Tag Kevin Eastman

A TMNT #139 Micro-Review – “I Know You Wish For This to Be Over…”

Rob Siebert Leave a comment

***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 139, cover, April 2023, Fero PeTITLE: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #139
AUTHORS: Sophie Campbell, Kevin Eatman & Tom Waltz (Story Consultants)
ARTISTS: Fero Pe, Ronda Pattison (Colorist), Shawn Lee (Letterer)
RELEASED: April 26, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Kitsune, early in this issue: “I know you wish for this to be over, and so do I.”

This whole Armageddon Game story? You have no idea, lady.

The Turtles learn some more meta-physical, extra-dimensional stuff in this issue. It results in a big exposition dump early on where the returning Kitsune essentially has to explain what it all means. On the upside, we then get some pretty cool splash pages, each featuring an individual Turtle. I don’t think I’ve ever complained about Fero Pe and Ronda Pattison’s art. Just the story they wound up in…

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

A TMNT: The Last Ronin – Lost Years #3 Micro-Review – A Definite Cuteness

Rob Siebert Leave a comment

***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

TMNT The Last Ronin Lost Years 3, cover, April 2023, SL Gallant, Maria Keane, Luis DelgadoTITLE: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin – Lost Years #3
AUTHORS: Kevin Eastman, Tom Waltz
ARTISTS: SL Gallant, Ben Bishop, Eastman, Maria Keane (Inker), Luis Delgado (Colorist), Shawn Lee (Letterer)
RELEASED: April 26, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Artistically, I’m impressed this book has been able to mostly maintain the quality of the work done in The Last Ronin. From a writing standpoint, there’s an argument to be made that Lost Years is actually better.

There’s a definite cuteness factor that’s present in the scenes with April, Casey Marie, and our next-gen TMNT. For instance, there’s a panel in this book where young Yi comes into the room clutching her finger and says, “I cutted myself.” That actually kind of reminded me of my own young daughter.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

A TMNT #138 Micro-Review – “Gettin’ Way Too Big For Us”

Rob Siebert Leave a comment

***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

TMNT 138, variant cover, March 2023, Kevin Eastman, Sophie CampbellTITLE: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #138
AUTHORS: Sophie Campbell, Kevin Eastman & Tom Waltz (Story Consultants)
ARTISTS: Fero Pe, Ronda Pattison (Colorist), Shawn Lee (Letterer). Variant cover by Eastman & Campbell.
RELEASED: March 22, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Raph has a line early in this issue: “This is gettin’ way too big for us, Leo.” That feels like a thesis statement for this Armageddon Game stuff at large. I don’t know if I’ve ever been happier to see a TMNT story wrapping up.

On the plus side, I’m still really enjoying Fero Pe’s work. Ronda Pattison compliments him very well, as she’s done for virtually all the artists she’s worked with on this series. I’m hoping he sticks around post-Armageddon Game.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

A TMNT: The Last Ronin – Lost Years #2 Micro-Review – Onyx, the Anxious Turtle

Rob Siebert Leave a comment

***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

TMNT The Last Ronin Lost Years 2, wraparound variant cover, March 2023, Kevin EastmanTITLE: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Lost Years #2
AUTHORS: Kevin Eastman, Tom Waltz
ARTISTS: SL Gallant, Ben Bishop, Eastman, Maria Keane (Inker), Luis Delgado (Colorist), Shawn Lee (Letterer). Variant wraparound cover by Eatman & Bishop.
RELEASED: March 15, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Onyx, one of the new little kid Ninja Turtles, gets really anxious over a spilled cup of water in this issue. It kind of stole my heart.

I can be particular about the way the Turtles are drawn. I get picky about the shape of their heads, the bandana-to-head ratio, that sort of thing. With that in mind, I really enjoy SL Gallant’s take on the Turtles. I’d love to see more TMNT work from him.

I’m still waiting to hear why April and Casey Marie mutated these four new Ninja Turtles. Just saying…

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

A TMNT #137 Micro-Review – Storylines Converging

Rob Siebert Leave a comment

***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

TMNT 137, variant cover, February 2023, Kevin EastmanTITLE: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #137
AUTHOR: Sophie Campbell, Kevin Eastman & Tom Waltz (Story Consultants)
ARTISTS: Fero Pe, Ronda Pattison (Colorist), Shawn Lee (Letterer). Variant cover by Eastman & Campbell.
RELEASED: February 15, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Great variantscover by Eastman and Campbell. One of my favorites the series has had in awhile, despite Casey Jones not actually being in the issue…

Storylines seems to be starting to converge in this big Armageddon Game story, as four of our five Ninja Turtles are now back together. That’s a good thing, as I’m dying for us to have a more focused narrative. Great art notwithstanding, this story continues to be a big mess.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

A TMNT: The Last Ronin – Lost Years #1 Micro-Review – Why is This a Good Idea?

