In his first mission as the director of the EPF, Shredder must get involved with what is going on with the dead returning in New York. In true Shredder fashion his methods may be something to be desired. Some of his team find out just how expendable they are, well also finding out that Shredder has many tricks up his sleeves. Now that the Shredder has officially entered this crossover event, we he be a help to what’s going on or will he use the chaos to gain more power for himself?
Shredder #13 - Written By Dan Watters – Art By Sid Kotian - Colors By Pressy - Letters By Darran Robinson - Edited By Jake Thomas -Published By IDW Publishing
Credit: IDW Publishing
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
WRITING:
We dive right into the storyline that has been playing out in the main TMNT title. Dan Watters finds a perfect way for Shredder to dip his toe into The City That Never Dies story. However, in true Shredder form you aren’t quite sure if he is going to help fight against what is happening or figure out a way to use it to his advantage. Watters adds a bit of sinisterness to the Shredder in this issue, as he has him use some of his agents as guinea pigs to find out more about the undead menace. This is a smart move to get information on their motivation and how to stop them. But on the other hand, it shows that everyone is expendable and that his mission is all that matters at the end of the day. This duality of the Shredder has been on display for the entirety of the series and has really added layers to one of the most famous villains in all pop culture. Shredder has never taken his eyes off of the prize so to speak, as we see he is surveilling the Turtles even though they are not the threat in this situation. Towards the end of the issue Shredder finally deploys his secret weapons which add another wrinkle into not just this issue or series, but the greater TMNT universe. Watters does an incredible job of using this crossover event to set up for future crossovers, or at the very least a way to connect this series further to the main series.
ARTWORK:
The artwork as always captures the essence of this series. Sid Kotian brings the Shredder to life in all of his magnificent glory. Just the way Kotian designed and shows him in his new EPF gear looks super cool. His intimidation level rises because not only does he still look like a badass, but he also has real power and the backing of world governments. The EPF strike teams also look cool and show the reader that they are a real paramilitary force to be reckoned with. The backdrop of NYC returns Shredder to his familiar stomping grounds, well at the same time helping the reader connect this issue to the main series. Kotian best work in this issue is the design of Shredder’s secret weapons. Once you see them it brings a good deal of excitement for what’s to come. The color selections from Pressy help build the vibe and mood of the story. The darker colors contrast well with the brighter oranges and reds during the action scenes. Meanwhile, Darran Robinson’s lettering ties everything together. It blends in with the artwork, well also making the words clear and unconfusing for the reader.
Check Out My Review of Shredder #12
Final Thoughts:
Shredder #13 delivers yet another action-packed look into the mind of the evil genius known as the Shredder. Dan Watters does such a great job bringing the character and his motivations to life, well the art team takes Watters’ story and seamlessly lets it play out on the pages. This is truly one of the best series on the shelves currently and never disappoints. If you are fan of the TMNT universe and are not reading this series, you need to rectify that ASAP. Grab a copy of this issue as it is a tie in for The City That Never Dies story and find out why you should be adding this title to your Pull List.
FINAL GRADE: 9.3/10
Let me know your thoughts on Shredder #13 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
