Posted in: Comics, Image | Tagged: energon, gi joe, mask, skybound, transformers

Energon Universe Phase Two: M.A.S.K. By Dan Watters and Pye Parr

Energon Universe Phase Two: M.A.S.K. by Dan Watters and Pye Parr announced by Skybound/Image Comics at ComicsPRO

Skybound Entertainment is to launch Energon Phase Two with the new M.A.S.K. series by Dan Watters and Pye Parr, announced by CEO Robert Kirkman and VP Arune Singh at ComicsPRO, who seemed to mention me far more than seemed appropriate. I felt like Sal Salperstein at the end of that. But as Arune Singh said, he used to be my boss back at CBR, so I need to quote him correctly…  You can follow along with more announcements with this ComicsPRO handy tag right now…

"We discussed M.A.S.K. coming in June from Dan Watters and Pye Parr, an action comic extreme team who kick off the next phase of the universe right here. This is the action comic of your dreams. For a long time fan of M.A.S.K. you're gonna find a love letter to everything you enjoy, you remember from the toys, the cartoon, in every iteration, and much like Transformers and GI Joe, this is gonna be the biggest and coolest version."

"We have some of your favourite artists from Jay Scott Campbell and Mark Spears doing covers and you can't do M.A.S.K.  comics without die-cut mask covers, that would just be nuts. If you're not a fan of M.A.S.K. you're still in for a treat. You're going see things done with vehicle violence that you've never seen before. This is basically Fast And Furious meets Mission Impossible which, if you've known me for five minutes, is kind of my entire personality and everything."

And M.A.S.K. will be in the Free Comic Book Day Skybound title. "It'll have four stories this year. One is a M.A.S.K. story as you can see, the world of M.A.S.K. and V.E.N.O.M. never looked better."

"We're proud to announce the first ever Energon Universe blind bags will be coming with M.A.S.K.  #1, much like our Battle Beast blind bags, you have a chance to get any of the horrible covers, in this case A to K, and there will be three surprise comics, and what we can tell you about those contents is that one of those comics? The surprise features one of the most demanded first appearances for retailers and fans in the Energon Universe."

One retailer shouted out  "Snake Eyes!" Arune replied, "I did not hear that…." Image Comics PR adds:

"The world is becoming a terrifying place. Matt Trakker needs your help saving it. Enter M.A.S.K. — a network of specialists ready to respond to the next global emergency. At a moment's notice, Trakker and his agents can deploy bleeding-edge technology that converts their vehicles–and their drivers–into the ultimate weapon. But Miles Mayhem and V.E.N.O.M. are one step ahead in a secret arms race, scouring the globe for deadly weapons from this planet and beyond, ready to sell out the entire human race. Only M.A.S.K. can stop them… but will Trakker's own secrets jeopardize their entire mission?

"Illusion is the ultimate weapon–but also sometimes weapons are the ultimate weapon," said Dan Watters. "M.A.S.K. is a book about ordinary people taking it into their own hands to face down the awesome weaponry of the Energon Universe–and a high octane, nonstop thrill ride to boot. I couldn't be prouder to be bringing you this story alongside Pye this summer. Welcome to the M.A.S.K. network. Matt Trakker needs you to save the world."

"80s sports cars! Jets! Lasers! Robots! M.A.S.K. has everything that I love to read, watch, and draw, and my inner 12-year-old fought to the surface and made me scream loudly in the meeting when I was offered this gig," said Pye Parr. "Never have I more bitterly regretted selling my beloved childhood toys, but the chance to rebuild all that stuff on the page has more than made up for it, and I can't wait to see where Dan takes us in the Energon Universe."

In addition to the main cover by Pye Parr, the lineup of variant covers for M.A.S.K. #1 includes open-to-order covers by J. Scott Campbell, Cedric Poulat, and Mark Spears, Energon Universe Third Anniversary connecting covers by Tom Reilly & Adriano Lucas, incentive variant covers by Kael Ngu, E.J. Su, Jonboy Meyers, Joshua Cassara & Romulo Fajardo Jr., and Daniel Warren Johnson & Mike Spicer, blank sketch covers featuring M.A.S.K. and V.E.N.O.M., foil covers by Pye Parr and J. Scott Campbell, and die-cut foil mask covers by Pye Parr, Luke Preece & Andres Juarez.

M.A.S.K. #1 also features a first-ever Energon Universe blind bag program that allows fans a chance to get ANY of the solicited covers from A through K, intermixed at varying degrees of rarity. However, there are rare SURPRISE variant covers related to the Energon Universe that can be found in these blind bags. Those SURPRISE comics will not be publicly announced in advance of the issue release.

