Legacy Review #17: TMNT (IDW Collection #1)
- Francois DesRochers
- 20 minutes ago
- 5 min read
Authors: Kevin Eastman & Tom Waltz
Note: Others as noted by each individual comic issue
Released: 09 June 2015
Pages: 424 pages
INTRODUCTION
As I got TMNT & Other Strangeness RPG Redux Edition from Palladium Books, I thought it prudent to go back and check out some of the comic book source material that provided the basis for a lot of the gaming materials found in the classic RPG. As the original comics are rare in the extreme, I found the IDW collection almost in its entirety in the local Chapters. I threw a few of the first volumes up on the Christmas list, and Santa delivered on Volume 1.
Collecting the first 12 comics of the IDW comic series, a little research tells me the material is ‘canon,’ to the original. Despite there being some differences to my recollection of the afternoon cartoon episodes of my youth, I’ll chalk it up to me being so far out of touch with the comic lore as to “not know what I don’t know” and just enjoy the ride moving forward. But then, similar to the review I’ve done for the ROBOTECH RPG and the Jack McKinney novelization, I fully expect to get much more enjoyment out of the physical, printed product than the animated series.
Bear in mind, my introduction to this IP was through the cartoon, and only an ancillary association with the Palladium Books RPG. The ROBOTECH RPG and anime were my jam as a kid. Despite all this, we jump into the first comic, with both a sense of nostalgia and anticipation to see what this comic was all about.
DISCUSSION
Plot Development. More dense than expected; very good. I’ll be upfront and honest, I was a little shocked at my lack of recollection to some of the details to the origin-story of the principal characters; or that of some of the most influential secondary characters (e.g. April O’Neill and Casey Jones). I also very much appreciated the slow burn of the reveals, stretching some of the more salient points over several comic books. Bound in a single volume like this really does provide a more fluid way of reading the whole, which sells the story telling aspect of the series. You’re getting massively satisfying injects of art and action, but the tome promises so much more as you go.
Reincarnation Theme. I particularly enjoyed the reincarnation theme that developed the personalities of Shredder versus Splinter and his family of four sons. The back-story that developed, from what I’ve gathered, is not the original presentation, and frankly I’m fine with that. I really appreciated the way it tied the past int the present, hinting at future interplay of the secondary characters with some action or political intrigue that may have occurred in feudal Japan.
Micro-Series One Shots. The use and inclusion of the single comic dedicated to each major character’s perspective, while presenting a tangent that reinforces the main story arcs, was a brilliant piece of storytelling. Initially reading them, I honestly had no idea if these were presented as separate comics or folded within the numbered series of IDW releases. What I can say is that they present a unique glimpse into the character of each of the four Turtles, as well as Splinter, and some reinforcement to the dynamic they build upon when they fight together as a whole.
Raphael. Almost considered the lead character of the first few books, this continues his solo-Turtle adventuring alongside Casey Jones. They fight crime and get introduced to Alopex, who has dark connections.
Michaelangelo. Ever the party-lover, he gets into a costume party and somehow part of a crew robbing the site. Things go sideways; that robbery crew certainly are an eclectic group.
Donatello. Attending a science expo, he fights against a begrudged scientist of some capability. Once betrayed Baxter Stockman, he and Donatello team up to win the day, but make enemies of Stochman.
Leonardo. Presented as more a loner than Raphael, he appears to take on the Foot Clan all on his own. A very long drawn out battle develops his perspective for the reader, and he comes to the conclusion that leading the group together to protect each other and leverage their individual strengths is so much more powerful.
Splinter. We dive into the sensei's past, discovering the real heart of the reincarnation theme that is being leveraged with this series. It sets the tone for the conflict between Splinter and Shredder.
Climactic Battle. The final reveal of Shredder, and battle-royale that ensues with Splinter and the Foot underlings, does a very solid tying off of the ‘reincarnation’ plot arc, as well as setting things in motion for future entries. We’ve set the stage for the primary antagonist that will likely forever be part of the story, and the core group or protagonists to cheer for. At the end of it, we get a hugely satisfying series of imagery, with the slight advantage and victory of the heroes over Shredder. It ends with one of the best one-liners, delivered by Leonardo, that ties back to his individual micro-series one-shot.
Art. If you like the art of the recent releases of TMNT, there is everything to love and adore in the IDW releases as well. It’s crisp and clean, action jumps off the page, and I never really found myself thinking they took any shortcuts or rush-jobs in any of the panels. The colors are rich, whoo-boy do they really work with the thicker paper quality they used for the Collection series.
CONCLUSION
As I’m truly revisiting this Intellectual Property from a “source material” perspective for the first time, several things immediately occur to me. As a collection of the first 12 comics and bonus issues, this makes for a very dense read. It presents a complete and very engaging original script for many of the major players to the TMNT realm. The story is broken down into the narrative chunks to fit into the comic book limitations of page count and panels-per-page to make for a quick but enjoyable experience. And boy does the art deliver. Coming to us from the 2010s, the imagery is slick and in a style that remains true to the original and what we see replicated in the TMNT & Other Strangeness RPG Redux and Transdimensional TMNT.
I’m also of the age group that would remember the cartoon presentation of this IP back in the 1980/1990s, as well as the live-action movies from that era. This took up no small space of the limited attention for kids in school at the time. Marketing was everywhere, as was the merchandising; lunch boxes, t-shirts, stickers galore, binder covers, you name it. I’ll be honest that the staging of the plot line presented a bit of a friction point as I tried to reconcile the IDW plot with what I remembered. Quite frankly, I got over it.
Fully understanding that the IDW series is not the ‘original’ series, it is also the one series available for a relative newbie to get into and with the right amount of access (local big-box bookstore or comic shop, funds). If one has the funds and dedication, you could collect the IDW collection in its entirety. Currently at what, 18 volumes and a sourcebook, this is no small investment. With the first five volumes sitting on my shelf, I figured I have some great reading ahead.
Cowabunga indeed!
Return to All Posts
Please LIKE and SUBSCRIBE!
