Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #18 – Reunited

The story of Ujigami comes to a close. The Ninja Turtles have overcome so many obstacles within this six-part series. Will they have the “happy” ending they deserve, or will the turmoil never subside?

Creative Team

Gene Luen Yang (Writer), Freddie E. Williams II & Fero Pe (Artists),
Andrew Dalhouse & Luis Antonio Delgado (Colorists), Shawn Lee (Letterer)

Nathan Widick (Designer), Jake Thomas (Editor), Tommy Stella (Assistant Editor), Ben Bates (Ujigami Designer)

Publisher: IDW Publishing

Reunited

Issue eighteen of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) is the final installment of a six-part series entitled “Ujigami“. This short story has been an emotional adventure for readers, which comes to a beautiful end with issue eighteen. Gene Luen Yang has provided a different scope for readers of TMNT, and I hope readers have enjoyed the style in which it was delivered.

Within this entire series, Gene has introduced mystical elements as well as Japanese lore to give the Turtles a deeper connection to their heritage. On top of these beautiful additions, Gene gives every issue their own life lesson for a single Turtle or the collective. This is one of the main reasons I kept reading TMNT into this new run. Add in the amazing storytelling and majestic artwork you have a recipe for comic book success!

Issue eighteen, as mentioned before, is the conclusion to this mini-series and a continuation of the events that readers left off with in issue seventeen. Things are getting out of control for the Turtles. Master Splinter has lost all but one of his marbles. New characters are added to this story, and their impact in this ending is especially poetic.

This issue is absolutely a “family affair” as the Turtles team up to not only fight, but to bring some sort of control to Master Splinter. In doing so, the Turtles are reintroduced to someone from their past, and it shocks them all to the core. This is a beautiful story of family and the importance of being there for them. Not one family in existence is perfect, and the Turtles’ family is no exception to the rule.

The Writing

Gene Luen Yang does an excellent job writing this six-part series of Ujigami. You can feel every emotion within the panels, ranging from happiness to rage. Gene Luen Yang is bringing a unique perspective to these iconic Turtles. Drawing more attention to their Japanese roots and a different backstory. Gene’s writing style is very emotional within this TMNT run, and I’m here for it! He (Gene) really focuses on each Turtle’s personality with a fine-tooth comb, so readers can relate to each Turtle. The plot for this six-part series is packed with so much ethos and pathos, which will make readers get lost within the pages.

The Artwork

The art team for this entire mini-series needs to stick together for as long as they can! Freddie E. Williams II provides spectacular pencil work! It reminds me of earlier TMNT art with more modern tones and definition. This captures the emotional details within panels so well! The coloration for this series has been amazing as well! Bringing to readers a gripping combination of bright and faded scenes that keep readers on their toes while reading. The splash pages are engulfed with so much detail that readers need to take time while reading to take in all the challenging work that goes into those pages. Beautiful work!

Shawn Lee completes this series with his lettering. The font selection is spot on in terms of size and readability. A range of styles is used depending on the panel and which character is speaking. The use of bold text also gives a powerful tone to impactful dialogue as well. The placement of the comment bubbles is meticulously arranged, giving ample space for the art to tell the story. Great work!

Variant Covers

Final Thoughts

This entire creative team has created an authentic TMNT story that true fans will enjoy. It provides so much detail into their new backstory that even new readers of TMNT will find enjoyment in this run. This issue is the conclusion of the mini-series, leaving issue nineteen wide open for an epilogue story. I say that because issue twenty is going to be the start of a new story! Issue twenty will also be the three-hundredth issue of TMNT! Exciting times for TMNT fans as well as new readers!

Grade:10/10!

Links

Comic Book Reviews & Entertainment News: Nerd Initiative
Previous TMNT Review: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #17 – Fears Conquered
Travis’ NI Portfolio: TravisComicHaven – Nerd Initiative
Travis’ Personal Content: Travis’ Comic Haven

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