What do you think?
Rate this book
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #3
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe, Volume 3: Karai's Path
Go beyond the main series in this exciting anthology of stand-alone stories. Karai has always embodied the Foot Clan. With the Clan under the control of Splinter, what path will she take during her travels in Japan? Danger and intrigue await her, Koya, and Bludgeon! Plus, Man Ray and Sally Pride journey to New Jersey to investigate rumors of a mysterious monster.
Collects: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #11–15.
Collects: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #11–15.
144 pages, Paperback
First published March 13, 2018
5 people are currently reading
70 people want to read
About the author
Rich Douek
94 books38 followersRich is an award-winning copywriter, and the creator of the independent comic series, Gutter Magic. He has worked on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Universe comics for IDW, and has published short stories in the New York Times-featured All We Ever Wanted anthology, for A Wave Blue World, as well as anthologies for Comixtribe and Red Stylo press. Additonally, he is a moderator of the Comics Experience Creator's Workshop, where he strives to help newer creators learn how to create their own comics and navigate the industry.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
September 22, 2024
(B+) 79% | Good
Notes: About subjection, course correction, and hunts in new frontiers; a second tier of cast is here, the Turtles don't appear.
Notes: About subjection, course correction, and hunts in new frontiers; a second tier of cast is here, the Turtles don't appear.
January 31, 2022
The first issue has Sally Pride and Man-Ray checking for a new mutant from sightings of the New Jersey Devil. It was alright. Then we get a story where we find out where Karai, Bludgeon and Koya went to after they left The Foot. They returned to Japan to deal with their injuries and Karai gets into a beef with the Yakuza. Good stuff. I like Sophie Campbell's art except for how she draws everyone with a huge bulbous nose.
May 10, 2020
The opening issue in this volume features a story from Rich Douek and art from Aaron Conley as Man-Ray and Sally Pride go on a roadtrip to try and rescue another new mutant. This issue introduces another new enemy (or possibly just an off-shoot of an existing one), and it's nice to dig into the traumas that shape these two characters. I'm not the biggest fan of the new mutant, but I expect his appearances will be few and far between so that's fine.
Sophie Campbell and Erik Burnham take over the rest of the volume, as they take Karai, Koya, and Bludgeon through some ordeals in Japan as Karai tries to find her new place in the world having left the Foot Clan behind. Karai herself is a tad too abrasive to be a fun leading woman, but Koya and Bludgeon and their relationship is intriguing enough to keep you going. Campbell's art is beautiful, especially in the epilogue issue (which she also wrote) as she puts Koya through her paces and gives her a gorgeous redesign as well.
A fun time overall, with a particular focus on Karai and her associates. That's definitely a plotline that's going to come back and bite everyone in the ass, I'm sure.
Sophie Campbell and Erik Burnham take over the rest of the volume, as they take Karai, Koya, and Bludgeon through some ordeals in Japan as Karai tries to find her new place in the world having left the Foot Clan behind. Karai herself is a tad too abrasive to be a fun leading woman, but Koya and Bludgeon and their relationship is intriguing enough to keep you going. Campbell's art is beautiful, especially in the epilogue issue (which she also wrote) as she puts Koya through her paces and gives her a gorgeous redesign as well.
A fun time overall, with a particular focus on Karai and her associates. That's definitely a plotline that's going to come back and bite everyone in the ass, I'm sure.
February 7, 2021
So, I am not up on the recent Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle comics. I say that not to disparage them in any way - I have every reason to believe that they're quite good, especially now - simply that I haven't gotten around to reading them before now.
And what made me pick up what my library happened to have available was one name and one name only: Sophie Campbell, whose work I'm familiar with from her work on kaiju stuff, where she is basically my favorite kaiju artist, full stop.
Her work is great here, too, and not just the art. She co-wrote the lion's share of this volume, which follows Oroku Karai, who, I gather, was formerly the head of the Foot Clan, and a couple of her subordinates, both of whom have been crippled by a run-in with the Turtles.
It's one thing to humanize the villains - as this does - and villainize (?) the heroes, but there's something more going on here, especially with the character of Koya, a mutated falcon whose struggle with having her wings clipped by Leonardo feels like a kind of narrative on dysphoria. Even among the other characters, the loyalty and genuine affection they show toward one-another goes beyond humanizing them to become legitimately touching in a way that immediately made me want to read more of these comics.
And what made me pick up what my library happened to have available was one name and one name only: Sophie Campbell, whose work I'm familiar with from her work on kaiju stuff, where she is basically my favorite kaiju artist, full stop.
Her work is great here, too, and not just the art. She co-wrote the lion's share of this volume, which follows Oroku Karai, who, I gather, was formerly the head of the Foot Clan, and a couple of her subordinates, both of whom have been crippled by a run-in with the Turtles.
