By Mark Rodriguez
In a recent run in with the Foot, Shredder rammed his blades into Casey's stomach while Alopex and Karai kidnapped Leonardo. While the heroes try to save Casey's life, Shredder and Kitsune brainwash Leo to their side. Old Hob appears and tells them he knows where they're keeping Leo. This comic was pretty action packed and pretty fun, though quick read. Not too much happened in this one, but what did happen was pretty awesome. Let's check it out.
Casey remembers that he and Raph were attacked by the Foot. April explains that Raph is ok, but now they're looking for Leo since he's missing after the fight against Shredder and Karai. Casey tries to get up but April tell him he has to take it easy since he just went through surgery. Angel says she'll fill him on everything he missed while he was out. Casey asks to be told what happened to the turtles first.
Meanwhile, Raph, Don, Mike, Splinter, Hob and Slash are staking out the place that Hob says Leo is being held captive. Raph asks Hob if he's sure it's the right place. Hob asks if he thinks he's lying. After some cold stares from everyone, Hob says he's not. Don asks how they will sneak into the place and Hob says to leave that to him. Raph still isn't sure if they can trust Old Hob, and Don finds it suspicious that he somehow has all the answers. Splinter is willing to trust him if it will get Leonardo back. They then wonder where Michealangelo is.
On a final note- Does anyone else think it would be hilarious for Mikey to randomly jam a chocolate bar in Alopex's mouth, and make her sick?
In a recent run in with the Foot, Shredder rammed his blades into Casey's stomach while Alopex and Karai kidnapped Leonardo. While the heroes try to save Casey's life, Shredder and Kitsune brainwash Leo to their side. Old Hob appears and tells them he knows where they're keeping Leo. This comic was pretty action packed and pretty fun, though quick read. Not too much happened in this one, but what did happen was pretty awesome. Let's check it out.
City Fall part 3 opens with Karai practicing some of her moves. Shredder comes in and recognizes her style as Geommu, a Korean martial art. Karai states it's one of the many styles she trains in. Shredder tells her that training time is over, and asks her if she is ready for the upcoming battle against Yoshi and the Turtles. Karai is ready but asks him how he is so sure they will find them? Shredder smiles evily.
Meanwhile, Casey is playing hockey and runs into his mother. He apologizes for not taking as good care of his father as he promised her, but she says he has chosen his own path and is no longer his responsibility. She also tells Casey it's time for him to wake up. Casey wakes up in the hospital bed and April and Angel are happy to see him.
Meanwhile, Casey is playing hockey and runs into his mother. He apologizes for not taking as good care of his father as he promised her, but she says he has chosen his own path and is no longer his responsibility. She also tells Casey it's time for him to wake up. Casey wakes up in the hospital bed and April and Angel are happy to see him.
Casey remembers that he and Raph were attacked by the Foot. April explains that Raph is ok, but now they're looking for Leo since he's missing after the fight against Shredder and Karai. Casey tries to get up but April tell him he has to take it easy since he just went through surgery. Angel says she'll fill him on everything he missed while he was out. Casey asks to be told what happened to the turtles first.
Meanwhile, Raph, Don, Mike, Splinter, Hob and Slash are staking out the place that Hob says Leo is being held captive. Raph asks Hob if he's sure it's the right place. Hob asks if he thinks he's lying. After some cold stares from everyone, Hob says he's not. Don asks how they will sneak into the place and Hob says to leave that to him. Raph still isn't sure if they can trust Old Hob, and Don finds it suspicious that he somehow has all the answers. Splinter is willing to trust him if it will get Leonardo back. They then wonder where Michealangelo is.
Mikey is face to face with Slash, who growls at him. Mikey says Slash doesn't have to growl all the time and gives him a candy bar. Slash likes it and Mikey tells him he's saving another one for Alopex since Don told him chocolate makes dogs sick. The others tell Mikey it's time to rescue Leo. Mikey says goodbye to Slash and tell him he promises to show him what pizza is. Mikey assures the others that Slash isn't so bad and didn't try to eat him or anything and Raph utters 'only you Mikey... Only you...'
