TMNT #37 Preview/Discussion

[Technogeek29]

Just read the issue

Spoiler:

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.

I have a new favorite character.


P.S. Anyone notice something missing about Shredder?

[Mutant Ninja Anole]

Just read it via Comixology:

Spoiler:

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?

[SDCC]

Hi there guys,

Here's my review for #37 - http://www.superdstuff.com/2014/08/tmnt-37.html

Strong issue with a good response so far. I think we need to see more of Smith. Does he remind anyone else of Santolouco art-wise?

[qt.bangerang]

Spoiler:

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

[Leomaru]

OMG....... Just finished reading this issue. It is my favorite so far. Really good job

[Tazi]

Loved this issue!

Originally Posted by qt.bangerang

Spoiler:

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

Spoiler:

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.

[ChosenOne]

Originally Posted by qt.bangerang

Spoiler:

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

My thought exactly.

[Redeemer]

Damn it I can't wait to go pick this up!!!!!

[ChosenOne]

Spoiler:

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!

[Redeemer]

Spoiler:

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. 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.

[Bobby Curnow]

Spoiler:

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!

[ChosenOne]

Originally Posted by Bobby Curnow

Spoiler:

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!

Spoiler:

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

[Redeemer]

Originally Posted by Bobby Curnow

Spoiler:

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!

So its your fault we didn't get to see

Spoiler:

Armaggon!!!!!!!!

joking, but I would actually like to see the character in IDW.

I do have a question though will we ever get to see shredder's foot elite in this series???

[Tazi]

Same thing I wanted to ask! The letter pages has a mentoin about those masked ninjas being Shredder's elite guard. But does that mean they're just well trained bodyguards of Shredder, or they are the full-fledged IDW-TMNT counterpart of the Mirage Foot Elite?

An interesting twist would be on the foot elite, if they would also come from the past in ooze-filled caskets. Like Shredder saved his best warriors from the past, for a better day, hah!

[ehh123]

Spoiler:

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

[ChosenOne]

Originally Posted by ehh123

Spoiler:

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

Spoiler:

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

[Redeemer]

Originally Posted by Tazi

An interesting twist would be on the foot elite, if they would also come from the past in ooze-filled caskets. Like Shredder saved his best warriors from the past, for a better day, hah!

Yes!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by ehh123

Spoiler:

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

Originally Posted by ChosenOne

Spoiler:

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

I am pretty sure its the other way around, bc

Spoiler:

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

[Tazi]

Originally Posted by Redeemer

Yes!!!!!!!!
I am pretty sure its the other way around, bc

Spoiler:

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

That's one thing I don't really understand, and can be a potential plot hole...
Alopex was a fox, and Koya was Shedder's pet bird originally, so they were all animals. Yet they're not as antisocial as Old Hob or as dumb as Slash was before they fixed him. Maybe the foot has the serum? Did they took it at the lab attack in #1? I can't recall how it happened.

But about

Spoiler:

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

EDIT: Okay, so Issue #8 answers that thing, the foot has the psychotropic serum. I'm guessing they can might manufacture it too.

[Redeemer]

Originally Posted by Tazi

That's one thing I don't really understand, and can be a potential plot hole...
Alopex was a fox, and Koya was Shedder's pet bird originally, so they were all animals. Yet they're not as antisocial as Old Hob or as dumb as Slash was before they fixed him. Maybe the foot has the serum? Did they took it at the lab attack in #1? I can't recall how it happened.

But about

Spoiler:

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

EDIT: Okay, so Issue #8 answers that thing, the foot has the psychotropic serum. I'm guessing they can might manufacture it too.

Totally forgot about that. Good call Tazi

[DrSpengler]

Here's my full summary and review of TMNT #37 at TMNT Entity.

A nice sort of interlude issue. It's mostly just Krang and Shredder trying to hash out a deal, but also works as an ideal jumping on point for new readers, as it recaps old story elements while setting up the new arcs.

The story felt like one of those "long time coming" deals; 3 years and 37 issues and we've FINALLY got Shredder and Krang side by side, sharing dialogue (not counting the whole Iron Demon fiasco). It goes in a different direction than what I think most nostalgia-fueled fans expected, and all the better for it, in my opinion.

While it is more and more build-up, which at times feels like all we're getting, I do have a better appreciation of the Shredder's bulleted list of errands which he's been running since the book began. Like Hob, he's been operating under a steady, methodical agenda, going at one step at a time. While it's been build up after build up, there's also a lot of forward momentum and the anxiousness on the part of the reader is really just a side effect of how interesting all this stuff is.

And Bludgeon... That certainly was unexpected. Even Koya kinda got a sneak peek before her debut. I didn't see a jawsome Street Shark coming. Looking forward to learning more about him; if he was an animal mutant or a human mutant.