Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #2:
Fame, Fortune, a hit TV show, and the best food Tokyo has to offer, what more could Mikey need? He’s a turtle who has it all, but something still lingers deep, something missing. Mikey used to long for his old life, fighting and eating slices with his brothers, and it seems he may soon get what he has wished for.
Creative Team:
Writer: Jason Aaron
Art: Rafael Albuquerque
Colors: Marcelo Maiolo
Letters: Shawn Lee
Cover: Rafael Albuquerque
Publisher: IDW Publishing
The Art:
This issue takes us away from the sewers and grit of America and into the high profile life of Japan. One of he big standouts within this issue is Rafael and Marcelo’s ability to utilize the city in a unique way.
The bright lights of the city shining into the apartment offer us a blinding perspective as the fast-paced action kicks off and the duo make the shadows work in extra fun ways throughout.
Putting a Hollywood style spin on his weapons by encrusting his chucks in diamonds was a fun nod as well. When it comes down to the rawness of how Mikey looks, Maiolo does a very cool job using flat greens to shade him, which adds texture to his skin bringing him to life from the pages.
Shawn helps bring emotions to our characters especially Mikey as he pumps his voice full of excitement and yet when he is all alone we feel the sadness and anger boiling within.
The Writing:
Speaking of the writing, I am enjoying how Jason gives each turtle time to shine in this grand return. Their lives could not be more different than one another, and yet, so far, they harbor a deep resentment that no amount of fame or fortune can fix. A line that sticks out is “When did I get old?” We all can relate in one way or another, and it’s just another way to capture the reader further in this story. We don’t yet know how our favorite turtles split up, but the build-up and anticipation are growing with each issue.
So, How Did I Feel?
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #2 creates tension and anticipation and shows us that even if we have everything we could ever want, there could always be something missing. The action is intense, and the anger and brutality leap from panel to panel. This is an absolute must-read for every issue!
10/10
Matt makes up one half of the podcast, Hops GEEK News. They discuss all things geek pop culture while enjoying a craft beer of the week. They also interview many different people from the comic book world and beyond.
