The Energon Pub

News Credits: 658 · Wed Sep 13, 2017 1:33 pm

So the pitch for Karza and D'rge getting together in the back of some month's books was exactly that, eh?

News Credits: 6188 · Wed Sep 13, 2017 4:10 pm

From Paste magazine, we have some news about another upcoming First Strike consequence in IDW Publishing's, regarding the current GI Joe series (featuring Decepticon Skywarp as a member - the best member - of the team), and its rebranding after the crossover event: Scarlett's Strike Force! The interview can be read in full here, you can find a snippet below, and you can check out some concepts, cover art - and even interior art for upcoming First Strike tie-ins for MASK and GI Joe!

This December, Sitterson continues his mission with artist Nelson Daniel in a new series titled Scarlett’s Strike Force. Announced at Hasbro’s industry event Hascon today, Scarlett’s Strike Force will pit the titular character and her crew against the newly reemerged threat of Cobra Commander. Paste chatted briefly with Sitterson about the decision to relaunch G.I. Joe under a new title, Daniel’s contribution to the franchise and how the duo plan to produce “The Best Action Comic Ever.” We’ve also got an exclusive first look at interior art from this fall’s First Strike tie-in issues of G.I. Joe and M.A.S.K., both written by Sitterson and drawn by Ilias Kyriazis, as well as concept art for Scarlett’s Strike Force from Nelson Daniel.

Paste: What prompted the name change? Is there a shift in tone or mission statement with this new iteration?

Aubrey Sitterson: In the previous Joe series—by me, Giannis Milonogiannis and Lovern Kindzierski—Scarlett was the leader of a team that included not only Joes, but the Decepticon Skywarp, and in the new series, they’ll be joined by Matt Trakker of M.A.S.K. as well as another face that might be familiar to long-time fans.

So, coming out of the First Strike event, we thought it made sense for the name of the book to speak to the nature of the team. Don’t worry though—the reception to our unique take on G.I. Joe has been amazing, so there are no plans to stop giving you the bombastic, sci-fi-action-packed character drama that you deserve!

Paste: Should we expect a team shakeup or any new faces?

Sitterson: While the focus of the book will remain on the characters you know and love—including Scarlett, Roadblock, Salvo, Quick Kick and Skywarp—one of the G.I. Joe concept’s greatest strengths is its deep roster. We’ll be pulling from it, and even introducing the classic Action Man character, The Intruder, into the Hasbro Universe. Plus, our brand-new Cobra Commander has assembled an organization including Destro, Storm Shadow, Cesspool, Croc Master, Raptor and an army of new, serpentine Vipers.

News Credits: 8 · Wed Sep 13, 2017 4:35 pm

Are they fighting army ants.

Wed Sep 13, 2017 4:47 pm

So, is it possible that with Joe Colton and Sgt. Savage showing up in Revolutionaries and Duke showing up in GI Joe that Hasbro might launch books where everyone gets their own Joe team to run their own way? And then crazy 90s Savage can turn to the audience and invite us all to "Choose Yo Joe?" Please?

News Credits: 16 · Wed Sep 13, 2017 7:13 pm

ROM #13 iTunes Preview is up! https://t.co/i6hfIyUsaj

News Credits: 6188 · Sat Oct 07, 2017 12:04 pm

With IDW Publishing busy at New York Comic Con 2017, we have received their previews for next week directly, and are allowed to publish them for all to see! First up, a tangential Transformers title - through Skywarp and the involvement of the cast with First Strike and the wider Hasbro Universe: GI Joe #9!

Also included below is the ending to the M.A.S.K. series, with its tenth issue, as it leads into the First Strike event.. currently on its fifth issue out of six.

G.I. JOE #9
Aubrey Sitterson (w) • Giannis Milonogiannis (a) • Aaron Conley (c)
It all comes to a head for G.I. Joe! Can Roadblock and his team escape the underground in time? And is Scarlett prepared for all hell to break loose?
FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Bullet points:
Don’t miss the cover by Ominous Press creator, Bart Sears, part of our Bart Sears cover month!
The pulse-pounding final issue before this month’s First Strike crossover!
Variant cover by Dylan Burnett!

M.A.S.K.: Mobile Armored Strike Kommand #10
Brandon Easton (w) • Drew Moss (a) • Abel Ciccero (c)
In the final issue of M.A.S.K., Matt Trakker loses the trust of his friends and teammates, causing the group to disband. With mounting threats on the horizon, Mobile Armored Strike Kommand is no longer on the front lines, plunging them all into an uncertain future.
FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Bullet points:
Don’t miss the cover by Ominous Press creator, Bart Sears, part of our Bart Sears cover month!
The jaw-dropping finale before the epic crossover First Strike!
Variant cover by Santipérez!

