Comics

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #34

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #34The latest issue of IDW’s current Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles run introduces the beloved character of Metalhead seen in both the original and current cartoon. Choosing the make the Turtle-shaped robot created by Harold after his run-in with Baxter Stockman, Metalhead is introduced to Donatello, April, and Angel for the first time when the robot goes haywire and starts attacking them.

Redesigned to give the robot a vehicle mode, which is kinda spiffy, Metalhead proves more than a match for Donnie and is only stopped by Angel borrowing Harod’s Exo-Suit (shocking the scientist and playing on the comic’s long-running theme of characters being more than they initially appear).

Given the damage the robot sustains it may be a few issues before we see Metalhead return, but his introduction continues to deepen and enrich the current landscape of the Turtles and should please fans of various earlier versions of the character. Worth a look.

[IDW, $3.99]

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Dexter’s Laboratory #2

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Dexter's Laboratory #2Dexter awakes to a brand-new world discovering his latest invention, the Dream Wish-O-Tron 5000, has actually worked. In his sleep reality has been rewritten and the child genius finds himself in a world without a sister. Finally, Dee Dee is gone!

Given the freedom to pursue his scientific genius without needing to hide it from the prying eyes of his parents or his meddlesome sister, Dexter quickly finishes building all his remaining inventions. And then he runs into a problem as, much to his surprise, Dexter discovers without the struggle to overcome Dee Dee’s interventions he has no inspiration.

In your basic “be careful what you wish for” storyline, Dexter’s Laboratory #2 also sets up IDW’s big summer event as Dexter creates a dimensional portal to find his sister, even in he must travel through all the other Cartoon Network properties to do it! Worth a look.

[IDW, $3.99]

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The 7th Sword #2

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The 7th Sword #2The recent attack on ZenZion and the death of the city’s leader forces Kathleen to make some hard decisions. First she decides to make a stand against the warlord Kavanaugh. To do that she’ll have to use up the secret cache of weapons her father has been collecting for years including a Hammerhead robot, but more importantly she’ll have to convince the city’s new samurai prisoner to stay and fight by promising to send Daniel Cray back to Earth if he trains the townspeople to stand-up to the warlord.

Building on the first issue, The 7th Sword #2 explains a little more about the Malanthe (the futuristic katana Daniel Cray is an expert in using) and a bit more of Cray’s past and the stigma a samurai has on this outpost world while also foreshadowing the betrayal of ZenZion.

The 7th Sword #2 sets up the arc for the remaining issues of the mini-series with the warrior agreeing to train and fight for ZenZion while teasing the possible romantic entanglement of Cray and Kathleen which might entice the samurai to stay far longer. Worth a look.

[IDW, $3.99]

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Batman ’66 Meets The Green Hornet #1

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Batman '66 Meets The Green Hornet #1Set in the Batman ’66 continuity, the new six-issue mini-series (12-issue digital series) offers a crossover between Batman and Robin and the Green Hornet and Kato from writers Kevin Smith and Ralph Garman and artist Ty Templeton. Offering Dick time off to keep a date with a cute girl, Bruce Wayne boards the Gotham Express to keep an eye on a priceless fossil collection from the Gotham Museum. Also on-board the train are Sentinel publisher Britt Reid and his manservant under the guise of covering the story.

Arguing over their cities’ most famous figures, both men disappear to change when the train comes under attack by General Gumm and his unstoppable glue solvent. Although Robin arrives in time for back-up, neither duo proves a match for the madman leaving all four costumed heroes glued to the top of the train in the cliffhanger ending.

…

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The Shadow: Midnight in Moscow #1

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The Shadow: Midnight in Moscow #1New Year’s Eve 1950 brings a new mystery for The Shadow in the first issue of Dynamite’s new six-issue mini-series from writer/artist Howard Chaykin. Returning to the character for the first time since DC’s ill-advised 80s mini-series, Chaykin delivers a story of Lamont Cranston in the later days of The Shadow’s career.

I’m a bigger fan of Chaykin’s writing than art and had some issues with the style of the female characters depicted, especially Margo Lane. On story, The Shadow: Midnight in Moscow #1 offers a beleaguered and weary Lamont Cranston a mystery involving an old enemy who impossibly survived The Shadow’s trap and the shrinking of gold ingots through some as-of-yet undisclosed technology.

Presenting a future where The Shadow’s work in New York has done little to stop the flow of crime, and even force Cranston to consider retirement, the first issue is a bit depressing while weaving into the blackmail of a London scientist who I’d expect we’ll see tied to the shrink-ray in the next issue. For fans.

[Dynamite Entertainment, $3.99]

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