It's one thing to humanize the villains - as this does - and villainize (?) the heroes, but there's something more going on here, especially with the character of Koya, a mutated falcon whose struggle with having her wings clipped by Leonardo feels like a kind of narrative on dysphoria. Even among the other characters, the loyalty and genuine affection they show toward one-another goes beyond humanizing them to become legitimately touching in a way that immediately made me want to read more of these comics.
August 12, 2018
Definitely a favorite volume of the series so far! Karai is amazing!
March 5, 2019
The TMNT Universe titles offer a different perspective on the storyline covered in the main title, especially because they don't feature the Turtles at all. Here we have 3 stories:
1) Sally and Ray, members of the Mutanimals, are out on the road looking for recruits, this time searching for the "Jersey Devil". Finding him (named Dreadmon) all seems to be well, until they are attacked by soldiers of The Fist. Working together, they are able to win the fight (not killing The Fist soldiers, but still) and get away, though Dreadmon chooses to remain in the wilderness on his own.
2) Much of the Volume covers Karai, Koya, and Bludgeon and their adventures. Heading back to Japan, Karai gets attack by the daughter of one of the crime lords. When she attempts to enact vengeance, the crime lord offers her a job reclaiming a cursed sword in restitution. Gaining both the sword and new ally Ocho (a giant armadillo), she repays the crime lord's treachery with assassination. She then takes over as head of the crime families, swearing to return to New York once her power base is secured.
3) A trinket that Koya picked up on the adventure begins communicating with her, enraging her, and challenging her to be the predator she believes herself to be. Battling back and forth, Koya is able to overcome, and develops a mystical energy replacement for her wings. Body restored, she wants to go back and get her revenge on Leonardo...
Overall, not a bad Volume, a quick read, and though a little bit of a stretch at times, still very entertaining. Recommend.
1) Sally and Ray, members of the Mutanimals, are out on the road looking for recruits, this time searching for the "Jersey Devil". Finding him (named Dreadmon) all seems to be well, until they are attacked by soldiers of The Fist. Working together, they are able to win the fight (not killing The Fist soldiers, but still) and get away, though Dreadmon chooses to remain in the wilderness on his own.
2) Much of the Volume covers Karai, Koya, and Bludgeon and their adventures. Heading back to Japan, Karai gets attack by the daughter of one of the crime lords. When she attempts to enact vengeance, the crime lord offers her a job reclaiming a cursed sword in restitution. Gaining both the sword and new ally Ocho (a giant armadillo), she repays the crime lord's treachery with assassination. She then takes over as head of the crime families, swearing to return to New York once her power base is secured.
3) A trinket that Koya picked up on the adventure begins communicating with her, enraging her, and challenging her to be the predator she believes herself to be. Battling back and forth, Koya is able to overcome, and develops a mystical energy replacement for her wings. Body restored, she wants to go back and get her revenge on Leonardo...
Overall, not a bad Volume, a quick read, and though a little bit of a stretch at times, still very entertaining. Recommend.
January 27, 2023
The TMNT Universe books are great supplementary material for the ongoing series as they're pretty much "behind-the-scenes" stuff. And there's no question that the true focus of this volume is Karai and her finding a new path for herself and her now smaller circle of followers. Before her life was focused on turning the Foot Clan into something greater and these a bit of circumstance and maybe destiny, she finds a new direction entirely.
I do love how they really lean into the mysticism angle in terms of exploring the longer history of the Foot Clan. They're no longer the mindless bad guys of the animated series. Even just distinguishing mystically created human/beast hybrids from our scientifically created mutants makes for an interesting thought space to explore.
I do love how they really lean into the mysticism angle in terms of exploring the longer history of the Foot Clan. They're no longer the mindless bad guys of the animated series. Even just distinguishing mystically created human/beast hybrids from our scientifically created mutants makes for an interesting thought space to explore.
January 1, 2019
Algo desordenado con respecto a la historia de Koya.
November 25, 2020
TMNT Universe
Vol. 3 is pretty good, despite not having the turtles in it. But the different, interesting stories make up for it. Can't wait to read the next book.
Vol. 3 is pretty good, despite not having the turtles in it. But the different, interesting stories make up for it. Can't wait to read the next book.
August 4, 2023
Continuing to build out the characters back stories, karai chapter just really stood out and made me really appreciate how bad ass she is. That issue alone sold me on this one
February 10, 2024
Best Universe book so far. Fun story, with good character arcs and awesome art to boot.
January 26, 2025
2.75 stars
September 27, 2023
I haven't been too big a fan of the Universe titles in TMNT, but this one was awesome! I loved seeing Karai take this dark arc! It was a fun way to have her take more of an important role. And the artwork was great in this volume! Looking forward to seeing this particular plot play out.
October 24, 2024
never thought I’d see the day “mzungu” was used in an official Ninja Turtles comic.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews