My history with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles goes back decades but is absolutely spotty. I enjoy the property as a whole but wouldn’t consider myself a diehard fan. I’ve read long runs and hop in when something new kicks off to see what’s going on. Every time it feels like revisiting an old friend. The Turtles, their rogues gallery is one of the best out there with a great mix of characters and history. And, when it comes to faceless hordes, there’ few better than the Foot Clan. With my love of the Foot, I was excited to get a look at Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Untold Destiny of the Foot Clan #1 which sets them off on a new mission with a mysterious villain waiting in the wings.

Oroku Karai has spent her life in the shadow of lesser men: first her father, then her grandfather, Oroku Saki, the so-called “Shredder.” But no more. Now the Foot Clan is hers to command, and she has grand designs on seeing her clan reach its full potential. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Untold Destiny of the Foot Clan #1 kicks off with solid action that delivers some entertaining laughs and a solid introduction for old and new fans.

Written by Erik Burnham, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Untold Destiny of the Foot Clan #1 puts Oroku Karai front and center and she and her Foot Clan are hired to steal some technology. But, to do that, they’ll need to battle through security and a mutant. The Clan is an interesting one featuring Karai, Casey Jones, Rocksteady and Bebop, and a few characters I’m less familiar with. But, Burnham does a great job of making that lack of knowledge not important. The focus is on the mission and the action and really focusing in on Karai, her group, and its dynamic. Particularly, between Natsu and Jones who… don’t exactly get along. It creates a fun back and forth and pacing overall that flows from the action through the aftermath.

Part of the entertainment is Mateus Santolouco‘s art. With color by Marco Lesko and lettering by Shawn Lee, the comic looks fantastic. The action is swift, brutal, and packed. The team does an excellent job of making the action scenes look packed with hordes of security but not making it overwhelming. Then panels perfectly put the spotlight on characters as they deliver brutal beatdowns… or their attempt to. It has no problem not holding back punches and making them as epic and hard hitting as we’d expect. And there’s solid punch lines that mix the dialogue and action to deliver great entertainment. The comic is a fun brawl with a solid dose of humor.

While the formula for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Untold Destiny of the Foot Clan #1 is familiar, the team delivers it with such entertaining fun. It takes a mix of personalities as this type of “Dirty Dozen” mission entails, and throws them together into brawling action. To some extent it feels like it embraces Turtle side-scrollers hitting the nostalgia even further. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Untold Destiny of the Foot Clan #1 is a solid, fun, start that’s perfect for long time fans wanting to see what’s next for the Foot Clan and new and returning readers that want to discover that as well.

Story: Erik Burnham Art: Mateus Santolouco
Color: Marco Lesko Letterer: Shawn Lee
Story: 8.4 Art: 8.75 Overall: 8.6 Recommendation: Buy

IDW Publishing provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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Purchase: TFAW – Kindle