Voltron: Defender of the Universe #1

History

Devil's Due Publishing acquired the Voltron comic license from World Event Productions in 2002, aiming to revive the property for a modern readership. The initial mini-series was produced by Devil's Due and distributed through Image Comics, with Dan Jolley — who had recently earned an Eisner nomination for JSA: The Unholy Three — assigned as head writer. Co-writers Marie Croall and Mark Waid contributed to later issues of the run. Pencils were shared by Mike Norton and Clint Hilinski with inks by Clayton Brown; the issue shipped in May 2003 in at least three cover variants (by Mike Norton, Mark Brooks, and Kaare Andrews), plus a holofoil edition. The series was preceded by a #0 prologue issue co-produced with Dreamwave Productions, making issue #1 the formal narrative launch of the 'Revelations' storyline.

Trivia · 8 facts

• Published May 2003 by Image Comics under Devil's Due Publishing; story titled 'Revelations, Part 1' — the first issue of the five-issue mini-series that rebooted the Voltron franchise.
• Written by Dan Jolley with interior art by Mike Norton and Clint Hilinski (pencils) and Clayton Brown (inks); at least three distinct cover variants exist — by Mike Norton, Mark Brooks, and Kaare Andrews — plus a holofoil logo edition.
• Represents the first comic book reboot of the Voltron property, and only the second Voltron comic series ever, following Modern Comics' 1985 three-issue run; the property had been absent from comics for roughly 18 years.
• The issue's narrative sets a far-future sci-fi tone: Colonel James Hawkins recruits five misfit pilots — Keith Kogane, Lance McClain, Sven Holgersson, Hunk Garrett, and Pidge Stoker — to locate the legendary war machine Voltron on the war-ravaged planet Arus, departing significantly from the cartoon's origin.
• Key world-building departures from the 1984 animated series include: the Drule Empire is recast as the 'Drule Supremacy' (a federation of ten kingdoms), King Zarkon rules only its Ninth Kingdom, and Princess Allura's space mice are reimagined as bio-mechanical constructs created by King Alfor.
• The issue introduces the concept of a mystical pilot-lion bond (pilots' eyes glow when interfacing with the lions), an innovation originating in this Devil's Due continuity that influenced later Voltron media.
• Back-matter and shared publishing context tie this issue to Devil's Due's concurrent G.I. Joe and Transformers titles; the physical issue includes profile or bonus content featuring characters from those franchises including G.I. Joe operatives, Cobra villains, Dreadnoks, and Optimus Prime.
• The full mini-series was later adapted as the 2007 motion comic 'Voltron: Defenders of the Universe — Revelations' by Eagle One Media, released on DVD and broadcast on the Syfy channel; the entire Devil's Due run (mini-series plus ongoing) was collected in a Voltron Omnibus hardcover in 2008 that also included the previously unpublished issue #12.

Cast · 40 characters

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Variants (3)