IDW - Transformers Shattered Glass II #1

Written by: Danny Lore

Art by: Marcelo Matere & Andrew Lee Griffith 

Additional Inks by: Gigi Dutreix

Colours by: John-Paul Bove

Letters by: Jake M. Wood

Editor: Riley Farmer

Supervising Editor: David Mariotte

Plot

In the past, Ultra Magnus, a lawman, is summoned by Orion Pax to lead his new squad of enforcers, in preparation for his upcoming uprising against the Senate.

One day, Magnus' squad encounter Senator Shockwave, a friend of Magnus', who is being hounded by journalists, asking about a rumoured military schism. Shockwave, who disapproves of Magnus' new squad, insults them, angering Impactor, who gets into a fight with the Senator, leading Magnus to lose control, and throws Kup at the other Wrecker, seemingly killing Impactor, and causing Shockwave to look at Magnus in a worse way...

Later, Magnus informs Orion that he has reorganised the squad into his own, fully independent unit, the Wreckers, so they can do the dirty business, without Orion being implicated, as he really wanted, which Orion begrudgingly agrees to.

The Wreckers are sent to the Senate, where they slaughter many of the gathered Senators, enabling Orion to take over easily. Magnus is confronted directly by Shockwave, but the Senator is no match for the strong Autobot. Rather than killing him though, Shockwave is taken away for Empurata, to rewrite his mind...

In the present day, Magnus, along with his Wreckers, arrive at the Throne of Pax, where they demand an audience with Optimus, and the Autobot tyrant allows him to see him, with one of his Wreckers, leaving the rest outside.

Magnus meets with Optimus, and Magnus suggests that him and Prowl racing to claim the newly awakening Titan from Goldbug is splitting their forces too thin, and that the Decepticons will take advantage of it and take back Cybertron, like they already have at Gold City. Optimus refuses to listen, and Jazz tries to speak up for Magnus, pointing out his role in ensuring Optimus' power, but the Prime refuses to listen, and knocks the Wrecker away.

The two Wreckers leave, but decide that Optimus is going to get them all killed with his poor leadership, so Magnus gives the signal to the Wreckers, and they start killing the guards around Pax, with Magnus facing off against Optimus himself.

After a harsh battle, Magnus shows his superior raw strength to Optimus, and manages to beat him to near-death, all whilst pointing out that he, and his Wreckers, are what gave him all his power and respect.

Magnus stands over Optimus' damaged body, with the Wreckers behind him, ready to execute his own plans for Cybertron...

Characters

Autobot

Orion Pax/Optimus Prime - Truck Crushed by Ultra Magnus

Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport

Jazz - Car

Slicer - Car

Rodimus - Car

Drift - Car

Kup - Pick Up Truck

Ricochet - Car

Sandstorm - Buggy/VTOL Helicopter

Whirl - Helicopter Killed by Slicer

Sunstreaker - Car Killed by Slicer

Pax Guards Killed by Wreckers

Bumblebee/Goldbug - Car (Flashback Only)

Springer - Helicopter/Car (Flashback Only)

Impactor - Tank (Flashback Only) Killed by Ultra Magnus

Prowl - Police Car (Mentioned)

Cordon - Car (Mentioned)

Other Cybertronian

Laserbeak - Cassette (Flashback Only)

Flashbox (Flashback Only)

Senator Shockwave (Flashback Only) Put through Empurata

Senator Ratbat - Cassette (Flashback Only) Killed by Ultra Magnus

Senator Crosscut - Van (Flashback Only) Killed by the Wreckers

Senator Tomaandi (Flashback Only) Killed by the Wreckers

Senator Proteus (Flashback Only) Killed by the Wreckers 

Senator Decimus (Flashback Only) Killed by the Wreckers 

Other Senators (Flashback Only) Killed by the Wreckers 

Metroplex - Titan Ship (Mentioned) Reactivated

Scraplets (Mentioned)

Notes

• The Hasbro Pulse edition of this comic came with a Shattered Glass Ultra Magnus figure (that also doubles as Diaclone Universe Delta Magnus)
• The inner monologue narration that was present through series one returns for this series, but this issue parodies it, by having Ultra Magnus refusing to narrate for most of the story, as we aren't worthy enough to know his thoughts.
• Senator Shockwave's design is based on his appearance from the MTMTE flashbacks, as is his basic backstory too.
• Ultra Magnus calls Sunstreaker "Cordon" at one point, on purpose. This possibly explains the name alteration of Wheeljack to Slicer (beyond being a toy thing), but it could explain some other figures released in Generations, who can be doubled as Shattered Glass characters, as those could be just code names used by them (ie SG Tracks might be referred to as "Road Rage", SG Skids as "Burn-Out" etc).
• Wheeljack is shown wearing his full-body cloak, as he did at the end of series one, but we don't see what its for yet. My guess would be that it's to either hide his energy signature, or to at least hide something (maybe somehow the Exo-Suit that comes with his toy?)
• It's mentioned a few times that Magnus' face-hologram is emotionless, but we clearly see it making a whole range of emotions throughout the issue.
• We don't learn here why Magnus' face is skeletal yet, but in the original Shattered Glass it was caused by Optimus ripping off his face after a rebellion attempt, but he appears to have his injury before he is summoned to lead the Wreckers.
• We learned in series one that Shockwave's Empurata went wrong, and he ended up becoming extremely heroic, rather than apathetic, a complete reversal of what happened to the old IDW continuity.
• Despite how kill-happy he's been this issue, I think Optimus is still alive at the end of this issue, and will likely return to his throne by the end of the series.