Void Rivals #7: A New Direction

Void Rivals #7 picks up after the explosive first arc saw Darak and Solila discover a Transformer, team up to survive, and escape their home worlds after discovering the truth behind the war they had been fighting their whole lives. Kicking off The Energon Universe, Void Rivals has been a familiar, yet new take on the world that is inhabited by the Transformers and GI Joe, set in a distant galaxy that allows this story to operate on its own and cross over when the creators see fit. The simple, yet vast narrative also welcomed in new readers, allowing folks from all walks of life to attend this momentous event of setting up a new, shared universe. This new arc sees this universe evolve further as Darak and Solila travel into the unknown while forces at home seek to destroy them.

Writer Robert  Kirkman is no stranger to character centric, diverse narratives, and Void Rivals is no exception. This new arc sees these characters extend beyond the established narrative, setting up an arc that feels reminiscent of Dune, The Walking Dead, and Saga, all rolled into one space faring package. This arc also sets up a new villain through a very exciting introduction that plays with the standard narrative flow by subverting the expectations of a typical introduction. This new villain, Proximus, comes across as one part Darth Vader, one part Raul Silva, with a cynical flair that captures elements of body horror in a fun, science fiction way. It will be interesting to see how this character plays off of the protagonists, with Kirkman’s history with villains setting up something bright.

Lorenzo De Felici’s art here continues to be as spectacular as the first arc, with the emphasis on the settings and world being the best part. The way space is depicted is simply gorgeous. Felici’s use of lines is what stands out the most, with each line depicting a sense of motion and scope, with no piece of the art going unused. This is a magnificent portrayal of what is possible in this medium and an aspect of this series that would be almost impossible to mirror if this was ever adapted into live action or animation. Felici definitely does something unique and fun, drawing one of the best books on the stands.

Patricio Delpeche takes over coloring duties here in a seamless transition, giving this book a consistent feel across the board. Color is a huge part to any space based series, with it being way too easy to just accept that space is dark and lifeless. Delpeche gives each image a colorful tone that helps keep this book full of life and nuance, building off of Felici’s wonderful landscapes and character work.

Rounding out the creative team is Rus Wooton on letters, who does a great job setting up the intrigue and nuance throughout this issue. Wooton makes this science fiction, space faring narrative read just as well as Kirman’s other, earth based series, allowing it to read just as well as and as comfortably.