TMNT Mutanimals #2
IDW
Story By: Paul Allor
Art By: Andy Kuhn
Colors By: Nick Filardi
It’s a great time to be a fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Even though the Nickelodeon and IDW stories are completely different, some of the same elements have been popping up in each. One of these elements that binds the two different medias together is the Mutanimals. Even though the cartoon team and story is different from the comic book version, there is something familiar in it that fans of one or the other can translate into the other option. Following the events of the first issue, the Mutanimals have rescued Pigeon Pete as well as Mutagen Man aka Seymour Gutz (get it? See More Guts?), but they also lost their human ally Lindsey Baker.
Though the art isn’t anything spectacular, it is well enough that it carries the story and the emotions of the Mutanimals well enough. In a story about mutants as the main characters, Andy Kuhn does a good job of making these “heroes” the main focus, with their character models being detailed and powerful looking. The colors are also a very strong tool being used in this comic. Each of the mutants have a color pattern that corresponds to their mood and personalities (just like the ninja turtles and their bandanas). Following the theme of colors, we see the Mutanimals main enemy, Null, who has been working on these human/mutant science projects being colored red. This clearly marks her as the aggressor and target of the story.
With a failed rescue attempt/failed raid on the Null corporation warehouses, almost all of the Mutanimals are captured. In the process, we are introduced to two more mutants that are also a blast from the TMNT original comics. The debate and internal struggle begins with the surviving members of the Mutanimals as well as the two newly introduced mutants, as to whether they should help rescue the captured mutants, or save themselves. This comic is setting up for a daring rescue and great character development in the next issue. I can’t wait to see the mission to rescue the Mutanimals as well as any other mutants in captivity.