The Energon Universe (EU) is an ongoing American comic book franchise and shared fictional universe created and overseen by Robert Kirkman, and distributed by Skybound Entertainment, an imprint of Image Comics, in collaboration with toy and entertainment company Hasbro. [1]
Featuring concepts and characters from Transformers and G.I. Joe , the EU is the successor of the Hasbro Comic Book Universe by IDW Publishing (2005–2018). [2]
This is a list of story arcs featured in the franchise.
In June 2023, Image Comics and Skybound Entertainment announced to have gained the Transformers and G.I. Joe comic book licenses from IDW Publishing; then the Energon Universe debuted officially with the initial issue of Void Rivals , an original series by Robert Kirkman and Lorenzo De Felici. [3]
Since that same year, Void Rivals was followed by a Transformers ongoing series and four G.I. Joe limited series featuring Duke, Cobra Commander, Scarlett, and Destro as main protagonists, leading to the new G.I. Joe ongoing series. [4] [5]
| Issue | Written by | Drawn by | Colored by | Publication date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Volume 1: "More than Meets the Eye" | ||||
| 01 | Robert Kirkman | Lorenzo De Felici | Matheus Lopes | June 14, 2023 |
| The Agorrian pilot Darak crashlands after battling with an enemy Zertonian ship on a remote planetoid far from the Sacred Ring, their shared hom. After Darak's artificial intelligence assistant, Handroid, revives him, Solila, the Zertonian pilot, ambushes them. Darak spares her on the condition that they work together to repair one of their ships and return to the 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. 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 [a] . Darak suggests salvaging parts from their flight armor to re-repair Solila's ship, which would mean removing their helmets and violating their people's most sacred traditions. 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. [6] | ||||
| 02 | Robert Kirkman | Lorenzo De Felici | Matheus Lopes | July 19, 2023 |
| 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 each took half of the Ring, 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, despite his skepticism; nonetheless, both agree that they should continue working together to return to the Sacred Ring and uncover 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. [7] | ||||
| 03 | Robert Kirkman | Lorenzo De Felici | Matheus Lopes | August 16, 2023 |
| Darak and Solila escape the Skuxxoid and flee deeper into his ship. 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. Against Solila's warnings, Darak releases another of the Skuxxoid's alien prisoners in exchange for passage off the ship, and they return to the main hangar. The Skuxxoid confronts them and reveals the prisoner is a Quintesson, offering them another deal – in exchange for the Quintesson and their junker shuttle, Darak and Solila can leave using a different 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. [8] | ||||
| 04 | Robert Kirkman | Lorenzo De Felici | Matheus Lopes | September 27, 2023 |
| 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, but he is turned away by the Decepticon Shockwave. Zalilak informs Solila that Darak will be kept alive for leverage and immediately becomes suspicious of 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 larger conspiracy. Zalilak secretly removes his helmet and contacts Minister Dulin to inform him of the situation; even though he is Darak's father, Dulin reluctantly allows Zalilak to proceed with his judgments. [9] | ||||
| 05 | Robert Kirkman | Lorenzo De Felici | Patricio Delpeche | October 25, 2023 |
| Darak is taken away for interrogation as Solila is visited by Mistress Vil and the Keepers of the Light, a mysterious religious sect that Solila abandoned to become a pilot. Vil 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 to return 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 offers them 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 requests that they retrieve Solila as well. | ||||
| 06 | Robert Kirkman | Lorenzo De Felici | Matheus Lopes | November 22, 2023 |
| The Unifiers reluctantly agree and rescue Solila as the Quintessons take 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, but Ultum betrays them in of hopes that 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. [10] | ||||
Volume 2: "Hunted Across the Wasteland" | ||||
| 2024 Special | Robert Kirkman | Lorenzo De Felici | Matheus Lopes | May 4, 2024 |
| The Skuxxoid finally reunites with his longtime bounty-hunting partner Slizardo, who threatens to shoot him for abandoning him. He manages to calm Slizardo down after telling him about his misadventures with the Quintessons. 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 the Quintessons confiscated. After Hot Rod threatens the bickering bounty hunters not to impede his search for a missing ally, the Skuxxoid agrees to cooperate and gives him 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 decides to return home, unaware that a mysterious robotic figure was recording the meeting. [11] | ||||
| 07 | Robert Kirkman | Lorenzo De Felici | Matheus Lopes | March 6, 2024 |
| 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; 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 to press Darak about his vision, maintaining that it was a message from Zerta, while Darak believes it was a mere hallucination brought on by the stresses of space travel. Later that night, Solila secretly examines the key Mistress Vil gave her, who senses that she is on the destiny chosen by Zerta. [12] | ||||
| 08 | Robert Kirkman | Lorenzo De Felici | Patricio Delpeche | April 2, 2024 |
| In the past, Solila's mother sold her and her younger brother Polada into the Zertonian military, 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. The Wastelands' high winds scatter the three combatants, and Proximus hurls Solila's spear after the rivals. When Darak wakes up, he finds that Proximus is gone, but he also discovers that his spear throw managed to impale Solila. [13] | ||||
| 09 | Robert Kirkman | Lorenzo De Felici | Patricio Delpeche | May 22, 2024 |
| Although the spear missed 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 but suddenly remembers that they are no longer around, as Solila faints from blood loss and Darak finally finds the oasis – a small shelter containing a green and yellow alien 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 suddenly returns and attacks the triple-changing Autobot. While tending to an unconscious Solila, Darak discovers the mysterious green key. Meanwhile, 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. [14] | ||||
| 10 | Robert Kirkman | Lorenzo De Felici | Patricio Delpeche | June 26, 2024 |
| Zalilak is forced to admit to Dulin that the two prisoners escaped, while Solila awakens for long enough to scold Darak for inspecting the key. Springer eventually subdues Proximus and takes Darak and Solila to a laboratory underneath the oasis, where he realizes 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 to glow 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. [15] | ||||
| 11 | Robert Kirkman | Lorenzo De Felici | Patricio Delpeche | July 24, 2024 |
| The Wastelands' gravity proves too strong to allow Darak and Solila to escape with Springer, and 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 turns 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 that 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. Hot Rod also arrives to search 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. [16] | ||||
| 12 | Robert Kirkman | Lorenzo De Felici | Patricio Delpeche | August 28, 2024 |
| Zalilak meets with Dulin again and requests that he prevent unity in his stead; as he departs, he instructs Zertonian scientists to ensure all of the miraculous information received from the Wastelands regarding Energon is true 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 admits his mother is most likely dead, and Proximus reluctantly allows him to stay and hide with him. The Skuxxoid 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 understands the need to separate to unite the Sacred Ring, he gives her Handroid so she does not have to travel alone. Solila presses her forehead against Darak's, 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. [17] | ||||
Volume 3: "The Key to Vector Theta" | ||||
| 13 | Robert Kirkman | Lorenzo De Felici | Patricio Delpeche | October 23, 2024 |
| 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 of Royal Guards – Vipria, Bola, Akronus, and Grakula – have tracked through deep space [b] 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 doubts that a Cybertronian like Zerta Trion could fit inside. Darak tells Springer about his encounter with Jetfire while Zalilak meets Mistress Vil 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. Vil echoes these warnings to Zalilak but also states that unity would bring both an end and a new beginning. [18] | ||||
| 14 | Robert Kirkman | Lorenzo De Felici | Patricio Delpeche | November 27, 2024 |
| A humbled Zalilak agrees to follow Vil'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 Bola and Grakula find a strange green crystal interfering with their Leviathan bioship's tracking abilities. Although they remove it, they fail to notice small growths appearing on their armor from the crystal's energy. Solila uses Vil's key to guide her through the Ring's interior, while Darak receives a new Handroid and again falls unconscious while jumping into deep space. Instead of experiencing another vision, he psychically connects with Solila and the two update each other on recent developments, with Solila especially shocked to learn that Dulin and Zalilak know the truth about unity. Darak wakes up to find himself on a collision course with the alien vessel; the two pilots apologize after a short skirmish, and the other identifies himself as Hot Rod. Solila drops further into the depths of the Ring after she awakens, while the Quintessons following Hot Rod's trail arrive at the Ring. [19] | ||||
| 15 | Robert Kirkman | Lorenzo De Felici | Patricio Delpeche | December 26, 2024 |
| The Quintessons quickly leave to prepare their revenge as Pythona notices the growths on her soldiers' armor, but their ship is suddenly captured by the Skuxxoid before she can investigate further. Darak returns to Agorria with Hot Rod, where the sudden appearance of Springer and the Cybertronians' size alarms Dulin and the Agorrians. 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. As Springer and Hot Rod reconnect about Zerta Trion and the Ring's Energon production capabilities. Darak assures his skeptical father that the Autobots would make valuable allies. Darak also realizes that Dulin's aide, Elander, is one of the Agorrian Unifiers; meanwhile, in Zertonia, Ultum helps Proximus reconstruct his mechanical body. Solila finally discovers an opening for the key, which reactivates the ancient Cybertronian supercomputer Vector Theta. [20] | ||||
| 16 | Robert Kirkman | Lorenzo De Felici | Patricio Delpeche | January 22, 2025 |
| The Skuxxoid's awe at his new find is quickly replaced with irritation when he is attacked by the Cobra-La soldiers. Although he seemingly kills Akronus, he is eventually overwhelmed and cut in half by the rest of them. Unable to risk encountering more dangers inside the Skuxxoid's ship, the remaining Cobra-La Guards depart to continue their mission, unaware that their fallen comrade is 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 arrests them both. Solila eventually reaches another sheer cliff and, before jumping into the darkness again, notices the still-living Zerta Trion before her. [21] | ||||
| 17 | Robert Kirkman | Lorenzo De Felici | Patricio Delpeche | March 12, 2025 |
| The weakened Zerta 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 superweapon Goliant, a monstrous planet-sized machine, to destroy the Cybertronians. Zerta lured him away from Cybertron to a distant star, 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. 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. At the same time, Dulin insists that Goliant must be contained at all costs, but he agrees to spare Darak and be more honest with him. Springer and Hot Rod help the Agorrians build an Energon well while the Cobra-La group comes across the Quintesson cruiser and decides 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 secret trials at Mistress Vil's command, who believes that he may be the first Zertonian chosen one. [22] | ||||
| 18 | Robert Kirkman | Lorenzo De Felici | Patricio Delpeche | April 30, 2025 |
