Optimus Prime & Megatron switch roles in Transformers: Shattered Glass 2

Transformers: Shattered Glass 2 #1 (Image credit: IDW Publishing)

IDW Publishing has announced a new five-issue limited series, Transformers: Shattered Glass 2, for debut in August. Following immediately on the heels of its 2021 predecessor, Shattered Glass 2 will continue to explore a dark, alternate reality in which the Autobots and the Decepticons have swapped roles: Optimus Prime is a dictator, rather than a hero, and Megatron just wants peace.

Think the Star Trek 'Mirror' universal, with Transformers.

Written by Danny Lore with art by Daniel Khanna, Guido Guidi, and Marcelo Matere, as well as colors by John-Paul Bove, Transformers: Shattered Glass 2 sees Cybertron on the brink of war. The Autobots and Decepticons each attempt to gain control of a Titan who could help them claim victory, but it may be that this ultra-powerful being is just a distraction. A shadow broker, Ultra Magnus, is making big moves that neither the Autobots nor the Decepticons have noticed.

Transformers: Shattered Glass 2 #1 main cover art by Marcelo Matere (Image credit: IDW Publishing)

"When we ended the first series, I was overjoyed at the fan reaction to our version of Shattered Glass. It was a world full of passionate revolutionaries, terrifying warlords, and lots of big things going boom. The chance to revisit Shattered Glass, giving you even more of all that, really feels like coming home—a very explosive home with a lot of really tall folk, but home nonetheless!" Lore says.

"It’s great to return to the Shattered Glass universe where we continue to flesh out this whole new twisted mirror take on the normal Transformers universe. I think fans will really enjoy this latest chapter from this alternate reality," adds Khanna.

"Once again it’s great to be back on this series!" Guidi says. "In the first miniseries, I really loved depicting Blurr as a bad guy and Jetfire’s struggle for Starscream, playing with their facial expressions and their body language, yet keeping their basic traits from their original counterparts. But I can say that I’m having fun with any of the characters at this point. It’s a really refreshing challenge to draw them as their opposite, yet make them convincing and natural in their new roles, for both new readers and older fans."

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NyHw3ZfnfGiicJmnyh45VJ.jpg — Transformers: Shattered Glass 2 #1 variant cover by Red Powell (Image credit: IDW Publishing)

Matere, who's new to the creative team, says, "What excites me more about the premise of Shattered Glass is the chance to play around with things you usually don’t do. For example, after reading the script, one line helped to guide my art style for this book: a description of the Wreckers in a gangster or mobster scenario, calling for lots of shadows and black silhouettes of the characters. It’s been great experimentation moving my art to this new level."

Editor Riley Farmer says, "It’s so exciting to be bringing even more Shattered Glass characters to life. We always want to give the fans what they want, and when we can give them an awesome comic book series and provide backstory for amazing toys through our partnership with Hasbro…well, what could be better?"

Transformers: Shattered Glass 2 #1 variant cover by Nick Brokenshire (Image credit: IDW Publishing)

Transformers: Shattered Glass 2 #1 will hit shelves in August, with main cover art by Marcelo Matere and variant covers by Red Powell and Nick Brokenshire. Hasbro brand marketplace Hasbro Pulse will also offer exclusive variant covers.

This will be one of the last Transformers series from IDW Publishing before the license leaves at the end of this year.

Samantha Puc (she/they) is an editor at Newsarama and an avid comics fan. Their writing has been featured on Refinery29, Bitch Media, them., The Beat, The Mary Sue, and elsewhere. She is currently pursuing a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative nonfiction at The New School.