Summary
- Duke makes his Energon Universe debut in Transformers #2, surviving a deadly encounter with Starscream and setting the stage for his own book.
- The Decepticons are more terrifying than ever in Transformers #2, tearing through a power plant and brutally dispatching a fighter jet.
- Duke’s harrowing experience with Starscream leaves him as a hollow shell, setting him on a path to uncover the mystery of the transforming alien robots in Duke #1.
WARNING! Spoilers ahead for Transformers #2The first G.I. Joe hero has just made his Energon Universe debut, as Duke takes flight in the recently-released Transformers #2. Barely surviving a deadly encounter with the Decepticon Starscream, the future Joe leader is all set to star in his own book when it debuts on December 27, setting Duke on a path to uncover the mystery of these strange transforming robots from another world.
Coming from the creative team of Daniel Warren Johnson, Mike Spicer and Rus Wooten, Transformers #2 picks up where the previous issue left off, as Starscream and his Decepticons continue to terrorize humanity.
The Air Force is called in to deal with the threat, and a passing fighter jet transporting one Sgt. Conrad “Duke” Houser is called in to intercept the alien threat. Starscream makes short work of the fighter jet, causing the pilot and Duke to eject before crashing. Starscream manages to get hold of the pilot, making short work of him by squashing him like a bug.
Duke’s Terrifying Face-to-Face Encounter With Starscream
The interim leader of the Decepticons almost does the same to Duke when he grabs his parachute, but the future Joe leader has an ace up his sleeve. Instead of a backup chute, Duke engages a winged jetpack, barely managing to fly away after shooting a flare gun into Starscream’s eyes. Although it doesn’t do any damage, Duke’s gamble pays off, as the flare does momentarily disorient Starscream. Deciding he’s not worth the effort, the lead Sky Brother and Seeker lets Duke get away, saying that all of his kind is going to be dead soon enough, anyway.
It’s a breathtaking encounter made all the more gripping thanks to Johnson’s energetic style. The Decepticons have never been more terrifying as they are here, tearing through the power plant and making short work of a state-of-the-art fighter jet. Johnson’s work captures what it would be like to be in a dogfight with a jet that can transform into a giant robot at the drop of a hat, and the writer/artist pulls no punches when it comes to the brutality that the Decepticons are capable of. It also sets the stage rather nicely for December’s Duke #1, which will pick up the future G.I. Joe leader’s storyline after his harrowing experience in Transformers #2.
Will Duke Ever Learn to Trust the Transformers?
The preview released for Duke shows the hardened soldier left as little more than a hollow shell from the experience, and also sets him on the path to uncovering the mystery of these transforming alien robots. Given the history of both the G.I. Joe and Transformers franchises, fans can expect that it won’t be long before the nascent Joe team joins forces with Optimus Prime and his Autobots, but it’s going to take a lot for Prime to gain the trust of Duke after his fight with Starscream. One thing’s for sure: fans won’t want to miss a single issue of the Energon Universe era of G.I. Joe and the Transformers to see what happens to Duke and his fellow soldiers next.
Transformers #2 is on sale now and Duke #1 is available December 27, both from Skybound Entertainment
