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Some TMNT stuff really isn't for little kids. |
New Mutant Order is the tenth story arc in IDW's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book series, consisting of issues #37-40.
This story is preceded by the Turtles in Time miniseries. The events of this story's prologue pick up immediately after the final part of Monsters, Misfits, and Madmen.
This story is followed chronologically by the TMNT/Ghostbusters crossover and segues into Attack on Technodrome.
Credits
Story: Kevin Eastman, Bobby Curnow, & Tom Waltz
Script: Tom Waltz
Art: Cory Smith (Issue #37), Mateus Santolouco (Issues #38-40)
Colors: Ronda Pattison
Letters: Shawn Lee
Editor: Bobby Curnow
Prologue - Issue #37
TMNT #37 Regular Cover by Cory Smith
Released August 13th, 2014
The scene opens in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, with Oroku Saki and Krang meeting on Krang's ship. Krang is impatient and asks Saki why he has arranged this meeting. Krang states that he has not forgotten their last meeting (seen in The Secret History of the Foot Clan #4) some 300 years earlier. The two sit down to discuss business and Krang asks Saki what it is he is offering that he expects to be of any value to Krang—protection for Burnow Island. Krang laughs heartily at Saki's nerve but allows him to explain his proposition.
Meanwhile, Alopex is hunting a rabbit in the woods. Just before she can pounce, however, Kitsune appears before her and tells Alopex to return to New York City. Kitsune disappears, leaving with Alopex with no memory of the occurence, only the urge to return to New York.
Back on Krang's ship, Oroku Saki tells Krang that he came without his advisor Kitsune so as to demonstrate his good intentions. Saki elaborates further, stating that the nature of their last encounter was not personal, he had simply been acting in the best interest of his clan. Saki informs Krang that he is aware of the new technologies Krang has developed for use in his ongoing military campaign (such as the ooze and the substances derived from it, as revealed to him by his Stockgen informant Chet Allen and secret reconaissance carried out by Karai), and that although he has already successfully used some of these technologies, he reasons that it would be mutually beneficial if the two of them pooled their knowledge and resources. Krang, already very aware that Saki orchestrated the theft of some ooze from the laboratory on Burnow Island, tells Saki he is wasting his time, as soon Krang's efforts will make the ooze technology obselete (specifically the Technodrome with which he plans to terraform the Earth). Saki tells Krang that he is a fool if he believes he could ever rule Earth, because humanity would fight it every step of the way, unless he was allied with the Foot. Saki proposes that he and his clan could provide the face of Krang's empire, something familiar that they would understand, as well as protection for Krang and the rest of the Utroms. Krang states that he would never need protection from Saki, who Krang points out is only alive thanks to his ooze. Saki cites this as proof that an alliance would be beneficial, their combined strength ensuring their dominance, but at this point Krang loses his patience.
Krang tells Saki that there will be no alliance and no forgiveness for past transgressions, and Saki's forces would not be needed as Krang plans to exterminate all human life when he transforms Earth into New Utrominon. Krang then punches Saki straight through the chest, stating that he will start with killing him. Krang is in the process of telling Captain Tragg to kill the two ninja that had accompanied Saki when one of them reveals himself to be the real Saki, and he detonates a bomb hidden in the helmet of his double. Saki uses the explosion to escape to his helicopter, but Krang shoots it with a missile before he can get there, destroying it. Krang tells Saki that since he now has no escape he will take his time killing him, but Saki reveals a trick up his sleeve. At that moment Koya and a hammerhead shark mutant named Bludgeon arrive and attack Krang's men. Krang tasks Tragg and Granitor with taking care of the mutants while he takes care of Saki. Koya and Bludgeon make quick work of the rest of Krang's men while Saki and Krang battle it out. The two are on the verge of killing each other when Koya swoops in and picks up Saki, aware that the boat is about to sink. Krang's men radio in to Burnow Island and are teleported back to safety.
As Saki is flown to safety by Koya, Bludgeon, swimming below, asks, "Does this mean we are at war with General Krang now, master?" to which Saki replies, "In truth, we always were."
