The 1980s were full of toyetic franchises, and one perfect example was the 1985 animated series M.A.S.K. The series was based on a successful toyline which featured a task force known as M.A.S.K. as they utilized their arsenal of transforming vehicles against the forces of V.E.N.OM. Now the franchise has just announced a brand new series, and while that’s great news in itself, the best part is that franchise crossovers with Transformers and G.I. Joe can now become a reality.
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M.A.S.K. is back with a brand new series from Skybound and Image Comics, and it will feature a powerhouse creative team that includes writer Dan Watters (Batman: Dark Patterns), artist Pye Parr (New Gods), colorist Pierluigi Casolino (DC vs Vampires), and letterer Rus Wooton (Transformers). The best part is that the new M.A.S.K. series is officially part of the Energon Universe, meaning it exists within the same world as Skybound’s successful Transformers and G.I. Joe series. Those two books have been intertwined since the beginning of this universe, and now M.A.S.K. will be the third franchise entering the fray.
Everything We Know About M.A.S.K. Joining the Energon Universe
The new M.A.S.K. series will follow franchise hero Matt Trakker and the rest of the talented specialists who fight to protect the world from V.E.N.O.M’s evil schemes, and M.A.S.K. is able to push back those attempts thanks to their cutting-edge technology that transforms their vehicles and their drivers into even more powerful weapons.
Even with those advantages, Miles Mayhem is able to stay one step ahead as he searches for weapons from this planet and beyond, so he can take over everything or sell the Earth out from under humanity’s feet to someone else. M.A.S.K. is the only thing stopping Mayhem’s takeover, but their efforts could be undermined by one of their own if Trakker can’t deal with the skeletons of his past.
“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.”
Skybound and Image have been working on making a M.A.S.K. series happen for quite some time, and the series will be the first time the Energon Universe has expanded with another franchise since the world’s initial launch.
“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!”
M.A.S.K. #1 will include covers from J. Scott Campbell, Cedric Poulat, Mark Spears, Tom Reilly, Adriano Lucas, Kael Ngu, E.J. Su, Jonboy Meyers, Joshua Cassara, Romulo Fajardo Jr., Daniel Warren Johnson, Mike Spicer, Pye Parr, Luke Preece, and Andres Juarez, and those variants will include foil covers, die-cut foil mask covers, and surprise variants as part of the blind bag program.
Fans can get their first look at M.A.S.K. in the Energon Universe Special 2026, which will release on Free Comic Book Day on Saturday, May 2, 2026. That issue will include four all-new stories from Transformers, G.I. Joe, Void Rivals, and M.A.S.K. The debut of the ongoing M.A.S.K. series will then debut in comics stores on June 3, 2026.
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