Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Utrom Empire #2 Review

Do fans really need this additional information? Or is it something they can easily skip? Read on to find out.

The official description from IDW:

The Fugitoid is faced with an impossible choice, and the fate of more than one species may rest in his hands! As a deadly storm envelops Burnow Island, Baxter Stockman kicks his scheme into high gear. Is Krang ready to pay the ultimate price for his people?

This is yet another fine example as to why this modern take on the classic franchise is more than worth your time and money. Here we see two players expertly explored in a way that might not unearth anything that could completely re-work our opinions on either but rather exemplifies their qualities that we already know. The end result is a second part that feels pivotal to the whole as it clearly prepares the way for the next major chapter in the monthly book.

Paul Allor pens the odyssey and as we enter the penultimate issue it becomes clear that this is an author with a firm grasp on the material. The present day arc is rather short, but what’s been gratifying is the scribe’s willingness to dive into the history of Krang. Because of that we’re getting a better understanding of this villain, not in a way that will make us feel for him but rather help us come to terms with his madness. The greatest weakness found is the fact that it feels a tad bit like a milked concept, but it’s still undeniably well-done.

The art by Andy Kuhn is still just as stylized as fans would expect as the talent demonstrates his firm grasp on all these players. He delivers some moving moments with his minimalist tendencies while yielding a few interesting nuggets along the way. The colors by Bill Crabtree succeed in firming the visual component in a way that feels like it honestly belongs in this mutated odyssey.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Utrom Empire #2 had my attention from begining to end, although as it stands it could have been over by now. Recommended.