Void Rivals #10: That Doohickey is a What Now?

Void Rivals #10 picks up with Darak and Solila running from Proximus as Springer does what he can to defend them. As the action ramps up, so do the forces that seek to capture or eliminate the heroes, leading to a partial reveal about the overall mystery behind the Sacred Ring and what it means for the Energon Universe at large. The mystery of this series continues to deepen in the most wonderful of ways, fleshing out this universe in a way that only Robert Kirkman could think of.

It would have been hard to imagine a shared universe that saw a new series like Void Rivals tie so much into the lore behind Transformers, but nonetheless, Void Rivals delivers in spades when it comes to this aspect. While the ongoing Transformers narrative is focused on the current day exploits of the main cast of Transformers that you would expect to see, Void Rivals chooses to distance itself in a way that allows its own story to flourish while also delivering on the lore and imagination of history and makings of this universe. The best part is that no matter how important this lore is or how impactful it may be on the story at large, Kirkman and company always find a way to make sure these stories can be read independently.

Without jumping into too much speculation, there was a tease back in the Energon Universe Special from Free Comic Book Day that saw everyone’s favorite Prime, Hot Rod, looking for one of his lost brethren. It would make sense here that this Autobot is Springer, especially since he has shown such importance throughout the last couple of issues of this series. This is where the questions start coming in: Why is Springer out here and what secrets does he hide? What significance does the Sacred Ring’s true nature hold for the Energon Universe as a whole? This is just such a  fascinating, brilliantly written series that makes these mysteries feel like they are worth waiting for.

Void Rivals #10 would not be as great as it is without the art from Lorenzo De Felici and colors from Patricio Delpeche. The ominous, vast void of space has never felt more alive than in the hands of these creators, especially as they fill a barren wasteland with the over-the-top action that sees a Transformer take on an expert assassin. Even as the issue dives more into its exploration of the lore, these creators are able to keep things interesting and fun, allowing Kirkman’s exposition to feel as full of life as the story itself.