Throughout its first arc, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder proved that Oroku Saki was compelling enough to hold his own story, and that he could have conflicts outside of his eternal war with the Heroes in a Half-Shell. It also saw him come to blows with his former allies in the Foot Clan, while dealing with oversight by the Earth Protection Force. All of those elements return in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder #7, as Saki seeks out potential allies in the Dog Star Clan.
The Dog Stars aren’t new faces to the world of TMNT, having previously appeared in spinoffs like The Untold Destiny of the Foot Clan and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Nation. However, they have gotten a new boss and a new upgrade – and Saki doesn’t like either of those things, especially since said upgrade literally mutates the infected beings into an Akira-like monstrosity. New artist Sid Kotan doesn’t hold back on the horror aspects of this techno-virus, illustrating a Dog Star member writhing and shaking as mechanical tendrils explode from his skull, forming a grotesque set of “limbs” that puppet around his body. It’s even more disturbing thanks to the mix of colors Marco Lesko uses; gunmetal blue mixes with pulsing purple growths, making it look like an actual sickness.
Kotan also doesn’t hold back on the violence. Most of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder #7 is dedicated to a battle between Saki and two members of the Dog Star Clan in a restaurant’s kitchen. It grows more intense with every page, as Saki manages to use his skill and blades against the Dog Star’s technological advancements. Probably two of my favorite moments are when Saki dips his blades in a deep fryer and flings the oil into one of their faces, and when he matches another one blow for blow in an insane display of speed. I also love that Kotan brings back Saki’s “spy” look from the first arc, proving that even without his full armor, he not only looks cool but remains a deadly opponent.
IDW
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that Dan Watters remains Shredder‘s secret weapon, especially in how he scripts the back-and-forth between Saki’s exploits in Japan and the Earth Protection Force’s planning their next move. Watters brings back EPF Agent Avon from the first arc and shows how her experiences with Saki have given her insight into his methods. She puts it best in a single line of dialogue: “I think the Shredder has never been more dangerous than he is right now.” Considering how deadly Shredder was before, that speaks volumes.
Watters also shows exactly where the Dog Stars are getting their new “enhancements” from, as their new leader is basically every awful tech bro stereotype you’ve ever encountered in charge of a group of ninjas. It takes an impressive amount of skill to write someone so despicable in a handful of pages, but anyone who’s read Watters’ previous work knows that he excels at writing awful people. He’s also great at writing them getting their comeuppance, so this tech bro is more than likely going to meet a bloody end at Shredder’s blades.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder #7 launches a new arc and introduces a new threat, but still keeps the blood-soaked badassery and determination that drives Oroku Saki. It’s also the perfect jumping-on point for TMNT fans and new readers alike.
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