Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #22 – The City That Never Dies Pt. 2

What is supposed to be a family night in Chinatown turns into a night of magic, fighting, and dead spirits. The Turtles were warned that if their mother did not return to the Land of the Dead, their world would suffer. I’m not sure they fully expected this, though…

Creative Team

Gene Luen Yang (Writer), Fero Pe (Artist), Luis Antonio Delgado (Colorist), Shawn Lee (Letterer)

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

IDW Publishing

The City That Never Dies

Part two of The City That Never Dies takes the Turtles on a mystical adventure as they continue to deal with the return of their mother from the Land of the Dead. Quick refresher: within the Ujigami saga, the Turtles are reconnected with both of their dead parents as they work together to keep a magical portal away from the hands of evil. In doing so, they have compromised the Tree of Life, which is the veil between the Land of the Living and the Land of the Dead.

In issue twenty-two, readers are going to witness what happens when you play with “life magic” while disregarding the rules that must be followed when doing so. This issue takes place within Chinatown on the Chinese holiday of Obon, the Hungry Ghost Festival. This couldn’t come at a worse time for the Hamato family. Recently, they have defied fate and have been reunited once again. This happy family is in for a very interesting night in Chinatown.

The Turtles are only out on the town for some very delicious ice cream when, all of a sudden, some ghosts from their recent past start to appear to one of them. Once this occurs, they come up with the notion that destroying the portal to the Land of the Dead would eliminate all of their worries. Sounds simple enough, but when you are dealing with forces that you have no experience with, it no longer becomes simple. The Turtles are now searching for the witch that created the portal they wish to destroy.

Now you would think that the witch would not be all in for destroying her creation. But she herself has been experiencing ghosts from her past haunting her, as well as a very haunting vision of the future. But destroying her portal is proving to be more of a challenge than everyone expects. Things do not go as planned, and the worst possible thing happens. “Darkness falls across the land, the midnight hour is close at hand. Creatures crawl in search of blood, to terrorize your neighborhood.” – Vincent Price: Thriller.

The Writing

Gene Luen Yang is bringing more and more Chinese lore and historical facts to the TMNT universe, which I find fascinating! Yes, the Turtles are from New York City, but their training and their parents have roots in China. Giving readers a bridge to learn more about Chinese culture and various other facets of China. The dialogue/narration for this story continues to be so gripping and very descriptive for the reader. There is plenty of context/information for the reader to be fully aware of what is taking place. The plot and story development are so fluid that readers can follow along without any confusion about what just took place. Gene continues to produce great stories for the TMNT Universe.

The Artwork

Fero Pe and Luis Antonio Delgado have taken over the reins for the TMNT art, and it is very safe to say that it’s still in good hands. Freddie E. Williams and Andrew Dalhouse provided such beautiful art for the TMNT series. But now Fero and Luis have taken over and are doing absolutely astonishing! The attention to detail that is on display on the page about the Obon Festival is so beautiful. The bright colors and vivid details capture a beautiful festival for people to celebrate ghosts. The pencil work on the facial expressions of the Turtles is amazing. It is one thing to draw emotion on a human face, but to do it on a Turtle’s face behind a “mask” is a whole other feat!

Shawn Lee works his magic within this issue as well! The lettering for this issue and for this series has been phenomenal. A general style and coloration are used when dialogue is taking place. But when there is narration from a single character (Turtle), the text box changes to the color associated with that Turtle. This helps readers know who is thinking this thought at that moment. The text boxes/bubbles are easy to follow and perfectly placed as to not take away from the art of the panel. Various styles and sizes are used to also give dramatization to the story. Larger bold text gives off a high-emotion feeling that helps with telling the story. Great work!

Variant Covers

Final Thoughts

This new story arc for the TMNT Universe is proving to be a challenge that they were warned would happen. I can understand wanting both of your parents back, but at the cost of New York City… This team continues to produce amazing issues every month with great action and storytelling. The added Chinese lore to this series is a joy to see. Seeing the Turtles engage in their heritage is something people should mimic. Take pride in your roots and where you come from. This is a great series and a great read for TMNT and non-TMNT fans. This is the second issue of a new story arc, so it’s not too late to get entranced with this series! Get this issue today from your LCS (Local Comic Shop)!

Overall Grade: 10/10

Links

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Previous TMNT Review: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder #11 – Kill Switch
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