Skybound Entertainment, Image Comics, and Hasbro have announced that Duke and Optimus Prime will be meeting for the first time in the Energon Universe with G.I. JOE’s February 2026 release. This is first time meeting will be handled by G.I. JOE writer Joshua Williamson and artist Andrea Milana. It will begin in G.I. JOE #19 releasing in February and continue into G.I. JOE #20 in March. Ahead of their release Skybound and Image Comics have provided us with a look at the covers for the February and March comics to share.
This first time meeting between Duke and Optimus Prime is a big deal simply because they are the leaders of their respective groups. But when taking a look at how things have developed in the Energon Universe it can have bigger ramifications. Afterall, they won’t be the first Transformers and G.I. JOE characters meeting.
We’ve seen in the lead up to the current Energon Universe’s G.I. JOE series that Cobra Commander and Megatron met. And both franchises have been closely tied to events that have gone on in each other’s comic books. That is something that is part of the teaser for this storyline:
Duke and Optimus Prime meeting for the first time in the Energon Universe? What’s led to this momentous meeting of the EU’s two greatest heroes? All we can say is it involves Clutch, Autobot Hound, and America’s most wanted man – Matt Trakker!
G.I. JOE #19 will arrive in stores in February with its main cover by artists Tom Reilly. Additional variant covers will be available by artists Cassara & Romulo Fajardo Jr., Ben Oliver, Tonči Zonjić, Trevor Hairsine & Romulo Fajardo Jr., Andy Lanning, Pye Parr and John Amor & Andres Juarez. Meanwhile G.I. JOE #20 main cover will also be done by Tom Reilly, with additional variants by artists Joshua Cassara & Ben Oliver, Tonči Zonjić, and Jorge Corona.
Check out the covers for both comic books below:
G.I. JOE #19 is scheduled to arrive in stores on February 18, 2026 with G.I. JOE #20 scheduled for March 18, 2026. Learn more about these comic books in Skybound, Image Comics, and Hasbro’s press release below.
Optimus Prime and Duke Will Meet for the First Time in G.I. JOE
LOS ANGELES 11/20/2025 — Today, Skybound, Image Comics, and Hasbro, a leading games, IP and toy company, are bringing seismic changes to the Energon Universe with two explosive upcoming G.I. JOE issues. Led by writer Joshua Williamson (Duke, Superman) and artist Andrea Milana (Creepshow, Cobra Commander), with colors by Lee Loughridge (Universal Monsters: The Mummy), and letters by Rus Wooton (Invincible Universe: Battle Beast), this powerhouse team delivers high-octane storytelling fans can’t miss. G.I. JOE #19 and #20 hit comic shops in February and March, respectively.
Duke and Optimus Prime meeting for the first time in the Energon Universe? What’s led to this momentous meeting of the EU’s two greatest heroes? All we can say is it involves Clutch, Autobot Hound, and America’s most wanted man – Matt Trakker!
G.I. JOE #19 features a main cover by Tom Reilly, plus an incredible lineup of variants from Joshua Cassara & Romulo Fajardo Jr., Ben Oliver, Tonči Zonjić, Trevor Hairsine & Romulo Fajardo Jr., Andy Lanning, a spoiler foil variant by Pye Parr and a premium foil mask variant from John Amor and Andres Juarez.
The G.I. JOE #20 cover lineup includes a main cover by Tom Reilly, two open to order variants from Joshua Cassara and Ben Oliver, a 1:25 incentive variant by Tonči Zonjić, and a 1:50 incentive variant by Jorge Corona.
G.I. JOE is a tentpole of the Energon Universe, the crown jewel of the historic collaboration between Hasbro and Skybound, who has introduced a brand-new era of the TRANSFORMERS and G.I. JOE franchises in one shared comic book universe. Other Energon Universe titles include the ongoing series Void Rivals by writer Robert Kirkman (Invincible, The Walking Dead), artist Conor Hughes (White Ash, The Game), and colorist Patricio Delpeche (The Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country) and the two-time Eisner Award winning TRANSFORMERS by writer Robert Kirkman, artist Dan Mora (Justice League Unlimited, Superman), and colorist Mike Spicer (Stillwater, Murder Falcon). Fans should expect can’t-miss moments from every issue of the Energon Universe, as secrets are unveiled along the path to answering the BIG questions from some of the biggest franchises in comics today.
G.I. JOE #19 (Lunar Codes Coming Soon | $3.99 unless otherwise noted) will be available at comic book shops and digital platforms including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play on Wednesday, February 18, 2026.
G.I. JOE #20 (Lunar Codes Coming Soon | $3.99 unless otherwise noted) will be available at comic book shops and digital platforms including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play on Wednesday, March 18, 2026.
The full list of variant covers is below:
- G.I. JOE #19 Cover A by Tom Reilly
- G.I. JOE #19 Cover B by Joshua Cassara & Romulo Fajardo Jr.
- G.I. JOE #19 Cover C by Ben Oliver
- G.I. JOE #19 Cover D (1:25 Incentive) by Tonči Zonjić
- G.I. JOE #19 Cover E (1:50 Incentive) by Trevor Hairsine, Andy Lanning, & Romulo Fajardo Jr.
- G.I. JOE #19 Cover F (1:100 Incentive, Foil) by Pye Parr
- G.I. JOE #19 Cover G (Foil Mask, $4.99) by John Amor & Andres Juarez
- G.I. JOE #20 Cover A by Tom Reilly
- G.I. JOE #20 Cover B by Joshua Cassara & Romulo Fajardo Jr.
- G.I. JOE #20 Cover C by Ben Oliver
- G.I. JOE #20 Cover D (1:25 Incentive) by Tonči Zonjić
- G.I. JOE #20 Cover E (1:50 Incentive) by Jorge Corona & Mike Spicer
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