TMNT

• Title: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #8
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Kevin Eastman, Tom Waltz
• Artist: Kevin Eastman, Dan Duncan

As the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fight off Old Hob‘s army of Mousers, General Krang meets with his scientist and we learn what Krang and Hob are really after. They aren’t trying to destroy the turtles, they just want to get their hands on Splinter.

It turns out Splinter is the only pure mutant specimen that Krang can use to develop his own mutant army. Unlike the turtles and Hob who were accidentally exposed to the mutigen, Splinter was given carefully controlled injections making him the perfect prototype. With the turtles distracted by the Mousers, Hob is able to make off with their master.

As the turtles fight for their lives Casey and April have a heart-to-heart after training and April’s story of ninjas and a rat named Splinter leads to an introduction that the young woman will never forget.

Tons of action, a little more insight into Krang’s plans, and April finally meeting the turtles. What more could you want? Best of the week.

[IDW, 3.99]

• Title: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #7
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Kevin Eastman, Tom Waltz
• Artist: Kevin Eastman, Dan Duncan

The latest issue of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reboot not only gives us the first appearance of General Krang and the early beginnings of Casey and April‘s relationship, but an entire army of Mousers for Splinter, Leonardo, and Donatello to take on.

With the exception of the introduction of Krang, which I’ve got to admit works better than I thought it would, storywise this one’s a little light as it merely inches the existing stories incrementally forward. However, in terms of action the latest issue proves to be a hell of a lot of fun as the Turtles protect their home from a seemingly endless supply of killer robots.

If you’re not reading this comic, I don’t know what to tell you. It’s got talking brains inside mechanical bodies, giant philosophical rats, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Honestly, what more do you want? Worth a look.

[IDW, $3.99]

• Title: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #6
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Kevin Eastman, Tom Waltz
• Artist: Kevin Eastman, Dan Duncan

The rebooted and re-imagined TMNT universe continues. Reunited, the Turtles find themselves battling mysterious ninjas on the rooftops of New York who appear to be after a French-speaking warrior who warns the team that war is coming.

Meanwhile, April O’Neil takes one step closer to the Turtles’ world when she meets Casey Jones for the first time. And Dr. Baxter Stockman introduces Old Hob to his latest invention – the Mousers.

It’s nice to see the Mousers, another piece of Turtles’ lore, finding its way into the new series. Like Donatello, I’m having a little trouble with the the idea that fate has brought Hamato Yoshi and his four sons back together in their current forms in 21st Century New York, but then again this is a comic book about human-sized turtles who know Ninjutsu, so I’m willing to give it a chance.

The issue feels a little like filler as it spends most of its time setting up stories that will be told in the next few issues. Still, it opens with a pretty darn good action sequence and does give us the first appearance of the Mousers. Worth a look.

[IDW, $3.99]

• Title: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #5
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Kevin Eastman, Tom Waltz
• Artist: Kevin Eastman, Dan Duncan

With the four brothers finally reunited the latest issue of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles takes a breath to give us a holiday issue which sees Raphael training with Michelangelo, Donatello and Leonardo, and Splinter narrating a flashback of the story of Hamato Yoshi and Oroku Saki.

I’ve really enjoyed this reboot of the Turtles franchise and the final issue of the year proves to be the best so far. Although bloody, the tragedy of Yoshi and his family is handled with skill as more clues to the Turtles’ past are revealed.

We also get a little foreshadowing on how April O’Neil will be brought into Casey Jones and the Turtles’ world as well as a sequence where each of the four turtles earns their own mask to showcase their individuality. Is the explanation of giving the characters different masks (as they wore in the cartoon) a bit of a stretch? Yes, but it works surprisingly well.

Although I’m still missing the original look of Kevin Eastman’s art this comic is proving to be one of best around. Best of the Week.

[IDW, $3.99]