Part One - Issue #38
Released October 1st, 2014
Master Splinter and the Turtles return to their home in the basement of the old church after making a patrol run. Don comments that Splinter's leg seems to be fully healed, and Splinter counters that it was all thanks to Don's medical treatment.
Entering their hideout, Splinter and the Turtles are shocked to see Slash sitting on their couch. Raph is mad and Leo is curious as to what Slash was doing in the dark. Slash says he was meditating while he waited for them to return and apologizes for intruding and scaring them. Don is curious how Slash got in without setting off any of the alarms. Mikey asks Slash why he's there and Slash tells them that Hob wanted to invite Splinter to see something. Raph guesses that its more new mutants created by Hob and Lindsey Baker, the former Stockgen employee, but Slash says he can't comment, just that Hob says its time for Splinter to make good on his promise. Leo thanks Slash for delivering the message and says that they'll all be there soon after a family meeting.
As Mikey walks Slash out through the sewer exit, he asks Slash how he's been doing since receiving the psychotropic injection. Slash says he feels great and is finally seeing things clearly, with no noticeable side effects so far. Slash says its good to finally be on the side of the heroes.
Across town, Angel is wearing the Nobody suit and using its weapons to take down a gang of punks. The whole time she's doing so she bickers back and forth with Harold over the radio, who's studying the data readouts while the exosuit is in action. Harold tells Angel to finish up and bring the suit back so he can run some diagnostics. Angel, thinking she's disposed of all the thugs, turns to walk away, not knowing that one of the thugs is getting up and drawing his gun. Harold sees the gang member approaching in the exosuit's camera feed and warns angel, but before she can do anything a mysterious figure knocks the gun out of the thug's hand and knocks him unconscious. Angel is confused and curious about who saved her but Harold urges her to hurry back. Standing on a rooftop ledge high above, Alopex watches Angel leave, having just saved her from the assailant.
Back at the church hideout, Don greets Mikey as he returns from seeing Slash out. Don is angry that Splinter agreed to not only steal mutagen for Hob but also to ally themselves with his new mutant army. Splinter argues that they cannot afford to refuse allies in their fight against Shredder. Don says that they should prioritize and focus on taking down Krang and the Technodrome and he asks his brothers to see reason. Leo says that they can't afford to ignore either situation, and Raph says that even though he hates Hob, they can't turn down help. Splinter attempts to reassure Don that they are not ignoring the Technodrome problem, but Don has had enough and storms out, telling the rest of them that while they're worried about what amounts to little more than a grudge and a turf war, he's trying to save the world.
At this point Mikey speaks up, saying that Don is right: it doesn't make sense for them to focus on taking down the Shredder when they're not crime fighters and Shredder is essentially nothing more than a criminal (albeit an incredibly lethal, immortal, international criminal). Mikey points out that even though they're not vigilantes, they are "good guys", and that means they should be focused on the big picture, which is saving earth, not settling personal vendettas. Splinter says that before they can even hope to save earth from the extradimensional threat, they have to protect themselves from Shredder's sworn vengeance. Leo says he'll go talk to Don to try and find some middle ground while Splinter, Raph, and Mikey go see what Hob wants and what he can offer them in return.
Meanwhile, April is arriving at Second Time Around, her parents' old antique shop, where they were tending to Casey's latest injuries. April is ecstatic to see her parents again, especially since her father's health has been restored thanks to the healing properties of the ooze. Before catching up with her parents any further, April excuses herself to speak to Casey. April marches straight up to Casey and punches him in the shoulder to express her frustration with him. She asks Casey if he remembers the state her dad was in the last time they saw him, and how Casey told her that he'd have her back with whatever she decided to do. She said that it was a miracle that healed her dad, but that there is no more of the ooze to heal Casey if he got seriously hurt again. April pleads with Casey to change the path he's on, and lets him know that she'll have his back no matter what. Casey tells her that he's worried because he knows he isn't cut out for college, but she tells him that there are countless other things he could do that he'd be good at, that wouldn't put his life in danger.