| In Zalilak's absence, Proximus takes command of Zertonia. Dulin tells Darak about how the Agorrian sacred texts warn against reuniting to free Goliant, and he reluctantly accepts the deceit to reconcile with his father. Deep underground, Zerta reactivates Vector Theta, and the irritated supercomputer grants Solila the power to command the structure of the Sacred Ring itself. With her new abilities and upgraded armor, she leaves to find Darak, who visits Elander and learns that the Zertonian Unifiers were able to construct an Energon well of their own based on Springer's data. Darak reiterates the benefits of Energon to a skeptical Dulin while Hot Rod catches Springer up on news from Cybertron, including Elita One's strict Energon rationing and the continued disappearance of Optimus Prime and the Ark [c] . With no word from Zalilak, Dulin decides to send Darak on a recon mission to Zertonia, but Solila suddenly bursts from the ground in the center of Dulin's throne room. The two rivals happily reunite, but an apoplectic Dulin orders Darak to kill Solila. [23] | ||||
Volume 4: "First Chosen" | ||||
| 2025 Special | Robert Kirkman | Conor Hughes | Patricio Delpeche | May 3, 2025 |
| On the planet Quintessa, the Quintessons have inexplicably halted all executions, giving a group of prisoners enough time to escape. In their chambers, a group of Quintesson Judges discuss the recent discovery of the Sacred Ring. One of the Judges proposes sending a war fleet to conquer the Ring and retrieve Goliant, but they are interrupted by news of the escaping prisoners. The Judge orders the Sharkticon horde to be sent after them, and the prisoners' leader, the Cybertronian Wheelie, helps fend off several Sharkticons as the Judges return to their discussion. They agree that Goliant remains their best defense against an unnamed cosmic threat and officially declare war on the Sacred Ring. [24] | ||||
| 19 | Robert Kirkman | Conor Hughes | Patricio Delpeche | May 28, 2025 |
| A group of Junkions board the Skuxxoid's ship and discover that the two halves of the alien's bisected body are each regenerating into a new Skuxxoid. Their leader, Wreck-Gar, brings both Skuxxoids and the ship back to their home planet of Junkion, where the two aliens awaken. The older, top-half Skuxxoid explains to his younger bottom-half counterpart that neither of them is the original Skuxxoid, with whom they share their memories and personalities. Every time a Skuxxoid is significantly injured, the maimed pieces regrow into a new version of themselves. As the two Skuxxoids take stock of their surroundings, they are attacked by Akronus, who stowed away on the Junkions' ship for revenge. The Junkions force Akronus to surrender, who explains to the confused Skuxxoids that their speech is somehow littered with phrases and terminology from Earth television. Suddenly, a mysterious robotic figure attacks and kidnaps the two Skuxxoids, bringing them to a horde of other Skuxxoids led by the original Skuxxoid Alpha. [25] | ||||
| 20 | Robert Kirkman | Conor Hughes | Patricio Delpeche | June 25, 2025 |
| Darak refuses to fight the newly empowered Solila but is forced to defend his father. As the two rivals duel, Skuxxoid Alpha orders the two new Skuxxoids sent for processing; they are examined by several medical robots, who take note of the first Skuxxoid's unhealed scar and order the panicked second Skuxxoid to be moved to priority processing. The older Skuxxoid attempts to follow his younger counterpart but is electrocuted for his resistance. On Junkion, Akronus reluctantly considers an offer to help repair his organic armor, which would violate Cobra-La's sacred anti-technology doctrines, while Darak manages to defuse the tension between Solila and Dulin. The two relate their understanding of their sacred texts to Solila, who counters that the knowledge she learned directly from Zerta must be correct. However, Darak and Dulin remain unconvinced that releasing Goliant is the right option, and Solila is left unsure whether Zerta's plan accounts for the survival of the Agorrians and Zertonians. Meanwhile, Zalilak's trials conclude with a message from Zerta, who orders him to assist Solila at any cost. Now fully convinced of Zerta's righteousness, he burns his old robes and dons new armor from the Keepers of the Light, who name him First Chosen of the Zertonians. [26] | ||||
| 21 | Robert Kirkman | Conor Hughes | Patricio Delpeche | July 23, 2025 |
| The first Skuxxoid awakens in a dormitory filled with other Skuxxoids, who warn him not to make trouble lest he be sent to "the Divider." Undeterred, he incites a fight as Zalilak returns to Zertonia and reasserts control over Proximus. He orders an attack on Agorria made ready, while Solila apologizes to Dulin for trying to force unity through fighting. With no way to remove her, Dulin reluctantly allows her to stay in Agorria and attempt to find a more peaceful way forward. Solila and Darak reconnect and swap Handroids to better match their personalities, but are interrupted when Agorria's airspace proximity alarms indicate a fleet of Zertonian fighter ships inbound. The scarred Skuxxoid is summoned before Skuxxoid Alpha as Darak readies the Agorrian air force, while Solila, Springer, and Hot Rod watch Proximus lead a horde of Zertonian soldiers in a ground assault. [27] | ||||
| 22 | Robert Kirkman | Conor Hughes | Patricio Delpeche | August 27, 2025 |
| As a Quintesson war fleet musters above Quintessa, Pythona discovers that Grakula's armor has mutated into a strange and jagged new form; however, Grakula claims that it speaks to her and means them no harm. Proximus challenges Springer to a rematch as Dulin takes command of the Agorrian military response. Solila confronts the Zertonian hunter for answers, and he tells her that Zerta and Zalilak believe unity can only be achieved when one half of the Ring subjugates the other. Meanwhile, Skuxxoid Alpha reveals that the scarred Skuxxoid is the oldest of their divisions, dubbing him Skuxxoid Beta. Although he balks at the demeaning title, Skuxxoid Beta realizes that the claim must be true based on his especially potent memories of Skuxxoid Alpha's family. At the mention of his family, Skuxxoid Alpha orders him taken to the Divider, refusing to acknowledge his protests. The Agorrians turn the tide against the Zertonians, but everyone suddenly collapses in pain as their forehead gems begin to glow. As Hot Rod and Springer question why everyone's Energon ports are malfunctioning, a triumphant Proximus proclaims that unity has begun. [28] | ||||
| 23 | Robert Kirkman | Conor Hughes | Patricio Delpeche | September 24, 2025 |
| Skuxxoid Beta finds himself strapped to the Divider, a cutting machine designed to optimize as many Skuxxoid divisions as possible before killing its subject. The machine vivisects Skuxxoid Beta while the assembled Agorrians and Zertonians are overcome by unity; however, the Sacred Ring is shaken by earthquakes as Goliant's gargantuan fingers emerge from the black hole at its center. The Cobra-La Royal Guards sneak onto Quintessa's surface, reluctantly leaving Grakula behind with her mutated armor, and Pythona is saved from a monster by Wheelie. She recognizes him as a Cybertronian and attacks, while Skuxxoid Beta awakens to find himself in pieces. Proximus breaks free from Zerta and Zalilak's control with Solila's help, and he orders the Zertonians to retreat and prevent the Ring's destruction. Goliant's hand retreats back into the black hole, and Dulin claims victory as Darak reunites with his pilots. However, he, Springer, and Hot Rod miss a furious Zerta dragging Solila back into the depths of the Ring, who informs her that her lack of faith has doomed all life in the galaxy. [29] | ||||
| 24 | Robert Kirkman | Conor Hughes | Patricio Delpeche | November 5, 2025 |
| Solila remains defiant, no longer sharing Zerta's belief that the Sacred Ring would survive Goliant's release. The despondent Zerta sends her away, while Wheelie's friendliness and strange rhyming speech quirk convince Pythona to stand down. After learning about the Cybertronians' civil war and lack of resources, she surmises that they are less of a threat than Golobulus feared; however, she breaks off the conversation and urges the Royal Guards to follow the departing Quintesson war fleet. The Agorrians begin reconstruction efforts, and Darak gives Springer and Hot Rod a large supply of Energon as thanks for their assistance. The two Autobots leave the Sacred Ring while Dulin speaks with a humiliated Zalilak. Although he declines to provide aid to Zertonia, the two leaders reaffirm their alliance now that unity no longer requires secrecy. Meanwhile, a reconstituted Skuxxoid Beta escapes from the Divider just as the new Skuxxoids derived from his body awaken, and he decides to lead them in revolt against Skuxxoid Alpha. Solila awakens as Mistress Vil's prisoner in the Temple of Zerta's Light, stripped of her powers, while Dulin commends Darak for his bravery during the battle. Darak admits that he is scared of someday succeeding his father as Agorria's leader, but he is confident they will be able to face the future together as the Quintesson war fleet converges on the Ring. [30] | ||||
Volume 5: "Quintesson War" | ||||
| 25 | Robert Kirkman | Andrei Bressan | Patricio Delpeche | December 24, 2025 |
| As Zalilak meets with his advisors in the wake of the failed assault on Agorria, a furious Proximus interrupts the meeting and attacks him for betraying Zertonia and enslaving him to Zerta. The brawl is interrupted when a massive Quintesson Cruiser suddenly appears and drills itself into the ground, destroying the Zertonian capital pyramid and narrowly missing Zalilak and Proximus. In Agorria, Darak and Handroid discuss the nature of the latter's sentience and growing desire to "live" as Dulin meets with his brother, Grand General Dukan. They suddenly receive word of the Quintesson invasion fleet over Zertonia, and Dukan orders Darak and his pilots sent out to investigate the disturbance; however, another Cruiser kills one of the pilots as it lands in Agorria. Solila and her Handroid attempt to free themselves from the Temple of Zerta's Light, but she receives another psychic message from Zerta offering her a second chance. [31] | ||||
| Issue | Written by | Drawn by | Colored by | Publication date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Volume 1: "Robots in Disguise" | ||||
| 01 | Daniel Warren Johnson | Daniel Warren Johnson | Mike Spicer | October 7, 2023 |
| In the town of Farmingham, Spike Witwicky finds his father Sparky asleep in a local veterans' bar. After a short argument, Sparky's coworker Davey picks him up while Spike leaves with his girlfriend Carly. The two climb a nearby mountain to discuss their futures when an earthquake sends them plummeting into the mountain, and they find themselves inside an enormous crashed spaceship. The Cybertronian Jetfire arrives from deep space [d] and activates the ship's computer, Teletraan 1, to repair his fallen friends. Upon being rebuilt, Starscream immediately kills the nearby Bumblebee and guns down Jetfire, but is stopped by Optimus Prime. Teletraan 1 randomly reactivates more Autobots and Decepticons, including Skywarp, Ratchet, and Soundwave, and Optimus is pinned down after being distracted by Bumblebee's body. After Spike and Carly help him break free, he destroys Ravage and the computer and flees with them, Ratchet, and the bodies of several other Autobots. Jetfire uses the last of his strength to deter the pursuing Starscream and Skywarp, who are forced to turn back from a lack of Energon. Spike leads the Autobots to an abandoned quarry where Jetfire dies, while Soundwave informs Starscream he needs energy and raw materials to fix Teletraan 1. As Sparky and Davey finish their shift at a local power plant, Starscream arrives and kills Davey. [32] | ||||
| 02 | Daniel Warren Johnson | Daniel Warren Johnson | Mike Spicer | November 7, 2023 |
| Optimus and Spike connect with each other over their names, families, and homes – in particular, Optimus tells Spike about how a vicious civil war consumed his homeworld of Cybertron, prompting him and a team of Autobots to flee aboard the Ark. However, the Decepticons and their leader Megatron attacked them, with the Ark crash-landing on Earth during the battle. The newly repaired Cliffjumper arrives and brings them back to the quarry, where Ratchet informs them that both they and the Decepticons are critically low on Energon. Skywarp, Starscream, and Soundwave arrive at the power plant with technology from the Ark to convert the plant's energy into Energon, where Starscream kills a police officer as Soundwave intercepts a U.S. military transmission requesting air support. An amused Starscream destroys the fighter jet and kills its pilot, but its passenger manages to escape. Sparky flees in the chaos as the Autobots realize the plant is under attack, and Optimus and Spike leave to investigate despite Ratchet's protests. Carly returns home to find an armed Sparky barricaded inside, who informs her that Davey, her father, is dead. [33] | ||||
| 03 | Daniel Warren Johnson | Daniel Warren Johnson | Mike Spicer | December 6, 2023 |
