IDW - Transformers: Shattered Glass #1

Written by: Danny Lore

Art by: Guido Guidi

Inks by: John Wycough

Colours by: John-Paul Bove

Colour Assists by: Ed Pirrie

Letters by: Lettersquids

Editor: Riley Farmer

Supervising Editor: David Mariotte

Design by: Jake Wood & Johanna Nattalie

Plot

The bodyscrapper Blurr brings in the remains of his recent bounty, Sixshot, to Gold City, where he delivers himnto his middlebot, Ratchet, who is currently experimenting on a new patient...

While there, Blurr is informed of a new bounty from Goldbug himself, he wants the Devepticon Starscream brought to him, alive, as he wants the information he holds.

Elsewhere, Starscream is struggling against two more Bodyscrappers, Chromedome and Hardhead, but managed to injure the latter, while the former is suddenly attacked by Blurr, who feigns switching sides.

Starscream and Blurr make it to the Static Zone, outside the city where Starscream confronts the Evil Autobot on why he would help him. Blurr tries to tell him that he only joined the Autobots out of necessity originally, and points out that if Goldbug is looking for him, then the other higher up Autobots like Optimus and Prowl must be after him too for his information...the location of Megatron.

Starscream agrees, and tells Blurr the direction to take to reach the Decepticon leader, and the duo head through the active volcanic fields...

Along the way, Blurr monologues to himself about how he's going to lead Starscream to Goldbug and will then bring in Megatron himself, when suddenly Starscream attacks the Autobot, revealing that he knew his plan all along, and just needed him to keep him safe while he gets through the Static Zone.

The two fight, with Blurr using his super speed to outpace the Decepticon, but his speed ends up being his outdoing, when Starscream tricks him into stepping in the path of a volcanic eruption, trapping him and encasing him in lava, as he screams revenge on the Seeker...

The next morning, Starscream thanks Blurr for his unintended help, explaining that he stayed with him in case he somehow survived, and heads out to meet with Megatron at his hiding place....

Characters

Autobot

Blurr - Race Car Smelted in Volcanic Eruption

Ratchet - Ambulance

Hardhead - Tank

Chromedome - Car

Gold City Denizens

Ratchet's "Patient"

Metroplex - Titan Ship/City Dead/Immersant

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab (Flashback Only)

Goldbug - Car (Flashback Only)

Prowl - Police Car (Flashback Only)

Fortress Maximus - Titan Ship/City (Flashback Only)

Brainstorm - Jet (Flashback Only)

Highbrow - Helicopter (Flashback Only)

Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport (Flashback Only)

Springer - Helicopter/Car (Flashback Only)

Roadbuster - Jeep (Flashback Only)

Kup - Pick-up Truck (Flashback Only)

Optimus Prime's Enforcer (Flashback Only)

Flashback Autobots (Flashback Only)

Ratchet's Fallen Comrade (Mentioned) Dead

Decepticon

Starscream - Tetrajet 

Sixshot - Tank/Jet/Gun/Winged Wolf/Car Killed by Blurr

Refraktor - Hovercraft (Flashback Only) Captured by Headmasters

Flashback Decepticons (Flashback Only)

Megatron - Space Shuttle (Mentioned)

Notes

• Unusually for a comic, this issue came with a full sized Blurr figure. There is a mass release version that doesn't have the toy, but who would want that? :P 
• Beyond the cover and the adverts (which were likely made when the comic was produced in the Pulse version as theybare all of things from several months ago) there's no differences between the versions, unlike when we previously had pack-in comics, where they were censored in various ways. I guess in this case it's different due to this only being sent with the figure, and not placed in the packaging.
• This version of Shattered Glass is not connected to the previous Shattered Glass continuity made by Fun Publications, other than being in the same multiverse of course...
• This marks the first mainstream, successful reboot to the Shattered Glass concept, with the previous attempts either being concepts or just one-offs.
• It's likely, that just like how the original version was the mirror universe counterpart to the Classics universe, that this version is a counterpart to the current IDW continuity, due to the use of current toy moulds, whether as virtual retools or using the new Shattered Glass collection figures. Also the appearance of Metroplex, seemingly being Immersant, adds to the possibility.
• Unlike in the previous Shattered Glass universe, most of the secondary characters colourschemes in this story aren't based on another colourscheme, they just used what looked best.
• Ratchet holds up the Data fob for Blurr holding the information in his next target, but the speech bubble is covering it up, making the next few panels a little confusing.
• Hardhead refers to Chromedome as "Chromey", likely a corruption on his nickname from Rewind in IDW Version 1 of "Domey".
• The dialogue in this issue tells us that this is set after the Transformers have been to Earth, and even that a version of the Headmasters storyline has happened too.
• It's left unclear at the end if Blurr somehow survived being melted in place by the volcano (face it, we've seen Transformers survive literal atomisation in the past). But it would be weird to kill off a character that is sold with the comic he's killed in....

