#tf skybound

Shredhead is getting a toy! And it's not a remold; it's a fully original design, complete with Daniel Warren Johnson art for their mural.

One of Hasbro's rumored issues with IDW was that the comic writers there were thoroughly uninterested in making new toys for any of the brands, while Kirkman and friends have wholly embraced such a challenge.

On a similar note, a new G.I. Joe Classified figure of Duke in his Energon Universe fit has been released with the promise of more EU-inspired Joe figures, such as the Baroness.

According to the Hasbro panel, plans are set for Energon Universe figures through 2028, although many will be exclusive to the Hasbro Pulse website.

OK, with the toy news out of the way (and well, that's what keeps the lights on, something IDW didn't really think about after the fifth time IDW Optimus said power-ups were for dorks), we move on to the comic news.

Yes, Scott Trakker, Matt's son, and T-Bob, his robot buddy will be introduced to M.A.S.K., which Scott looking more like his dad and T-Bob getting an upgraded exo-suit of sorts that will allow him to be slightly more useful. Given how defensive Matt has gotten over the mention of his kid, one wonders how they'll get involved in the antics of M.A.S.K. and V.E.N.O.M.

Meanwhile, over in Void Rivals, more confirmation of the official debut of ROM the Space Knight, as well as a lot of previously unknown characters from other properties including the ill-fated G.I. Joe Star Brigade line (a line that had alien toys, although you'd never know since it was a hard line in the sand for Larry Hama, who still had enough influence to avoid writing about those kinds of things).

The big news for Void Rivals is we're getting a new artist!

Frank Mazzoli is an Italian artist whose portfolio includes titles like the Guns N' Roses graphic novel "Appetite for Destruction" and a lot of covers for companies like Boom! This is arguably his biggest title to date. Here's his Instagram portfolio to get an idea of what to expect:

https://www.instagram.com/frank_mazzoli/

Moving on to G.I. Joe, we finally found out what's going on with that Cobra Valkyrie, and it's a new character who will likely be a new toy:

Seemingly using a variant of Crystal Ball's D.I.R.E. technology, Major Medusa, is well, looks like the Cobra equivalent to Madame Hydra now that the Baroness is with the Joes. She appears in G.I. Joe #25 next month.

Finally, Transformers.

First things first, Jason Howard, whose work has been...contentious, is being fully credited with the redesigned Superion, something that the fandom demanded the second Thundercracker officially defected, and something that will likely be a Hasbro Pulse toy in the next year or so.

Next is Transformers #37, a one off that while Kirkman is writing it, will have a guest artist: Karl Kershel.

Kershl is most famous for doing Superman and Gotham Academy, but actually won an Eisner for his webcomic The Abominable Charles Christopher, about the adventures of the titular Sasquash. (Abominable Snowman, get it?) He's probably not on the book full time but he will be a very interesting contrast to Howard. Whether Howard and Kirkman stay on the book past Issue 37 is another matter.