Be honest Tom, did you have Street sharks on the brain when you made Bludgeon? Lol I hummed the tune the entire time. Also nice to see Koya again I was wondering when she show. Overall I like this issue and I'll admit I saw Krang and Shredder teaming up but ultimately stabbing each other in the back. I'm surprise of the turn and I like it. I think this might be my new favorite issue.

Krang and Shredder show down! Koya returns, with a new shark mutant Bludgeon! Shredder and Krang are officially at war! When you consider the turtles had been pondering who to deal with first, this takes on a whole new meaning. Do they A: Side with Krang against their original enemy? Unlikely, unless this is part of the Fugitoid's plan. Align with Shredder to save earth? Boy, not sure Splinter is going to be on board for that. Sit back and let them destroy each other? We'll see if Donatello and the others are on board with that considering the world is in balance.

When Shredder was "killed" I assumed we were going to get a confirmation of the degree of his immortality. That is, does he just not age or can he not be killed? Instead, he went with good old fashioned ninja trickery and the switcheroo. Either he can be killed if his body is damaged, like any other human, or he doesn't want to find out. Regardless, the battle sequence was awesome.

Also, as already seen, Kitsune manipulates Alopex as the Rat King did Leo! If she's "returning" to Kitsune does that mean she's going back to the foot? Could her appearance in #38 be a trap? I can't imagine Shredder taking her back to be honest. She's betrayed him twice. That said: Alopex, Koya, Bludgeon=Land, Air, Sea? Now there was speculation that she would be joining Hob's group of mutants, but how could she be returning to them if she's never had dealings with them before? Can't wait for next month!

I just realized something, when was the last time we had a main series issue where the turtles didn't show up at all?

Love the new shark mutant Bludgeon, but why not just use Armaggon?

Because he is the boss of Shredder (or more like his partner, but sometimes looked like he is the boss from the Saki-Verminator-Armaggon trio), not his minion. He also from the future, travels in time, and use hi-tech gear, like an exosuit to fight.

Anyone can tell Krang is going to lose this war. Badly. While I can certainly sympathise with his motives, he's a guy with a hammer. He sees nails everywhere and thinks power, brute force, is the answer to everything. That's why the Technodrome, a terraforming machine, is being built in the shape of a humungous armored vehicle. It's all for the benefit of Krang's ego and single-mindedness.

Saki, meanwhile, is a centuries-old master of Ninjitsu. He specialises in out-of-the-box, lateral thinking. I am curious to know who called this meeting between them but it speaks volumes that Krang's "brilliant plan" was to walk up and put a fist through his rival's chest, while Saki planned ahead not only to root out Krang's deception but also to have backup at hand for a fight.

That's strategy. That's the kind of thinking that will make him triumphant in the end. Unless of course, Krang can ally with the turtles. Ooh, the next few arcs should be exhilarating! :D

I think this is the first time in the entire history of TMNT Shredder and Krang actually went head to head and fought. I thought this issue would be a boring set-up issue, but damn was I wrong!!!!!! Loved the shredder and Krang fight. I swore shredder got killed, I thought he would just regenerate, but damn they got. :D I am a little curious why they just did not use Armadeddon or what ever his name is from the archie series. I think we have enough mutants.

Tom wrote the character as Armaggon originally, but I countered that besides being a shark, there are zero similarities. Armaggon has a pretty defined character/setting so if we weren't using any of that, it didn't really seem appropriate to me to call the character that name.

But who knows, maybe one day Bludgeon will turn into Armaggon!

With all due respect, "Armaggon... Koya... Come to me." does sound a thousand times more badass than what we got. 8)

Armaggon!!!!!!!!

Did Bludgeon start out as a shark or a human? I guess we will find out later.

I'd imagine shark, like Koya started out as a hawk.

If he was a shark first wouldn't they need the splinter's blood or the psychotropic ooze other wise they would be more primal like Slash was or parrot Pete??? I am pretty sure he was human first as well as Koya

Bludgeon, from the style he speaks, like a culture shocked child, I'm pretty sure he wasn't human before.