In February, when Skybound announced M.A.S.K. would be joining the Energon Universe, fans immediately wondered how the beloved 1980s property would fit alongside Transformers, G.I. Joe, and Void Rivals. After all, M.A.S.K. has always occupied a unique space in Hasbro history. It certainly has high-tech vehicles, secret agents, and globe-spanning action, but it lacks giant robots or military superpowers.
However, for writer Dan Watters and artist Pye Parr, that distinction became one of the book’s biggest strengths.
Launching June 10, M.A.S.K. introduces Matt Trakker as the head of a rapidly expanding response network tasked with protecting humanity as the Energon Universe grows increasingly dangerous. Alongside him stands a roster of specialists, advanced transforming vehicles, and a growing threat in the form of Miles Mayhem and V.E.N.O.M.
Speaking with AIPT just last week, Watters and Parr discussed what drew them to M.A.S.K., why cool cars remain essential to the franchise, and how the series explores ordinary people reacting to an extraordinary world.
Courtesy of Skybound.
Cool Cars Remain The Point
For Parr, the appeal of M.A.S.K. begins with something simple.
“Cool cars,” Parr said with a laugh. “They’re like a foundational thing for me really. It’s one of those things you look back at and think, actually, that was probably more influential than I’ve realized.” If you’ve read the Parr-drawn Petrol Head, you know exactly what he means.
The franchise may have helped shape Parr’s lifelong appreciation for sports cars.
Added Parr, “As a middle-aged man still lusting after ’80s sports cars, I think that’s probably what M.A.S.K. has got a lot to answer for.”
Updating those iconic vehicles for a modern audience presented a balancing act. Parr wanted to preserve what fans loved while refining some of the more dated toy-inspired designs.
“Trying to maintain what was cool about them to start with, whilst slightly tweaking stuff that looked a bit goofy,” Parr said.
Some changes came directly from Watters, who quickly noticed a recurring trend in the original toy line.
“He was absolutely adamant there’s too many boats,” Parr said. As a result, some vehicles receive updated weapon systems and transformations. Because not every vehicle needs to launch rockets anymore.
“I haven’t used any lasers yet,” Parr said. “It’s all been very physical.”
Courtesy of Skybound.
Matt Trakker, The Non-Superhero
One of the biggest surprises in the first issue is Trakker himself. The opening pages find him being pursued by the military, immediately throwing readers into a high-speed chase. Rather than introducing M.A.S.K. through exposition, Watters wanted readers dropped directly into the action.
“It’s a high-octane book,” Watters said. “I definitely didn’t want us to be the ones who slowed it down.”
The sequence also serves another purpose. It establishes that Trakker is capable, but far from invincible. Later in the issue, Trakker finds himself in a fistfight that does not go according to plan. Instead of effortlessly defeating his opponent, he nearly loses — to some random grunt, no less. However, that wasn’t always the case.
“The first draft, he just sort of kicked ass and it didn’t feel right,” Watters revealed.
That change helped the team reinforce a core aspect of Trakker’s character.
Added Warers, “He’s a scientist. He’s not necessarily the ultimate ninja.”
Parr agreed that the moment became one of his favorite scenes in the issue.
“I quite like that he almost loses the first fistfight he has and only wins by luck,” Parr said. “That’s the beginning of his character progression.”
Courtesy of Skybound.
M.A.S.K.‘s Place in The Energon Universe
Watters had already spent time in the Energon Universe through his acclaimed run on Destro, but M.A.S.K. offered an opportunity to explore a very different perspective.
While Transformers often focuses on alien conflicts, and G.I. Joe emphasizes military operations, M.A.S.K. centers on civilians trying to navigate a rapidly changing world.
“What appealed to me was the idea that M.A.S.K. was this network,” Watters said. “Something would crop up, and Matt Trakker would put out the call to the right people who would then drop everything and rush to the scene.”
That concept evolved naturally within the Energon Universe.
Added Watters, “I think the fun is having M.A.S.K. exist as a civilian response to the ways that the Energon Universe is changing.”
Thematically, Watters sees real connections between Destro and M.A.S.K., with both operating as stories about acceleration, technological disruption, and fear of being left behind.
“There is a terror of accelerationism which runs through both books,” Watters said.
Courtesy of Skybound.
A Villain Who Knows They’re Right
The first issue also introduces Miles Mayhem, and Watters deliberately approached him differently from other Energon Universe villains. The franchise already includes larger-than-life antagonists such as Megatron, Cobra Commander, and Destro. Rather than compete directly with those personalities, Watters focused on making Mayhem distinct.
Added Watters, “It struck me that if he was really quite mad, like quite literally mad, that would be an interesting way to differentiate him.”
Mayhem sees himself as humanity’s protector, even if his methods are extreme. Given how he’s introduced, which will surprise most, “quite mad” remains an understatement. He’s also driven by an ego nearly as large as Trakker’s.
“These guys are chalk and cheese,” Watters said. “You can’t fit both of their egos in a room.”
That personal rivalry quickly becomes one of the book’s most entertaining dynamics.
Reflecting Modern Anxieties
Though M.A.S.K. originated during the Cold War era, Watters believes many of the fears that drove stories in the 1980s remain even more relevant today.
Added Watters, “A lot of the stuff that people were paranoid about in the ’80s is back.”
The Energon Universe itself provides fertile ground for exploring those concerns. The arrival of Energon has accelerated technology and transformed society in unanticipated ways. Rather than focusing exclusively on giant robots or military conflicts, Watters wanted to examine how ordinary people respond to seismic change.
“Our book in particular is about civilians,” Watters said. “It’s about people being in it together.”
Courtesy of Skybound.
The Big Issue on The Horizon
As excited as both creators are about the debut issue, neither could hide their enthusiasm for what’s coming next. In fact, both pointed to issue #3 as the installment they’ve been waiting for readers to see.
“I’ve just finished it,” Parr said. “That is the best one so far.”
For Watters, the issue has been in his head since the original pitch.
“It’s essentially a 20-page action scene,” Watters said. “It’s in the skies, in the water, it’s all over the place.”
It’s a tricky balance pulling off one long action scene, but Watters makes it clear that plot progression and character work can coexist in the action itself. What excites him most is seeing Parr bring that ambition to life.
Added Watters, “What Pye’s done with it is phenomenal.”
For a series built around transforming vehicles, globe-spanning missions, and larger-than-life rivalries, that sounds exactly like the kind of promise M.A.S.K. fans have been waiting to hear.
M.A.S.K. #1 arrives in comic book shops on June 10.
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