News Credits: 16 · Sat Oct 07, 2017 12:25 pm

FINALLY MASK IS OVER! Thank the Lord above!

News Credits: 6188 · Tue Oct 31, 2017 8:26 am

Courtesy of IDW Publishing directly, we also have a second preview today for one of their comic books out this week, and the final issue of one of their Hasbro Universe ongoings: Rom the Spaceknight! Ending the series at issue 14, Christos Gage and Chris Ryall try tying up loose ends before the cast moves in with the Micronauts in the new series after First Strike, as reported here. Check out the preview below.

Rom #14
Chris Ryall & Christos Gage (w) • David Messina, Guy Dorian & Sal Buscema (a) • Nathan Greno (c)
“Long Roads to Ruin” finale! Is this the last issue of Rom? Yes… and no! First Strike is upon us and out of that momentous event, a new Rom will arise! But before that, the fate of the Knights of the Solstar Order!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Bullet points:
On the road to First Strike!
Final issue. Wait… what?! The portentous answers lay within!
Variant cover by Ray Dillon!

News Credits: 16 · Sun Nov 26, 2017 11:07 pm

Kind of surprised no one reported this already. Scarlett's Strike Force is canceled with issue #3. https://www.bleedingcool.com/2017/11/23 ... cancelled/

News Credits: 6188 · Sun Nov 26, 2017 11:48 pm

Daniel Adkins wrote:Kind of surprised no one reported this already. Scarlett's Strike Force is canceled with issue #3. https://www.bleedingcool.com/2017/11/23 ... cancelled/

I have been keeping my eye on this since the news broke, and am waiting for something to come through official channels. Like, literally anything would do. thx IDW

News Credits: 658 · Mon Nov 27, 2017 11:31 am

What it looks like: IDW capitulated to an angry mob.

Realist side that I can't shut up inside my head: I'd guess with the personnel shakeups, someone looked at the financials and walked back a previous decision. Heck, it felt to me like SSF was getting more promo than Rom/Micronauts and only a smidge less than TF vs Visionaries, but I don't really want to look. I'd bet the sales of Joe vol. 5's run coupled with 1) poor early indicators of SSF orders and 2) the apparent status of SSF as an ongoing (as opposed to the other 5 issue minis about to launch), one of the folks in a new position made the call to cut losses. The timing and optics of it are especially poor, but I have a hard time ever getting too black/white on this kinda stuff.

Not saying anyone is without fault: Sitterson sent a poorly worded tweet, IDW axed an entire project and its creative team weirdly early with odd but possibly explainable timing, and no one wins.

News Credits: 6188 · Mon Nov 27, 2017 8:47 pm

ScottyP wrote:What it looks like: IDW capitulated to an angry mob.

Realist side that I can't shut up inside my head: I'd guess with the personnel shakeups, someone looked at the financials and walked back a previous decision. Heck, it felt to me like SSF was getting more promo than Rom/Micronauts and only a smidge less than TF vs Visionaries, but I don't really want to look. I'd bet the sales of Joe vol. 5's run coupled with 1) poor early indicators of SSF orders and 2) the apparent status of SSF as an ongoing (as opposed to the other 5 issue minis about to launch), one of the folks in a new position made the call to cut losses. The timing and optics of it are especially poor, but I have a hard time ever getting too black/white on this kinda stuff.

Not saying anyone is without fault: Sitterson sent a poorly worded tweet, IDW axed an entire project and its creative team weirdly early with odd but possibly explainable timing, and no one wins.

Yes. The what it looks like is the troubling part, but other information seems to confirm the rest.
Which is where some on-the-ball PRing would help ease any ill feeling towards IDW (from any party, really).

News Credits: 11 · Mon Nov 27, 2017 10:16 pm

People already had bad will to IDW. Lots of people stopped reading IDW over that fiasco. But it's over and dune now. Can't we just let comics be our escape and not divide ourselves over politics here, please?

News Credits: 1646 · Wed Nov 29, 2017 12:21 pm

I was honestly surprised to see they were going to attempt another GI Joe ongoing, and I am not terribly surprised this was cancelled. I don't wish ill will upon those who wanted it, but really GI Joe hasn't been working out in any real book.

I will say though, the title with the whole "IDW cancels female led book" sounds more political than this should be. GI Joe as a whole hasn't been great, don't try to make it something more than what it may be

News Credits: 6188 · Tue Dec 12, 2017 2:32 am

Courtesy of IDW Publishing, we get a preview look at a book due out this week (or perhaps the next, you never know with scheduling) which collects the three parts of the Hasbro Heroes Sourcebook we've seen released so far. The collected volume includes short comics, profiles, bios, details and more about most of the major players in the current Hasbro universe, including what hadn't been revealed at the time of first publication - check out the opening pages below, and join the discussion in the Energon Pub!

