IDW - Transformers: Shattered Glass II #3

Written by: Danny Lore

Art by: Guido Guidi

Inks by: Matt Froese

Colours by: John-Paul Bove

Colour Assists by: Ed Pirrie

Letters by: Jake M. Wood

Editor: Riley Farmer

Supervising Editor: David Mariotte

 

Plot

Slicer meets with Ratchet, who has set up shop in a new location, following the taking of Gold City, where Ratchet explains that he doesn't care who wins the war, since his job is just to put the pieces back together. He also mentions that Slicer is due a new arm soon, as he has a habit of destroying his ones regularly.

Slicer drives through the Static Zone towards Metroplex's partially reactivated body, where he tests out the effectiveness of his modifications to Blaster's decapitated head, which is able to keep a partial signal to Soundwave's radio frequencies, despite the extreme interference in the Static Zone.

Inside the Titan, Slicer plants bombs, in case he needs them later, and searches for Starscream's spark, which he locates in Metroplex's control room. He also finds Goldbug, who is trying to get the Titan working, but doesn't really understand how to do so. Slicer pretends to be loyal to Goldbug, and helps him to fix the Titan's systems, but notices that the Titan seems to be reactive to the nearby patrolling Jetfire's presence.

Slicer tries to get Goldbug to report how often the Titan tends to activate for, but the former Gold City despot is unwilling to be helpful. Soundwave's voice on the Blaster-radio mentions a front line patrol from the Decepticons, which gives Slicer an idea...

The Air Strike Patrol fly through the Static Zone on their duty, when they are attacked, and all taken out by Slicer and Goldbug, as a ploy to bring Jetfire in closer. Before Jetfire can arrive, Goldbug turns on Slicer, revealing that he knows Slicer has been using him, and that he's still loyal to the Wreckers, but he's been using him too. Before he can kill Slicer however, Jetfire arrives, and lands on top of Goldbug, crushing Starscream's murderer, most likely killing him.

Jetfire prepares to kill Slicer too, but the latter activates a bomb in his arm to injure the rogue scientist, allowing the rest of the hidden Wreckers to ensnare him, with Slicer ordering them to keep him alive, as he isn't sure how needed he is to control Metroplex yet.

Slicer wonders if Ratchet foresaw his stunt with the bomb, or if his words put the idea of blowing up his own arm with his earlier comments, but doesn't have the time to contemplate it too far, as a troop of Decepticons, led by Flamewar come roaring towards him....

Characters

Autobot

Slicer - Car

Jetfire - Jet Captured by the Wreckers

Goldbug - Car Crushed by Jetfire

Ratchet - Ambulance

Rodimus - Car

Drift - Car

Tailgate - Car

Helicopter - Helicopter/Car

Blaster (Decapitated Head Only) Dead

Blurr - Car (Melted Corpse) Dead

Optimus Prime - Truck (Mentioned)

Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Visper - Jet Killed by Slicer

Storm Cloud - Jet Killed by Slicer

Nightflight - Jet Killed by Goldbug

Tailwind - Jet Killed by Slicer

Flamewar - Motorcycle

Slipstream - Jet

Shadow Striker - Car

Hailstorm - Tank

Hotlink - Jet

Sunstorm - Jet

Tracer - Helicopter

Barricade - Police Car

Starscream (Disembodied Spark Only) Dead

"Exo-Suit"  (Arm Only)

Soundwave - Cassette Player (Voice Only)

Megatron - Jet (Mentioned)

Other Cybertronian

Metroplex - Titan Ship Partially Reactivated 

Ratchet's "Patients" Disassembled to Death

Notes

• This Hasbro Pulse release of this issue comes with a Shattered Glass Collection Slicer, with Exo-Suit figure. Unlike the other members of the collection, this figure features a positive polarity Decepticon insignia, rather than a Negative polarity Autobot one (both are evil, but still, it's different). The figure is also designed to be used as the G1 character of Slicer too, who was originally an Action Master. It's still unknown why the character and figure was named Slicer, instead of Wheeljack, especially since Wheeljack is still in trademark, and has been used in very recent years.
• The Exo-suit figure that comes with this issue gets a very brief reference at the start of this issue, as the arm that Ratchet sets aside to use as a replacement for Slicer's, assuming he will damage his current one soon.
• Though not mentioned, it's very likely that the eyes that Slicer gives to Ratchet were Blaster's, since his decapitated head is seen eyeless this issue.
• On his way to the Titan, Wheeljack drives past, and ignores, the melted corpse of Blurr, from the first issue of the first series of Shattered Glass.
• Goldbug mentions that he's going to "punt" Blaster's head into space. While it's probably just a funny coincidence, that's what Rodimus did to Wheelie, who was a decapitated head, in the Last Bot Standing mini-series.
• Slicer references Goldbug as a "failed Wrecker" this issue. We saw his previous persona, Bumblebee, as a member of the Wreckers in issue one of this series. This implies that he was fired or left in disgrace from the group,
• Tailgate is seen amongst the Wreckers this issue, using the same body he sported from the Timelines comics. Surprisingly it still appears to use the Thrilling Thirty mould as the basis, rather than the newer Titans Return design.
• The team of Decepticons that make their entrance into the battle at the end of this issue are mostly made of "Team Stream" from the now completed IDW continuity.
• It seems like Metroplex is being powered by Starscream, with his spark resonating with Jetfire's presence, due to their close past relationship, so I'm going to guess that the Titan will end up joining the Decepticons, if he survives this series at all.
• Hailstorm, who appears at the end of the issue was originally a figure from the HFTD line, which is mostly aligned with the movie continuities, but this character did make a couple of cameos in IDW comics as a G1 character. His colourscheme seems to be based on Strika, originally a Vehicon General from Beast Machines, but has made appearances as an Autobot, Decepticon and even Neutral in G1-set comics since then.