Hey everyone, Crooker has written a review of IDW’s new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #3, starring Jason Aaron as the helmeted hero. The art for this issue is provided by Cliff Chiang and stars my favorite turtle, Leonardo, the blue-clad leader who is always in charge. It took me a long time to figure out how to approach this review. So I hope I can offer a fair critique and my own perspective on this review. It’s ninja time.
IDW Publishing
Since this was an early review version, I had a lot of time to think about this issue. My feelings are complicated. This issue has a lot of what I like about it and what I’ve wanted from IDW’s TMNT in particular for years, but at the same time there’s a weird vibe to this issue that I can’t explain. I can’t help but feel that way. It’s like 12 degrees to the left until I hit what I thought was the perfect mark.
I feel like Aaron is digging into the well of Mirage-era Peter Laird to write this piece, and in a way I really appreciate that. I love Mirage books. This book somehow remains the most underrated and underrated book about the Turtles, despite being the source material. And anything that strives to feel like that great, weird, quirky, gritty indie hit, I respect it. I’ll tell you, Leonardo is my favorite Turtle and one of my favorite characters of all time, so I’m completely biased as to what this character should be. That being said, I always try to consider the intent of the writer and the story, and on that level, and this way Mirage feels, Aaron and I are pretty much in sync, the intent of the story is what I think it is. It’s a thing. agree. It’s weirdly zen-like and very spiritual, but less like IDW Ninja Turtles and more like Denny O’Neil’s The Question.
Don’t get me wrong, I much prefer it that way. IDW’s Leo was never the version of the character that I felt great affection for, especially the fact that the most spiritual and mystical aspects became not only great aspects of his character but later on. It wasn’t. I read the entire book during Campbell’s tenure. These aspects were always present in moderation in the Turtles, but moderation was the key. He knew when a story deserved emotional magic, and when something more cerebral and quiet was needed. The balance that the original Mirage books and the 2003 manga had was largely due to Peter Laird’s extremely talented character writing.
IDW Publishing
But it’s still a little…off. Maybe it’s this particular story and the way it’s told. Leo does some really weird things over the course of this issue that just seem stupid. And not in the way Ninja Turtles are supposed to be stupid, just…stupid. It makes him seem like a weird idiot for thinking he’s actually getting something out of what he’s about to do, and immediately creates a weird atmosphere that makes the rest of the story interesting, quiet and , spoils the Zen part. It’s really interesting to see Leo find peace and solace in this situation he finds himself in. Considering everything this version has been through, it’s easy to see that his character finds some sort of strange, perverse comfort in the unconventional. But the setting…I don’t know, he’s written so strangely. The action feels about right, but the inner voice still doesn’t understand it. Just to be clear, I think Aaron understands that too, so I hope these kinks are ironed out once we get into business in earnest.
IDW Publishing
Artistically speaking, it’s very good. I don’t think TMNT has had much bad or subpar art in general, but I really like what Chiang is doing with it. It’s an interesting contrast between bright and moody, and the ninja action is very dynamic and satisfying. That’s kind of standard for the Turtles, but being good at it is no small thing. It takes talent to achieve both of these at the same time. Chiang does a great job of drawing the classic Ninja Turtles, and that’s all I really want to be happy with, so the fact that he did such a great job on top of that is even better.
Overall, I have mixed opinions about this manga. I think it’s moving in the direction I wanted, but I felt a little unsatisfied with the execution. I continued writing review copy for almost a month because I just couldn’t find a way to distill this inner conflict into what I thought was a fair critique of what was actually on this page. It’s not what I wanted, it’s what I was trying to do. Well, I think I now know what was being attempted, but it’s not 100% successful…yet. Patience will be a blessing to you, from me as a fan and reader, because I have reason to believe that things will get better from here on out.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #3 Review
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #3
It’s a step forward in a good direction, but it struggles to balance the serious nature of its characters with the serious, demanding nature of its subject matter.
art is amazing
The atmosphere is very Mirage and feels true to the core of the franchise
Potential for a solid character framework
The character’s internal voice still doesn’t feel right
The setup is appealing at first, but then spoils itself with the wrong kind of ridiculous levity at the wrong time.
