's dismay, and they return to the borders of the Sacred Ring within a few days. They agree to split up and continue investigating within their own people, but Solila betrays Darak and knocks him out. ||||
| 04 | Void Rivals #4 | September 27, 2023 | — |
| Artist: Lorenzo De Felici Solila returns to Zertonia with the captured Darak, narrowly fending off an attack from Handroid. As Zertonian leader Premier Zalilak is informed of their arrival, Solila apologizes to her new frenemy and agrees to keep their discoveries secret until they can reconnect and figure out who to trust. Zertonian guards arrest Darak as the Skuxxoid attempts to sell his Quintesson prisoner on Cybertron; however, the Decepticon Shockwave orders them to leave, having no spare resources to buy or barter for the Cybertronians' most hated enemy. Zalilak informs Solila that Darak will be kept alive for negotiation purposes and immediately becomes suspicious at her relief. She is arrested and thrown in the same cell as Darak, who finds their shared imprisonment hilarious despite the revelation that their leaders are both in on the deception. Zalilak secretly removes his helmet and contacts Minister Dulin to inform him of the situation; Dulin regretfully allows Zalilak to proceed with his judgments despite the fact that Darak is his son. ||||
| 05 | Void Rivals #5 | October 25, 2023 | — |
| Artist: Lorenzo De Felici Zertonian guards sedate Darak and drag him away for interrogation as Solila is visited by Mistress Vill and the Keepers of the Light, a mysterious religious sect that Solila abandoned to become a pilot. Vill gives Solila advice for her upcoming quest and a strange green key bearing both Agorrian and Zertonian markings. At the same time, the Skuxxoid tries returning his prisoner to the Quintesson home planet of Quintessa. The five-faced Quintesson Judge is furious at the Skuxxoid's insolence and orders the Allicon horde to execute him, but pauses when the Skuxxoid mentions the Zertonian shuttle. Darak endures three days of torture before a young child named Ultum rescues him and returns his clothes, helmet, and Handroid. Ultum brings him to the Unifiers, a group of Zertonian resistance fighters dedicated to reconnecting the two halves of the Sacred Ring, and Darak demands that they retrieve Solila as well. ||||
| 06 | Void Rivals #6 | November 22, 2023 | — |
| Artist: Lorenzo De Felici The Unifiers reluctantly agree and rescue Solila as the Skuxxoid offers the Quintessons Darak and Solila's shuttle; the Judge orders the ship scanned for any information on Zertonia's whereabouts, musing about how a mysterious "her" must have succeeded eons ago. Solila is surprised that Darak helped engineer her escape, and the Unifiers request the two deliver a data packet to their counterparts on Agorria, with whom they recently lost contact. Zalilak is notified of Darak and Solila's escape as they venture into the destitute Zertonian public; however, Ultum betrays them out of hope the Zertonian guards will help him find his mother. Darak and Solila flee and eventually escape into the desolate Wastelands separating the two halves of the Sacred Ring. However, Zalilak refuses to risk the Sacred Ring reuniting and the coming of Goliant and orders Proximus, their most terrible hunter, to be revived. ||||