| Carly realizes that Starscream was responsible for killing her father as she and Sparky are ambushed by Laserbeak. Cliffjumper saves them, but Sparky shoots him before fleeing with Carly. Starscream and Soundwave send Skywarp to deal with the humans as they bicker over repairing Teletraan 1, while Sparky and Carly arrive at the veterans' bar, already fortified by a local militia. Cliffjumper arrives and is shot again before Carly can explain, allowing Skywarp to attack them. Carly distracts the Decepticon long enough for Optimus to arrive and subdue him; however, Sparky and the militia severely injure Optimus' right arm with a bazooka. As the humans renew their attack on all three Cybertronians, Spike is shot in the crossfire, and Optimus rips off his injured arm to beat Skywarp into submission. The Autobot leader picks up the wounded Spike and asks Sparky to help him save his son. [34] | ||||
| 04 | Daniel Warren Johnson | Daniel Warren Johnson | Mike Spicer | January 10, 2024 |
| Ratchet receives a call for help from Optimus and Sparky, and Starscream leaves the severely damaged Skywarp behind to pursue the Autobots. Carly and Cliffjumper ambush him, and he contacts Soundwave for backup as the Autobots escape. Optimus and Cliffjumper arrive at Farmingham Hospital and are attacked by Soundwave, Laserbeak, and Rumble as Spike is rushed inside. Starscream destroys the hospital's power generators, but Ratchet and the freshly repaired Jazz arrive and force the Decepticons to retreat. Optimus uses the Matrix of Leadership to reactivate the hospital as Starscream and Soundwave return to the Ark and rip the injured Skywarp apart to repair Teletraan 1. Jazz shuts down again, having used up the last of the Autobots' Energon, and Ratchet berates Optimus for prioritizing the humans' safety over their survival. Optimus reluctantly accepts Ratchet and Sparky's ideas to regain a foothold as Cliffjumper comforts a grief-stricken Carly, revealing that Starscream also killed his family on Cybertron during the war. Starscream gloats over successfully reactivating Teletraan 1 as Optimus rallies the Autobots and humans, having replaced his missing right arm with Megatron's. [35] | ||||
| 05 | Daniel Warren Johnson | Daniel Warren Johnson | Mike Spicer | February 14, 2024 |
| Optimus and Sparky connect over their wartime experiences as the Decepticons use Teletraan 1 to repair and revive Thundercracker, Frenzy, and Reflector. Thundercracker is horrified to see Skywarp disassembled and integrated into the computer's systems, but Starscream assures him he sacrificed himself for the greater good. The Decepticons leave to find the Autobots as Sparky, Ratchet, and a newly reactivated Wheeljack (albeit only his upper half) finish building a water turbine to convert the local dam's power into an Energon generator. They revive Arcee before the Decepticons attack, but Optimus single-handedly kills Reflector and Frenzy and injures Starscream with Megatron's arm-mounted fusion cannon. The Decepticons retreat after destroying the turbine, and the Autobots decide to press their advantage and pursue their enemies, with Sparky accompanying Optimus and Cliffjumper secretly bringing Carly along. However, they are beset by the revived Constructicons upon arriving at the Ark, and Starscream orders them to combine into Devastator. [36] | ||||
| 06 | Daniel Warren Johnson | Daniel Warren Johnson | Mike Spicer | March 13, 2024 |
| The Autobots manage to fend off Devastator long enough to escape into the Ark, but Ratchet loses a leg and Optimus is mortally wounded. Cliffjumper and Carly sneak into the Autobot ship through another route and encounter Starscream while Devastator begins digging into the mountain. As the Autobots despair, Sparky sacrifices himself to the Matrix of Leadership to repair Optimus, who promises to protect Spike and Earth in his honor. The Autobot leader attacks Devastator with his blaster and Megatron's cannon as Carly and Cliffjumper manage to subdue Starscream; however, Cliffjumper hesitates to deliver the killing blow, and Starscream seizes the opportunity to try and crush Carly. She is only saved when Optimus suplexes Devastator off the mountain, injuring Starscream as he falls. The Constructicons decombine and retreat with Starscream, and Soundwave rejects Optimus' peace offering before leaving with Thundercracker. At the hospital, Spike awakens and asks where his father is. [37] | ||||
Volume 2: "Transport to Oblivion" | ||||
| 07 | Daniel Warren Johnson | Jorge Corona | Mike Spicer | April 10, 2024 |
| On Cybertron, an Autobot squad is killed while storming a Decepticon fortress; their leader, Elita One, manages to break in and finds an Autobot prisoner stripped down to a near-skeletal pile of parts. On Earth, the captain of the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Henry Harrison is ordered to investigate reports of giant robots as Soundwave challenges Starscream for leadership of the Decepticons. Starscream protests but refuses to yield, and Soundwave mortally wounds him in the resulting duel. He disposes of Starscream's body and promises the remaining Decepticons they will rebuild together. At the Ark, Carly bonds with Arcee over target practice, who tells her how she was trained by the great Autobot warrior Ultra Magnus after her family died in the war. As they shoot, Cliffjumper confides in Jazz about his strained relationship with Carly after failing to kill Starscream, while a recovering Spike declines to speak with Optimus and Ratchet. As they return to the Ark, Optimus is suddenly overcome by a mysterious vision of himself holding a baby human. Wheeljack informs them that the Skywarp-controlled Teletraan 1 is refusing to repair any more Autobots, and Optimus suggests creating an aerial transport out of Jetfire's remains. [38] | ||||
| 08 | Daniel Warren Johnson | Jorge Corona | Mike Spicer | May 8, 2024 |
| Carly brings Spike to a lake for some fresh air, where they grieve over the deaths of their fathers. Elita promises to kill the prisoner herself rather than face recapture as Soundwave and Thundercracker attack and sink the Henry Harrison. Thundercracker allows the ship's crew to escape, but Soundwave refuses to risk detection and reluctantly kills them. Still angry with Cliffjumper, Carly threatens to destroy Skywarp's remains with a missile launcher, not realizing it would destroy Teletaan 1 as well. Arcee deflects her accidental shot, and Skywarp fully repairs Wheeljack's legs in gratitude; a furious Carly storms off and later confesses to Arcee that she doesn't understand why the Autobots don't act like the powerful warriors she sees them as. As Arcee shares how Optimus rallied them together at great personal sacrifice, Ratchet revives Jetfire, albeit blinded and immobile in his alternate shuttle mode. Soundwave and Thundercracker follow the Henry Harrison to the ocean floor, where the Constructicons use its nuclear reactor to partially reactivate the Nemesis , the Decepticon ship that pursued the Ark to Earth. They find the imprisoned Astrotrain inside, who agrees to help once Soundwave promises he can kill Megatron. The Autobots detect the Decepticon activity and depart with Jetfire, leaving Carly, Arcee, and Wheeljack behind, as Soundwave makes contact with Shockwave on Cybertron. [39] | ||||
| 09 | Daniel Warren Johnson | Jorge Corona | Mike Spicer | June 12, 2024 |
| The Nemesis activates a space bridge connecting Earth and Cybertron, and Jetfire crashes on the ocean floor from the energy surge. The Constructicons attack the Autobots as Shockwave arrives on Earth, and Ratchet is killed defending Cliffjumper. Optimus and Shockwave battle as the Farmingham militia confronts Wheeljack and Arcee on their way back to the dam, but Carly convinces them to stand down. Astrotrain threatens to destroy the hospital if Spike does not surrender, and he leaves with the Decepticon as Elita and the Autobot prisoner escape through the space bridge portal and arrive on Earth as well. They are pursued by the Combaticons, but only Onslaught makes it through before Elita destroys the portal, bisecting Brawl. Elita forces Optimus to retreat with the prisoner while Shockwave captures the injured Cliffjumper and Jazz and orders the Decepticons to repair the space bridge. As Astrotrain prepares to deliver Spike to Soundwave and Shockwave, he is shot down by Beachcomber. [40] | ||||
| 10 | Daniel Warren Johnson | Jorge Corona | Mike Spicer | July 10, 2024 |
| Beachcomber chains up Astrotrain and tells Spike his story: millions of years ago, when the Ark and Nemesis crashlanded on Earth, Beachcomber was thrown away from the battle and landed on the Moon. He hitched a ride to Earth on the Apollo 11 return flight eons later, entranced by the planet's natural beauty, and discovered the crashed Ark while exploring. However, he chose not to reactivate his fellow Autobots, fearing their war would inevitably destroy Earth. Astrotrain brags that Shockwave plans to strip Earth's natural resources to save Cybertron, but the pacifistic Beachcomber refuses to join the fighting. On the Nemesis, Shockwave is distracted by a pod of humpback whales outside the ship while chiding Soundwave's attempt to repair Ravage; however, rather than appreciating their organic beauty, Shockwave activates a machine that kills the whales and converts their remains into Energon. Optimus and Elita return to the dam, where Arcee recognizes the prisoner as Ultra Magnus, and a distraught Wheeljack leaves after hearing of Ratchet's death. As Elita confronts Optimus over abandoning Cybertron to the Decepticons, and Shockwave tortures Cliffjumper and Jazz, Thundercracker privately confides in Soundwave about his doubts. Although Soundwave also has reservations, he maintains the Decepticons need Shockwave's methods to succeed and denies a request to rescue Skywarp from the Ark. Using the energy gathered, Shockwave reactivates the space bridge and transports Cybertron itself into Earth's orbit. [41] | ||||
| 11 | Daniel Warren Johnson | Jorge Corona | Mike Spicer | August 14, 2024 |
| As Beachcomber investigates the natural disturbances caused by Cybertron's arrival, a guilt-ridden Arcee apologizes to an unconscious Magnus for failing him. Wheeljack suggests postponing Magnus' extensive repairs and reviving more Autobots instead with their limited Energon, but he awakens and begs to join the fight. Shockwave again dismisses Soundwave's concern for Ravage and returns to Cybertron, informing the other Combaticons to defend their side of the space bridge at all costs. The Autobots deduce that destroying the Nemesis will sever the connection between Earth and Cybertron, but Elita balks at the idea of rescuing Cliffjumper and Jazz over toppling Shockwave's control of Cybertron, especially with his new stores of Energon. Using Teletraan 1, now fully integrated with Skywarp's teleportation abilities, Optimus, Elita, and Arcee teleport onto the Nemesis and split up; Elita plants enough explosives to destroy the ship while Optimus and Arcee ambush Shockwave and rescue Cliffjumper and Jazz. As Spike urges Beachcomber to reconsider his neutrality for Earth's sake, Optimus stops Arcee from giving in to her rage and killing the Decepticon scientist. However, Shockwave uses the moment of hesitation to take Cliffjumper hostage and order the Constructicons to combine into Devastator. Wheeljack and a freshly repaired Magnus arrive as backup, but Magnus panics upon seeing Shockwave again and flees. [42] | ||||
| 12 | Daniel Warren Johnson | Jorge Corona | Mike Spicer | September 11, 2024 |
| Without Ultra Magnus, the Autobots are quickly pushed back, but Carly teleports her van into the midst of the chaos to save Cliffjumper. Their reunion is short-lived, though, as Devastator smashes the van and throws it and Cliffjumper back through the space bridge portal. The other Autobots target Devastator until he falls and crushes part of the Nemesis, disconnecting Cybertron from Earth. Shockwave flees through the still-active portal to gather reinforcements, but Optimus follows him and takes down Swindle, Vortex, and Blast Off. Another vision of the human baby overtakes him as he pins Shockwave down, but the vision shifts into a nightmare as the baby becomes trapped in a sea of wires, and Optimus crushes the Decepticon's head. Elita approves of the ruthless action and stops a horrified Optimus as he and Cliffjumper attempt to return to Earth. She reveals she never planted the charges on the Nemesis and urges him to stay on Cybertron and continue harvesting energy from Earth to win the war. Optimus refuses to sacrifice Earth and destroys the Energon reserves, severing the connection and blasting him and a large chunk of Cybertron back into Earth's atmosphere. Beachcomber saves Optimus as the piece of Cybertron crashes into the ocean. [43] | ||||
Volume 3: "Combiner Chaos" | ||||
| 2024 Special | Robert Kirkman | Ryan Ottley | Mike Spicer | May 4, 2024 |