Elsewhere, Splinter, Raph, and Mikey meet with Hob, Slash, and Lindsey in a back alleyway. Hob asks where Leo and Don are but Raph tells him its none of his business and asks Hob why he called them there. Hob raises his hands and asks them if they can see why. Splinter, Raph, and Mikey are not amused and ask Hob what gives. Hob then launches into a speech about how long humans have been around, polluting the earth and terrorizing animals, and how although mutants have only been around a little while, mutants originated from animals, who have existed on earth for far longer than humans, and now is the time for them to reclaim what is rightfully theirs. Hob then introduces the group to the two newest soldiers in his mutant army, who were hiding in plain sight in the alley the whole time: Herman the hermit crab and Mondo Gecko. Splinter is fascinated and Mikey compliments Mondo on his custom skateboard. Lindsey explains that she was able to combine the psychotropic serum with the mutagen, leading to much more successful mutations (as opposed to Pigeon Pete). Hob explains in simpler terms that she mixed the mind-enhancing serum isolated from Splinter's blood with the mutagen procured from Stockgen and injected it into some stolen pet store animals, as no one there understood Lindsey's scientific jargon except Slash.
Just then Leo arrives, having finished speaking with Don about where their focus should lie. Herman and Mondo spring into action, not knowing who Leo is. They quickly flank him and reveal that they're carrying a formidable amount of firepower, Mondo with a shotgun on the underside of his skateboard and Herman with a number of guns hidden inside his dumpster shell. Hob quickly tells the two to stand down because Leo is on their side. Raph asks Leo where Don is but Leo says he'll tell him later. Raph admits to Hob that his two new recruits are pretty impressive, then asks where Pigeon Pete is, and Lindsey tells him they sent him to retrieve more specimens.
Pigeon Pete, in another alley, is explaining that he's part of a mutant army that's going to take over the world. Pete says that they've already got him, a kitty, a crab, a lizard, and one turtle on their side, and they're about to recruit four more turtles and a rat. Pete then asks if who he's speaking to would be interested in joining their cause. The individuals in question are revealed to be none other than Bebop and Rocksteady, who say they want in.
Part Two - Issue #39
Issue #39 Regular Cover by Mateus Santolouco
Released October 15th, 2014
Bebop and Rocksteady are walking down the street while discussing the merits of taking the initiative to follow up on Pigeon Pete's offer to join Hob's gang without telling Karai. Rocksteady recalls how mad Karai was when Koya failed to kill the Turtles in Northampton. A homeless man asks Bebop and Rocksteady for spare change but he quickly rescinds his request when he lays eyes on the two. The pair concludes that they can find out if Pigeon Pete was telling the truth about the Turtles being back without letting Karai know, and simply kill him if it turns out he was lying. Their plans finalized, they smash open an ATM to grab some cash to buy some breakfast with. Unbeknownst to them, Alopex watches from the rooftops.
In the Turtles' church hideout, Mikey is cooking scrambled eggs and toast for breakfast while Raph works out. Leo comes in and asks if either of them have seen Donnie; Raph tells him he saw Donnie leave for Harold's lab right after waking up. Splinter comes in and says that they cannot wait for Don, and that he respects his decision to focus on Krang and the Technodrome even if he doesn't agree with it. Splinter informs them that he has arranged another meeting with Hob and his gang that evening.
At the lab, Harold berates Angel for not being more careful during her last excursion with the exo-suit, but Angel is more concerned with figuring out who it was that saved her from the thug with a gun. Don arrives and when he sees that Harold and Angel are busy repairing Metalhead and upgrading the exo-suit he loses his temper, blowing up at Harold and reminding him of the imminent threat that the Technodrome poses. Harold storms off. Angel excuses herself to check on her dad and on her way out suggests that Don cut Harold some slack, as he's been doing his best to work on all the projects simultaneously. Don apologizes to Harold and shows him a message he recently received from Professor Honeycutt, A.K.A. the Fugitoid. Honeycutt told Don that something had happened during Krang's last journey off Burnow Island (see the New Mutant Order Prologue), prompting him to speed up the work on the Technodrome. Harold informs Don that he's nearly completed the framework of the teleporter and has begun coding the software, although he admits that there is a small margin of error in his translation of Honeycutt's notes. Don leaves Harold to keep working on the teleporter while he makes some repairs to Metalhead.