### Volume 2: Hunted Across the Wasteland

| No. | Title | Release date | ISBN |
| 07 | Void Rivals #7 | March 6, 2024 | — |
| Artist: Lorenzo De Felici In the past, Darak was once a construction worker tasked with maintaining the edge of Agorria. After he saved a fellow worker from an accident, the intense gravity at the Sacred Ring's edge threw him off Agorria into the middle of the Wastelands. Relying on hazy memories of his survival, Darak maintains that they need to make it halfway across the blasted landscape to succeed; despite Solila and Handroid's reservations about not having enough supplies for a three-month journey, they agree to follow his lead. Zalilak mentally contacts Proximus, whose ruined body is sealed inside a life support tank, and orders him to hunt down Darak and Solila before they reach Agorria. Proximus agrees, and the Zertonian scientists release him and reassemble his body using cybernetic limbs. Solila continues pressing Darak about his vision, maintaining it was a message from Zerta while Darak believes it was a mere hallucination brought on by the space travel. Later that night, Solila secretly examines the key Mistress Vill gave her, who senses that she is on the destiny chosen by Zerta. ||||
| 08 | Void Rivals #8 | April 2, 2024 | — |
| Artist: Lorenzo De Felici In the past, Solila's mother sold her and her younger brother Polada into the Zertonian military by their mother, where their new superior officers were impressed by their ferocious fighting. In response to Solila's continued questioning about their destination, Darak admits he vaguely remembers where to find an oasis in the center of the Wastelands. The two are suddenly beset by a rain of energy arrows as Proximus catches up to them. Darak is immediately knocked out, and Handroid distracts the hunter long enough for Solila to stab him with her spear. As the Wastelands' high winds scatter the three combatants, Proximus removes the spear and hurls it after them. When Darak wakes up, he finds that Proximus is gone, but he also discovers that the spear throw managed to impale Solila. ||||
| – | Energon Universe 2024 Special – Void Rivals | May 4, 2024 | — |
| Artist: Lorenzo De Felici The Skuxxoid finally reunites with his longtime bounty-hunting partner Slizardo, who makes his displeasure at being left behind known by threatening to shoot him. After a moment, the Skuxxoid manages to calm Slizardo down after telling him about how a ship he had recently tracked down for its unique alloys had been confiscated by the Quintessons after discovering its Zertonian origin. Although Slizardo is interested in hearing more, the conversation is interrupted by the Autobot Hot Rod, who is also keen to learn more about the Zertonian ship. Hot Rod threatens the bickering bounty hunters by telling them he has been tracking a missing ally for some time, warning them that it would be much wiser to help rather than hinder his quest; the Skuxxoid agrees and gives Hot Rod all the information he had on the ship, where he discovered it, and the trajectory its former pilots took after leaving. A satisfied Hot Rod leaves, and the Skuxxoid also decides to return home, unaware that a mysterious robotic figure was recording the meeting. ||||
| 09 | Void Rivals #9 | May 22, 2024 | — |
| Artist: Lorenzo De Felici Although the spear missed all of Solila's vital organs, she refuses to remove it for fear of bleeding out; the two continue their trek towards the oasis, now much closer than before thanks to the winds. The Skuxxoid returns home to see his family, only to remember that they are no longer around, as Solila collapses from blood loss and Darak finally finds the oasis – a small shelter containing an alien green and yellow vehicle. Darak admits to Handroid that he doesn't remember anything else about the oasis, only that someone there returned him to Agorria, but is interrupted when the vehicle suddenly transforms into the Autobot Springer. Springer initially confuses them for other mechanical beings and agrees to help, but Proximus ambushes them again and attacks the triple-changing Autobot. While tending to an unconscious Solila, Darak discovers the mysterious green key as a Quintesson Scientist reports his findings to the Judge: the shuttle's alloys date back to ancient Cybertron, and Zertonia might be connected to their ancient enemy Zerta Trion. ||||
