For a villain so established on the minds of readers and the general audience , “Shredder in Hell” #1 does a fantastic job on exploring his rich history, mental balance, and drive. It is just as good as an introductory issue as a character study.
Written by Mateus SantoloucoCover by Mateus Santolouco
Illustrated by Mateus Santolouco
Colored by Marcelo Costa & Mateus Santolouco
Lettered by Shawn LeeAbandon all hope…The Shredder returns in this brand-new mini-series! Oroku Saki’s death is just the beginning, and his journey through the depths of the underworld proves to be anything but a divine comedy. How much of Shredder’s soul will remain after he’s faced the horrors of hell? Fan-favorite artist Mateus Santolouco returns to the world of TMNT as both writer and artist! The most infamous villain in the TMNT universe gets his own mini-series.
Following up on the events that led to his ultimate demise, “Shredder in Hell” #1 wastes little time to dwell into the afterlife of its titular character, in a dream-like state between existing or not, with the assistance of old friends and against powerful enemies and entities. Shredder is presented as a powerful man, but whose power is most surely a double-edged sword, pulling him in directions to search for more power and an unsustainable level of control.
“Shredder in Hell” #1 benefits from having the same artist on writing and drawing duties through Mateus Santolouco, also supporting on colors alongside Marcelo Costa. Issues like this can often be told apart from others with a team of individuals that are not used to working with one another. Here, instead, there is a very natural blend of script and drawings, with nothing in terms of jarring transitions, unnecessary exposition or narration. The story simply flows forward, developing naturally around the few key characters it focuses on.
First of all, Santolouco really took the time to develop some of the settings the story takes place. With the freedom associated on working on a dream-like and after-life type of scenario, “Shredder in Hell” #1 allows from some truly outlandish places, from magical forests, pits of hell and caves filled with details and meaning. Each of these places is shown to be very unique, which certainly helped on the narrative segments that take place on each location.
That same transition also benefits from the issues’s colors. Before the actual story begins, shades are vastly prayed out, portraying memories and the recent events on the main “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” series. As the proper plot commences, as Shredder starts his journey through the afterlife, plagued by the evil aspects of his soul and legacy, tones are brownish and very earth-like. Caves and catacombs feel oppressive, poorly lit and haunting. As the story progresses and Shredder is helped by his old friend Splinter, lights become markedly brighter, as forests are shown with vibrant greens. Finally, as the adventures kicks into higher gear as the pair descends to fiery pits, sharp reds, nearly over-saturated, dominate the page and depict the danger the characters are in. Another area where coloring is noticeable is around revealing moments where a character’s true soul emerges like a halo around them. Drawings become more translucid, ethereal… exactly what the readers would expect for the situation.
Back to the story itself, “Shredder in Hell” #1 is all about how a man’s drive is taken for granted and that, without proper examination, can a person become obsessed with who they think they are. In a very philosophical way, the issue explores why individuals behave the way that they do, and how much of that comes from simply not knowing that there are other options, other alternatives. As Shredder better understands the nature of his soul, he is made aware of the choices he never made, the paths he never walked on, and, therefore, why he is not a product of his own design, but rather a consequence of the situations that shaped him.
Rather than becoming oppressive, however, “Shredder in Hell” #1 is wise on exploring that it is not late to change that. Choices does exist, and despite being a challenge to adjust a lifelong course of action, that is still possible if enough willpower is invested on that journey. It is a surprisingly deep study and line of questioning, mapped against the fantastic landscape these characters are known for. The ending of the issue hints at a more action-based follow-up on subsequent issues, but the series would really benefit if it stayed the course this debut issue introduced. Combined with its beautiful and effective art, mashing seamlessly with the story at hand, “Shredder in Hell” #1 becomes a love letter to this layered character.
Final Verdict: – 8.5 – A very strong debut issue, exploring themes that are complex, but never pandering to its audience, “Shredder in Hell” #1 goes beyond comic tropes to tell an unique, and deep, story.
