Review: TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES AMAZING ADVENTURES #1

 

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TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES AMAZING ADVENTURES #1
Written by Landry Quinn Walker and James Kochalka
Art by Chad Thomas and Heather Breckel
Published by IDW Publishing
Release date: August 19, 2015

I’m just going to come right out and say it, I enjoy spending time with ninjas. Sure, they’re not very cute or cuddly, but jeez, they have tenacity. And on top of that, they manage to keep their cool in the face of danger. Seriously, we could all take a page out of their book.

TMNT Amazing Adventures #1 is jam-packed with fun right from the first page, where Landry Quinn Walker’s main story sees our favorite turtles in quite a pickle already. Cluckingsworth, a super-intelligent mutant chicken, has made a troublesome return to New York City… and there may or may not be a certain mystery involving a zodiac.

For those unfamiliar with Cluckingsworth, allow me to elaborate. She is one of the Turtles’ chickens that accidentally got exposed to Mutagenic fuel back at their farmhouse, giving her a giant, exposed brain on top of her regular chicken body. It’s quite awesome, if you ask little old me.

Master Splinter gets a lot of face time here, who acts as a brilliant mediator to the turtles as they try to fight off Shredder, and… I’m going to stop that thought for fear of spoilers. I will say, though, that is a great sense of a “ticking time bomb,” and each page effectively builds upon the last. What I personally love the most about TMNT, and definitely this new series, is that throughout all the fast-paced action and fight sequences, the turtles are allowed room to breathe through their observations, and are voiced with a keen sense of humor. I’ve always felt that this is a suprising element of TMNT, and one that I truly appreciate because it makes me feel more actively involved in the story.

The art by Chad Thomas and colors by Heather Breckel are brilliantly married to the writing (yep, it’s a threesome). They carefully highlight small moments within larger set pieces, where they want our eye to travel and stay for a second. The nature of TMNT is frantic, but calming moments in the deep blue night sky bring us back down to Earth.

Last but not least, this issue is a double-threat, because it includes a back up story at the end by indie artist and writer, James Kochalka. “Volcano Time” is a hilarious and sweet story featuring a whole lot of pizza. It’s a great addition to the piece, lighter in tone than the main story — but with the same agenda… we’ve got to SAVE THE CITY!

I thoroughly recommend TMNT Amazing Adventures if you’re after some exciting escapism. It hits the nail on head — and I don’t think I’m even the target audience. Did I mention I am a 29 year-old female?

The Verdict: 7.5/10

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