| 10 | Void Rivals #10 | June 26, 2024 | — |
| Artist: Lorenzo De Felici Zalilak is forced to admit to Dulin that Darak is still alive and the two prisoners escaped, while Solila awakens for long enough to warn Darak against inspecting the key. Springer eventually subdues Proximus, but he escapes after Darak asks for his help again. Springer takes the two to an underground laboratory under the oasis and is shocked to see that the gems on Darak and Solila's foreheads are actually Energon ports. After Springer pours some of his Energon into Solila's gem, she begins glowing pink as her body absorbs it and receives a vision from Zerta telling her she must journey into the Sacred Ring and find her. A fascinated Springer explains that although the Agorrians and Zertonians are organic, their physiologies somehow contain synthetic Cybertronian materials; furthermore, the Sacred Ring is actually a massive Energon-producing machine, which the Cybertronians require for food and fuel. He also tells the two about how he left the civil war between the Autobots and Decepticons to look for the mythical Cybertronian Zerta Trion. Solila asks to hear everything about Zerta Trion, but they are interrupted as a heavily armed squadron of Zertonian soldiers arrives at the oasis. ||||
| 11 | Void Rivals #11 | July 24, 2024 | — |
| Artist: Lorenzo De Felici The Wastelands' gravity proves too strong to allow Darak and Solila to escape in Springer's helicopter mode, so the three decide to fight back against the Zertonians. During the battle, Darak manages to find and repair the old construction exosuit he used during his last visit to the Wastelands, which manages to turn the tide. Before the Zertonians retreat, he asks Springer to give one of the soldiers information about Energon production and refinement, admitting to a shocked Solila that he no longer cares about sides and just wants to help all their people. The Skuxxoid meets with a new client on the planet Chaar, unaware a mysterious robotic figure is spying on him, as a Quintesson cruiser begins sweeping the asteroid field where the Skuxxoid found Darak and Solila's ship. The Autobot Hot Rod arrives, also searching the area for Springer, and the Quintessons follow him as he sets course for the Sacred Ring. An injured Proximus stows away on one of the Zertonian tanks as they leave the Wastelands, while Darak asks Springer to take him and Solila to Agorria and share his knowledge about Energon. Although he agrees, Solila reluctantly tells Darak she cannot go with him and must leave on her own quest. ||||
| 12 | Void Rivals #12 | August 28, 2024 | — |
| Artist: Lorenzo De Felici Zalilak meets with Dulin again and requests that he prevent unity in his stead; as he leaves the meeting, he instructs the Zertonian scientists to confirm all of the miraculous information received from the Wastelands before proceeding. Proximus is discovered hiding in a Zertonian alleyway by Ultum, who was kicked out of the Unifiers for his betrayal and forced to become an army cadet. Ultum sadly admits his mother is most likely dead, and Proximus reluctantly allows him to stay and hide with him. The Skuxxoid successfully completes his latest job, but mournfully reflects on his current place in life as Solila prepares to leave on her search for Zerta Trion. Although Darak reluctantly understands the need to separate in order to unity the Sacred Ring, he gives her Handroid so she does not have to travel alone. Solila presses her forehead against Darak's, briefly connecting their gems as the two say goodbye; however, they are unaware that the connection briefly awoke an enormous mechanical figure with glowing green eyes, slumbering inside the black hole at the center of the Sacred Ring. ||||

