VOID RIVALS #14, by Image Comics & Skybound on 11/27/24, brings the forces of Cybertron, the Quintessons, and Cobra-La (???) closer to converging on the Sacred Ring.
Credits:
- Writer: Robert Kirkman
- Artist: Lorenzo De Felici
- Colorist: Patricio Delpeche
- Letterer: Rus Wooton
- Cover Artist: Lorenzo De Felici, Patricio Delpeche (cover A)
- Publisher: Image Comics
- Release Date: November 27, 2024
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Page Count: 32
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of VOID RIVALS #14:
First Impressions:
I’m not sure I fully grasp what’s happening in this series, but I like it. Writer Robert Kirkman nimbly tugs at the myriad of story threads together as they converge on the Sacred Ring from all over the galaxy. There’s no way to predict what will happen when those threads collide, but I’m curious to find out.
Plot Analysis:
When last we left Darak and Solila in Void Rivals #13, Darak returned home and was immediately confronted by his father for risking the threat of Unification. Meanwhile, Solila and Handroid made their way deep into the heart of the Sacred Ring, where they found a curious pyramid.
In Void Rivals #14, the relentless pull toward a future collision picks up speed. We begin with Dalilak, the head of Zertonia, privately meeting with the Church of Zerta to give up his stubborn ways and surrender to the Church’s guidance. Presumably, that guidance leads to Unification. Meanwhile, Darak learns from his father that Unification will awaken something called the Goliant, which is why the leaders of both peoples are sworn to prevent Unification from happening.
On both fronts, Robert Kirkman forces the leaders of both peoples to confront the specter of Unification through the actions of their younger generations. We don’t know fully who or what Goliant is, although it’s likely something to do with Cybertron, but it’s a sure bet we’ll see it eventually, and it will probably be very large.
In space, the Skuxxoid shakes himself out of his funk, recognizing he has a family to support. Elsewhere, the organic ship sent to track down the source of Energon by Golobulus picks up the trail. During an encounter with space debris, the Cobra-La ship picks up a fragment that emits a strange radiation that causes the space suits of the ship’s inhabitants to mutate.
Well, we knew Golbulus’s followers were drawing closer to the plot of this issue, but this is an unexpected turn. We don’t know how close (or far) the Cobra-La ship is to the Sacred Ring, but the trouble they’ve just run into spells big problems for everyone.
Later, Darak’s talk with his father is interrupted by a messenger with a report that a large ship is headed in the direction of the Sacred Ring. Dulin suspects it might be a Zertonian attack, but Darak argues that they don’t have the resources for such a presence in space. Darak insists on flying out to meet whatever is headed their way. Meanwhile, Solila and Handroid make their way into the strange pyramid but find only a maze. Solila uses the artifact she obtained from the leader of the Church of Zerta to guide her path.
The issue concludes with a new Handroid, a meeting of the minds, and a Prime face.
Overall, Void Rivals #14 picks up momentum toward a wholly unpredictable collision, bringing together original characters and familiar faces from Transformers and G.I. Joe. Robert Kirkman’s script keeps the spirit of adventure and anticipation high.
Artwork and Presentation:
Lorenzo De Felici’s artwork deserves credit for capturing a high number of scenes and characters, some new and some familiar, with a pleasing sci-fi aesthetic. Since the series began, De Felici’s inks have gotten sharper and more refined for a visually exciting comic.
Art Samples:
The Bigger Picture:
Series Continuity:
Yes, you read that right. A Cobra-La ship is headed for the Sacred Ring. Does that mean the protagonists of this series, Darak and Solila, will show up in G.I. Joe (not Real American Hero) or Transformers? We don’t know, but the chances are much higher now than they were a year ago.
Final Thoughts:
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VOID RIVALS #14 decisively turns the multiple threads and groups of characters who’ve popped up over the course of the previous thirteen issues toward an inevitable collision with the Sacred Ring. Robert Kirkman gives (almost) every character a moment to shine in an increasingly complex story, and the art team’s delivery keeps getting better.
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