Hasbro done fucked up and sent it out with Goldbug. Only had a chance to read half of it before hand. But WOW. Lots of potential new repaints in this one. It was really hard to follow, though.
It was probably always supposed to be like this and only got messed up because the Megatron and starscream toys got pushed back. Haven't opened mine yet, but might try to hold out for the retail release of issue 3 next week first.
Any chance of a synopsis / outline as to what happens / who shows up? Won't be getting Goldbug for quite a bit and I'm curious. Much appreciated
Damn, just read this with the SG Goldbug figure that arrived today. Spoiler Do not mess with Goldbug. RIP Skywarp and Insecticons.
Spoiler Most of the setting of the issue is Goldbug and Jetfire torturing Starscream to get the information on Metroplex, with Jetfire clearly growing uncomfortable with it. Interspersed are flashbacks to Goldbug's (when he was Bumblebee) treatment under Optimus Prime along with him and Prowl planning their coup. Back in the present, Megatron sends in various Decepticons to try and rescue Starscream and Goldbug just mows through them all. Skywarp is killed and gets his head ripped off for example. Probably the most notable cameos are the Insecticons. Not just the classic trio (Shrapnel, Kickback, Bombshell) but Venom and Ransack also. Goldbug's characterization is pretty clear a massive superiority complex and he desperately wants to kill Megatron to prove himself.
Wheeljack is in Action Master Slicer colors and is called Slicer in this issue. For a while now, my head canon is that Action Master Slicer originated from the Shattered Glass continuity where he was the evil Autobot Wheeljack until he changed his name to Slicer. This issue makes it just a bit more official canon, although its not outright stated. I am enjoying the Shattered Glass comics more so than Ruckley's comics given how there is a clear focus on a small group of characters and one storyline, whereas Ruckley has several different storylines running simultaneously in each issue. I will say that I was initially confused by Goldbug suddenly fighting Optimus Prime while also fighting the Insecticons until I realised it was a flashback. And the artwork is amazing as usual from these Shattered Glass comics. This is what I want from Transformers comics - well drawn, detailed, appropriately proportioned characters that look like they should do without any weird stylised aesthetic. Prowl has two different color schemes in this issue; the new one as we saw previously and a black and white color scheme based on the Mexican Prowl toy. I guess he took on a different color scheme when he became a warlord, but there is no mention to him doing so. Going by his chest design, I guess the slave/prisoner with the jackhammer is the Shattered Glass version of Wheezel from the Marvel comics, perhaps with an updated modern redesign. I also recognise Cliffjumper, Freeway, Wideload and Searchlight; Freeway and Searchlight having their Marvel heads on Earthrise Cliffjumper bodies. I think Wideload should have had G1 Constructicon colors as here he has his G1 colors with a blue head instead of an orange head.
Here's what the author says about Slicer/Wheeljack: Shattered Glass issue 4 - Transformers Wiki https://twitter.com/weredawgz/status/1466532346648096779
I like your idea of Slicer crossing over so to speak. Reminds me of when “X-Man” came from the age of apocalypse and over to the main marvel timeline. See, these are the types of things they could easily do!