Dan Watters, Andrei Bressan, Adriano Lucas, & Rus Wooton kicked off the new Energon Universe limited series with a bang! The first issue drops us right into the action and Watters’ script doesn’t hold back. This was a fast-paced thrill ride from the first page to the last.

The highlight for me was how Watters wrote the dialogue between Destro & Cobra Commander. It’s perfectly captured, showcasing their complex dynamic & tenuous alliance. These two are going to be so much fun to watch together.

Bressan’s art is reminiscent of classic GI Joe comics, with awesome depictions of the action & character faces that convey a ton of emotion. For a man with a metal face, Destro’s reactions are so detailed & perfectly convey his reactions to certain situations. Bravo to Watters for letting Bressan’s art do a lot of heavy lifting in that area, rather than fill the pages with too many words. Lucas’ heavy red color palette adds to the intensity of the action & Wooton’s lettering keeps the text easy to read without taking away from the visuals.

One potential drawback is the sheer amount of new plot lines introduced. New readers may need to do some additional research to feel grounded in all the connections to G.I. Joe lore, but it’s well worth it.

Destro #1 is an action-packed, instant classic and a great start to the series. I’m eager to see where Watters and team take us from here, especially with how much this series appears to tie into the larger Energon Universe.

Rating: 9/10