| As the Ark crashlands on Earth, Megatron tears through the Autobots aboard and kills Brawn during the battle. Optimus engages him in a fury, slicing off Megatron's right arm and kicking him out of the ship. Although Megatron orders Starscream to save him, he blasts Megatron away to seize control of the Decepticons, sending him falling to the planet below. Much later, Megatron awakens inside the underground laboratories of Cobra-La, now missing an eye and his other arm [e] . He breaks free of his restraints and kills one of the scientists, but allows the other to live in exchange for the return of his left arm. Golobulus, Cobra-La's ruler, breaches the laboratory with a massive army and orders them to destroy Megatron. Although the Decepticon leader kills many Cobra-La warriors and creatures, including Golobulus' enormous war beast, Golobulus himself manages to stab out his remaining eye. Blinded, Megatron flees and bursts out into a snowy mountainous wasteland, where he swears vengeance on Starscream. [11] | ||||
| 13 | Daniel Warren Johnson | Jason Howard | Mike Spicer | October 13, 2024 |
| Starscream, mangled and mortally wounded after his duel with Soundwave, flashes back to his past on Cybertron: Ulchtar and his two friends Genvo and Jetfire spent a last night together before the latter's departure. Genvo urged Ulchtar and Jetfire to join his faction of the burgeoning civil war, but Jetfire refused and vowed to find a peaceful solution to Cybertron's energy crisis while off-world. The enormous Guardian robot Omega Supreme suddenly flew overhead, and Ulchtar decided to detonate a small ammunition depot to get their attention. The plan worked, and the gigantic Cybertronian waved at the three before departing. Sometime later, after Jetfire also left Cybertron, Ulchtar's lab was destroyed in the crossfire of a sudden attack. An injured Genvo died in his arms, and Ulchtar believed the Autobots were responsible. Megatron, the leader of Genvo's faction, recruited Ulchtar and offered him the power to destroy his enemies; Ulchtar agreed and renamed himself Starscream after Genvo's last words. Although Starscream suddenly awakens to find his legs have melted off in a pool of lava, he quickly falls unconscious again as a team of M.A.R.S. Industries salvage operatives claim his body. [44] | ||||
| 14 | Daniel Warren Johnson | Jason Howard | Mike Spicer | November 13, 2024 |
| Starscream awakens to find the M.A.R.S. team – commanding officer Horton and Privates Razz, Martin, and Clayton – has crudely grafted his upper body onto the top of their H.I.S.S. tank, complete with a remote control. Although enraged at his humiliating situation, he begrudgingly agrees to work with the humans after Horton reveals they planted explosives inside his body. Starscream and the M.A.R.S. team discover Astrotrain chained on a beach, who agrees to join them if Starscream delivers on Soundwave's promise to kill Megatron. The conversation is interrupted as the piece of Cybertron falls into the ocean, creating a tidal wave; Starscream and Astrotrain attempt to flee, but Horton forces the Decepticons to transport the M.A.R.S. team to safety as well. Horton is knocked unconscious as Astrotrain also rescues the Combaticons from the devastation, and he awakens to find that Starscream repaired Brawl and tricked Razz into removing the explosives. Starscream kills Razz, Clayton, and Horton but spares Martin and Razz's pet cat as he vows revenge on Soundwave. [45] | ||||
| 15 | Daniel Warren Johnson | Jorge Corona | Mike Spicer | December 11, 2024 |
| To gather more energy and attract the Autobots' attention, Soundwave orders the Decepticons to destroy the city of Tacoma, Washington; although Thundercracker complies, he is wracked with guilt and allows a group of humans to escape. As Arcee, Carly, Spike, and Beachcomber leave the Ark to find Ultra Magnus, Cliffjumper awakens on Cybertron and reunites with his fellow Autobots Bluestreak, Warpath, and Blurr. Optimus, Wheeljack, and Jazz also leave to investigate the Decepticon attack on Tacoma, where they theorize that the Matrix, potentially influenced by Sparky's sacrifice, is causing Optimus' mysterious visions. The Autobots arrive at Tacoma's ruins but are driven away by the survivors and first responders, and Optimus rips a tank apart as he is overtaken by another nightmarish vision of the baby, now grown into a child, trapped in a heap of wires. Watching from afar, Soundwave resolves to ambush their enemies later before sending Laserbeak off on a secret mission. Cliffjumper is disturbed when the Autobots cannibalize the Decepticon Ramjet for his Energon as he encounters Elita again. After returning to the dam, Optimus' team is attacked by both Starscream and Soundwave's Decepticons as they revive Trailbreaker. To their shock, however, Starscream ignores the Autobots and orders the Combaticons to combine into Bruticus and destroy Soundwave. [46] | ||||
| 16 | Daniel Warren Johnson | Jorge Corona | Mike Spicer | January 8, 2025 |
| Cliffjumper, Elita, and Bluestreak visit what was once the home of Cliffjumper's family; he reveals that, before leaving Cybertron, he had salvaged the remains of their sparks and hidden them away, hoping to someday use them to create a new Autobot. The Constructicons merge into Devastator to counter Bruticus as the Autobots are caught in the middle of the Decepticon infighting. Starscream accidentally reveals the truth of Skywarp's "sacrifice" to Thundercracker, who throws him off the dam and flees the battle. Optimus destroys the dam with Megatron's cannon, once again overtaken by a foreign rage, and all of the Cybertronians are washed away. Trailbreaker manages to save a group of children with his force fields as Cliffjumper resolves to bring his family's sparks to the Well of All Sparks, the place where new Cybertronian life is created. Elita argues that the Well is deep in Decepticon territory, but Cliffjumper and Bluestreak believe that the possibility of creating a new Autobot warrior is worth the risk. As Carly, Spike, Arcee, and Beachcomber continue looking for Magnus, Laserbeak finally discovers the object of his own search – the wounded and blinded Megatron. Megatron connects himself to Laserbeak's eyes to see and orders him to bring him back to the Decepticons. [47] | ||||
| 17 | Daniel Warren Johnson | Jorge Corona | Mike Spicer | February 12, 2025 |
| Thundercracker returns to the empty Ark and reunites with the imprisoned Skywarp, while Arcee, Carly, Spike, and Beachcomber find Magnus hidden away in an enormous crude wooden fortress within the San Juan Islands. As the Autobots on Cybertron prepare to attack, Bluestreak cuts off Elita's pessimistic rant and reminds her that, although he left Cybertron, Optimus managed to take down Shockwave during his brief return, and they need to carry the moment of hope forward by creating a new Autobot. On Earth, the Decepticons' conflict continues into the city of Seattle as Elita's team storms the Well of All Sparks and takes out Decepticon guards Thrust and Ratbat. Cliffjumper initiates the creation process as the battle between the Decepticons ravages the city, and Optimus orders the Autobots to rescue as many humans as possible. To finish the Well's creation program, Cliffjumper has Blades deposit the remains of Carly's van as an alternate mode for the new Autobot, who names themselves Shredhead. [48] | ||||
| 18 | Daniel Warren Johnson | Jorge Corona | Mike Spicer | March 12, 2025 |
| Outside the Well of All Sparks, the newly-created Shredhead saves the Autobots from Decepticon reinforcements. As they marvel at the new Autobot's power, Magnus confesses to Arcee, Carly, Beachcomber, and Spike that his imprisonment and torture at Shockwave's hands still weigh heavily on him. Carly reassures him that the others share his fear, but a group of soldiers suddenly attacks the fortress, abducting Magnus and a tranquilized Carly. In Seattle, the Autobots continue protecting the humans as the Decepticons rampage through the city. Rumble manages to shoot down Starscream and Astrotrain atop a nearby skyscraper, and both Bruticus and Devastator climb the building to reach them. At the top, Devastator throws himself and Bruticus off the skyscraper, and the impact from their fall levels a city block. Starscream and Soundwave duel again on the building's roof but are stopped by the sudden arrival of Megatron. Megatron revives Ravage with the power of his own spark, and Soundwave returns to his master's side as a horrified Optimus orders the Autobots to retreat. [49] | ||||
Volume 4: "Conquer and Control" | ||||
| 19 | Daniel Warren Johnson | Ludo Lullabi | Adriano Lucas | April 9, 2025 |
| Sometime in the past, before the beginning of the Cybertronian civil war, Megatron awakens in a cell on the planet Quintessa as a captive of the Quintessons. The Quintesson Prosecutor Dezimir orders him to undergo a trial to earn his freedom, and uses a strange device to subdue Megatron as he is thrown into an arena. Megatron easily clears the arena's traps and hordes of Sharkticons but is crushed when Dezimir summons a gigantic monster called the Mechanokoar. To his bewilderment, Megatron reawakens perfectly intact in the same cell and is thrown back into the arena by Dezimir, where the Mechanokoar once again destroys him. The cycle repeats hundreds of times until Megatron finally begs for mercy, and Dezimir gloats that the trial's true purpose was to show him how small he was compared to the rest of the universe. Dezimir's unseen master declares the trial over, revealing that the device controlling Megatron was the dark opposite of the Matrix of Leadership. Megatron is granted the dark Matrix's power and assumes a new form – a handheld gun that allows him to control his wielder, which he uses to overpower Dezimir and kill the Mechanokoar. With this new power, Megatron returns to Cybertron and assumes control of the Decepticons. [50] | ||||
| 2025 Special | Daniel Warren Johnson | Daniel Warren Johnson | Mike Spicer | May 3, 2025 |
| On Cybertron, sometime in the past, Jazz is part of a band with Cliffjumper, Bluestreak, Arcee, and Blurr. Due to his constant improvisation and inability to stay on the beat, the other band members kick Jazz out right before a big performance. Later that evening, Optimus finds Jazz listening to strange sounds on an intergalactic radio created by Wheeljack. Entranced by the noise, which he believes to be alien music, Jazz vows to someday find its source, but Optimus politely asks him to turn the radio off. Later, on Earth, Jazz suddenly hears the noise again and swerves away to follow it. He and Optimus track the sound to a cocktail lounge, where Jazz discovers with delight that it belongs to a group of jazz musicians playing for the lounge's patrons. [24] | ||||
| 20 | Daniel Warren Johnson | Jorge Corona | Mike Spicer | May 14, 2025 |
| Before Megatron can pursue the fleeing Autobots, he is challenged to single combat by a vengeful Astrotrain. Intent on destroying Megatron for killing his love and imprisoning him in the Nemesis, Astrotrain is instead defeated and thrown off the skyscraper. At a secret military base, a soldier reports to Doc on a captured Ultra Magnus while the Autobots regroup at the Ark to prepare for Megatron's imminent assault. Spike finally approaches Optimus to ask what happened to his father; a guilty Optimus apologizes for not being able to retrieve Sparky's spirit from the Matrix and for not controlling the dark feelings growing within his mind. Spike urges him to continue holding on to hope as Beachcomber and Silverbolt return to the Ark with a still-living Jetfire. Wheeljack revives the other Aerialbots – Air Raid, Fireflight, Skydive, and Slingshot – with the last of their Energon, and they happily reunite with Optimus as a hidden Thundercracker watches from the shadows. Cliffjumper confides in Shredhead about his fears for Carly on Cybertron, while Megatron leads the reunified Decepticons to a stockpile of resources hidden on the piece of Cybertron in the middle of the ocean. He has Starscream fully repaired and restored, to the latter's shock, before beating him into submission again as the other Decepticons watch. Using the mental powers of his gun mode, Megatron forces Starscream to kill Astrotrain and vows to take back his missing arm from the Autobots. [51] | ||||
| 21 | Daniel Warren Johnson | Jorge Corona | Mike Spicer | June 11, 2025 |