Hasbro Heroes Sourcebook
John Barber, Cullen Bunn, Sina Grace, & Various (w) • Robert Atkins, Guido Guidi, Paolo Villanelli & Various (a) • Marcelo Borstelmann (c)
From the pages of Transformers, G.I. Joe, Rom, M.A.S.K., Micronauts, Action Man, and Revolutionaries comes the ultimate guide to the heroic and villainous champions of Hasbro! The new post-Revolution universe's biggest movers and shakers from Acroyear to Zarana are all here with detailed bios and astonishing art by today's top talent! Plus, three back-up stories that expand upon the new lore of the shared universe; fantastic spreads of the bases of G.I. Joe, Optimus Prime, and the Micronauts; and if you look closely, hints of things to come!
TPB • FC • $17.99 • 144 pages • ISBN: 978-1-68405-099-4

Bullet points:
From today’s top creative talent!
Advance solicited for December release!

Tue Dec 12, 2017 2:36 am

i may get that trade

News Credits: 6188 · Fri Dec 15, 2017 2:38 pm

You may have been following the news accompanying the retitled GI Joe series in the current shared Hasbro Universe from IDW Publishing, and its early cancellation with issue three - you can read more about that story here, and we apologise for not covering it at the time, an official statement from IDW that will never fully come can be found in the CBR story by ways of Chris Ryall.

That said, Scarlett Strike Force #1 - the new title - does finally get a little touch of marketing, by ways of showing the usual first couple of pages on iTunes, the synopsis, and a cover - plus a fair amount of Skywarp that we were missing in the rest of the IDW Transformers titles. You can check it all out below, and let us know what you think in the Energon Pub discussion boards, before the release of the book itself in a couple of weeks!

They’ve fought back invasions from home and afar—now, they’re back on Earth, and ready to take on the wildest, weirdest threats out there! It’s Scarlett’s G.I. Joe team, the Strike Force, against a brand-new Cobra Commander, a revitalized Cobra, and everyone else trying to conquer Earth… or destroy it! Aubrey Sitterson (G.I. Joe, Street Fighter x G.I. Joe) is joined by superstar artist Nelson Daniel (Clue, Dungeons & Dragons) in The Best Action Comic Ever!

News Credits: 3 · Fri Dec 15, 2017 4:24 pm

I really hope Skywarp migrates over to Optimus Prime after issue three since it was canceled. We really need to have some kind confrontation and resolution with Thundercracker.

News Credits: 16 · Fri Dec 15, 2017 4:25 pm

Scarlett's Strike Force getting cancelled is an utter crime.

Fri Dec 15, 2017 5:34 pm

good riddance.

Fri Dec 15, 2017 6:09 pm

Yep goodbye to bad rubbish

Fri Dec 15, 2017 10:14 pm

I just read the whole controversy about writer Aubrey Sitterson, and why fans "Hate" him and all.
And all I can say is this, a lot of comic book writers are self-indulged morons, trust me I know, Larry Hama is one that comes to mind, he has been rude to his fans (me included), treating them like nothing more than "moronic fan boys", that should just shut up and kiss the ground that he walks on, yet no one questions him.....well I did and I got my a** served to me by Mr. Hama himself. Anyways my point is this is a stupid reason to cancel a series, but I expect nothing less from IDW since this is not the first time they made a stupid decision.

Sat Dec 16, 2017 5:13 am

Michael I agree with on Larry Hama his writing style is dated and it's high time he left gijoe for some real fresh blood.

News Credits: 2 · Sat Dec 16, 2017 6:21 am

I was under the impression they weren't even going to release this now as the story won't end.

I wouldn't be buying it anyway as I'm not a joe fan but I can't see how this won't piss off casual fans who've no idea it's truncated.

Seems unprofessional IMO.

I Feel sorry for the artist as that's alot of work on his part , but sitterson has no one to blame but himself for his situation

News Credits: 3 · Sat Dec 16, 2017 7:57 am

Michael Alex Kawa wrote:I just read the whole controversy about writer Aubrey Sitterson, and why fans "Hate" him and all.
And all I can say is this, a lot of comic book writers are self-indulged morons, trust me I know, Larry Hama is one that comes to mind, he has been rude to his fans (me included), treating them like nothing more than "moronic fan boys", that should just shut up and kiss the ground that he walks on, yet no one questions him.....well I did and I got my a** served to me by Mr. Hama himself. Anyways my point is this is a stupid reason to cancel a series, but I expect nothing less from IDW since this is not the first time they made a stupid decision.

Their decision they said was due to low orders. That’s their statement whether you want to believe it or not but you weren’t part of the discussion or decision at IDW.