### Volume 3: The Key to Vector Theta

| No. | Title | Release date | ISBN |
| 13 | Void Rivals #13 | October 23, 2024 | — |
| Artist: Lorenzo De Felici Pythona of Cobra-La awakens from a nightmare in which she failed her leader Golobulus to find that the Energon signature she and her team have tracked through deep space has led them to a small planetoid. They discover the evidence of Darak and Solila's escape and depart to trace the new signal, hoping it will eventually lead them to Cybertron. As Darak and Springer leave for Agorria, Solila descends into the Sacred Ring's cramped interior despite Handroid's persistent doubts that a Cybertronian like Zerta Trion could fit. Darak tells Springer about his encounter with Jetfire, despite not knowing which direction he left, while Zalilak meets Mistress Vill at the Temple of Zerta's Light. At the Agorrian capital, Darak has a cold reunion with Dulin, who rebuffs his son's pleas to stop the war and warns that unifying the Sacred Ring would actually destroy them all. Vill echoes these warnings to Zalilak but also states that unity would bring both an end and a new beginning. ||||
| 14 | Void Rivals #14 | November 27, 2024 | — |
| Artist: Lorenzo De Felici A humbled Zalilak agrees to follow Vill's teachings as Dulin apologizes for concealing the ramifications of unity from Darak. Before he can explain fully, they are interrupted by alerts of an alien vessel approaching Agorria, and Darak agrees to investigate. The Skuxxoid seemingly forgets about his family's departure as two of the Cobra-La soldiers encounter a strange green crystal interfering with their bioship's tracking abilities; although they remove it and repair the ship, they fail to notice small growths appearing on their armor from the crystal's energy. Solila uses Vill's key to guide her through the Ring's interior as Darak receives a new Handroid and again falls unconscious while jumping into deep space; instead of experiencing another vision, he psychically connects with Solila. The two update each other on recent developments, with Solila especially shocked to learn that Dulin and Zalilak know the truth of unity, and Darak suddenly wakes up to find the alien vessel almost colliding with him. After a short skirmish, the two pilots apologize, and the other introduces himself as Hot Rod of Cybertron. Solila also wakes up and is dropped further into the depths of the Ring as the Quintessons, following Hot Rod's trail, arrive and realize the mythical Ring of Zerta is real. ||||
| 15 | Void Rivals #15 | December 26, 2024 | — |
| Artist: Lorenzo De Felici The Quintessons quickly retreat to prepare their revenge as Pythona notices the crystal's effects on her soldiers' armor, but their ship is suddenly captured by the Skuxxoid before she can investigate further. Darak and Hot Rod return to Agorria, where the latter's size and the sudden appearance of Springer alarms Dulin and the other Agorrians. The falling Solila and Handroid are caught and saved by glowing green energy, which she attributes to Zerta as the key continues to guide them through the darkness. Springer and Hot Rod reconnect about Zerta Trion and the Sacred Ring's Energon production capabilities; although Dulin is wary about trusting the Cybertronians, Darak assures him they would make valuable allies. Furthermore, Darak realizes Dulin's aide Elander is one of the Agorrian Unifiers as, in Zertonia, Ultum helps Proximus rebuild his mechanical body. Solila finally discovers an opening for the key, which reactivates the ancient Cybertronian supercomputer Vector Theta. ||||
| 16 | Void Rivals #16 | January 22, 2025 | — |
| Artist: Lorenzo De Felici The Skuxxoid's awe at his new find is quickly replaced with irritation when he is attacked by the Cobra-La soldiers. Although he manages to kill one, he is eventually overwhelmed and cut in half by the rest. Unable to risk encountering more dangers inside the Skuxxoid's ship, the surviving Cobra-La troops depart to continue their mission, unaware their fallen comrade is seemingly still alive. Within the Sacred Ring, Vector Theta confirms that Solila will find Zerta Trion at the end of her path, then orders her to leave and deactivates again. Elander confides in Darak that the Unifiers believe he will usher in a new age for the Sacred Realm, but Dulin arrives and orders them both to be arrested. Solila eventually reaches another sheer cliff and, before jumping into the darkness again, notices the still-living Zerta Trion before her. ||||
| 17 | Void Rivals #17 | March 12, 2025 | — |
| Artist: Lorenzo De Felici The weakened Zerta recognizes Solila and psychically reveals the true origin of the Sacred Ring – long ago, during the Age of Wrath on Cybertron, she was once known as Beta. Alongside her companion A-3, she led a massive rebellion against their Quintesson overlords, for which they were given the honorable titles of Zerta Trion and Alpha Trion. In a desperate last resort, the Quintessons sent their ultimate weapon to destroy the Cybertronians – Goliant, a monstrous machine the size of a planet. Zerta lured him away from Cybertron to a distant star for him to consume, and she convinced the inhabitants of the two planets orbiting the star to build the Sacred Ring around him as he feasted. Goliant was trapped inside the resulting black hole, and Zerta used his essence to generate Energon and create the Agorrian and Zertonian races. Although she was gravely wounded and unable to escape the Ring, she could still influence its people, with the Zertonians responding to her calls better than the Agorrians. Zerta informs Solila that the Agorrians and Zertonians must unite to free Goliant and defeat him at his weakest, lest he should regain his strength and escape. Meanwhile, Dulin rages at Darak that Goliant must stay contained at all costs, but he agrees to spare his son and tell him the full truth. Springer and Hot Rod oversee the Agorrians' construction of an Energon well, while the Cobra-La troops come across the Quintesson cruiser and decide to follow it. In Zertonia, Proximus defeats several groups of soldiers while searching for information about Ultum's mother but grows suspicious that more were not sent to stop them. One of the soldiers reveals that Zalilak has been missing for months; he is undergoing a series of trials at Vill's command, who believes that he may be the first Zertonian chosen one. ||||
| 18 | Void Rivals #18 | March 26, 2025 | — |
| Artist: Lorenzo De Felici ||||

