Review: TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #43

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TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #43
Written by Tom Waltz, Kevin Eastman, Bobby Curnow
Art by Cory Smith
Published by IDW Publishing
Release Date: February 25, 2015

It’s mayhem everywhere as multiple factions battle to stop Krang from firing up the Technodrome and destroy all life on Earth. So yeah, this is a low action, low stakes issue of TMNT…or not.

Swords and kicks are flying everywhere in this one as the tension is at a fever pitch. Waltz, Eastman and Curnow have crafted quite a tale here, with two iconic TMNT villains throwing down in an entertaining battle with high stakes. Everyone who is anyone appears in this issue, but considering the huge scope of the story it makes perfect sense. This is as big a brawl as there’s going to be and it is loads of fun. Fun really is the best word I can use to describe this comic, as there is big action, big personalities and some great one liners floating around as you would expect from a TMNT comic. Waltz has a rock solid command over these characters’ voices and for anyone with history with the Turtles, this is just like being pulled back into the world you know and remember.

I have sporadically read the Turtles comics over the years and I will freely admit this is the strongest I have ever seen them. This story is large and ambitious and Waltz’s writing holds up without stretching the characters too far or taking them places that are not plausible. This is firmly planted within the world of TMNT and is very entertaining, with a grand story to go along with the quips and fun. Waltz balances the action in this issue very well by letting some great characters shine and this story is another win for IDW in their line of very well crafted licensed titles.

The artwork by Cory Smith is strong from start to finish. He’s dealing with a huge cast here and the vast majority of these characters are mutants with varying physical structures but he aces each of them. The individual personalities of these characters leap from the page and Smith delivers some very strong action-based artwork. He’s a great fit for the story Waltz & co. have scripted and his dynamic pencils give this issue a lot of life.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fans are living in a golden age for the franchise as issue #43 is a rock solid chapter with a huge amount of action, especially considering it is a mid-arc issue. This book is a lot of fun and if you’re nostalgia draws you toward the Turtles at all, I highly recommend you give this series a shot.

The Verdict: 8.0/10

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