Hob leads the way as the Turtles and Splinter follow. Hob picks the lock at the warehouse and Don complains about them 'breaking and entering' (...um really Don? You're ninjas. Breaking and entering is what you guys are all about!) Hob says he will follow the others inside. Raph is suspicious but Hob says the place is dark and they're the ones with the weapons. As soon as the Turtles enter, Hob slams the door behind them and locks them in. Raph says he knew Hob was full of crap. Hob says they might be a bunch of death-wish idiots, but he's no dummy.
Raph is pissed, but Splinter says to let it go since Hob did deliver as promised. Shredder welcomes them, alongside Karai and Alopex. The Turtles don't see Leo anywhere and Splinter says not to start anything since he will talk to Saki. Splinter asks Shredder to release Leonardo, and even blood doesn't need to need to be shed, he warns him that will take his son back by any means necessary.
Shredder says he expected no less, but blood has already been spilled. It's a night of beginnings and endings, and even as they speak, his Foot Ninja wage war on the city, and taking down their rival gang, the Savate Ninja. Shredder says it's a shame they won't live to see his ultimate triumph since he will kill them all now. Splinter says he doesn't care about his gang war and demands he returns his son to him. Shredder says his son is no more. Enraged Splinter says if he can't have his son, he will have Shredder's head and swings his sword at him. The lethal sword strike is blocked....by Leonardo!
Leo, now dressed in a variation of the Foot uniform, says he won't allow anyone to hurt his master. Splinter is surprised that Leo is alive, but before he can ask about his actions, Leo kicks him down. Leo rips the blue bandana off his sword and tosses it saying he is not Splinter's son.
Raph explodes and runs into the scene. Don reminds them he's still Leo and Mikey tells Raph not to hurt him. Raph tells Leo that Splinter's their father. Leo angrily kicks him back saying he is not HIS father. Mike and Don are confused, but Don ducks to avoid Leo's sword strike. Don tries to hit him with his staff, but Leo blocks and jabs him in the neck with the handle of his sword. Mikey swings his nunchuck at Leo, but it wraps around Leo's sword and he throws him into Don.
Raph jumps into the air, ready to stab him with his sai. Leo's wrist guard ejects Shredder-ish blades that blocks his sai strike. Raph is caught by surprise and Leo disarms him and headbutts him to the ground. Leo raises his sword ready to finish the job. Shredder stops him and says Leo has proven himself to be a worthy Chunin. Karai asks why Shredder doesn't let him execute them. He says that the rat is his, and they can have the rest.
Suddenly the room is full of Foot Ninja and the Turtles are forced to retreat. Just then Slash busts in and takes down the Foot, asking Mikey for more candy. Mikey says he'll give them more once they get out of there. The Turtles and Splinter escape, though Splinter is saddened by what happened to Leonardo.
The Turtles see Hob and Raph is ready to skin him alive. Hob says he told the Foot he'd lead them to Shredder so he'd be square with them, which will mean a lot with what's coming to the city, he just conveniently forget to tell Shredder about Slash. His offer for them to join his upcoming army of mutants still stands. Raph angrily refuses his offer and Don tells Hob to stop being so smug since Slash was the one that saved them, not him. Mikey gives Slash more candy.
Hob asks if they didn't have luck getting Leo back since it seems he went to find himself a new daddy. Don tells him now isn't the time for those kinds of jokes. Splinter holds onto Leo's blue bandana and stares sadly off into the distance.
Hob asks if they didn't have luck getting Leo back since it seems he went to find himself a new daddy. Don tells him now isn't the time for those kinds of jokes. Splinter holds onto Leo's blue bandana and stares sadly off into the distance.
My Opinions
Wow, what an issue. It was a short read with a lot of action and some splash pages, but there's a lot to say regardless. First off, Mikey and Slash. Mikey stays true to the core nature of the character, someone always willing to make friends and see the goodness in people. Slash, a mutant monster created and brainwashed by Baxter Stockman literally for the sole purpose to hunt and kill the Turtles... and Mike stares him down, tells him he doesn't have to be so grumpy and tames him with a chocolate bar. As for Slash helping the Turtles, that was great.