Rob Siebert 1 Comment

***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

TMNT The Last Ronin 1, variant cover, January 2023, Kevin EastmanTITLE: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin – Lost Years #1
AUTHORS: Kevin Eastman, Tom Waltz
ARTISTS: SL Gallant, Ben Bishop, Eastman, Maria Keane (Inker), Luis Delgado (Colorist), Shawn Lee (Letterer). Variant cover by Eastman and Bishop.
RELEASED: January 25, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Part of this issue takes place after the events of The Last Ronin, and we see Casey Marie Jones training with who I’ll call the “next-gen” Ninja Turtles.

One thing I found puzzling at the end of The Last Ronin was that it’s never made clear why April and Casey Marie have mutated these four Turtles. Why did they think it was a good idea? Did they just do it because they could? That’s a question I hope we get an answer to, at some point.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

A TMNT #136 Micro-Review – A Game of Thrones Connection?

Rob Siebert Leave a comment

**This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

TMNT 136, cover, January 2023, Fero PeTITLE: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #136
AUTHORS: Sophie Campbell, Kevin Eastman & Tom Waltz (Story Consultants)
ARTISTS: Fero Pe, Ronda Pattison (Colorist), Shawn Lee (Letterer)
RELEASED: January 18, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

No Casey Jones in this issue, contrary to what the cover might have you believe. *sigh*

This “Armageddon Game” story is like the TMNT equivalent of Game of Thrones, only there’s no gratuitous sex or violence. And without that, what do we have? Great characters, sure. But we’ve also got a lot of story elements in play at once. And you practically need to read with a notebook to keep it all straight.

Fero Pe continues to impress with the art, though. So at least there’s that.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

A TMNT #135 Micro-Review – Lost in the Woods

Rob Siebert Leave a comment

***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

TMNT 135, cover, December 2022, Fero PeTITLE: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #135
AUTHOR: Sophie Campbell, Kevin Eastman & Tom Waltz (Story Consultants)
ARTISTS: Fero Pe, Ronda Pattison (Colorist), Shawn Lee (Letterer)

RELEASED: December 7, 2022

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

This might be the first time in the decade-plus long history of this TMNT comic that I’m not enjoying myself. Which is a shame, as the art by Fero Pe and Ronda Pattison is about as strong as it’s ever been. It just feels like they’re lost in the woods on this “Armageddon Game” story. Between the three books (Armageddon Game and The Alliance being the other two), everything feels very disjointed and convoluted. It’s very uncharacteristic of this book.

And this story is supposed to stretch into the spring? *groans*

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

A TMNT #134 Micro-Review – The Other Mutant Turtles

Rob Siebert Leave a comment

***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

TMNT 134, cover, 2022, Fero PeTITLE: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #134
AUTHORS: Sophie Campbell, Kevin Eastman & Tom Waltz (Story Consultants)
ARTISTS: Fero Pe, Ronda Pattison (Colorist), Shawn Lee (Letterer)

RELEASED: November 9, 2022

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Fero Pe draws a damn good Casey Jones. He draws a damn good TMNTverse as a whole, to be honest.

This issue raises an interesting question. We’ve seen these four imposter Turtles attack Mayor Stockman, right? So how many other mutant Turtles did the big mutagen bomb create? We know about Jennika, obviously. But there could definitely be more. Leo, Don, Raph, and Mike aren’t the only mutant turtles in the world anymore. So what does that mean for them going forward?

Despite the cover, no Krang in this issue. Just sayin’.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

A TMNT #133 Micro-Review – The Long (and Slow) Game

Rob Siebert Leave a comment

***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

TMNT 133, cover, 2022, Fero PeTITLE: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #133
AUTHORS: Sophie Campbell, Kevin Eastman & Tom Waltz (Story Consultants)
ARTISTS: Fero Pe, Ronda Pattison (Colorist), Shawn Lee (Letterer)

RELEASED: October 12, 2022

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

IDW’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series has always played the long game, to an extent. For more than a decade now it’s been great about planting storytelling seeds, setting things up for the future, etc. It’s one of the book’s greatest strengths.

But this “Armageddon Game” story is one of the rare occasions that I would accuse the series of going too slow. We’re several issues in, and while we’ve gotten our inciting incident, it feels like the story has stalled. I’m not sure if they’re dragging things out, or if they’re just going at a very, very deliberate pace…

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.