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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #97
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Writer(s): Kevin Eastman, Tom Waltz & Bobby Curnow
Artist: Michael Dialynas
Colors: Ronda Pattison
Letters: Shawn Lee
Cover: Dave Watcher

As we’re heading into the final part of the City at War arc things are looking pretty horrible for the Turtles and their friends. Just how bad is it? It’s Next Mutation bad and things might even get worse as Karai has made her move against Splinter and is close to achieving her goal of reclaiming the Foot Clan.

Things are finally picking back up after what seemed like a brief stall for City at War. It was as if establishing Jenny’s big change took priority. And though it was a very cool moment, after reading this issue it shows how it slowed down the overall story a bit. With the events that take place in this issue though, it seems like it’s back on track and moving quite well courtesy of the creative team here. Karai and Splinter’s confrontation has several great moments that once again reveals more about their characters and their motives. It’s evident that even though Splinter will take a life, Waltz has him still attempting to come to a conclusion that doesn’t end with him ending her life. All the while there’s bloodshed everywhere and his most trusted are beginning to fall. Karai herself has also become a very capable villain and not just being a proficient fighter but in the execution and motivations of her plans thanks to Eastman, Waltz, and Curnow. There’s also a rare moment of calm where we see how Jenny get’s her mask and even Casey redeems himself a bit after getting over the shock of her transformation.

The art continues to be a highlight in the series as Dialynas maintains some quality panels throughout the issue. The action sequences are fluid and just brutal as they build towards the end. But it’s also the expressiveness of the characters that make the less hectic panels look so good. The hug between Casey and Jenny was a touching and at the same time hints at more when we see the reaction from Hunn. Pattison has been killing it on colors with this series for a while now and continues to elevate the story in each panel.

Being that this is part 5 it’s not an issue you just want to jump into if you haven’t been reading the series. But if the recap is enough for you, then by all means, jump in! City At War is shaping up to be another great arc in the TMNT mythology with the creative team taking the mutants to another level. And as the issue ends, things are looking quite bad for the Turtles and even worse for Splinter. However, it’s this cliffhanger that will have you eagerly anticipating the next issue!

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