IDW - Transformers #34

Title: Lord of Misrule: Sea of Rust I

Written by: Brian Ruckley

Art by: Anna Malkova

Colours by: David Garcia Cruz & Evan Gauntt

Letters & Design by: Jake M. Wood

Editor: David Mariotte

Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer

Supervising Editor: Tom Waltz

Plot

Geomotus and Landmine investigate the crash site of the Titan Citadel in the Sea of Rust, and find the rust worms in a frenzy. Termagax appears behind them, still on the run from the Decepticons, and explains that the worms devoured Citadel's body, and are now hungry for more.

The two researchers are invited inside House, where she offers them her hospitality. Unfortunately, a team of Decepticon Seekers find them, and intend to take down Termagax for Megatron. Red Wing decides to head back so he can report this to Megatron, but the others intend to impress their leader by taking her out themselves. However, Termagax isn't helpless, and launches House's arsenal on them, forcing Wingstun to also flee and Space Case to crash into the Sea of Rust, to die.

At the Crystal City, Optimus has officially dubbed his resistance against the Decepticons as the Autobots, and begins plans to search for Termagax, as he has learned that she possesses the Enigma of Combination, thanks to Bumblebee's intel. Highbrow reports that he actually knows where she is, since Geomotus reported that he's met with her, before entering a suppression field.

In Iacon, Megatron meets with Skywarp, who tries to convince the Decepticon leader to allow him to join his side for himnto have fun, but Megatron is unconvinced.

Soundwave reports Termagax's location at the Sea of Rust, and decides to use the Shockwave's troops to attack her, since he's closer, which Shockwave outsources to the Insecticon Swarm, to simply overwhelm her. Shockwave intends to use this to seizebthr Enigma for himself, do he keeps the monopoly of Combiners, since Devastator is under his influence in space....

In the medical center, Jumpstream wakes up from her brief coma, to be good by Perceptor that her "dimension hop" was actually time travel, terrifying her, as she reveals that this means Exarchon is still out there, and that he will win another eat in the future!

Back at the Sea of Rust, the Insecticon Swarm approaches House, and it begins fighting them off. Inside, Termagax explains that the reason the Decepticons want her is because she holds the Enigma of Combination, and also reveals that even though she is sceptical of the existence of the Thirteen Primes, she has experienced two of their artefacts, so she has surmised that the others also exist somewhere, and she is determined to find them.

House's arsenal finally runs out, and Termagax apologizes to her friends for getting them killed, when House detects more arrivals, a team of Autobots have come to rescue them!

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck

Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport

Pyra Magna - Truck

Highbrow - Helicopter

Chromia - Car

Ratchet - Ambulance

Perceptor

Jumpstream - Car

Windblade - VTOL Jet

Springer - Helicopter/Car

Blades - Helicopter

Sky Lynx - Space Shuttle

Arcee - Car

Kup - Pick-up Truck

Ironhide - Van

Strongarm - Van

Huffer - Truck

Inferno - Fire Truck

Blaster

Vibes

Tap-Out - Car

Chromedome - Car

Pointblank - Car

Grapple - Crane

Decepticon

Megatron - Tank

Soundwave - Hovercraft

Sixshot - Jet/Car/Tank/Gun/Winged Tiger

Nova Storm - Jet

Red Wing - Jet

Wingstun - Jet

Space Case - Jet Eaten by Rust Worms

Shockwave - Flying Artillery

Soundblaster - Hovercraft

Bombshell - Bill Weevil

Kickback - Locust

Skrapnel - Stag Beetle

Insecticon Swarm Many Destroyed by House

Nacelle - Jet (Mentioned)