| Technicians under General Flagg's supervision begin torturing Magnus, to Doc's horror, while Bluestreak and Warpath finish repairing one of Shockwave's space bridge portals. However, they report to Elita that they only have enough Energon to transport one Autobot to Earth, and she resolves to send either Cliffjumper or Shredhead to retrieve Optimus. While running a diagnostic test on the Matrix, Wheeljack realizes that Megatron's arm is somehow blocking the artifact's power from recharging, but the Decepticons suddenly launch a full-force assault on the Ark. Bruticus and Devastator begin fighting among themselves, to Soundwave's consternation, and Optimus suddenly aims Megatron's cannon at Jazz and Wheeljack during the battle; before he can fire, Thundercracker uses Teletraan 1 to teleport himself, Skywarp, and the entire Ark away, leaving the Autobots defenseless. Megatron breaks up the squabbling Bruticus and Devastator, but the Aerialbots combine into Superion and give the Autobots enough time to regroup. Finally aware that Megatron's arm is corrupting him, Optimus orders his troops to shoot it off him, and the Autobots flee as Megatron reclaims and reattaches his arm. With his full strength restored, he fires a blast in gun mode that severs Superion's left arm off his body. The Autobots are forced to leave the mortally wounded Slingshot at Megatron's mercy, who rips his head off and orders the Decepticons onward. [52] | ||||
| 22 | Daniel Warren Johnson | Jorge Corona | Mike Spicer | July 9, 2025 |
| After the wounded Superion crashlands, the Autobots are towed back to Farmingham by a convoy of grateful humans led by Doctor Lio, the hospital director. On Cybertron, Elita orders Cliffjumper to return to Earth, but he throws Shredhead through the space bridge portal instead, and a furious Elita captures him as the portal explodes. Outside the hospital, Lio shows the Autobots Ratchet's body, retrieved from the bottom of the ocean by the Coast Guard. Still unable to access the Matrix's power, Optimus begins to succumb to the infection from Megatron's arm, but Spike offers himself as a conduit between the Autobot leader and the Matrix. Both are overcome by the artifact's power, and Optimus appears in the Hall of the Primes, an ancient repository of wisdom within the Matrix. Meanwhile, Megatron calls off the search for the Autobots and orders an attack on a large military force mobilizing nearby instead. As the Decepticons slaughter the soldiers, Flagg interrogates a belligerent Carly while Doc deactivates Ultra Magnus' restraints. The giant Autobot tears through the facility and escapes with Carly and Doc; when asked why he helped, Doc reveals that he was once tortured as a prisoner of war himself, and his words inspire Magnus to rejoin the fight. As he and Carly leave to find the Autobots, Lio and Wheeljack keep the comatose Optimus and Spike stable while everyone evacuates to Chicago. [53] | ||||
| 23 | Daniel Warren Johnson | Jorge Corona | Mike Spicer | August 13, 2025 |
| Shredhead appears on Earth amidst the underwater wreckage of the Nemesis, and they set out to find Carly. In Chicago, Starscream discovers the Autobots evacuating humans to their base at the Adler Planetarium, where Wheeljack has constructed a makeshift right arm for the unconscious Optimus. Within the Matrix, Optimus finds that Megatron's infection has corrupted much of the Primes' wisdom, but he is saved by Sparky's spirit. As the Decepticons advance on the planetarium, refugees from Farmingham, Tacoma, Seattle, and Chicago pay their respects to Optimus for saving them. Carly and Ultra Magnus arrive, and Magnus rallies the Autobots for their last stand in Optimus' honor. Beachcomber stays behind as the Autobots and Decepticons clash outside the planetarium, while Sparky realizes that Optimus' mysterious visions have been intertwined with his own memories of raising Spike. Against Megatron's orders, Starscream breaks through the Autobot lines into the planetarium and seemingly kills Beachcomber as he defends Carly. Sparky urges Optimus not to give in to Megatron's infectious hate, and the Autobot leader reaffirms his promise to take care of Spike as they purify the Matrix together. Megatron savagely beats Starscream for his disobedience, and Optimus and Spike reawaken just before he can kill the refugees. The other Decepticons arrive to support their leader, but Megatron orders them to stay back as he and Optimus begin their final duel. [54] | ||||
| 24 | Daniel Warren Johnson | Jorge Corona | Mike Spicer | September 10, 2025 |
| Optimus gains the upper hand over Megatron, but the Decepticon leader begins killing the refugees to break Optimus' focus, knocking him unconscious. Transforming into his gun mode, Megatron has Starscream impale Optimus atop a skyscraper, where he presents the Autobot leader with a final test – to choose between executing Spike and Carly or Beachcomber, with all three dying if he refuses to pick. With Optimus unwilling to cooperate, Starscream prepares to kill the humans; however, everyone is awestruck by the sudden arrival of Omega Supreme, drawn to Earth by a beacon on the ocean-bound piece of Cybertron. The ancient Cybertronian exchanges a wave with Starscream as they fly overhead, as they did on Cybertron before the war [f] , and the reminder of his past causes Starscream to break free from Megatron's control and shoot himself in the head. Before he can kill Spike and Carly himself, Megatron is suddenly sliced in half by Shredhead, who also cuts down Soundwave and frees Optimus. The furious Autobot leader knocks Megatron off the skyscraper, and he escapes with Devastator, an injured Bruticus, and Starscream's body. As everyone collects themselves, Optimus notices that the Matrix has finally reactivated, leaving him cured of Megatron's infection. [55] | ||||
Volume 5: "Generation One" | ||||
| 25 | Robert Kirkman | Dan Mora Jorge Corona | Mike Spicer | October 8, 2025 |
| In the aftermath of the Chicago battle, the injured Decepticons retreat to the underwater wreckage of the Nemesis, where Megatron rallies them for the next phase of their fight against the Autobots. They toss Starscream's body into a scrapheap with the remains of Reflector, Frenzy, and Astrotrain, unaware that he is seemingly still alive. While assisting with cleanup and search-and-rescue efforts, the Autobots find Soundwave buried beneath the wreckage. After Optimus subdues him, General Flagg arrives and offers an alliance between the Autobots and the United States government to prevent any further Decepticon attacks. Optimus leaves with Flagg while Wheeljack, Jazz, and Ultra Magnus bring the imprisoned Soundwave back to the mountain where the Ark used to be; however, to their surprise, they witness the ship teleporting back into its original crashed position. As a sign of trust, Flagg gives Optimus a massive stockpile of Energon and the deactivated Autobots Bulkhead and Mirage on behalf of the secret government organization Shadow Watch and its leader, Miles Mayhem. After securing Soundwave in the Ark’s brig, Jazz and Wheeljack are ambushed by a horrified Thundercracker, who had accidentally teleported himself into Cobra-La. Meanwhile, on Cybertron, Elita rages at the loss of Shredhead and swears vengeance on Optimus. [56] | ||||
| 26 | Robert Kirkman | Dan Mora | Mike Spicer | November 12, 2025 |
| Thundercracker tries forcibly removing Skywarp from Teletraan 1 to prevent another teleportation accident. Optimus returns to the Ark with Flagg and Shadow Watch's gifts, and Thundercracker agrees to stand down in exchange for restoring Skywarp. As Wheeljack thanks Flagg for the resources and begins separating Skywarp and Teletraan 1, Beachcomber, Shredhead, Arcee, Carly, and Spike continue assisting search-and-rescue operations in Chicago. Within Shadow Watch's headquarters, Mayhem obtains a complete technical scan of Optimus' transformation sequence, then kills the technician responsible for collecting the data. On Cybertron, Cliffjumper reluctantly agrees to help Elita repair the space bridge by salvaging components in Decepticon territory, though he remains adamant that neither he nor Optimus betrayed the Autobot cause. Skywarp attacks the Autobots upon being revived and disowns Thundercracker for his supposed betrayal as he escapes. Shaken but resolute in his convictions, Thundercracker decides to stay with the Autobots. Meanwhile, the Decepticons fail to salvage enough Energon from the wreckage of Shockwave's underwater harvester; before he can reprimand them, Megatron collapses in agony. [57] | ||||
| 27 | Robert Kirkman | Dan Mora | Mike Spicer | December 10, 2025 |
| Wheeljack and Teletraan 1 manage to revive and restore several Autobots, including Bulkhead, Mirage, Jetfire, Brawn, Sideswipe, and Blaster. Trailbreaker catches the newly repaired Autobots up on current events as Magnus attempts to blackmail Flagg about his previous imprisonment and torture, but he is easily rebuffed. Skywarp helps the Combaticons raid the Hoover Dam for Energon while Optimus and Thundercracker have a heart-to-heart about the latter's defection, his unwillingness to indiscriminately kill humans, and their shared respect for Earth. Flagg confronts and arrests Mayhem at Shadow Watch's headquarters for treason as Wheeljack and Thundercracker, now adorned with Autobot faction emblems, convince Optimus not to revive the remaining Decepticons aboard the Ark. Magnus privately admits to Arcee that he no longer feels worthy of his title and asks her to succeed him as the Autobots' Magnus. With everyone repaired, Optimus rallies the Autobots to strike back against the Decepticons; meanwhile, Cliffjumper continues sneaking through Decepticon-occupied territory on Cybertron, unaware he is being stalked by a heavily damaged but still functional Shockwave. [58] | ||||
| Issue | Written by | Drawn by | Colored by | Publication date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Duke — "Knowing is Half the Battle" | ||||
| 01 | Joshua Williamson | Tom Reilly | Jordie Bellaire | December 27, 2023 |
| Sometime after his friend Tyler "Frosting" Frost was killed by a plane that transformed into a giant robot, [g] Conrad "Duke" Hauser meets with his commanding officer, Colonel Hawk. Hawk orders him to return to duty and stop investigating the incident, to which Duke refuses. Six months later, Duke connects with Doctor Adele Burkhart at a conspiracy theory gathering in Washington, D.C., who informs him that he may have stumbled onto a secret arms race related to her research and directs him to M.A.R.S. Industries for more answers. Duke discovers that the company is producing a range of advanced robotic frames and exosuits, leading him to believe they created the robot that killed Frosting. He is discovered and thrown out by M.A.R.S. security operative Mercer, who lets him live upon request from his employer. Duke returns to the conspiracy theorists only to discover that the meeting was massacred. The dying Burkhart tells him the killers stole almost all of her research and gives him the last hard drive, warning him not to let it fall into the wrong hands. Police storm the building and attack Duke, who escapes into the night. Hawk's superiors order him to find Duke, and he tasks Stalker and Rock 'n Roll with capturing him. [59] | ||||
| 02 | Joshua Williamson | Tom Reilly | Jordie Bellaire | January 31, 2024 |
| Duke arrives at the auto shop where his old friend Clutch works, who agrees to patch his wounds and help however he can. Although Clutch doesn't fully believe Duke's story about the giant robot, he discovers that Burkhart's drive doubles as a highly advanced tracker for her research, located somewhere in the western United States. As Destro, the CEO of M.A.R.S. Industries, receives an alert, Duke and Clutch leave to investigate but are ambushed by Rock 'n Roll. They flee in one of Clutch's custom vans, but Rock 'n Roll leads them into Stalker's sniper trap, who disables the van and knocks both men unconscious. Duke and Clutch are arrested and brought to the Pit, an underground prison for high-risk inmates, where Duke's railings against the justice system catch the attention of a mysterious woman imprisoned nearby. [60] | ||||
| 03 | Joshua Williamson | Tom Reilly | Jordie Bellaire | February 28, 2024 |
| As M.A.R.S. relocates its headquarters in the wake of Duke's infiltration, Destro tasks Major Bludd with tracking down and eliminating him. In the Pit, Hawk informs Stalker and Rock 'n Roll that Duke will be transferred to a new facility in two hours, while Duke identifies the mysterious woman as Anastasia Cisarovna, the Baroness. Bludd's forces hijack the prison transport and storm the Pit, and Rock 'n Roll frees Duke and Clutch to evacuate. Duke reluctantly frees the Baroness as well, but Bludd attacks him before they can escape. During their fight, Bludd reveals that he killed Burkhart and plans to kill Duke as well to collect the large bounty on his head; however, the Baroness shoots him and threatens to take down Duke for the bounty. [61] | ||||
| 04 | Joshua Williamson | Tom Reilly | Jordie Bellaire | March 27, 2024 |
