Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Secret History of the Foot Clan #2
Publisher: IDW
Writer: Mateus Santolouco & Eric Burnham
Artist: Mateus Santolouco
Cover: Mateus Santolouco
If you were thinking that IDW’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles line of books couldn’t get any better, then you have not picked up the Secret History of the Foot Clan! What began as a look into the past of the nefarious ninja clan has developed into one of the richest origin stories fans have been treated to in just two issues. As the past is laid out for us to see how events have shaped the Foot into what it currently is, it’s the danger in the present and the lost secrets that Shredder seeks that spells trouble for the four mutant brothers now.
With the intense amount of depth and storytelling that was introduced to us in the first issue, it was going to be hard to follow that up with something just as exciting. Well, Burnham and Santolouco do just that and then some with well scripted action and character development. As the origin of the Foot is fleshed out a bit more it sheds some light on Shredder, which is giving him a much richer back story. This in turn makes him a much better villain, and his motivations a bit more layered than just revenge against Splinter. There’s also little connections to the various TMNT titles that, though not necessary, make for a nicer read for those fans that have read them.
When it comes to the artwork, Santolouco makes sure that the action is fast paced and exciting to look at. The car chase scene in the tunnel was purely awesome. The angles he chose to enhance the action and the movement kept things kinetic and fun. The only issue with the sequence is Raph holding his sai with his right hand, then in the very next panel he’s throwing a shuriken with the same hand. Other than that it’s one great ride. Major kudos for that last page and the fishbowl look which makes it the standout page in the entire issue. The scenes in the past were just as good to look at as the color shift really makes the difference in changing the mood of the story.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Secret History of the Foot Clan #2 kicks the series into high gear with its two different looks as we bounce back between past and present. If you are fairly new to the world of TMNT I’d suggest picking this series up and enjoying this tale. If you’re a longtime fan then you have no reason NOT to be reading this title and seeing how fantastic IDW has been treating this franchise.
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