After how good the various mini-series have been I was hoping I would get some more collected in this omnibus and it looks like I got what I wanted. When the stories are good, they're good, but the quality varies from writer to writer.

The EPF returns and the book does a great job at making you hate them and ramping up the tension. Poor Slash is abducted and turned into a brainless weapon by Agent Bishop, and Bishop gets a little more context to him with the introduction of Bishop's father. So far Bishop has been sinister, but predictable. That trend continues here, but the story does a great job contrasting his ethics and morals with those of the Hamato Clan. I'm really looking forward to when Splinter and Bishop eventually cross paths.

Likewise, Alopex's encounter with Toad Baron felt very by the numbers, but Pablo Tunica's art more than makes up for it by depicting the Baron's Palace as something out of Spirited Away. It's visually stunning and I spent a good bit of time just sifting through the panels admiring the different perspectives and creatures. Unfortunately most of that magic is lost when the Turtles themselves invade the palace and a different artist comes on board. The Pantheon plot has been a VERY slow burn, but we finally get a proper introduction to this mysterious family and a look at what Kitsune's goal is in their conflict. It's nice to get some new information, though I wish it wasn't at such a snail's pace.

There's also a crossover with Usagi Yojimbo and a story of the Mutanimals trying to recruit a new member. They're both very simple and not terribly interesting, but luckily they're short and don't go on longer than they need to *glares at Casey & April*.

The stand out story for me is Karai's return to Japan, which not only feels more like an authentic ninja story due to Karai's pragmatic approach, but the story also does a great job fleshing out Koya and Bludgeon. Prior to this story Koya and Bludgeon were just punching bags the writer would occasionally throw at the Turtles, but Burnham and Campbell do a solid job establishing personalities for them and giving them obstacles to overcome in Koya's temper and Bludgeon's disability (by the way, having a mutant shark use his innate ability to sense electrical signals as an alternative to blindsense is so brilliant). Out of all the spin-off stories we've had in this universe I think this is the one I'd be willing to read a monthly book about. The action is tight and brutal, Karai's pragmatism makes her feel more like an authentic ninja, and Koya and Bludgeon make great companions. Hopefully we see this team again sooner rather than later.

Overall I'd label this omnibus as pretty good. There's some duds in this book, but the good stuff makes me glad I read it and feeling optimistic about what comes next.