The Secret History of the Foot Clan. Although some uninitiated to the world of TMNT may think this would be a chronicling of a fetishist hate group, there’s a much easier explanation behind this tale. It’s simply an origin story for the most notorious clan of ninja to ever exist, interspersed with the events that surround two vitally different groups, both intent on gaining the information this origin story has to offer.
If you’ve read my article on the previous issue of this book, all I can say is, “You’re welcome.” I applaud your decision to read in general and want to thank you for flying J.C. Airlines. Also, beyond the importance of getting to know me, you would have been clued in on what the hell has been going on up to this point. Basically, it breaks down like this. Shredder = bad, Turtles = good, both intertwined with Foot Clan exploits and searching for answers = interesting. If that synopsis doesn’t cut the mustard (which is an odd phrase, but we’ll get to that another time), there’s about 25 years’ worth of previously released material to be combed over. Speaking of comb overs, 25 years worth? Really? FML.
After attending a lecture going over the know history of the Foot Clan, a teenage April O’Neal, Casey Jones, and our 4 intrepid Turtles set off with plans to speak with the lecturer to a further degree. A plan interrupted with the revelation that on again, off again foe Karai has beaten them to the punch by beating them to Dr. Miller, a snazzy dresser and historian of the Foot. After a high-speed chase through the Lincoln Tunnel, Karai is left with 4 less accomplices and the VW bus gang (the good guys) left with one less tire.
We now transition to historic exposition land where we find out a bit more of the Foot’s machinations and how the Yin and Yang leaders of both current adversarial groups started as allies. Depending on what you consider Turtle canon, there can be debate whether Splinter was a rat who became more human (wrong) or a man who mutated into a rat (right). The correct version, which happens to be mine, explains how Oroku Saki (the Shredder) and Hamato Yoshi (Splinter) were once rivals in the same clan, one vying for power while the other prayed for peace. It also introduces the character of Karai, who, depending on your source of information, is the transplanted successor to the NY branch of the Foot or Shredder’s adopted daughter figure. This book looks like it’s leaning towards the later, but we can only see how the future flourishes, much as a continuous reading of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Secret History of the Foot Clan will reveal the root of the tale and how it began to branch. Put down the pruning shears and give it a read.
You can thank me later.
