Recordicons issue 5

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Publisher	Fun Publications
Published in	Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club #38
First published	April/May 2011
Script	David Willis
Art	David Willis
Continuity	Shattered Glass

Commissioner Garboil has a new job for Batbot.

Synopsis

In the dark of the night, Commissioner Garboil and Howlback wait as they signal for the city's protector, Batbot; Howlback doesn't think he's going to show, but Garboil tells her to have faith. Almost on cue, Batbot shows up; Garboil tells him that the city is on full alert, as Blackcat has escaped from G-9, and has left his puzzles all over the city, puzzles that only Batbot can solve. Batbot tells the Commissioner that he's on his way...but after a few seconds, asks him to turn around so he can mysteriously disappear.

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Decepticons	Autobotss
Howlback (1) Garboil (2) Batbot (3)	Blackcat (tablet screen) (4)

Notes

Transformers references

• Garboil and Howlback's positive universe counterparts are the Cobalt sentries, who serve as the "public safety unit" of the Decepticon Secret Police. Sold in the vibrant blue variant of the original Micro Change molds that would become Laserbeak and Ravage, their counterparts here are crimsom red.
• Blackcat's positive universe is a more obscure story; Blackcat was seen in issue #18 of the German Transformers Comic-Magazin, as part of the puzzle section that issue, reusing art of Ravage from issue #4 of the Marvel Transformers comics. The puzzle-based origin, of course, feeds into his inspiration (see "real-world references" below).
• G-9 is Garrus-9, the Autobot prison system in IDW's Generation 1 continuity, first seen in "Spotlight: Arcee".
• Garboil is smoking a cy-gar, introduced in IDW's All Hail Megatron.

Real-world references

• This installment leans hard into the Batman references; in addition to a Batbot version of the Bat-Signal, Garrus-9 serves as a stand in for Arkham Asylum, while Garboil and Blackcat serve as stand-ins for Commissioner Gordon and the Riddler, respectively. Blackcat, in particular, has his color scheme based on the villain. Howlback has no obvious counterpart, but given the heavy Batman: The Animated Series vibes of this and previous strips, maybe she's meant to be Renee Montoya?