Shockwave's Insecticon Clones (Mentioned)

Other Cybertronian

Termagax - Armoured Van

Geomotus - Buggy

Landmine - Buggy

Skywarp - Jet

Devastator - Constructicon Gestalt (Flashback)

Abominus - Terrorcon Gestalt (Flashback)

Nexus Prime (Flashback)

Solus Prime (Flashback)

Vector Prime (Flashback)

Quintus Prime (Flashback)

Micronus Prime (Flashback)

Alchemist Prime (Flashback)

Liege Maximo (Flashback)

Exarchon (Mentioned)

Citadel - Titan Ship (Mentioned) Dead, Eaten by Rust Worms

Bumblebee - Winged Hovercraft (Mentioned)

Primus (Mentioned)

The Other Primes (Mentioned)

The Firstforged (Mentioned)

Other

"House"

Rust Worms

Termagax's "Samples" In jars

Notes

• This issue opens by revealing that the largest Titan, Citadel, was eaten by the rust worms when he crashed.. guess he has no chance of revival now then!
• Both Geomotus and Landmine are familiar with Termagax, implying that both are relatively older, since she's been in seclusion since shortly after the Nominus Editcbwas enforced.
• Red Wing previously ran away when he saw Windcharger was amongst the Autobot reinforcements, who ended up badly hurting Nacelle. This time he manages to escape being eaten alive by the rust worms! He's a smart fella!
• It's still unclear if House is a sentient being here. But we have learned that he's armed to the teeth.
• It's taken 34 issues, but the Autobots are now officially the faction of Optimus and his followers, instead of just the political party he was associated with.
• We get a brief cameo from Blaster in the Autobot groupshot, but I can't tell if he's a virtual retool of Siege Soundwave or a new design yet...there are rumours of a new Blaster toy in the pipeline though...
• Huffer's character model has been modified from being based on his Power of the Primes toy to one closer to (but not quite) his Kingdom toy.
• It's confirmed that Soundblaster is a clone here, but the circumstances of it, and whether Soundwave is aware of him is still unknown.
• The Insecticon Clone army we saw at the end of Galaxies is referenced here, as Shockwave explains that he doesn't want anyone to know if their existence yet.
• Shockwave mentions that there are fourteen artefacts of the Primes. We see in her fantasy that the Matrix and Star Saber are separate here, rather than the Matrix just being a part of the sword.
• Also, we see a mask among the artefacts, if we assume that is the Triptych mask then it's a little different to the one we've seen in the past, which had three faces, one for the past, future and present. It's possible it's the Lenses of Alchemist Prime, but, why is there a full face there?

IDW - Beast Wars #7

Title: Pod, Part 1

Written by: Erik Burnham

Art by: Winston Chan

Colours by: Sidvenblu

Letters by: Jake M. Wood

Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer

Editor: Jazmine Joyner

Supervising Editor: David Mariotte

Plot

Dinobot has been welcomed into the Maximals, and during his recovery time, following his previous beating from the Predacons, he is sparring with Optimus, and giving the crew intel on the other Predacons.

At the Darksyde, Megatron finally decrypts another part of the golden disk, but is shocked to see that it is part of a warning from himself, but it is corrupted before he can rewatch it.

The other Predacons go on an Energon run as their stores are running low, and they split up for the job.

In orbit, one of the stasis pods receives a signal, and begins falling to the planet's surface.

Blackarachnia soon wakes up from the pod, and starts exploring the area, after beginning a download of a code update that she has been sent.

The Maximal explorer manages to get away from a crocodile creature, and detects a Cybertonian ship's signal nearby, so she heads toward it. She soon finds the Axalon and walks right through the protective shields, and intends to introduce herself to her fellow Maximals...just as the update completes and she becomes a Predacon!

The new Predacon hides in the corridor, having heard the Maximals talking in a room, soon, she is encountered by Cheetor, who just thinks she is a confused Maximal, until she shoots him with cyber venom, paralyzing him as he tries to call for help...

