Review: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #144
From IDW Publishing
The end of a story arc, and perhaps a new status quo in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #144 from IDW Publishing - out now in print and digitally.
To rescue their friend, the TMNT face off against Dr. Barlow, the mastermind behind the Mutant Town murders! But even if they're successful, can they recover from the price they've paid to face their demons? Don't miss the epic conclusion of "Damages Done"!
Story - Kevin Eastman, Writer - Sophie Campbell, Artist - Gavin Smith, Colorist - Ronda Pattison, Letterer - Rus Wooton, Assistant Editor - Nicolas NiƱo, Editor - Charles Beacham & Editor - Jonathan Manning
Finishing off this arc, many characters have a lot of closure. It does well with the nightmares that the TMNT and their friends had and its long-term effect on them.
Before we get to that, though, we get a good knockdown battle between Venus and a powered-up Dr. Barlow. It works well, and we get a good look at what Venus is all about and what she can do when push comes to shove. She will make an interesting addition to the team, and I look forward to her story moving forward.
As a side note, I did like that she had some time away from the main story, as that allows the character to return fresh and make a good impact. The result of this battle is entertaining. There are some power-ups for some and a sense of belonging for others. Have the Turtles gained a new ally? Perhaps, but I like the use of that one.
At the conclusion of the story, we do get some of the characters making some interesting decisions, and this is a split for them all. Itās hard-hitting, and you can see that with the characters - nevertheless, this is a good thing and will allow their return to have more impact on the story. There may even be some learning for them all too.
We also get a big tease as to what is coming next, and we have had some dire warnings - I get the feeling that this is a bit of a Tony Stark/Beast moment, where they think that everything can be fixed. This wonāt go well, I think!
The artwork is excellent - from the fights underground and the magic to the more personal touches of tears running down charactersā faces. An excellent finish!
Get Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #144 at Forbidden Planet here:
