Void Rivals #9 Review

Background – Springer!

Writing – Solila and Darak are still being pursued by Proximus as they cross the wastelands. They finally make it to Darak’s “oasis” which turns out to be an abandoned garage of some kind. That garage however, holds a very specific green looking vehicle: SPRINGER! We have another Transformer make his debut in the book, which is always a welcome thing. Proximus arrives and battles Springer and actually puts up a fairly good fight.

We then visit our Skuxxoid bounty hunter. He heads home to his family, but they are not there. It’s not clarified whether they are dead or have just left him, but needless to say he is torn up about it.

Elsewhere in the universe, the Quintessons are contacted by their scientist (or at least I think that’s what he is… it’s never made clear.) The scientist mentions the name Zerta Trion and is swiftly destroyed. Nobody can ever mention the name Zerta Trion.

While not much is given to go on, it’s clear that at this point Solila and Darak have built a very healthy trust in each other. She is more than happy to let him carry her after she is impaled by a spear. Springer’s arrival is great. He seems to immediately care for our two heroes, which I guess can be attributed to his Autobot nature (although after reading the main Transformers book and seeing how the other Autobots respond to biological creatures, that may not have anything to do with it.)

The Quintessons continue to play the long game about what is really going on. I feel like Agorra and Zertonia are on their way to be revealed as Primus or maybe some long thought dead new Transformer named Zerta Trion. In the history of Transformers there have been Alpha Trions and Ultra Trions, but never a Zerta Trion.

Artwork –

1. Even if you get a variant cover and aren’t spoiled by the main cover, the fact that the first thing you see is Springer’s vehicle mode in the garage is a great reveal.
2. Whatever key Solila has been carrying around looks like the Key to Vector Sigma from the original cartoon and Beast Machines. It’s almost a perfect replication of the design. That’s got to mean something, right?
3. Skuxxoid looks adorable. I’d definitely buy a plushy of this guy.
4. The fact that The Quintessons face never moves and can still show such a range of emotion is great. It honestly reminds me a bit of looking at Brent Spiner on The Next Generation. Both characters were able to reveal so many emotions without so much as moving their faces.

Final Thoughts – I could have sworn I had reviewed at least one issue of Void Rivals for Impulse Gamer… but I guess not! This book has taken the comic book world by storm for the last year or so and it hasn’t shown any sign of slowing down. Giant robots battling human sized robots. Great, gritty looking art that makes you feel pity for our formerly villainous bounty hunter and that introduces a FANTASTIC looking Springer makes for one fun issue to look at. Now if we could just get back the characters it would be perfect.

Comic Details

Final score: 4 out of 5

Publisher:  Energon Universe (Image)

Writer:  Robert Kirkman

Artist: Lorenzo De Felivi

Colorist: Patricio Delpche

Letterer: Russ Wooton

Genre:  Sci-Fi

Format: Monthly

Release Date: 05/22/2024