Characters

Maximal

Optimus Primal - Gorilla

Dinobot - Velociraptor

Rhinox - Rhino

Cheetor - Cheetah Paralyzed by Blackarachnia

Rattrap - Rat

Nyx - Bat

Predacon

Megatron - Tyrannosaurus Rex

Blackarachnia - Black Widow Spider

Scorponok - Scorpion

Terrorsaur - Pteranodon

Waspinator - Wasp

Skold - Alligator Snapping Turtle

Taranulas - Tarantula (Mentioned)

Other

Crocodile Creature Killed by Blackarachnia

Notes

• This issue marks the start of this series' second storyarc. It features a new art style, but this style is only planned to last for this arc, and will return afterwards.
• The character models in this arc are much more based on their Kingdom character models, where available, rather than the hyper stylised versions before.
• Dinobot is still scarred from his back stabbing from Tarantulas last issue.
• Dinobot's been added to the Maximal's safe passage list for the Axalon's shields, allowing him to pass through it, unlike last issue.
• Megatron briefly sees a message from himself from the future commenting that something will doom them all, but that the transwarp drive can do something to save them.
• Taranulas' tampering last issue is explained here. He was sending an update program to the Stasis Pods that uploads a shell program that turns the Maximal Protoform into a Predacon. We can assume that others were also affected, but most likely not all of them, since Tarantulas bwas interrupted by Rattrap, plus some covers have shown at least Airazor as a character in the future.
• The only real difference between Maximal and Predacon Blackarachnia are the colours of her eyes, green for a Maximal and red for a Predacon. However, her eyes are supposed to be black...
• Despite being mentioned a few times, him stabbing Dinobot, and his tampering being a main plot this issue, Tarantulas doesn't actually appear in the story.

IDW - Transformers: King Grimlock #2

Title: Grimlock the Defender

Written by: Steve Orlando

Art by: Augustin Padilla

Colours by: Jeremy Colwell

Letters by: Jake M. Wood

Editor: David Mariotte

Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer

Supervising Editor: Tom Waltz

Plot

Grimlock continues to fight his way through the fantasy setting of Menonia, until he becomes ensnared into a Ridge Worm. Arko appears and helps him get free, and leads him out of the giant creature.

Arko tries to persuade Grimlock to help her defeat the Golden One, but he doesn't see the fight as his. Arko attempts to fight Grimlock to force him to help her, or just to take him out as a new threat, but the Dinobot just ignores her attacks.

Grimlock simply says that she is weak, but agrees to teach her how to be stronger, so long as she doesn't question him, which she agrees to.

Soon the duo come across a fishing village called Angloria, which is under attack by Wood-bots sent by the Red Wizard. Arko initially doesn't want to help them, seeing the villagers as weak, but Grimlock intervenes, after seeing the attacking creatures.

After a quick fight, Grimlock looks over one of the dead Wood-bots, and recognises it as similar to a Cybertronian, so he decides to go after the Red Wizard to get revenge for him creating these spark-less monstrosities.

Arko thinks this is suicide, since the Red Wizard is so powerful, even the Golden One avoids him, but Grimlock intends to head off regardless, leaving Arko to now consider Grimlock weak himself...

Elsewhere, at his castle, the Golden One comments to his assistant Clatta, that everything is going to plan, he knew that given Grimlocks personality he would want to go after the Red Wizard, and could potentially remove the one real threat to his reign...

Characters

Autobot

Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex

Other Dinobots (Mentioned)

Other Cybertronian

The Necrobot (Mentioned)

Menonian

The Golden One

Clatta

Arko

Anglorian Villagers

Ridge Worm

Cyclops Leader Killed by The Golden One

Cyclopes Some Killed by Grimlock

Wood-bots Destroyed by Grimlock

The Red Wizard (Mentioned)

Arnak (Mentioned)

Other

Soltron (Mentioned)

Notes

• This issue reveals that "Soltron" is a figure who represents the "First Face", aka the Autobot insignia, which is why it appears on the weapons on the cyclopes. So it's very likely that Soltron is actually a Cybertronian that somehow influenced Menonia in the past.
• The Wood-bots are shown to be primitive versions of Cybertonians, created by the "Red Wizard", who in the cartoon counterpart to this story was an exiled Quintesson, who in turn were (in the cartoon anyway) created the Transformers, likely meaning this wizard will be a Quintesson too.
• Grimlock mentions that Dinobots worship the Necrobot, who chronicles the dead,and keep fighting to try to force the god to run out of data storage.