At The Second Time Around Shop, April's father John O'Neil gets angry over a malfunctioning coffee maker. April's mother, Beth, urges him to calm down. Casey walks in and greets the two, having slept infor quite a while. Casey asks if April has already left for school and Beth tells him she had indeed, as he had classes all day and then planned on helping Donatello do some work. Beth asks Casey if she should be more concerned about the fact that her daughter is hanging out with mutants, but Casey assures her its nothing to worry about. Beth sympathizes with Casey about the situation between him and his dad, the Hun, and tells him he deserves better. Casey thanks her and goes over to help John with the coffee machine. Casey shows him that the problem is just a faulty fuse. John thanks him and asks him to help him make some other repairs around the store.
Angel leaves the Skara Brae after checking in on her dad. As Angel walks off, Alopex approaches her and asks for help in preventing Bebop and Rocksteady from ambushing the Turtles, telling Angel that it was she who had rescued her the previous night. Angel tells her that the Turtles are her family and she would do anything to help them, but warns Alopex that she better be telling the truth. Alopex tells Angel to get the suit and meet her later.
That night, Splinter, Leonardo, Raphael, and Michelangelo meet with Hob, Slash, Mondo Gecko, and Herman. Splinter tells Hob that they've decided to strike against Oroku Saki. Hob and his gang say they're ready. Hob is just telling Splinter that Lindsey has perfected the science behind mutation and that as soon as Pigeon Pete returns with more animals to mutate they can expand their army further when Pigeon Pete arrives with Bebop and Rocksteady in tow. Hob pounces on Pete, asking him why he thought it'd be a good idea to bring them back with him. Pete explains that he thought Hob needed new mutants so he brought new mutants, instead of animals to mutate as Hob had asked him. Bebop and Rocksteady are readying themselves to square off against Splinter and the Turtles when Hob shoots his gun in the air to get their attention. Hob asks Bebop and Rocksteady why they should be content as grunts in the Foot Clan, when they could be part of his growing mutant army and destroy all humans. Rocksteady excitedly agrees before realizing what Hob said about exterminating all human life, exclaiming that he and Bebop are half human. Hob, realizing that the two of them are mutant human/animal hybrids, shoots them and his crew readies themselves to finish the job. Bebop and Rocksteady call Hob prejudiced and draw their weapons. Hob, Slash, Mondo, and Herman attack, but Bebop and Rocksteady are formidable opponents. Leo asks Splinter if they should join in and Splinter says they are honor bound to do so, just as Angel and Alopex arrive.
Back at the lab, Harold sees Angel arrive at the chaotic brawl between mutants. April looks on nervously as Harold asks Don if he's going to leave to help his family. Don says he's not because he has more important things to do, as he nears finishing the repairs on Metalhead.
Part Three - Issue #40
Issue #40 Regular Cover by Mateus Santolouco
Released November 26th, 2014
Rocksteady lunges at Mikey with his sledgehammer. Mikey asks why they're even fighting the duo and Raph tells him they don't really have a choice. Bebop says they do have a choice, and Rocksteady says the Turtles could just lay down and accept defeat, right before he punches a car through the air straight at Mikey. Luckily, Slash steps in and deflects the car, but becomes injured in the process. Hob, incensed, commands his crew to retaliate and Herman launches a missle at Bebop and Rocksteady, knocking the two into a wall. Leo, seizing the opportunity, attacks with his katanas, but Bebop and Rocksteady are unfazed. Rocksteady kicks Leo aside and Bebop throws a large piece of rubble at Splinter, so that Raph has to dive and push him out of the way.
Meanwhile, at Second Time Around, John O'Neil is overjoyed at having made some progress in fixing a broken toaster with some help from Casey. John thanks Casey and then levels with him, saying he knows Casey's been going through a rough patch and he's worried how that may affect April. Casey says he'd never let anything going on in his life harm April. John tells Casey about how despite the handicap caused by his stroke, he never gave up, he always acknowledged that he still had something to offer. Casey offers to work at the store and provide some security since the store is in a bad neighborhood. John accepts, saying that although they won't be able to pay him until the store starts making money they can provide room and board.
