A Special Thanks To IDW PUBLISHING and NetGalley for the ARC.
In this new review, we’re going to be looking at IDW’s relaunch of their iconic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book series, involving Eisner Award-Winning Writer, Jason Aaron, and quite a selection of superstar artists such as Rafael Albuquerque, Joëlle Jones, Cliff Chiang, and Chris Burnham. Please keep in mind, that this review will have limited spoilers, thank you, and enjoy.
The four brothers have left New York to pursue their interests, but unbeknownst to them, forces are lurking in the shadows that will bring them back together for this first arc of a new ongoing series that collects the prelude story “Long Way From Home.” Raphael is in prison. Michelangelo is living in Tokyo, where he became a TV star, Leonardo is traveling the world in search of peace, and Donatello is trapped in a mutant zoo and forced to fight rich men looking for a thrill. And what has been going on in New York while the Turtles are scattered across the globe?
The newly relaunched Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ first volume is certainly one of the most enjoyable titles I have had the pleasure of reading, offering a new direction to an iconic franchise. The first four issues collected in this novel walk us through what happened to each brother, and the return of a familiar foe, The Foot Clan. The story that broke my heart the most was what happened with Donatello, being trapped in a Mutant Zoo, and looking so malnourished. The bleak atmosphere, having to fight rich, and insecure men, plus the harsh life he has lived in the fighting pit/”Mutant Zoo” for however long he was trapped in that life.
I have followed Aaron’s work since his time at Marvel and DC (I recommend you to check out his run on Thor: God of Thunder, Thor, and Absolute Superman) and I honestly have to say that I am enjoying his approach to TMNT. It is dark but gritty, reminiscent of the original comic book series by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, but the dynamic between the four brothers still truly shines when they’re together even though they were separated. Despite family complications, their interactions when they were brought back together were one of the best moments of these issues. Aaron’s script was solid and goes to show that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are in safe hands.
As for the artwork, this series has six artists to work with to go with the story that Aaron was trying to tell, and it was magnificent. It compliments the story, giving us a visual look into each turtle’s mindset after the events of the previous series. With the turtles getting back together, the tragic part of reading this is the fact that they have forgotten what it means to be brothers, something they will have to learn once again without the guidance of their father and sensei, Splinter. The action sequences and emotional expressions were well-drawn, and some expressions were often comical to look at but got the point across to help entice the reader’s attention from drifting away. My favorite part of this collected graphic novel was how each artist used their unique style of art accompanied by a of colorists and inkers to portray Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael’s journey back to New York, accompanied by The Foot’s dramatic return and rise to power.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Volume One: Return to New York will be available at your Local LCS and e-retailer on June 24, it is the perfect book to introduce new fans of TMNT and for Older Fans of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. You can pre-order your copy now at the links below:
Final Grade:
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