I always thought Slash worked best as some sort of anti-hero or an extra character to bring along with an epic fight, though not necessarily staying with them and becoming the permanent fifth Turtle. Sure, he's awesome when he's evil and it's epic to have that first 'Slash takes down all 4 Turtles by himself' fight during his first appearance or so, but I like it when he eventually calms down and sides with them. As an 'evil' Turtle or anti-hero he can help the team with mindless violent destruction that goes past what Raphael might do. it worked for the Archie series and it looks like it works here too.
As for Splinter, Leo and Shredder... this has been probably the most heartbreaking moment for poor Hamato Yoshi. We have seen Splinter under the control of the Rat King before in other mediums, but never have we seen one of the Turtles so openly betray him and consider Shredder his father instead. In fact unlike other versions where Splinter raises the Turtles as if they were his sons... in this version, due to reincarnation and all that, the Turtles REALLY ARE his sons... so that line of 'no, you are not my father' cuts deeper than Leo's sword ever could.. and Shredder is loving every minute of it. It's clear that rather than just being a mindless killer out for revenge, Shredder wants to break Splinter down emotionally before finally putting him out of his misery. Sure, the 2K3 series did something only remotely similar, but Shredder only tried to trick Leo into siding with him, and was easily talked out of it by Splinter and his brothers before it went any further. This story takes it a whole lot deeper since Leo was literally brainwashed into seeing Splinter as a failure and Shredder as his savior.
As for Leo's outfit, it looks pretty cool. The Turtles rarely wear any actual battle outfits, since I guess their bandanas and elbow pads, wrist bands and knee pads are already their um... battle outfits. In the 2K3 series we mostly saw them wear this and that mostly to promote the toys. Leo's outfit just looks damned BAD-ASS, and the Shredder-blades are a nice extra touch. Though I have to say the black bandana makes Leo look more like Slash than Slash himself does, since IDW Slash looks more like Tokka. And also... I must have lost track when they started using the 2K3 version of the Foot symbol. I could have sworn they were using the Mirage/80's Toon version before? I can't remember that far back.
I always thought Slash worked best as some sort of anti-hero or an extra character to bring along with an epic fight, though not necessarily staying with them and becoming the permanent fifth Turtle. Sure, he's awesome when he's evil and it's epic to have that first 'Slash takes down all 4 Turtles by himself' fight during his first appearance or so, but I like it when he eventually calms down and sides with them. As an 'evil' Turtle or anti-hero he can help the team with mindless violent destruction that goes past what Raphael might do. it worked for the Archie series and it looks like it works here too.
As for Splinter, Leo and Shredder... this has been probably the most heartbreaking moment for poor Hamato Yoshi. We have seen Splinter under the control of the Rat King before in other mediums, but never have we seen one of the Turtles so openly betray him and consider Shredder his father instead. In fact unlike other versions where Splinter raises the Turtles as if they were his sons... in this version, due to reincarnation and all that, the Turtles REALLY ARE his sons... so that line of 'no, you are not my father' cuts deeper than Leo's sword ever could.. and Shredder is loving every minute of it. It's clear that rather than just being a mindless killer out for revenge, Shredder wants to break Splinter down emotionally before finally putting him out of his misery. Sure, the 2K3 series did something only remotely similar, but Shredder only tried to trick Leo into siding with him, and was easily talked out of it by Splinter and his brothers before it went any further. This story takes it a whole lot deeper since Leo was literally brainwashed into seeing Splinter as a failure and Shredder as his savior.
As for Leo's outfit, it looks pretty cool. The Turtles rarely wear any actual battle outfits, since I guess their bandanas and elbow pads, wrist bands and knee pads are already their um... battle outfits. In the 2K3 series we mostly saw them wear this and that mostly to promote the toys. Leo's outfit just looks damned BAD-ASS, and the Shredder-blades are a nice extra touch. Though I have to say the black bandana makes Leo look more like Slash than Slash himself does, since IDW Slash looks more like Tokka. And also... I must have lost track when they started using the 2K3 version of the Foot symbol. I could have sworn they were using the Mirage/80's Toon version before? I can't remember that far back.
On a final note- Does anyone else think it would be hilarious for Mikey to randomly jam a chocolate bar in Alopex's mouth, and make her sick?
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