IDW - Transformers Shattered Glass #2

Written by: Danny Lore

Art by: Daniel Khanna

Colours by: John-Paul Bove

Letters by: Neil Uyetake

Editor: Riley Farmer

Supervising Editor: David Mariotte

Design by: Jake Wood & Johanna Nattalie

Plot

Megatron's life of solitude past the Rust Sea is interrupted by the arrival of Starscream, who collapses after arriving from his injuries from both the Bodyscrappers and the Sea itself, forcing the reclusive Decepticon to help his loyal lieutenant.

Inside his hideout, Megatron patches up Starscream, and complains about his follower seeking him out, since he is no longer his leader, since losing the war, but Starscream counters that they haven't lost yet, and they still have a chance to save their planet from the Autobots.

Starscream reminisces over the first time he saw Megatron, he was at a protest, protecting Ratbat's right to protest from Prowl, and ended up getting arrested for attacking the officer.

Megatron was later released from prison by Orion Pax, due to their friendship, but the two get into an argument, after Orion threatens him with Empurata to try and fix his wild ways. The fight was soon broken up, but the two didn't speak again, until the war started...

Some time later, the war enndednup on Earth, with the final battle taking place in Hollywood, Megatron orders the other Decepticons to retreat, knowing they can't win, and takes on the Autobots alone, behind eventually beaten down by Megatron, but not before dealing some major damage to the Autobots, and saving multiple Decepticons from their enemies, allowing most of their forces to escape.

After Megatron awoke, following the battle, he escaped the remains of Earth on a shuttle, and returned to Cyberton, where he discovered the Autobots had conquered the planet in his absence, leading to his exile.

Back in the presence, Starscream continues to try and prove their potential to win the war still, when he reveals that he's continued to examine his unique spark, and believes he has found a way to use it to reawaken the sleeping Titans, and use them to take back the planet...

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime/Orion Pax - Truck (Flashback)

Prowl - Police Car (Flashback)

Jetfire - Jet (Flashback)

Bumblebee - Car (Flashback) Blasted by Megatron, Reformatted into Goldbug

Ironhide - Van (Flashback)

Ratchet - Ambulance (Flashback)

Blurr - Race Car (Flashback)

Jazz - Car (Flashback)

Blaster - Boom Box (Flashback)

Windcharger - Car (Flashback)

Brawn - SUV (Flashback)

Downshift - Car (Flashback) Possibly Dead

Sunstreaker - Car (Flashback)

Sideswipe - Car (Flashback) Injured

Hot Rod - Car (Flashback) Injured 

Other Autobots (Flashback)

Dinobots (Mentioned)

Bodyscrappers (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Megatron - Space Shuttle

Starscream - Jet

Shockwave - Flying Artillery (Flashback)

Thundercracker - Jet (Flashback)

Skywarp - Jet (Flashback)

Soundwave - Cassette Player (Flashback)

Rumble - Cassette (Flashback)

Frenzy - Cassette (Flashback)

Ravage - Cassette (Flashback)

Refraktor - Hovercraft (Flashback)

Scrapper - Front End Loader (Flashback)

Bonecrusher - Bulldozer (Flashback)

Kickback - Locust (Flashback)

Bombshell - Bill Weevil (Flashback)

Other Decepticons (Flashback)

Other Cybertronian

Ratbat - Cassette (Flashback)

Chromedome - Car (Flashback)

Miners (Flashback)

Empurata Protesters (Flashback)

A Titan (Hologram Only)

Whirl - Helicopter (Poster Only)

The Senate (Mentioned)

Drillers (Mentioned)

Other

Humans (Mentioned) Possibly killed by Autobots

Notes

• This issue, again, came with a free figure, this time of Shattered Glass Megatron! (The price was a lot higher, though there is a cheaper option without the toy if you'd prefer)
• Megatron's Cape in the present setting appears to be based on the one worn by Optimus and Megatron in their G2 Cybertronian Alliance design.
• Laste issue Prowl was shown in shadows, seemingly to hide his design, possibly for a future toy reveal...but we see him in all his glory this issue!
• Whirl is shown on a pro-Empurata poster in the background of this issue, the old IDW continuity had Whirl as a stern hater of Empurata, following his own punishment.
• Optimus Prime/Orion Pax's windscreen crack is revealed to be an injury caused from his first fight with Megatron, pre-war.
• It's unclear what happened after Megatron was defeated, but from the ground looking pretty torn up, we can assume the Autobots probably raized Hollywood, if not more of Earth.
• Among the injured Autobots seen laying around are Downshift, Sideswipe and Hot Rod, the latter two being important characters in the previous continuity, but who knows with this one.
• Bumblebee is seen this issue during th flashback, where he is coloured like Bug Bite. We also see here that his injuries, that led to him being rebuilt as Goldbug were caused by Megatron shooting him with his fusion cannon.
• Starscream having an unusual spark is a recurring theme in Transformers fiction, with him usually being shown as being unable to permanently die.
• Earth having "Rarified Energon" is likely in reference to the Classics Universe from Fun Publications, which was the "positive" counterpart to the original Shattered Glass continuity. In that version the Energon was because Earth was actually a giant Transformers called Gaia, but I doubt they're doing that here again...