"I love M.A.S.K.!" screamed Robert Kirkman. "Readers are going to freak out when they see how awesome this book is. Dan and Pye are expanding the Energon Universe in the coolest ways possible."

"We've been working on M.A.S.K. in the shadows for so long, I'm thrilled to finally pull the curtain back and reveal what we've cooked up," noted Executive Editor Ben Abernathy. "Dan, Pye, Pierluigi, and Rus are delivering a thrilling new chapter in the Energon Universe!"

In celebration of M.A.S.K.'s arrival in the Energon Universe, Skybound and Hasbro will feature an exclusive first look at M.A.S.K. in the Energon Universe Special 2026, a Free Comic Book Day issue releasing Saturday, May 2, 2026. The special issue will include four all-new stories from TRANSFORMERS, G.I. JOE, and Void Rivals and will serve as the first official glimpse into Dan Watters and Pye Parr's M.A.S.K.

M.A.S.K. is the latest addition to the historic collaboration between Skybound and Hasbro, a new part of the shared Energon Universe that features ongoing series Void Rivals by writer Robert Kirkman (Invincible, The Walking Dead), artist Andrei Bressan (Aquaman), and colorist Patricio Delpeche (The Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country), the two-time Eisner Award winning TRANSFORMERS by writer Robert Kirkman, artist Dan Mora (Justice League Unlimited, Superman), and colorist Mike Spicer (Stillwater, Murder Falcon), and G.I. JOE by writer Joshua Williamson (Superman, Dark Ride), artist Andrea Milana (X-Men '97), and colorist Lee Loughridge (Thor, Star Wars).

Originally launched in 1985, M.A.S.K. (Mobile Armored Strike Kommand) became a pop-culture phenomenon with its mix of spy intrigue and sci-fi action. Brought to life through an animated series and bestselling toy line, M.A.S.K. followed Matt Trakker and his elite civilian task force as they battled Miles Mayhem and the criminal organization V.E.N.O.M. using advanced masks and transforming vehicles enhanced with extraordinary abilities. Now, M.A.S.K. enters the Energon Universe for a revolutionary new era.

M.A.S.K. #1 Cover A by Pye Parr
M.A.S.K. #1 Cover B by J. Scott Campbell & Sabine Rich
M.A.S.K. #1 Cover C by Cedric Poulat
M.A.S.K. #1 Cover D by Mark Spears
M.A.S.K. #1 Cover E Energon Universe Third Anniversary (Connecting) by Tom Reilly & Adriano Lucas
M.A.S.K. #1 Cover F Energon Universe Third Anniversary (Connecting) by Tom Reilly
M.A.S.K. #1 Cover G (1:25 Copy Incentive) by Kael Ngu
M.A.S.K. #1 Cover H (1:50 Copy Incentive) by E.J. Su
M.A.S.K. #1 Cover I (Foil) (1:100 Copy Incentive) by Jonboy Meyers ($5.99)
M.A.S.K. #1 Cover J (1:250 Copy Incentive) by Joshua Cassara & Romulo Fajardo Jr.
M.A.S.K. #1 Cover K (1:500 Copy Incentive) by Daniel Warren Johnson & Mike Spicer
M.A.S.K. #1 Cover L Blank Sketch Cover (M.A.S.K.) ($5.99)
M.A.S.K. #1 Cover M Blank Sketch Cover (V.E.N.O.M.) ($5.99)
M.A.S.K. #1 Cover N (Foil) by Pye Parr ($5.99)
M.A.S.K. #1 Cover O Foil) by J. Scott Campbell & Sabine Rich ($5.99)
M.A.S.K. #1 Cover P (Die Cut Foil Mask Cover) by Pye Parr & Luke Preece & Andres Juarez ($5.99)
M.A.S.K. #1 Cover Q (Die Cut Foil Mask Cover) by Pye Parr & Luke Preece & Andres Juarez ($5.99)
M.A.S.K. #1 Cover R Blind Bag by Andres Juarez ($5.99)

You can follow along many more announcements with this ComicsPRO handy tag right now. M.A.S.K. stands for Mobile Armored Strike Kommand, and was a semi-popular 1980s action figure toy line and animated TV series created by Kenner Products that launched in 1985 alongside a syndicated TV cartoon that ran for two series that tried to combine aspects of GI Joe and Transformers, with M.A.S.K. as a heroic special task force led by wealthy philanthropist who secretly funds the team, Matt Trakker, against terrorist/criminal organization V.E.N.O.M. led by Miles Mayhem. Both of whom have appeared in Energon Universe titles this past year, both sides use high-tech vehicles that look ordinary, but that transform into heavily armed combat machines with spring-loaded weapons, armour, and other features. And each character wears a special high-tech mask that grants them unique superpowers. Now owned by Hasbro, it's an easy join to bring them into Energon…

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