| As Bludd's forces continue attacking the Pit, Duke convinces the Baroness to join him and the others in fighting back. She accepts, to the others' consternation, and the group discovers a hangar full of decommissioned experimental vehicles that Clutch repairs. A grievously wounded Bludd, now missing an eye, orders his men to destroy the Pit, but they are beset by Duke's team and their new armaments – an APC, a MOBAT, and a Skystriker. The Baroness escapes in a F.A.N.G. jet during the chaos, and Duke also leaves to follow Burkhart's tracker, leading to a secret M.A.R.S. test facility in the Rocky Mountains. Destro oversees a failed test of the new H.I.S.S. tank, whose power cores are insufficient, and orders Scrap-Iron to prepare his newest invention for the incoming Duke. As Duke arrives and discovers more of M.A.R.S.'s robotic weapons, he vows to destroy their giant robot; however, he is attacked by a Battle Android Trooper. [62] | ||||
| 05 | Joshua Williamson | Tom Reilly | Jordie Bellaire | May 4, 2024 |
| In the remains of the Pit, Clutch refuses to tell Hawk where Duke went, but Stalker reveals they discovered Burkhart's tracker in the wreckage. As the Battle Android Trooper strangles Duke, Destro reveals himself and offers Duke a position with M.A.R.S.. Duke refuses and accuses Destro of being responsible for Frosting's death, but he denies building the transforming robot. Destro leaves Duke at the B.A.T.'s mercy and orders Scrap-Iron to destroy the facility as he and Mercer depart. As the facility explodes, Duke manages to overpower the B.A.T. and destroy its power source, collapsing from his injuries. Later, he awakens in a hospital to find Hawk and Cover Girl waiting, who informs him that the news believes he is dead and posthumously cleared of Burkhart's murder. Hawk thanks him for his assistance in exposing Destro's operations; he later brings Duke to the Pit and asks him to form a highly trained special mission force capable of handling a variety of new emerging threats. Although Duke refuses at first, he agrees when Hawk shows him footage of more transforming robots like the one that killed Frosting, including one that turns into a truck. [63] | ||||
| 2024 Special | Joshua Williamson | Tom Reilly | Jordie Bellaire | March 13, 2024 |
| As Duke begins assembling his new team, he also decides to recruit the Baroness, despite Hawk's apparent objections. He rescues the Baroness from an ambush by two mysterious armored assassins and asks her to join his team to keep them honest, on edge, and wary of authority. She agrees, especially after learning her alternative is returning to prison. Meanwhile, Hawk meets with the two assassins, Flint and Lady Jaye, who voice their doubts about including the Baroness in Duke's new operation. However, Hawk's plans to bring the two together have worked out well, especially since he does not want Duke to know he is organizing multiple special forces teams. [11] | ||||
Cobra Commander — "Determined to Rule the World" | ||||
| 01 | Joshua Williamson | Andrea Milana | Annalisa Leoni | January 17. 2024 |
| In the secret underground society of Cobra-La, whose humanoid residents rely solely on organic biotechnology, an angry mob attacks a science lab housing a foreign metal specimen. The scientists' commander orders them to protect their research, but one of them accidentally detonates an explosive spore in his face. He is healed and given a metal helmet to hide his wounds, and Pythona brings him to Cobra-La's leader Golobulus to answer for himself. The furious Golobulus berates the commander for disregarding Cobra-La's reverence for organic life through his experiments on the specimen's alien technology, even after they took him in from the human world. Golobulus also reveals he knows the commander instigated the riot to gain power and orders him to be executed; however, the commander kills his guards with several small insectoid robots and requests to depart on a special mission to strengthen Cobra-La. Golobulus reluctantly agrees, and the commander returns to the lab and extracts more data and Energon from the specimen – an imprisoned and deactivated Megatron. As he departs, plotting to conquer the world in Cobra-La's name, he overlooks Megatron momentarily reawakening. Accompanied by a Cobra-La grunt disguised as a human, the commander hijacks a truck and kills its driver for transport to a large Energon deposit in Florida. He vows the world will soon fear the name of Cobra Commander, unaware that others are already harvesting the Energon. [64] | ||||
| 02 | Joshua Williamson | Andrea Milana | Annalisa Leoni | February 21, 2024 |
| In the Florida swamps, Buzzer and Ripper of the Dreadnoks gang torture and kill a pair of gunrunners for interfering in their territory. The Commander and the grunt begin their investigation, and the grunt recalls Pythona's orders to watch the Commander as they track the Energon further into the swamps. The two are confronted by a park ranger, who is quickly murdered by the grunt as the Commander slips away. He encounters the Dreadnoks, who flee after he destroys their vehicle. Zarana warns her brothers not to follow him into the restricted areas of the swamps as the Commander discovers a large body of water infused with Energon; however, he falls in while gloating and is quickly overwhelmed by a horde of Energon-enhanced alligators. [65] | ||||
| 03 | Joshua Williamson | Andrea Milana | Annalisa Leoni | March 20, 2024 |
| The grunt gets lost in the swamps looking for the Commander as he is captured by Zandar and taken back to the Dreadnoks' hideout. One by one, Buzzer, Torch, Ripper, Zandar, and Zarana torture the Commander but fail to break him, and he slowly begins turning his captors against one another. Zarana finally gives up and orders him to be taken to a secret bunker and executed, but the Commander activates a hidden tracking device. Just before he is killed, the Cobra-La grunt arrives, and the Commander orders him to dispose of the Dreadnoks so they can claim the Energon in Golobulus' name. With Buzzer's chainsaw ineffective against him, the grunt sheds his human disguise to reveal the monstrous form of the Nemesis Enforcer. [66] | ||||
| 04 | Joshua Williamson | Andrea Milana | Annalisa Leoni | April 17, 2024 |
| As the Enforcer begins slaughtering the Dreadnoks, the Commander forces Ripper to show him the secret bunker, where a captive scientist has been experimenting with Energon. The scientist shows the Commander the results of his work, including how raw pink Energon can be refined and transmuted into new forms and colors, and the Commander upgrades his insectoid robots with a cube of blue Energon. Zarana, Zandar, Torch, and Buzzer manage to distract the Enforcer long enough to escape, but he lets them leave and turns on the Commander instead as Ripper flees. He reveals that Golobulus ordered him to dispose of the Commander once he discovered a way to harness the power of Energon, and he is no longer needed now that they have the scientist. However, the Commander kills the Enforcer and catches up with Ripper, who reveals that the Dreadnoks planned to sell the Energon to Destro of M.A.R.S. Industries. [67] | ||||
| 05 | Joshua Williamson | Andrea Milana | Annalisa Leoni | May 22, 2024 |
| The Commander begins attacking and raiding M.A.R.S. facilities across the United States, eventually inviting Destro to meet via Ripper. Destro, Mercer, Ripper, and a squadron of M.A.R.S. troops arrive at a seemingly idyllic small American town, but a hidden laser turret kills the troops. Destro reluctantly agrees to hear the Commander's proposal, who takes them to the underground lab of Dr. Laszlo Vandermeer, the scientist he rescued from the Dreadnoks. The Commander requests to ally M.A.R.S.'s technological might with his Energon production capabilities to unite the world's criminal elements. He demonstrates the potential by supercharging one of Destro's Battle Android Troopers with Energon, which effortlessly kills dozens of his own recruits. Destro agrees to the alliance, and the Commander formally organizes the partnership between his troops and M.A.R.S. into Cobra. Meanwhile, the denizens of Cobra-La are still reeling from Megatron's recent escape. [h] Golobulus and Pythona raid the Commander's lab and discover his captive came from an entirely mechanical planet, the antithesis to Cobra-La's way of life. Fearing that more creatures like Megatron are already on Earth, Golobulus sends Pythona and a contingent of Cobra-La warriors into space to find their robotic homeworld – Cybertron. [68] | ||||
Scarlett — "Secret Mission" | ||||
| 01 | Kelly Thompson | Marco Ferrari | Lee Loughridge | June 5, 2024 |
| Special operative Shana "Scarlett" O'Hara infiltrates a private party in Monaco while searching for a group of hostages, with strict orders not to engage. However, she is distracted by the sudden arrival of her old friend Jinx, who disappeared on a mission several years ago. Jinx covertly signals Scarlett not to interfere, but she breaks orders to save her, allowing Jinx's mysterious team of ninjas to escape with a hostage. Scarlett is dismissed from her unit for her insubordination, and she returns home to find Stalker waiting for her; he reveals that Jinx disappeared while infiltrating Clan Arashikage and asks her to find the clan, rescue Jinx, and retrieve a secret weapon the Arashikage have in their possession. Her pilot Snow Job transports her to a mountaintop Arashikage hideout, where she fights her way through a horde of ninja to reach the clan's leader, the Hard Master. She offers her services to the Arashikage but is quickly knocked out from behind by Storm Shadow, the Hard Master's most loyal servant. [69] | ||||
| 02 | Kelly Thompson | Marco Ferrari | Lee Loughridge | July 3, 2024 |
| Scarlett awakens to find herself in captivity; following another coded message from Jinx, she frees herself and attacks another group of Arashikage ninjas, impressing the watching Storm Shadow. He invites her to have tea with him and the Hard Master, and she explains that she hopes to use her skills for a more useful cause after her dismissal from the United States military. The Hard Master agrees to give Scarlett a chance, as the Arashikage are planning to retrieve an ancient weapon of unusual origin stolen from them by the Mugenonami, a yakuza group. As Scarlett begins the mission, she recognizes that the assignment is a suicide mission but believes that Jinx is worth dying for. [70] | ||||
| 03 | Kelly Thompson | Marco Ferrari | Lee Loughridge | August 7, 2024 |
| Scarlett infiltrates the Mugenonami building in Tokyo and takes control of the primary security center, but is severely wounded while fighting off a group of katana-wielding enforcers. As Storm Shadow, Jinx, and a group of Arashikage ninjas take on a legion of Mugenonami forces at a neighboring building, Scarlett rigs the secondary security center to explore and kills another enforcer. With the Mugenonami complex thrown into chaos, she makes her way to the roof of the other building and finally reunites with Jinx, but they are interrupted by the arrival of a Cobra helicopter. [71] | ||||
| 04 | Kelly Thompson | Marco Ferrari | Lee Loughridge | September 4, 2024 |
| Jinx secretly warns Scarlett to be wary as Storm Shadow summons them; the Mugenonami moved the weapon to a lower floor when the Arashikage arrived, and orders the two to find an alternate route while he and the others engage them directly. Jinx knocks out any surveillance with an EMP device, allowing the two a few minutes to talk privately. She gives Scarlett intel to take back to Stalker but refuses to come herself, believing that the Arashikage could become a powerful ally against the rising threat of Cobra as long as she stays with them. As the EMP's effects wear off and the two resume their mission, Scarlett realizes the Mugenonami moved the weapon to an upper floor instead, and Storm Shadow's forces are walking into a trap. She and Jinx secure the weapon and dispatch its guards and a squadron of Cobra Troopers. Storm Shadow arrives to claim it, revealing it as the Sword of Life, an ancient blade crafted from Energon. [72] | ||||
| 05 | Kelly Thompson | Marco Ferrari | Lee Loughridge | October 9, 2024 |
| As Storm Shadow demonstrates the power of the Energon sword, he, Scarlett, and Jinx flee as another Cobra helicopter arrives and blows up the building floor. Cobra Commander arrives and shoots Scarlett, but Jinx saves her as the three escape into the streets of Tokyo. Scarlett rendezvous with Snow Job and passes on Jinx's intel, but tells him she plans to stay with Jinx and the Arashikage for as long as she has to. She returns to the Arashikage stronghold with Jinx and Storm Shadow, who present the Energon sword to the Hard Master. In recognition of his service, the Hard Master returns the sword to Storm Shadow, who gladly accepts its power. [73] | ||||
Destro — "The Enemy" | ||||
| 01 | Dan Watters | Andrei Bressan | Adriano Lucas | June 19, 2024 |
