Void Rivals issue 26

	; Looks like the Void Rivals are gonna need a—no, that’s too obvious.
Publisher	Image Comics; Skybound Entertainment
First published	January 28, 2026
Cover date	January 2026
Written by	Robert Kirkman
Art by	Andrei Bressan
Colors by	Patricio Delpeche
Letters by	Rus Wooton
Editor	Ben Abernathy
Continuity	Energon Universe

The Quintessons introduce themselves to the Agorrians and Zertonians.

Synopsis

Garad’s been shot down! But he’s alive and drifting through space, so Darak ejects from his Jump Jet to save him. Unfortunately, as Handroid explains, he didn’t come to a complete stop before ejecting, so now the Jump Jet has drifted too far away to reach again. As they drift, Darak recognizes the Quintesson cruiser from his encounter with Skuxxoid. Fortunately for the drifting Agorrians, Gamut flies her Jump Jet into Darak and Garad, giving them enough momentum to make it back to his ship. The two pilots decide to land and assist the troops on the ground, as the Quintessons cruisers have all descended.

Meanwhile, in Zertonia, Proximus and Premier Zalilak make contact with the Quintesson Judge Naven. Naven lays claim to the Sacred Ring and informs the Zertonian leader that their best option is to peacefully surrender. While Naven blathers on, Zalilak simply walks up and punches him in the face of Wisdom so hard his jaw falls off. Furious, Naven retreats into his ship and sends out a school of Sharkticons. Proximus and Zalilak engage in battle with the Sharkticons, and have a heart-to-heart about putting aside their differences for the time being as the invading army swarms both Zertonia and Agorria.

Garad, having regained consciousness, and Darak emerge from their ship and assess the situation. Darak decides he needs to head for the capital. Unfortunately, there are Sharkticons in his way - but he is saved at the last second by Solila, who has regained her powers!

Featured characters

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

Agorrians	Zertonians	Others
Darak (2) Garad (3) Gamut (4)	Proximus (5) Zalilak (6) Ultum (10) Vill (11) Solila (12)	Red Handroid (1) Quintesson Bailiffs (7) Judge Naven (8) Sharkticons (9)

Quotes

“I’ve been killed by the Quintessons, and they don’t even know it. Embarrassing.”

—Darak accepts his fate.

Naven: …We Quintessons do not have the best reputation when it comes to the treatment of our prisoners. We treat them fairly, but that mostly means we execute them fairly. Surrendering would prevent us from needing to detain you as enemy combatants. It would—
Bailiff: He approaches unlawfully. Shall we engage?
Naven: What is the meaning of this? How dare you approach me, I demand—
(Zalilak punches Naven in the face)
Naven: You— you—
Zalilak: You talk too much.

“I am Naven! Quintesson Judge of the highest order! We are not to be struck! Never to be struck! This is an outrage!”
“I thought this was war.”

—Naven blubbers while Zalilak doesn’t give a sh*t.

“You have my word. I won’t let you die until I’m able to kill you myself!”

—Proximus to Zalilak

Notes

Continuity notes

Darak and Solila first saw a Quintesson cruiser aboard the Skuxxoid’s Rockeroid ship way back in issue 3.
Naven makes mention of how Zerta is so reviled by the Quintessons, it is a crime to speak her name aloud. We first learned that tidbit in #9.
Zerta Trion gave Solila her powers back last issue.

Transformers references

Errors

The layout of Naven’s faces is inconsistent throughout his appearance.

Other notes

Energon Experience: Presented by Skybound Executive Editor Ben Abernathy
- Character Spotlight: Zalilak
- In Your Face!: Who hasn’t wanted to sock a Quintesson in the face?
- Creator Q&A: Ben asks Robert Kirkman which Quintesson face he’d most like to punch. Kirkman reluctantly chooses War, though he laments that there are no good options, as even the faces that don’t have spikes on them are still made of metal!

Covers

Cover A: Proximus aims at Sharkticons, by Lorenzo De Felici.
Cover B: Pythona fights a Quintesson, by Andrei Bressan and Adriano Lucas.
Cover C: Darak portrait, by Ben Oliver.
Cover D (1:25 Copy Incentive): Darak in his flight suit, by Lesley Li.
Cover E (1:50 Copy Incentive): Proximus in a badass battle pose, by Chuma Hill.