Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #21
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Writer(s): Kevin Eastman & Tom Waltz
Artist: Kevin Eastman
Cover: Kevin Eastman
The Turtles have returned from their outer space adventure, and they’ve noticed things in New York City have been quite intense lately. However, during a training session the guys are attacked by a masked assailant. One that is adept at various martial arts styles and repeatedly beats the brothers while on his way to end the life of their master. What’s even more troubling is that this enemy knows more about them than he should.
This issue is a break between story arcs, and as a stand alone issue it’s just as strong as the others in the series. Everything is straightforward, and even with the twist thrown in anyone who is new to this installment of the series will still be comfortable reading this. Readers who have been on board the past few issues, and even read the Secret History of the Foot Clan series, will get a bit of an extra pay off with the end of the issue.
You also can’t go wrong with Kevin Eastman handling the artwork for the issue. As one of the original creators it was nice to see his classic visual storytelling move the plot along. Nostalgia factor aside, though, the book’s story is laid out quite well and Pattison’s colors just make it look that much better. There’s also the way that Eastman draws the Turtles after a brutal beating that just adds to the grittiness of the overall look. He also does this with the backgrounds. His New York City is dirty, dark, and feels just as gritty with each panel.
Whether a new or an old fan, you’re really missing out if you haven’t checked out this series from IDW. TMNT is among the many properties updated for a new audience, but the heart of what kept it fun and exciting is still there and shows no signs of going anywhere!
Infinite Speech
infinitespeech@comicattack.net