| The Prime Minister of Darklonia orders his soldiers to gun down a mob of civilian protestors, but a horde of Battle Android Troopers kills them. Destro accepts his resignation on behalf of Darklonia's people and installs his cousin Artyom Darklon in power. He is contacted by Cobra Commander, who worries the B.A.T.s will bring undue attention to Cobra's operations, but Destro hotly reminds the Commander that he is his partner, not his servant. Several weeks later, Astoria Carlton-Ritz, the new CEO of Hybrid Technologies following her father's death, arrives in Darklonia for an illegal arms fair. Mercer confirms that none of the companies attending have discovered Energon, but Destro is concerned about the conspicuous absence of Extensive Enterprises. Tomax and Xamot, the company's heads, personally execute a small military operation for injuring a unit of their Crimson Guard while combat drones attack the arms fair. As Destro's Iron Grenadiers engage the drones, he saves Astoria from a stray missile, which turns out to be a dud. [74] | ||||
| 02 | Dan Watters | Andrei Bressan | Adriano Lucas | July 17, 2024 |
| Destro, Tomax and Xamot order a series of attacks on each other's facilities, each believing the other was responsible for the drone invasion of Darklonia. Eventually, the Crimson Guard infiltrates the M.A.R.S. factory, which produces the B.A.T.s and also serves as their primary store of Energon; Destro destroys the facility to keep the substance secret. Both parties agree to meet for negotiations, but neither Destro nor Tomax and Xamot are willing to back down and compromise. Under threat from one of Destro's nuclear weapons, they eventually agree to cease the physical attacks in favor of corporate warfare. Destro returns to his secluded ancestral home in the Scottish Highlands, where he speaks with statues of previous Destros, unaware that a lone assassin is waiting for him to emerge. [75] | ||||
| 03 | Dan Watters | Andrea Milana | Adriano Lucas | August 21, 2024 |
| Destro leaves his family mausoleum to find Chameleon waiting for him. With his technology somehow incapacitated, he attempts to flee, but Chameleon shoots him and sends a group of the same drones that attacked Darklonia to disable his escape craft. At M.A.R.S. Industries, Mercer and Scrap-Iron discover the drones' technology is similar to the B.A.T.s, and the dud missile Destro saved Astoria from is still working. The injured Destro makes his way to a United States Air Force base and requests to speak with General Flagg. He tells him the history behind his family's signature mask – during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, the original Laird Destro sold weapons to all sides, but the victorious Oliver Cromwell forced him to wear a scalding iron mask smelted from musket balls as punishment for his treachery. However, Destro's clan later reclaimed the mask as a symbol of pride instead. Just as the first Destro knew the value of himself and his weapons, the current Destro threatens to stop supplying the United States with M.A.R.S. weaponry, and Flagg begrudgingly agrees to his demands. [76] | ||||
| 04 | Dan Watters | Andrei Bressan | Adriano Lucas | September 18, 2024 |
| With Destro presumed dead, Tomax and Xamot offer Darklon a substantial sum in exchange for M.A.R.S.. Darklon agrees and prepares a demonstration of the B.A.T.s, who turn on each other due to flaws in their friend-or-foe identification system. Having requested a store of files from General Flagg, Destro learns the full story behind Duke's claims of a robot transforming into a jet and identifies Hybrid Technologies as its potential origin. He crashes a party hosted by Astoria and orders Scrap-Iron to fire a missile at her, but she somehow deactivates it using an EMP generated from her own body. Destro surmises that her abilities are from her father's experiments on her and accuses her of being behind the recent attacks. Astoria admits to being Chameleon and ambushing him in the Scottish Highlands out of fear that he had discovered her father's secret project – a peacekeeping artificial intelligence named Overkill, equipped with enough weapons and foresight to neutralize any threat before it occurs. She confesses that the AI has begun making decisions on its own, such as attacking the arms fair against her orders, and requests Destro's help in managing it as Tomax and Xamot arrange a meeting with Cobra Commander. [77] | ||||
| 05 | Dan Watters | Andrei Bressan | Adriano Lucas | October 16, 2024 |
| As Tomax and Xamot take the Commander on a tour of M.A.R.S. Industries' headquarters, they are confronted by Destro. He engages the Crimson Twins while the rest of their forces are routed and destroyed by Scrap-Iron, Chameleon, Mercer, a squadron of Overkill's drones, and the remaining B.A.T.s. Destro beats Tomax and Xamot into submission but refuses to kill them, instead proposing that they unite under Cobra's banner to prepare for the strange and alien forces emerging, which pleases the watching Commander. Destro later meets Astoria for lunch, and he surmises that the Commander was behind Overkill's funding; trusting neither, he destroys the Overkill command satellite with one of his nuclear warheads and shares a kiss with Astoria. Destro also meets with Darklon at their family tomb, who apologizes for his hasty sale of M.A.R.S. to Tomax and Xamot, and Destro forces another scalding iron mask onto his cousin's face as punishment. Meanwhile, at Cobra's headquarters, the Commander receives word of Overkill's destruction and that a large piece of Cybertron has fallen into the ocean. [i] [78] | ||||
| Issue | Written by | Drawn by | Colored by | Publication date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Volume 1: "The Cobra Strikes!" | ||||
| 01 | Joshua Williamson | Tom Reilly | Jordie Bellaire | November 13, 2024 |
| Duke and his newly formed G.I. Joe special mission force – Clutch, Cover Girl, Stalker, Rock 'n Roll, and the Baroness – flub a training exercise, after which Duke confesses to Hawk they aren't ready for field duty. As Destro demonstrates a new Energon-powered laser weapon, an undercover United States government operative codenamed Risk is ordered to return from a mission in Abu Dhabi. Hawk reassures Duke that the many differences between the Joes will strengthen their team before giving them their first mission – they are to protect a research facility in Colorado currently studying a shard of technology recovered from the alien wreckage in the middle of the ocean. At the same time, Destro and Cobra Commander order Mercer and a contingent of Cobra Troopers and Vipers to storm the facility, steal the shard, and kill everyone inside. The Cobra forces ambush the Joes, interrupting the bickering Stalker and Baroness, and Duke manages to commandeer their F.A.N.G. aircraft as the others attempt to evacuate the alien technology. However, Mercer's Vipers arrive and kill Rock 'n Roll with their Energon weapons. [79] | ||||
| 02 | Joshua Williamson | Tom Reilly | Jordie Bellaire | December 18, 2024 |
| A horrified Cover Girl is cornered by Mercer as the Vipers claim the shard; their weapons easily destroy Duke's F.A.N.G., and he jumps back into the fight to attack Mercer, whom he recognizes as M.A.R.S.'s head of security. The facility descends into chaos as the Cobra Valkyries arrive and start killing the wounded and civilians, Baroness saves Stalker, and Clutch steals one of the Energon rifles. Not wanting their special weapons to fall into the Joes' hands, the Commander and Destro activate a self-destruct mechanism on all the weapons, which explode and destroy the facility as the remaining Cobra forces escape with the shard. In the aftermath, all the Joes are injured but alive except Rock 'n Roll and Clutch, who is missing and presumed dead. Duke informs Hawk about Cobra's possible connections to M.A.R.S., and Hawk introduces Duke to Risk, a former Air Force pilot turned CIA operative specializing in risk assessment and the newest member of G.I. Joe. However, Risk's condescending attitude and callous dismissal of Rock 'n Roll's death enrage Duke, and the two men begin to fight. At Cobra's headquarters in the town of Springfield, Destro and Cobra Commander plan the kidnapping of Dr. Archibald Monev and stealing his Brainwave Scanner device, unaware that Clutch has infiltrated the base disguised as a Viper. [80] | ||||
| 03 | Joshua Williamson | Tom Reilly | Jordie Bellaire | January 15, 2025 |
| The disguised Clutch is confronted by an angry Mercer but is saved by Destro, both unaware of his true nature. Destro briefs the assembled Vipers on their plan to retrieve Dr. Monev from protective custody before he testifies in front of Congress, but the Commander interrupts the meeting to report the presence of an intruder. One of the Cobra scientists, secretly a spy from Cobra-La, tries attacking the Commander, but he dispatches and throws him into a pit of ravenous serpents. Clutch slips away in the chaos as Stalker finally interrupts Duke and Risk's brawl. As he leaves to call Rock 'n Roll's family, Cover Girl receives a transmission from Clutch informing them of Cobra's plans. In Washington, D.C., Monev's security detail deviates from their pre-planned route, but Duke, Baroness, and Risk stop them before they can escape. Risk reveals Monev's guards were Crimson Guard sleeper agents, and they are suddenly attacked by Tomax and Xamot. [81] | ||||
| 04 | Joshua Williamson | Tom Reilly | Jordie Bellaire | February 18, 2025 |
| The Joes attempt to escape with Monev, but Tomax and Xamot's Stinger missile car easily overpowers their motorcycles. To prevent any civilian casualties, Duke surrenders his team, and all four are captured; meanwhile, Stalker and Cover Girl's attempt to return the Brainwave Scanner to storage fails, and Chameleon and Ripper capture them. At Cobra headquarters, Destro and Mercer discuss the reptilian remains of the Cobra-La spy and the Commander's many secrets, unaware that Clutch is spying on them nearby. The facility suddenly receives orders from the Commander to mobilize at M.A.R.S. headquarters, to Destro's confusion and anger, and Clutch departs with the other Cobra troops. Everyone arrives at M.A.R.S. with Monev and the Brainwave Scanner, where the Commander reveals his plan to modify the device into a brainwashing machine that will make its targets obey Cobra's commands. The five captured Joes are brought forth to serve as the machine's first test subjects. [82] | ||||
| 05 | Joshua Williamson | Tom Reilly | Jordie Bellaire | March 19, 2025 |
| Destro and Mercer gloat over Duke's captured team, but Clutch commandeers one of the H.I.S.S. tanks and throws Cobra into chaos. As the Joes retreat out of the line of fire, the Commander and Monev finish modifying the Brainwave Scanner; according to Monev's calculations, the machine's new explosive capabilities will enslave everyone within a five-mile blast radius, but all those within an initial one-mile epicenter will have their minds completely wiped, thanks to the potency of its Energon supply. Scrap-Iron destroys Clutch's H.I.S.S. with a bazooka, but the Joes launch a sudden counterattack and manage to break through and escape on a helicopter. Tomax and Xamot leave in disgust as a furious Destro pursues them in a F.A.N.G., but the Baroness suddenly notices that Duke is not with them. Meanwhile, the Commander betrays Monev and activates the machine with him inside; as he informs Destro the brain bomb is ready for transport, he is ambushed and held at gunpoint by Duke. [83] | ||||
| 06 | Joshua Williamson | Tom Reilly | Jordie Bellaire | April 23, 2025 |
| Cobra Commander nonchalantly introduces himself to Duke and raises the brain bomb to the roof. He informs Duke that the only way to deactivate it and save Washington, D.C. is to kill Monev. The two fight as Clutch goads the Baroness into going back to save Duke, and Destro orders the remaining Cobra forces to depart for Springfield. The Commander injures Duke, but he also kills Monev himself and deactivates the bomb after realizing that dying with Duke means Cobra would rule the world without him. The rest of G.I. Joe arrive to save their leader, and an impressed Commander spares Duke and returns to Springfield, where the irate Destro confronts him over compromising M.A.R.S. Industries. Acknowledging his demands for more information, the Commander reveals that the modified Brainwave Scanner's true purpose was to unlock a piece of Cybertronian technology and informs Destro about the existence of Megatron. Meanwhile, the Joes recuperate at the Pit, where Duke reiterates to Hawk that, despite the team's success against Cobra, his ultimate goal is to find and destroy the mysterious robots. Clutch leaves the Pit on a drive to clear his head, but his Jeep suddenly transforms into the Autobot Hound. [84] | ||||
Volume 2: "Bludd's Revenge" | ||||
| 2025 Special | Joshua Williamson | Andrea Milana | Lee Loughridge | May 3, 2025 |