Back in the alley, Mikey tries to get Rocksteady's sledgehammer away from him but Rocksteady simply slings him into Leo and the two Turtles collapse. Rocksteady and Raph prepare to square off when Alopex leaps on Rocksteady, slashing him in the face. Rocksteady freaks out because he's afraid he'll get rabies so Bebop rushes with his chainsaw to get Alopex off him, but Angel blows it up with the exosuit's laser. Angel shoots a grappling line and grabs Bebop by his nose ring, yanks him forward, and hits him with the exosuit's taser. Unfortunately Bebop is able to shake it off and he punches Angel several blocks away. Luckily, she breaks her fall with the exosuit's anti-gravity gauntlets. Raph asks Alopex what she's doing there and she says she came to rescue them, but then Rocksteady throws the two of them onto the roof of a nearby building, where the two become trapped in the wreckage of a pigeon coop they landed on. Herman shoots Bebop and Rocksteady with his machine gun but the bullets have little effect and they retaliate, Bebop ripping the machine gun off of Herman's dumpster shell. Herman, undeterred, grabs the two by their necks with his pincers and slams their heads together. Hob rushes in to help, but Splinter tells Mondo Gecko to hold back. Splinter tells him that a direct assault will likely prove ineffective, so they must use a more strategic approach.
On the rooftop, Raph and Alopex struggle to free themselves from the twisted chicken wire of the pigeon coop. Raph loses his temper at being stuck, but Alopex calms him down. Raph apologizes for losing his cool, both in their current situation and back at April's parents' house in Northampton (see Issue #31 Northampton Part Three). Alopex forgives him and Raph tells her she's always got a home with him and his family. Just then Pigeon Pete appears, who was hiding in the pigeon coop which used to be his old home.
Down below, Rocksteady is about to punch Old Hob into oblivion when Splinter tells him to stop. Splinter leaps forward and hits Rocksteady in the throat with his walking stick and then Bebop in the face as well. Splinter lands several more precise hits while Mondo looks on from the top of a nearby utility pole. Rocksteady throws Herman in his dumpster at Splinter but Splinter dodges it. Mondo puts the other part of their plan into effect and cuts the power line from the utility pole he'd climbed and throws it down into the puddle Splinter had lured Bebop and Rocksteady into, frying the two until they collapse. Raph and Alopex come down from the roof, after getting free with Pete's help (Raph begs Alopex not to tell his brothers about how they escaped) and Angel arrives as well, noting to herself that she should tell Harold to install a jetpack on the exosuit. Mikey helps Slash up while Hob sees to Herman and Splinter and Mondo congratulate each other on their teamwork. Hob and Splinter shake hands to celebrate their victory when Bebop and Rocksteady rise and tell the group they're not done yet. Hob tells Herman to attack and Herman launches a barrage of missles which hit the condemned building behind the two. Bebop and Rocksteady tell Herman that he missed when the building comes crashing down on top of them. Hob commends Alopex on her skills and offers her a place in his army but she declines, saying she's had enough experience with armies for a lifetime. Alopex asks Angel if she needs a partner to help her clean up the streets and Angel gladly accepts. Splinter says that after the events of the night, they will have to enact their plan to take out Shredder quickly, as he will now be aware of their return to New York. Hob tells him that whatever their plan is, he's in to help them. Pete apologizes to Hob for tipping off Bebop and Rocksteady but Hob forgives him, telling him his heart was in the right place.
After the group departs, Bebop and Rocksteady emerge from the wreckage of the condemned building. Rocksteady says he hates when buildings fall on top of them (which happened twice in Bebop and Rocksteady's Villains Micro). Since things didn't turn out as they'd planned, they decide not to tell Karai about what transpired that night.
At Foot Clan headquarters, Shredder, surrounded by Karai, Koya, Bludgeon, the Foot Elite Guard and a contingent of Foot ninjas, speaks to Metalhead. Metalhead tells Shredder that he needs the Shredder's help against General Krang. Shredder asks what Metalhead knows of General Krang. Back at Harold's lab, Don is controlling Metalhead by remote and tells Shredder that he knows that the fate of the world depends on the Foot Clan.
Gallery
