IDW - Shattered Glass #4

Written by: Danny Lore

Art by: Daniel Khanna

Inks by: Priscilla Tramontano

Colours by: John-Paul Bove

Letters by: Neil Uyetake 

Editor: Riley Farmer

Supervising Editor: David Mariotte

Design by: Jake Wood & Johanna Nattalie

Plot

Following his fatal shooting by Megatron, during the final battle on Earth, Bumblebee is rebuilt into Goldbug by Ratchet, only to be disheartened when he learns that Optimus only allowed it, since they just happened to have spare Protoforms on the ship.

Some time later, Goldbug attempts to warn Optimus that Prowl is plotting against him, but the Autobot Commander is uninterested, since he doesn't see Prowl as a threat. Goldbug insults him, leading the Prime to knock him out with a jackhammer, taken from a worker. Shortly afterwards, Prowl approaches Goldbug, and attempts to convince him of plans for Cyberton again...

Later, Goldbug has been convinced by Prowl, and attempts to assassinate Optimus, though he fails, he escapes from his city, and makes his way to a city, he later renames Gold City...

In the present, Starscream is being held captive by Goldbug at Gold City, being tortured by Jetfire on his orders to gain access to the Seeker's ability to awaken the sleeping Titans.

An intruder alert is sounded, leading Goldbug to leave and deal with it himself. He quickly locates Skywarp, who has infiltrated to find Starscream, but the Autobot Warlord quickly defeats and decapitates him.

Goldbug returns to the torture chamber, and throws Skywarp's severed head at Goldbug, to try and scare him into using his Titan control powers for him, but Starscream is still defiant, and continues to insult Goldbug for his obsession with both Optimus and Megatron...

The Insecticons invade the facility next, taking out as many guards as they can along the way, however Goldbug goes after them by himself too, tearing through them, one by one...

After killing the Insecticons, Goldbug has had enough, and decides to speed up the matter, deciding that Jetfire is possibly stalling due to some lingering feelings for his old friend, he returns to the torture chamber, and threatens to kill Starscream too, to Jetfire's horror!

Characters

Autobot

Goldbug/Bumblebee - Hatchback

Jetfire - Jet

Slicer - Race Car

Tap-Out - Hatchback

Freeway - Hatchback

Searchlight - Hatchback

Wideload - Dump Truck

Random Autobots

Optimus Prime - Truck (Flashback)

Prowl - Police Car (Flashback)

Ratchet - Ambulance (Flashback)

Decepticon

Starscream - Jet

Skywarp - Jet Killed by Goldbug

Kickback - Locust Likely Killed by Goldbug

Skrapnel - Stag Beetle Killed by Goldbug

Bombshell - Boll Weevil Killed by Goldbug

Ransack - Locust Likely Killed by Goldbug

Venom - Cicada Killed by Goldbug

Megatron - Jet (Flashback)

Thundercracker - Jet (Flashback)

Other

Miners (Flashback)

Titans (Mentioned)

Notes

• Unlike the previous issue, this issue was also released with a Shattered Glass figure of the cover character, in this case, Goldbug, (Starscream is currently delayed until early January)
• Confirming what was assumed previously, Megatron's attack on Bumblebee is what prompted him to get upgraded to Goldbug.
• Goldbug uses a pair of electrocuted rods to fight Skywarp this issue...his toy does not come with these...sadly...
• A character named Slicer is featured this issue, he's based on the G1 Decepticon character of the same name, which was also the colourscheme used for Shattered Glass Wheeljack in the past...so who knows what's going on there! (Most likely there's a planned Slicer toy release, which will be reusable as Shattered Glass Wheeljack too)
• Most of the troops working under Goldbug appear to share the same toy mould as him, but with different heads.
• We only see Kickback and Ransack get knocked over during the battle, but it's very likely that Goldbug killed them too
• Optimus is shown using an axe in the flashback, but his toy doesn't feature one...again, very sad...