Dan Watters & Pye Parr Launch M.A.S.K. in the Energon Universe

Yo… this is NOT a drill.

Coming straight out of Robert Kirkman’s ComicsPro keynote, Skybound and Image Comics—linking arms with pop-culture juggernaut Hasbro—just dropped a nuclear announcement: M.A.S.K. is officially joining the Energon Universe, and the vibes are off the charts.

Leading the charge is a stacked, no-misses creative squad: writer Dan Watters (Batman: Dark Patterns, DESTRO), artist Pye Parr (Petrol Head, New Gods), colorist Pierluigi Casolino (DC vs Vampires), and legendary letterer Rus Wooton (TRANSFORMERS). This is one of those teams where you read the names and already know your wallet is cooked.

This isn’t just a new series—it’s shaping up to be one of the most anticipated launches of the year, with the entire Energon Universe gearing up for a fight where everyone has skin in the game. Humanity’s survival is on the line, and it all kicks off when M.A.S.K. #1 hits shelves June 3, 2026.

The world is spiraling into chaos, and Matt Trakker needs backup—your backup. Enter M.A.S.K., an elite network of specialists ready to respond to global emergencies at a moment’s notice. With bleeding-edge tech that transforms vehicles—and their drivers—into absolute weapons, Trakker and his team are humanity’s last line of defense.

But of course, it wouldn’t be M.A.S.K. without trouble. Miles Mayhem and V.E.N.O.M. are already ahead of the curve, racing across the globe in a deadly arms race, hunting weapons from Earth and beyond with zero hesitation to sell out the entire planet. Only M.A.S.K. can stop them… unless Trakker’s own secrets blow the whole mission apart from the inside.

Dan Watters put it best: illusion might be the ultimate weapon—but sometimes, weapons are just weapons. This is a story about everyday people stepping up against overwhelming firepower, wrapped in a high-octane, pedal-to-the-metal thrill ride that doesn’t let off the gas. Translation? Buckle up.

And artist Pye Parr? The man is living the dream. He straight-up admitted his inner 12-year-old came screaming back to life—sports cars, jets, lasers, robots, the whole glorious 80s toybox exploding onto the page. If you ever loved M.A.S.K. as a kid, this book is made for you.

Visually, this launch is going nuclear. Alongside Pye Parr’s main cover, M.A.S.K. #1 is rolling out an absurdly stacked variant lineup featuring J. Scott Campbell, Cedric Poulat, Mark Spears, anniversary connecting covers by Tom Reilly & Adriano Lucas, incentive variants from Kael Ngu, E.J. Su, Jonboy Meyers, Joshua Cassara & Romulo Fajardo Jr., Daniel Warren Johnson & Mike Spicer, plus blank sketch covers, foil covers, and die-cut foil mask covers that are going to disappear fast.

And then Skybound said, “Nah, let’s go crazier.”

For the first time ever, the Energon Universe is introducing a blind bag program—giving fans a shot at any cover A through K, with varying rarity… and unannounced SURPRISE variants hidden inside. No previews. No spoilers. Pure collector chaos.

Even Robert Kirkman couldn’t contain himself, flat-out saying readers are going to freak out when they see how awesome this book is. Executive Editor Ben Abernathy echoed that energy, finally pulling the curtain back on something they’ve been cooking in secret for a long time.

And the hype train doesn’t stop there.

Before the main series even drops, fans will get an exclusive first look at M.A.S.K. in the Energon Universe Special 2026, a Free Comic Book Day issue landing Saturday, May 2, 2026. That special includes brand-new stories from TRANSFORMERS, G.I. JOE, and Void Rivals, and serves as the official sneak peek at what Watters and Parr are building.

For the OGs: M.A.S.K. debuted back in 1985 and became a full-blown pop-culture phenomenon—animated series, iconic toys, transforming vehicles, and that perfect mix of spy thriller and sci-fi madness. Now, Matt Trakker and M.A.S.K. are back, entering the Energon Universe for a bold, modern, no-holds-barred new era.

M.A.S.K. #1 lands June 3, 2026, priced at $4.99, and will be available at comic shops and digitally on Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play.

Bottom line?
This isn’t nostalgia bait.
This is a full-on Energon Universe power move.

Strap in. Lock your preorders.
M.A.S.K. is back—and it’s ready for war. 🚗💥😤 WEPA.

The full list of variant covers is below:

M.A.S.K. #1 Cover A by Pye Parr
M.A.S.K. #1 Cover B by J. Scott Campbell & Sabine Rich
M.A.S.K. #1 Cover C by Cedric Poulat
M.A.S.K. #1 Cover D by Mark Spears
M.A.S.K. #1 Cover E Energon Universe Third Anniversary (Connecting) by Tom Reilly & Adriano Lucas
M.A.S.K. #1 Cover F Energon Universe Third Anniversary (Connecting) by Tom Reilly
M.A.S.K. #1 Cover G (1:25 Copy Incentive) by Kael Ngu
M.A.S.K. #1 Cover H (1:50 Copy Incentive) by E.J. Su
M.A.S.K. #1 Cover I (Foil) (1:100 Copy Incentive) by Jonboy Meyers ($5.99)
M.A.S.K. #1 Cover J (1:250 Copy Incentive) by Joshua Cassara & Romulo Fajardo Jr.
M.A.S.K. #1 Cover K (1:500 Copy Incentive) by Daniel Warren Johnson & Mike Spicer
M.A.S.K. #1 Cover L Blank Sketch Cover (M.A.S.K.) ($5.99)
M.A.S.K. #1 Cover M Blank Sketch Cover (V.E.N.O.M.) ($5.99)
M.A.S.K. #1 Cover N (Foil) by Pye Parr ($5.99)
M.A.S.K. #1 Cover O Foil) by J. Scott Campbell & Sabine Rich ($5.99)
M.A.S.K. #1 Cover P (Die Cut Foil Mask Cover) by Pye Parr & Luke Preece & Andres Juarez ($5.99)
M.A.S.K. #1 Cover Q (Die Cut Foil Mask Cover) by Pye Parr & Luke Preece & Andres Juarez ($5.99)
M.A.S.K. #1 Cover R Blind Bag by Andres Juarez ($5.99)

M.A.S.K. #1 (Lunar Codes Coming Soon| $4.99, unless otherwise noted) will be available at comic book shops and digital platforms including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play on Wednesday, June 3, 2026.

Author Profile

Al Mega: I'm Al Mega the CEO of Comic Crusaders, CEO of the Undercover Capes Podcast Network, CEO of Geekery Magazine & Owner of Splintered Press (coming soon). I'm a fan of comics, cartoons and old school video games. Make sure to check out our podcasts/vidcasts and more!