Void Rivals issue 19

« Void Rivals #19 »
Looks like the Skuxxoid is getting a backdoor pilot, with special guests!
Publisher	Image Comics Skybound Entertainment
First published	May 28, 2025
Cover date	April 2025
Written by	Robert Kirkman
Art by	Conor Hughes
Colors by	Patricio Delpeche
Letters by	Rus Wooton
Editor	Ben Abernathy
Continuity	Energon Universe

The true origins of the Skuxxoid are finally revealed as he – or rather, they – find a new group to belong to.

Synopsis

A group of Junkions led by Wreck-Gar come across the Rockeroid and the carnage that was left within. As they examine the remains of the Skuxxoid, they find that each half of his body has begun regenerating what they were missing. They decide to take the bodies with them as they return to their home planet.

Later, the regenerated Skuxxoid awakens in a shock, yelling with concern about his wife and kids... only to turn and see another Skuxxoid with a thankfully distinguishing face scar. The Scarred Skuxxoid explains to the New Skuxxoid that neither of them are the Original Skuxxoid, and that each time a Skuxxoid loses a big enough piece, it regenerates into a new individual. The wife and kids belonged to the Original, they just have his memories. As the Skuxxoids ponder what this means for their existence, they are attacked by Akronus, who also hitched a ride with the Junkions.

The Junkions arrive and Akronus attacks them as well, but is unable to contend with their size alone and is quickly subdued until he yields. When the Skuxxoids question why they're letting him go, Wreck-Gar, in his own unique way, says that everyone on Junkion is equally lost and broken. The Skuxxoids have difficulty understanding the Junkion, but Akronus recognizes some of the words and speech patterns as that of human television. However, this moment of open communication is interrupted by an attack from a mysterious robot, which uses a device to stun and abduct the Skuxxoids. It transports them to an unknown world in deep space where it presents them to its master: Skuxxoid Alpha, who wishes for them to join his Skuxxoid Army!

Featured characters

Characters in italic text appear only in flashbacks.
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Junkions	Cobra-La	Others
Wreck-Gar (1) Rubbish (4) Re-Cycle (5) Junkyard (6) HAZMAT (8)	Akronus (7)	Scarred Skuxxoid (2) New Skuxxoid (3) Mysterious robot (9) Skuxxoid Alpha (10)

Quotes

"I don't... I don't feel like I'm ever going to be okay."
"Welcome to life, pal!"

—New Skuxxoid and Scarred Skuxxoid

"Could this be the end of our dynamic duo? Answers tomorrow! Same bat-time! Same bat-channel!"
"What? There is zero indication that we’ll find out anything about what just happened tomorrow."

—Wreck-Gar and Akronus

Notes

Continuity notes

• This issue follows on from the events Skuxxoid's clash with Cobra-La, where Skuxxoid was cut in half by Grakula, in Void Rivals #16.
• This issue finally answers what Skuxxoid remembered about his wife and kids in issue #9.
• Akronus' living Royal Guard armor was killed during the fight with Skuxxoid in issue #16, leading it to be discolored and faded this issue.
• Akronus reiterates his people's technophobia, something that was present in the Cobra Commander series.
  • On that topic, with how technophobic they are, how does Akronus recognize the TV talk?
• Akronus mentions training with "the Nemesis", referencing Nemesis Enforcer, who we met in the pages of Cobra Commander.
• The mysterious robot who takes the Skuxxoids to Skuxxoid Alpha was first seen watching our Skuxxoid in the Void Rivals story of the Energon Universe 2024 Special and was still following him in issue #11.

Transformers references

• The Junkions and their home planet first appeared in The Transformers: The Movie. Wreck-Gar even quotes his own "operators are standing by" line from the film.
  • The ship that tows the Rockeroid to Junkion is the Minnow, the ship of the Junkions also first introduced in the movie.

Real life references

• As would be expected, the Junkions' TV talk is littered with phrases and lines lifted directly and indirectly from television programs and human idioms, including:
  • "Double your pleasure, double the fun", the advertising slogan of Doublemint chewing gum.
  • Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
  • Franklin D. Roosevelt's first inauguration speech
  • The biblical passage John 8:7
  • "The plane! The plane!", catchphrase of Tattoo from Fantasy Island
  • The cliffhanger announcement from Batman (1966)
• Akronus calls the Junkions "weird" multiple times.

Covers (7)

• Cover A: Skuxxoid, by Lorenzo De Felici.
• Cover B: Wreck-Gar kneeling over Skuxxoid, by Conor Hughes.
• Cover C (1:10 Copy Incentive): Connecting cover, by Martín Morazzo and Patricio Delpeche..
• Cover D (1:25 Copy Incentive): Wreck-Gar riding another Junkion, by Eric Canete.
• Cover E (1:50 Copy Incentive): Skuxxoid, by Patricia Martín Samaniego.
• Cover F (1:100 Copy Incentive): Wreck-Gar design sheet, by E. J. Su.
• Cover G: Blank sketch cover.

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• Explore the Energon Universe in Transformers #21, G.I. Joe #8 and Void Rivals #20.
• Energon Universe hardcovers
• Invincible Universe: Battle Beast
• Ghost Pepper
• Transformers: Worst Bot Ever — Meet Ballpoint!

Reprints

• Void Rivals Volume 4: First Chosen (December 10, 2025) ISBN 1534329536 / ISBN 978-1534329539
  • Collects Void Rivals issues #19–24.
  • Trade paperback format.

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  Volume 4: First Chosen – cover art by Lorenzo De Felici