Good news: It looks like Karai might actually locate that ancient sword she’s looking for.
Bad news: It’s guarded by a badass creature.
First Read Reactions
- What? A yakuza business man makes platitudes about honor only to privately brush them off as foolish? I’m shocked…SHOCKED, I TELL YOU!
- Okay, now I am genuinely/legitimately shocked at how Toru’s granddaughter is responding to this.
- Surrounded by demon spirits who can only attack when someone attacks them first…and they’re taunting you…and you have Koya in your group. Yeah, I think we can all see where this is going.
- Definitely becoming a bigger and bigger fan of Bludgeon during this story arc.
- HOLY CRAP. There’s no way this game of whack-a-mole turns out well for everyone.
- …or maybe it will.
The Verdict
This may be the weakest issue of the ‘Karai’s Path’ story arc, but it’s still pretty darn good.
On the negative side of things, you couldn’t have a more obvious set than Koya being taunted by demons in a room where the only way the group can be harmed is if one of them attacks first. Add in the Yakuza boss’ inevitable betrayal, and you’ve got an issue propped up by painfully predictable story beats.
Thankfully, Erik Burnham and Sophie Campbell interweave it all with some good dialogue and cool character moments, particularly for Bludgeon. And you can’t help but love getting to see Sophie Campbell draw a freaking giant armored mole locked in brutal combat with Karai. Even if this story arc wasn’t so entertaining (which it is), the artwork has been arguably the best of Campbell’s already stellar career.
We also get a cool ending that leads me to believe the story arc’s finale is going to be one for the books. I haven’t exactly been a huge fan of TMNT Universe, but when an issue as good as this one is the weakest link, then we just might be reading what turns out to be a classic TMNT mythos tale.
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