Void Rivals #11 review

Void Rivals has better things to do tonight than die!

It does and it continues here with issue # 11! Void Rivals is Robert Kirkman and Lorenzo De Felici’s sci-fi comic that tells the tale of two crumbling planets linked by a “Sacred Ring” (it’s not Halo), their peoples at war for generations. When a member of each culture are stranded together, the two find they must put aside their differences if they want to survive. This story takes place in the so-called “Energon Universe”, Skybound Entertainment’s initiative to relaunch properties like Transformers and G.I. Joe within a shared universe that also happens to include the original characters and setting of Void Rivals.

In this eleventh issue, Darak, Solila, and their new best buddy Triple Changer Springer have to fend off an Zertonian battalion intent on capturing or killing them! The Quintessons, Hot Rod, and even our good buddy the Skuxxoid continue along their paths, which will undoubtedly soon intersect again!

So lots of Transformers stuff this issue?

Yeah, there’s a heavy focus on the Transformers and Transformers-adjacent characters here, with yet another Sunbow cartoon exclusive character popping up to chat with the Skuxxoid. The Quintessons and Hot Rod also pursue their own agendas with Hot Rod in particular getting an amusing scene featuring an old sparring partner of his. And of course, Springer continues to pal around with our main protagonists too.

Speaking of Darak and Solila, the story still centers on them as they survive their encounter with Proximus and now a full Zertonian regiment. Next issue is the end of this second arc and hints at another major shift in the story’s primary “hook”.

So what have we learned?

Uh, more Transformers stuff makes this book better? I mean, I am enjoying the interplay between Darak and Solila, but let’s face it… the rest of it would be pretty standard sci-fi if not for the added bonus of the world of the ENERGON UNIVERSE. Maybe that sounds a little dismissive of Kirkman’s work so far, but he’s always been good at reusing a familiar baseline and adding an unfamiliar chord or two atop it. It’s a successful formula that has paid off for him repeatedly, so why stop now?

Gimme a cube.

Another solid issue with nice, atmospheric art by De Felici and more ENERGON UNIVERSE world-building. As mentioned, this issue probably scores more points with Transformers fans too, thanks to a not-inconsiderable focus on their part of this world.