Art: Ross Campbell
Letters: Chris Mowry
Editor: Bobby Curnow
Colors: Ross Campbell and Heather Nunnelly
Dedicated in Memor of Franco Urru
Released: July 2013
This issue was dedicated to Franco Urru, who was originally going to do the art for this issue. Urru did the art for the Raphael Micro-Series and it saddens me that he did not get to do this issue with Bryan Lynch. Lynch and Urru had previously worked on IDW's Angel: After the Fall and Spike series. It's a collaboration that will be sorely missed. I met Urru briefly in 2009 at New York Comic Con, and he seemed very shy, respectful, and genuinely nice. I was unaware he was at the same panel I was at, let alone sitting directly in front of me until Lynch drew attention to him and asked Urru to stand up for applause.
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| Urru's character sketch for Raphael Micro-Series |
Better get to the issue. So far, Alopex has been the weakest reoccurring character in the Turtles story. She's just been a generic henchwoman, and not a very effective one at that. This issue attempts to give the character more depth and a back story, but some work still needs to be done to make her more engaging.
I've read the majority of what Lynch has written and this issue is a huge departure for him. I really enjoy his writing and I love seeing him involved with the Turtles books. Even when Lynch is writing dark stories, he his has an amount of levity in what he does. He has a very specific tone and it's usually clear when he writes any comic. This is probably the darkest thing Lynch has written and the writing does not have his familiar style. As much as the beats he hits are usually something I enjoy, it's nice to see some range in his style and I hope to continue reading his work over the years.
The issue opens with Alopex going to assassinate members of the Foot clan who are getting cold feet and trying to get out before the street war begins. Alopex gives
them the same weapons as the Turtles and tells them that she will blindfold herself if they will fight with these weapons. As she kills them, she fantasizes they are the Turtles. I know she's fought them and lost, but I don't really get why she hates them. "Just 'cause" seems to be as much as she needs for motivation. And I get that she will fight them to be loyal to Shredder, but that's not enough to explain her own hatred.
As it's known at this point, Bebop and Rocksteady are coming back into Turtles canon. They have not appeared since Alopex's first issue and make a brief cameo in one panel. I'm really excited to see what a more serious take on these characters will be.
The Shredder brings Alopex to where she was originally from for a secret mission. Turns out that mission is burn down the forest as Alopex's promotion party. Hate to see what that guy does for birthday parties around the office. Alopex is understandably pissed and attacks the Shredder. He defeats her and she decides to come back to the Foot and accept her promotion. However, she has a secret agenda and plans for kill the Shredder. Not the most original twist, but at least she has something to do other than screw up missions now.
This is the best issue about Alopex since her first appearance and it would be nice to have more issues like this. The character really has been overshadowed by more interesting heroes and villains so far. There's also a really big uphill battle for this character since she's never been seen before the IDW incarnation. Keeping that in mind, I think the character still has the potential to become a classic Turtles character.
3/5
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