First Look: Joshua Williamson’s ‘Duke’ #1 and ‘Cobra Commander’ #1
Skybound & Hasbro’s new Energon Universe officially began earlier this year in Robert Kirkman’s Void Rivals #1, and already expanded with the release of Daniel Warren Johnson’s Transformers #1 last week. It will expand again with the release of Larry Hama’s G.I. Joe Real American Hero #301 in November. But that’s not all the creative teams have planned!
This week we got a first look at two more series that will further expand the Energon Universe with December’s Duke #1 January’s Cobra Commander #1, both of which will be written by Joshua Williamson. Check out what the publisher has shared for both of these exciting titles & keep scrolling for the full press release with more information on variant covers and other details!
Duke #1
Cobra Commander #1
Press Release:
Today Skybound, in collaboration with leading toy and game company Hasbro, revealed an impressive lineup of variant covers and a first look at interior pages of Cobra Commander #1 from writer Joshua Williamson (DC’s Superman, Dark Ride), artist Andrea Milana (Impact Winter: Rook) and colorist Annalisa Leoni (Oblivion Song). The debut issue of the Energon Universe’s newest limited series arrives in comic book shops on January 17, 2024.
The rise of Cobra begins HERE. In a world where Cobra doesn’t exist, one man’s sinister plans to utilize the mysterious alien substance known as Energon will send shockwaves across the globe. Who is Cobra Commander? Where does he come from? And what horrors is he planning to unleash that will rock the world – and maybe the universe – to its core?
The second of four action-packed G.I. JOE miniseries that will introduce the best and worst humanity has to offer in the Energon Universe, Cobra Commander is preceded by Duke #1, which launches in December. These miniseries promise to set the stage for a fresh new take on G.I. JOE, Cobra and the iconic characters that you only think you know in a shared universe with TRANSFORMERS and Void Rivals!
Skybound and Hasbro also debuted a first look at pages from Duke #1, from writer Joshua Williamson, artist Tom Reilly (The Thing) and colorist Jordie Bellaire (W0rldtr33), that tells the story you’ve never read before – the origins of G.I. JOE and Cobra in a world grappling with the arrival of the Autobots and Decepticons. When Conrad S. Hauser (codename DUKE) investigates the mysteries behind the TRANSFORMERS, the answers will lead to the birth of forces for good and evil that the world never imagined.
The Energon Universe officially began in June 2023 with the surprise first appearance of iconic TRANSFORMERS character Jetfire in Void Rivals #1, introducing the historic new collaboration between Hasbro and Skybound, with TRANSFORMERS and G.I. Joe comics finding a new home with the publisher. The Energon Universe recently expanded with TRANSFORMERS #1 from writer/artist Daniel Warren Johnson (Extremity, Do a Powerbomb, DC’s Wonder Woman: Dead Earth) and colorist Mike Spicer (Stillwater, Murder Falcon), kicking off a brand-new era for the iconic franchise.
Duke #1 (of 5) (Lunar Code 0623IM806 | $4.99) will be available at comic book shops and digital platforms including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, comiXology, and Google Play on Wednesday, December 27, 2023.
The full list of variant covers is below:
Duke #1 Cover A by Tom Reilly
Duke #1 Cover B by David Aja
Duke #1 Cover C (1:10 Copy Incentive) (Connecting) by Tyler Boss & Jason Wordie
Duke #1 Cover D (1:25 Copy Incentive) by Steve Epting
Duke #1 Cover E (1:50 Copy Incentive) by Andrea Sorrentino
Duke #1 Cover F (1:100 Copy Incentive) (Foil) by Jonboy Meyers
Duke #1 Cover G Blank Sketch Cover
Cobra Commander #1 (of 5) (Lunar Code 0623IM807 | $4.99) will be available at comic book shops and digital platforms including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, comiXology, and Google Play on Wednesday, January 17, 2024.
The full list of variant covers is below:
Cobra Commander #1 Cover A by Andrea Milani & Annalisa Leoni
Cobra Commander #1 Cover B by David Aja
Cobra Commander #1 Cover C (1:10 Copy Incentive) (Connecting) by Chris Burnham
Cobra Commander #1 Cover D (1:25 Copy Incentive) by Steve Epting
Cobra Commander #1 Cover E (1:50 Copy Incentive) by Andrea Sorrentino
Cobra Commander #1 Cover F (1:100 Copy Incentive) (Foil) by Jonboy Meyers
Cobra Commander #1 Cover G Blank Sketch Cover
