Review: TMNT - The Main Series, The Last Ronin: Lost Years and The Armageddon Game
Out Now From IDW Publishing
There’s a lot from the world of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles this week with the main series, and it’s spinoff The Armageddon Game, as well as the possible future of The Last Ronin: Lost Years. All out now from IDW Publishing.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #139
ENTER THE ENDGAME! A former enemy returns to offer the Turtles one last chance to stop the Rat King before his plans coalesce and all hope is lost! As the team regroups, secrets are revealed, terrible truths confronted, and impossible decisions faced. Plus, when the godlike beings of the Pantheon are at last forced to act against their wayward brother, will they realize they’ve delayed too long? As the Armageddon Game enters its end stage, Leo, Donnie, Mikey, Raph, and Jenny will discover they have no one to rely on but each other!
Writer: Sophie Campbell, Artist, Cover Artist: Fero Peniche & Variant Cover Artist: Kevin Eastman
When there is more than one issue of a larger story out in the first week, it is always difficult to decide what to read first. In this case, I don’t think it matters. This works well as a larger part of the story, with some good character moments from all the characters involved. This was a vital bonding issue for the clan - as they had been split apart in there various quests in this larger story. I like the way they all get together and there are some excellent spiritual moments in this issue. There is some final knowledge for the Turtles, and this is where they go to for the final confrontation.
It fits well into the story - either before or after the Armageddon Game issue - and gets us ready for the finale with some excellent art and staging of the panels.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Armageddon Game #7
CHAOS REIGNS! Despite the best efforts of Oroku Saki and the tenacious Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, New York City teeters on the edge of anarchy. The Rat King and his trio of terror have outmaneuvered the heroes at every stage, and now his vision of a world in ruin is well within reach! Soon, his siblings, the Pantheon, will have no choice but to play his game! Can the TMNT find a way to stop the apocalypse, or will disorder rule the day? It all comes to a head in the penultimate issue of The Armageddon Game!
Creator, Variant Cover Artist: Vincenzo Federici, Writer: Kevin Eastman, Artist, Cover Artist: Tom Waltz & Colorist: Matt Herms
If the main series issue was all about the spirit, then this one is all about action. The combined forces of the TMNT clan are taking down first Madame Null and then the Utrom threat. After the revelation of the previous issue, the threat to the Turtles and the world, in general, is much larger than we all thought, and there needs to be something done.
First, the battle against Null shows just how dangerous she can be - and I’m sure she will return to bother the heroes again. Nevertheless, this was a longer-than-expected battle, and it had some good back-and-forth points to it.
the battle with Krang is something different, and it has some well-thought-out plays to it and a just reward for a character such as him.
Finishing off, we get the link to the main series, which builds us towards the ending well.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin - The Lost Years #3
THE TALE OF THE LAST RONIN’S FIRST MISSION CONTINUES! In the past: Michelangelo’s quest for vengeance takes him further westward and the fighting forms he’s mastered thus far will prove invaluable as he faces yet another adversary. Nothing will stand in the way of his quest to return to New York City and avenge his family for the fates suffered at the hands of the Foot Clan except maybe the chiding voices of his dead brothers. Meanwhile, in the present (a.k.a. our future!), Casey Marie Jones does her best to rear the next generation of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as both their master and surrogate mother and she’s finding she’s not sure which undertaking is more difficult!
Writer: Tom Waltz, Writer, Variant Cover Artist: Kevin Eastman, Penciller, Cover Artist: SL Galant, Artist, Variant Cover Artist: Ben Bishop, Inker: Maria Keane, Colorist, Variant Cover Artist: Luis Antonio Delgado, Colorist, Variant Cover Artist: Ifan Noor, Letterer: Shawn Lee, Variant Cover Artist: Tyler Kirkham, Variant Cover Artist: In-Hyuk Lee, Variant Cover Artist: Gavin Smith, Variant Cover Artist: Peejay Catacutan, Associate Editor: Thea Cheuk & Editor: Charles Beacham
This was a heavy issue. There is much to take in - not only the world we see in this series - but also Michaelangelo.
In his quest to take out the warlord Death Worm, Michaelangelo has travelled a long way, and perhaps if he were better at science, he would have seen the signs, but that was not to be.
After being blinded by the nuclear fallout, Michaelangelo has some new learning to do, and this issue does feature a good montage, but it also moves the story on well.
The training undertaken made Michaelangelo better at what he does - with some excellent moments as he learned to deal with the loss of his sight. I assume there will be a point when he regains it, as he has it back in the main series, but this is a good segway.
There is some movement in the story arc as Michaelangelo and those who helped him are attacked. It’s too much for him, and he is captured.
This issue continued with the excellent art, taking us to more places and people than usual.