M.A.S.K. #1
Illustrated by: Pye Parr
Written by: Dan Watters
Image Comics
2026
NEW SERIES THE NEXT PHASE OF THE ENERGON UNIVERSE STARTS HERE!
The world is becoming a terrifying place. Matt Trakker needs your help saving it. Enter M.A.S.K. — a network of specialists recruited to respond to the next global emergency. At a moment’s notice, Trakker and his agents can deploy bleeding-edge technology that converts their vehicles — and their drivers — into the ultimate weapon. But Miles Mayhem and V.E.N.O.M. are one step ahead in a secret arms race, scouring the globe for deadly weapons from this planet and beyond, ready to sell out the entire human race. Only M.A.S.K. can stop them… but will Trakker’s own secrets jeopardize their entire mission?
Powerhouse creators DAN WATTERS and PYE PARR launch the most anticipated new series of the year, where anyone — and everyone — in the Energon Universe must join the fight for humanity’s survival.
I’ll admit it — I went into M.A.S.K. #1 mostly out of curiosity.
Like a lot of readers of a certain age, I knew M.A.S.K. from the toys and cartoons, but I never had the same attachment to it that I have for Transformers or G.I. Joe. Because of that, I wasn’t sure how well it would fit into the Energon Universe. By the end of the issue, I was pleasantly surprised.
Writers Dan Watters and artist Pye Parr don’t waste much time establishing what makes M.A.S.K. different. While Transformers often focuses on alien conflict and G.I. Joe leans into military action, M.A.S.K. feels more like a high-tech espionage series built around experimental vehicles, secret organizations, and rapidly escalating threats.
The issue introduces Matt Trakker and his team as they prepare to confront Miles Mayhem and V.E.N.O.M. in what appears to be a growing technological arms race. It’s a straightforward setup, but it does exactly what a first issue should do: introduce the major players, establish the stakes, and make readers curious about what comes next.
What caught me off guard was how much fun the book is. The story isn’t trying to reinvent comics or deliver some deep philosophical message. Instead, it embraces the action-adventure roots of the property and delivers an entertaining ride from start to finish. Sometimes that’s exactly what a comic needs to be.
Pye Parr’s artwork helps sell the concept. The vehicles look impressive, the action moves well, and the technology feels like a natural fit within the larger Energon Universe. More importantly, the book never feels like it’s simply riding on nostalgia. Yes, longtime fans will recognize the characters and concepts, but the issue does enough work to welcome new readers as well.
That said, I do wonder how younger readers will respond. Transformers and G.I. Joe have remained part of pop culture for decades, while M.A.S.K. doesn’t have the same level of recognition today. Still, if the goal was to reintroduce the property and carve out its own corner of the Energon Universe, this first issue succeeds.
Maybe nostalgia played a role in my enjoyment. Maybe not. Either way, I finished the issue wanting to read the next one, and that’s ultimately what matters.
M.A.S.K. #1 is a fun, accessible launch that gives the franchise a strong starting point in the Energon Universe and leaves plenty of room to grow.
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