### Volume 4: First Chosen

| No. | Title | Release date | ISBN |
| 19 | Void Rivals #19 | May 28, 2025 | — |
| Artist: Lorenzo De Felici ||||
| 20 | Void Rivals #20 | — | — |
| Artist: Lorenzo De Felici ||||
| 21 | Void Rivals #21 | — | — |
| Artist: Lorenzo De Felici ||||
| 22 | Void Rivals #22 | — | — |
| Artist: Lorenzo De Felici ||||
| 23 | Void Rivals #23 | — | — |
| Artist: Lorenzo De Felici ||||
| 24 | Void Rivals #24 | — | — |
| Artist: Lorenzo De Felici ||||

## Characters
### Agorrians

* Darak
* Minister Dulin
* Director Elander
* Handroids

### Zertonians

* Solila
* Keepers of the Light
** Mistress Vill
** Premier Zalilak
* Unifiers
** Kanela
** Ultum
* Proximus

### Cybertronians

* Autobots
** Jetfire
** Hot Rod
** Springer
* Decepticons
** Shockwave
* Beta/Zerta Trion
* A-3/Alpha Trion

### Monacolians

* Skuxxoid
* Lord Gyconi
* Slizardo
* Bosch

### Quintessons

* Judges
* Prosecutor
* Scientist
* Scorpia
* Allicons

### Earthlings

* Cobra-La
** Golobulus
** Akronus
** Bola
** Grakula
** Pythona
** Vipria

### Other

* Goliant
* Vector Theta

## Overview

| Title | Issue(s) | Writer(s) | Artist(s) | Colorist(s) | Premiere date |
| Void Rivals | 1– | Robert Kirkman | Lorenzo De Felici (#1–18) Conor Hughes (#19–24) | Patricio Delpeche Matheus Lopes | June 14, 2023 |
| Energon Universe 2024 Special | One-shot | Daniel Warren Johnson Robert Kirkman Joshua Williamson | Lorenzo De Felici Ryan Ottley Jason Howard | Annalisa Leoni Matheus Lopes Mike Spicer | May 4, 2024 (Free Comic Book Day) |
| Energon Universe 2025 Special | One-shot | Daniel Warren Johnson Robert Kirkman Joshua Williamson | Conor Hughes Daniel Warren Johnson Andrea Milana | TBA | May 3, 2025 (Free Comic Book Day) |

## Reception

The series received positive reviews, with critics praising the surprising guest appearance of several Transformers and G.I Joe characters in each issue.

## Collected editions

| Title | Material collected | Pages | Publication date | ISBN |
| Trade paperback |||||
| Void Rivals, Volume 1: More than Meets the Eye | Void Rivals #1–6 | 136 | February 20, 2024 | ISBN 978-1534398184 |
| Void Rivals, Volume 2: Hunted Across the Wasteland | Void Rivals #7–12 Energon Universe 2024 Special (Void Rivals story) | 128 | September 3, 2024 | ISBN 978-1534328372 |
| Void Rivals, Volume 3: The Key to Vector Theta | Void Rivals #13–18 | 128 | June 10, 2025 | ISBN 978-1534326910 |
| Void Rivals, Volume 4: First Chosen | Void Rivals #19–24 | 128 | December 9, 2025 | ISBN 978-1534329539 |
| Deluxe |||||
| Void Rivals: Deluxe Edition, Book 1 | Void Rivals #1–12 | 272 | June 24, 2025 | ISBN 978-1534328242 |