| Hound, recently reactivated and on a scouting mission to find the rest of the Autobots, demands to know how and where Clutch found the Energon. Clutch's standard weapons have no effect on the Cybertronian, but he injures Hound with an Energon grenade he stole from Cobra; however, he realizes too late that Hound meant him no harm and agrees to help repair him. Clutch brings Hound to the workshop of his old friend Matt Trakker, who mysteriously already has experience fixing Cybertronian technology. Before Trakker can finish the repairs, Ravage suddenly breaks in and attacks Clutch and Trakker for their Energon, but Hound manages to drive the Decepticon away. Trakker finishes Hound's repairs and parts amicably with Clutch, requesting he keep their encounter secret. Clutch and Hound apologize to one another for their poor first meeting and agree to work together to investigate Cobra's supply of Energon weapons. Meanwhile, in the swamps of Florida, Buzzer ambushes a contingent of Cobra troopers sent to gather more Energon and swears vengeance on Cobra Commander. [24] | ||||
| 07 | Joshua Williamson | Andrea Milana | Lee Loughridge | May 28, 2025 |
| Assigned to steal a mysterious shipment of Darklonian origin from wealthy collector Victor Foley, the special agent Beach Head spends three days lurking on Foley's beachfront property. Once inside, he discovers to his dismay that nearly all of his intel was wrong – the shipping box is much larger than expected, Foley has a pair of civilian escorts complicating matters, and a troop of mercenaries suddenly attacks him as he tries to leave with the box. The mercenaries chain the box to a nearby truck and escape, destroying much of Foley's house in the process, but Beach Head manages to detach the chain. A second team of mercenaries on motorcycles pursues him, but Beach Head and the box are saved by a hovercraft. The mercenaries report back to Major Bludd, who kills them all for their failure, while Beach Head's saviors are revealed to be Flint and Lady Jaye. A furious Beach Head confronts them, afraid his superiors will force him to retire after his failure, but Flint invites him to join their secret special mission team, Night Force. They open the box and show Beach Head the charred remains of a Battle Android Trooper; meanwhile, Cover Girl finds a redacted report concerning Night Force and gives it to Hawk, who promptly shreds it. [85] | ||||
| 08 | Joshua Williamson | Andrea Milana | Lee Loughridge | June 18, 2025 |
| As the Joes conduct more training exercises under Duke's watch, Destro and Cobra Commander watch footage of Seattle being destroyed in a battle between two gigantic robots. [j] Destro agrees to send Mercer to search the city's wreckage for spare parts, but the Commander insists they must have a fully intact Cybertronian. After Duke and the Baroness nearly catch Clutch and Hound returning, she asks Duke to let her leave the Pit to clear her mind. He agrees on the condition that Cover Girl accompanies her, and the two fly to Paris for the weekend. The Baroness immediately tries to disappear, but Cover Girl tracks her to a small street café, unaware they are both being watched by Major Bludd's agents. At Cover Girl's pressing, the Baroness reluctantly tells her that she is watching her parents celebrate their anniversary at a neighboring café, unable to speak with them but wanting to see them regardless. Cover Girl begins to connect with her over the weight of her own parents' expectations, but a horde of falcons suddenly attacks the café. The two Joes help the civilians evacuate inside but are cornered by Raptor, who asks them to come meet with Bludd. [86] | ||||
| 09 | Joshua Williamson | Andrea Milana | Lee Loughridge | July 16, 2025 |
| The Baroness engages Raptor as Cover Girl moves to save her teammate's parents. However, Bludd uses the distraction to arrive, injure Cover Girl, and kill several police officers before the Baroness attacks him. Raptor captures both Joes in nets, and Bludd orders them taken to a safehouse, while Risk voices his suspicions about Clutch to Duke at the Pit. Hound tells Clutch about the Autobot-Decepticon conflict but begins to collapse from a lack of Energon, and Clutch promises to find him more of the alien fuel. Meanwhile, Mercer reports to Destro about his discovery of an imprisoned Agent Martin, the last surviving member of a rogue M.A.R.S. salvage team that was slaughtered by a robot named Starscream. [k] Destro requests that Mercer keep this new information secret from the Commander and execute the insane Martin, while Cover Girl and the Baroness awaken in a rocky pit. From above, Bludd assures the two that he has no intention of killing them, as the Baroness' many enemies would pay handsomely for the opportunity at revenge. However, he throws a knife into the pit and orders them to settle the matter of his missing eye – either the Baroness must kill Cover Girl to be sold intact, or Cover Girl must cut out the Baroness' eye on Bludd's behalf to survive. As the Baroness challenges Bludd to face her himself, Cover Girl grabs the knife and stabs her in the back. [87] | ||||
| 10 | Joshua Williamson | Andrea Milana | Lee Loughridge | August 20, 2025 |
| To Bludd's anger, Cover Girl refuses to finish the job and echoes the injured Baroness' challenge to come take her eye himself. After he tells them that Raptor stands ready to kill the Baroness' parents, she begins to fight Cover Girl for their safety. Clutch and Hound leave the Pit to search for more of Cobra's Energon-powered weapons, unaware that Risk is following them, while a worried Destro confides in Astoria about his suspicions of the Commander's mysterious past. Forcing his way into his ally's private laboratory, Destro discovers several mangled and mutilated Cobra Troopers being experimented on before the Commander confronts him. As Bludd reads some of his poetry aloud, the Baroness seemingly snaps Cover Girl's neck; however, when he jumps into the pit to continue gloating, Cover Girl breaks his ankle and escapes to save the Baroness' parents from Raptor. Clutch leaves Hound behind to search the wreckage of M.A.R.S. Industries for Energon, where Risk ambushes him and accuses him of being a brainwashed Cobra double agent. Mercer and a squadron of Cobra Vipers confront the two Joes, unaware of Hound's looming presence behind them. [88] | ||||
| 11 | Joshua Williamson | Andrea Milana | Lee Loughridge | September 17, 2025 |
| Hound easily shrugs off the Vipers' attacks, noting that the Energon powering their weapons is impure and corrupted. Clutch and Risk grab some weapons and escape with a refueled Hound, leaving a bewildered Mercer behind, while the Baroness and Bludd knife fight in the pit. Bludd offers to spare her parents if she allows him to take her eye, confident that Cover Girl will not be able to find her way out of the labyrinthine sewer tunnels. However, she escapes just in time to stop Raptor from killing the Baroness' parents, and the Baroness stabs out Bludd's remaining eye. She leaves the blinded mercenary behind and regroups with Cover Girl on the Parisian rooftops, while Destro attempts to talk down the Commander in his laboratory. Both men acknowledge that they ultimately have different goals regarding Cobra's future and are keeping secrets from one another, with the Commander stating his belief that humanity must evolve beyond flesh and bone to survive the coming technological wars. Clutch, Risk, the Baroness, and Cover Girl all return to the Pit, leaving Duke none the wiser about their respective adventures. The Baroness and Cover Girl affirm their new friendship as Hawk tells Night Force to stand down and stop spying on her for the moment; instead, they are to sneak into Darklonia and rescue their next recruit – Jodie "Shooter" Craig. [89] | ||||
| 12 | Joshua Williamson | Marco Foderà | Lee Loughridge | October 15, 2025 |
| As Hawk assures a suspicious Duke that nothing is happening within G.I. Joe without his knowledge, Night Force prepares to assault a Darklonian labor camp to rescue Shooter. Within the prison, Shooter refuses to use her expert sniper skills for Darklon, the country's regent and prison commandant, who orders her beaten and sent back to her cell. She manages to break out just as Beach Head finds her, disrupting a rival prisoner's attempt to assassinate her, and the two Joes regroup with Flint and Lady Jaye to escape. As they leave, Shooter pulls off a near-impossible sniper shot to kill the rival prisoner. Meanwhile, the Commander and Destro welcome Major Bludd to Cobra with a new pair of bionic eyes, restoring his sight. Mercer pulls Destro aside to inform him about the Joes working with Hound; rather than attack the Commander directly and upset the balance of power within Cobra, Destro decides to send the Dreadnoks to kill him instead. [90] | ||||
Volume 3: "Dreadnok War" | ||||
| 13 | Joshua Williamson | Tom Reilly | Jordie Bellaire | November 5, 2025 |
| The captive Dr. Laszlo Vandermeer informs the Commander that they have exhausted Cobra's initial supply of Energon within the Florida swamps. He orders their allies sent out to excavate smaller deposits around the world and takes Ripper to personally investigate a unique, pulsating Energon signal located in the Chihuahuan Desert. G.I. Joe also picks up the signal; with most of the team unavailable investigating the recent destruction of Chicago, [l] Duke agrees to follow up on the anomaly while visiting Frosting's grave in Texas. He discovers Cobra already excavating the site, where Ripper uncovers a planted beacon replicating the Energon signature. The site explodes as Ripper turns on the Commander, killing the Cobra Troopers and destroying his mechanical hand. Duke enters the fray and saves the Commander, but quickly captures him to learn more about Energon and the transforming robots. The two escape together as the Dreadnoks arrive to begin the chase, while Destro takes command of Cobra. [91] | ||||
| 14 | Joshua Williamson | Tom Reilly | Jordie Bellaire | October 15, 2025 |
| Destro begins offering Cobra's services to the highest bidder among his underworld contacts, to the confusion and concern of the other officers, while Duke and the Commander flee from the Dreadnoks. Outnumbered, outgunned, and with their communications blocked, Duke reluctantly frees the Commander and agrees to work together to escape the desert. Buzzer sabotages their Jeep with his arm-mounted chainsaw, but the two parkour across and through the Dreadnok convoy until they commandeer another truck. They lure their enemies into a canyon and collapse it, scattering the Dreadnoks but destroying their truck. After learning from Clutch that G.I. Joe is all out on missions, a frustrated Hawk departs for the CIA's headquarters in Langley to review intelligence on Destro's takeover of Cobra with General Flagg. Meanwhile, Duke and the Commander wander into an abandoned town and begin searching for a working vehicle or landline signal; the Commander discovers a drove of pigs inside one decrepit house and is suddenly taken out by a massive sledgehammer. As the remaining Dreadnoks converge on the town, Duke is cornered by Road Pig. [92] | ||||
| 15 | Joshua Williamson | Tom Reilly | Jordie Bellaire | December 3, 2025 |
| Road Pig quickly dispatches Duke and imprisons him in the house's attic with an unconscious and helmetless Commander. He leaves them to deal with the approaching Buzzer and Ripper while Hawk makes a detour to meet with Astoria. She brings him before Destro, who offers him Cobra's weapons and information in a potential truce against the menace of the transforming robots. In the attic, the Commander awakens and confides in Duke about his distaste for being human and his theft of the Dreadnoks' Energon. They are interrupted by the return of Road Pig, who has befriended Buzzer and Ripper after an initial fight and agreed to help the Dreadnoks. The Commander bites Buzzer's throat for commenting on his mutilated face; Road Pig takes the two captives outside, where Zarana arrives with the rest of the Dreadnoks, and Ripper returns the Commander's helmet. At the Pit, Clutch realizes that Duke is in trouble and leaves with Cover Girl to rescue him. [93] | ||||
| 16 | Joshua Williamson | Tom Reilly | Jordie Bellaire | December 17, 2025 |
| The Dreadnoks formally induct Road Pig into their gang with a party and prepare to burn their captives alive. Intrigued by Duke's continued insistence on sparing the Commander, Buzzer frees him and offers him a deal – if he can beat Buzzer in a fight, the Dreadnoks will let him interrogate the Commander before they kill him, and Torch lights the pyre to add a time limit. Despite learning that one of his Joes has secretly allied with a robot, Hawk rebuffs Destro's offer, takes out Mercer, and easily escapes. Buzzer prepares to kill Duke, but the rest of G.I. Joe arrives with enough weapons and vehicles to match the Dreadnoks. In the ensuing firefight, the Commander escapes from the pyre, the Baroness saves Duke, and Zarana and Zandar activate an Energon-powered device on their rebuilt Thunder Machine that generates an Energon lightning storm. The Joes regroup and prepare to retreat, but the injured Duke insists they go back for the Commander. The Dreadnoks begin searching for him, but the Commander incapacitates Buzzer and attacks the gang with his chainsaw. [94] | ||||