IDW - Transformers (2019) #7

Title: The Cracks Beneath Your Feet, Part One

Written by: Brian Ruckley

Art by: Angel Hernandez, Andrew Griffith & Anna Malkova

Colours by: Joana LaFuente & Josh Burcham

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editors: David Mariotte & Tom Waltz

Plot

Prowl and Chromia meet with Greenlight and Ratchet in the medical center, where they confirm that the Voin and Rubble were both killed via blunt force, rather than gunshots like Brainstorm was, meaning that there is likely two killers on the loose, rather than just one, as they were hoping.

Chromia tells Prowl that it's not his fault, but Prowl feels bad for not being able to find the Voin himself, and for not being able to help Rubble when he called for help, and he vows to solve this case.

Elsewhere, Bee is mourning for the death of his charge and Windblade reassures him that he isn't to blame for this.

Orion comes to see him, but Bee doesn't want to talk to him right now and leaves. Orion offers his condolences for Rubble's death and leaves him be. Soon, Ironhide contacts him to let him know that following the newest deaths, the colony tours has been called off, and Sentinel and his crew are returning to Cybertron via the spacebridge, which Orion was expecting...

Bee heads to the Ascenticon HQ where Elita is shocked to see him, following his recent loss. Bee explains that he wants to join now more than ever, to make the world safer, and also says that Soundwave told him that the rest of the crew can decide if he joins or not. 

Skytread and Refraktor aren't impressed, and try to push him around due to him only being a scout, and being chucked out of the security forces in the past, but when Skytread points out that Bee coulsn't even keep his charge alive, Bee snaps and takes down Skytread and Refraktor with relative ease. Elita puts an end to the fight and Bee notices that Quake wasn't there too...

Meanwhile, at the memorial crater, Cyclonus stands watch, in case Exarchon and the Threefold Spark ever return, and continues to be haunted by the ghosts (or delusions) of his old friends. Cyclonus notices a new wire in the land around the memorial and decides to tear it out, considering it disrespectful, when he is attacked by Flamewar, who silently opens fire on him. Cyclonus tries to escape in jet mode, but is shot down.

Pissed at being forcibly grounded twice recently, he openly challenges Flamewar to a fight..

Characters

Autobot/Security Forces

Orion Pax - Truck

Chromia - Car

Prowl - Police Vehicle

Windblade - VTOL Jet

Ironhide - Van (Hologram)

Nominus Prime (Mentioned)

Sentinel Prime (Mentioned)

Ascenticon

Elita-1 - Car

Skytread - Tank and Jet

Refraktor

Soundwave (Mentioned)

Quake - Tank (Mentioned)

Other Cybertronian

Bumblebee - Winged Hovercraft

Ratchet - Ambulance

Greenlight - Car

Cyclonus - Jet

Flamewar - Motorcycle

Cybertronian Pedestrians

Rubble (Body) Killed by Quake

Gridlock (Ghost)

Highfire (Ghost)

Grudge (Ghost)

Provoke (Ghost)

Primus (Mentioned)

Starscream - Jet (Mentioned)

Nautica - Submarine (Mentioned)

Perceptor (Mentioned)

Arcee - Car (Mentioned)

Arcee's Charge (Mentioned)

Brainstorm - Jet (Mentioned) Dead

Exarchon (Mentioned)

The Threefold Spark (Mentioned)

Other Species

Unlicensed Voin Scavenger (Body) Killed by Quake 

Notes

• Well this issue confirms it! Rubble was indeed killed in issue five. I am so glad they haven't given him a hand-waved save, thus negating the whole concept of death in the continuity from the onset :D
• This issue's art duties are divided up as follows: Hernandez does the Bumblebee scenes, Griffith does the Prowl and Orion Pax scenes, and Malkova finishes it off with the Cyclonus scene at the end.
• This issue comes with a free booster pack of the Wave One Transformers TCG. Mine didn't have anything too good in it unfortunately :( Also, the advert on the cover is kind of irritating...
• Greenlight is revealed to be a Xenobiologist (ie an alien specialist), the name of her and Arcee's new charge is still not known however...curious...
• Orion starts to suggest something to Bee in this issue, which he ignores and proceeds to the Ascenticon HQ, further adding to the idea that he is joining them as a ruse for Orion and the Senate. 
• Nautica and Starscream are mentioned as being part of Sentinel Prime's crew, possibly meaning they are also Senators, or at least high ranking individuals
• This issue gives our first proper mention of Spacebridges in this new continuity.
• Elita-1 is very different from her previous IDW self, with this one seeming to be more in line with her G1 cartoon self, as a protective and caring personality, but still a strong warrior who commands respect.
• Oh wow! It's Flamewar! We haven't seen her since her brief cameo in the TAAO Annual! Looks like she still has her motorcycle mode too! (NOW GIVE US A DECENT TOY FOR HER ALREADY HASBRO!!)
• Cyclonus mentions that this was his second forced landing, referring to the one he suffered at Windblade's hands in issue four.