It’s often said that a hero is only as good as their villain. If that’s the case, then a large part of why the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have endured for so long is due to the Shredder. No matter the medium or the time period, Oroku Saki will always be a perpetual thorn in the Turtles’ side. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder #1 flips the script, asking ”What happens to the Shredder when he doesn’t have the Foot Clan to rely on or the Turtles to fight?”
The answer slowly unfolds in Shredder #1’s pages, as Saki has returned from a long and challenging journey. In his absence, he discovers that one of his former Foot pupils has formed their own criminal organization, with plans to build a weapon of mass destruction. Though law enforcement wants to work with him to find the weapon, Saki has other goals in mind.
What’s unique about Shredder #1 is how minimalist it is. Writer Dan Watters depicts Saki as a man of few words, but immense action; when he enters a building, it doesn’t take long for him to get into a fight with the soldiers inside. When he’s arrested, he barely says a word as the agent across the table starts digging into his history. A moment where he’s presented with a new suit of armor finds him rejecting it, instead choosing to go with his signature hand blades and spiked helmet.
IDW
This approach not only makes Shredder #1 a unique book, but it also gives readers more insight into what’s driving Saki. Watters is no stranger to digging deep into villains, especially with the excellent work he turned in on Destro, and his approach to Saki’s mindset shows that there’s a mystery to be unfolded. It also doesn’t hurt that Bandini often cuts to a disturbing POV for Saki that’ll only raise more questions.
Bandini also has a great gift for displaying violence. Under his pen, Saki moves with the grace of a gymnast and the ferocity of a predator, dispatching foe after foe with nearly ridiculous ease. Not only does this lend itself to some bloody violence, but it looks absolutely stunning. Bandini’s made a name for himself with his work on Immortal X-Men and Miles Morales: Spider-Man, but Shredder #1 takes his work to a whole new level, especially with how he draws Saki. The scars running across Saki’s body, not to mention the cold gaze in his eyes, are a reminder that you don’t want to get on this man’s bad side.
Rounding out the artistic team is Marco Lesko, who brings a more muted color palette to the table. Most of the issue takes place at night or in the cold, septic walls of a holding cell, as if to reflect the darkness within its protagonist’s heart. This is a sharp contrast to Saki, whose purple robes and snow white hair draw the audience’s eye. Finally, sprays of bright red blood fly through the air whenever someone finds themselves at Saki’s mercy, serving as a prelude for the carnage that will no doubt fuel future issues.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder #1 is a stripped-down, gritty character study of the Heroes in a Half-Shell’s greatest nemesis. It’s also another win for IDW as they continue to flesh out the TMNT universe; if Casey Jones and Shredder can lead their own comics, the potential for future stories is truly limitless.
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