Earlier this month, it was announced that the Transformers and G.I. Joe franchises are receiving yet another new lease on life, with Hasbro giving an animated series the green light. Based on the Energon Universe created by Robert Kirkman and other comic book creators, the series has presented interesting new takes on G.I. Joe, Cobra, and the denizens of Cybertron. With Paramount already planning a live-action crossover movie between the two worlds, the upcoming animated series might have what it takes to be one of the best offerings for both the soldiers of Earth and Cybertron in years.
The Energon Universe first began as a stealth release, with the arrival of Void Rivals introducing an Autobot into the mix to throw readers for a loop. Ever since this introduction, both the Transformers and G.I. Joe have released several series that focus on the main characters of both franchises. While G.I. Joe has focused on new interpretations of Duke, Scarlet, Cobra Commander, Destro, and more, the Transformers have mostly focused on a solo series that expands on the Autobots and Decepticons. Both of these stories are given a far more adult-oriented theme, which is sure to translate well to the animated world, but the stories themselves rise as a result of the excellent storytelling and worldbuilding.
One of the strongest elements of the Energon Universe isn't just its stellar characterization across the board, but the way that it blends these two franchises together into one. Rather than immediately kicking off with a Transformers/G.I. Joe crossover, elements from both worlds are slowly dripping into one another. For example, Duke's story begins with a chance encounter with the Decepticons' Starscream, having the soldier suffer with a form of PTSD as a result of the meeting. Megatron was initially captured by Cobra-La, a nation that is filled with snake-themed residents that acted as the birthplace of Cobra Commander. This idea worked well in keeping the Decepticons' leader off the board for Transformers' early storylines while setting up a major arrival for the main villain.
The Energon Universe also takes the core elements of both franchises and strengthens them with strong art and characterization. While there are quite a few differences in how the characters are presented in this brave new world, the essentials remain in play for both series. If this mentality is brought to the upcoming animated series, it is hard to believe it won't be a success. With Kirkman also having plenty of experience bringing his more adult-themed series to life, this crossover event should be one that demands your attention if you aren't reading the comics already.
In an interview with Energon Universe creator Robert Kirkman, the Walking Dead and Invincible creator told readers not to expect an official crossover event any time soon, "Internally, there is a roadmap of some big confrontation that could eventually happen. It's not something we're in a hurry to get to. The 'event book' has been kind of abused in this industry and when you have multiple events happening per year, they're not really events anymore. If/when we get to it, it will be very methodically approached and it will be the biggest thing that's ever happened to the Energon Universe. You will feel the ramifications for years afterwards, so it's something we're taking our time building to. I wouldn't expect it anytime soon."
While not confirmed who will be starring the upcoming series, Kirkman himself has worked with voice actor Peter Cullen in the past. Taking on the role of Thadeus in Invincible, the voice actor is best known for voicing Optimus Prime, and in our previous interview with Robert Kirkman, he discussed his love for Cullen, "Nothing is more fun than trying to channel Peter Cullen when you're writing Optimus Prime dialogue. I had the pleasure and honor of working with him in Invincible and it's a real high watermark in my life to have interacted with him, it's no end of meaningful in trying to uphold Optimus' character. It's about picturing whether the lines could be spoken by Peter, and the same with Frank Welker (Megatron) and Soundwave as well. Trying to find those voices, I try to feel like these lines could exist in the original cartoon so that's fun. I'm having a lot of fun with the character Bulkhead, he didn't exist in Generation One and most of our stuff revolves around 'G1' so it changes things in an interesting way."
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