Review: TMNT – Micro Series #1: Raphael

If you've been paying attention to the site you’ll noticethat I’ve really enjoyed the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles from IDW, simple facts is that I can’t keep gushingover it each month so Eric will be reviewing issue #4 when he can. With that inmind I went in thinking that this “micro series” was going to be a cheap tie-into the series and just a reason to sell more Turtles. I was wrong. This book isevery bit as good as the ongoing and that’s very shocking for me to say. I willlet you know that you need to read the fourth issue of TMNT proper beforereading this book or you’ll spoil the issue for yourself. That being said, youshould probably do that before reading this review as well.

Raph and Casey are patrolling in Casey’s neighborhoodbasically looking for something to hit. Casey is very inquisitive about Raph’snew life and his brothers, but Raph being Raph doesn’t want to talk about it.It becomes transparent to the reader mid-way through that Casey is in awe ofhis family since his is non-existent. The two find some trouble when they finda cloaked person running for their life from two familiar looking thugs. Raphand Casey make quick work of the thugs and discover another mutant that is alsofamiliar to long time Turtle readers… Alopex!

That’s all you get of the story since the actually dialogand story are pretty short and sweet. In a way this series is looking to bebuilding the overall story arc that will play out in the ongoing and I reallylike that. The idea of a mini or micro-series covering an element of theongoing so that the main series doesn’t suffer or get held back from naturallyprogressing is very smart. I really felt like this added to the fourth issueand acted like a companion issue rather than a cheap cash in on the series. Iknow that companies love to say that they’re responding to the success of theseries, but the time and release schedule always proves opposite. It’s clearthat there was thought and effort put in this series and that’s good to see.

The creative teams of writer Brian Lynch and artist FrancoUrru do a great job of continue the success from the ongoing. Urru’s art styleis very different from Duncan’s, but it works in a positive way and plays toLynch’s story the way it needs to. I would have to say that as good as thestory is there was a lot of art and very little story or dialog, when there wassome it was quite good but there needed to be a better balance between thedialog and the captions. Otherwise Lynch and Urru have added a noteworthychapter to the Turtles story. This week doesn’t have a lot of stuff coming out,but I recommend picking up both issues of Turtles and stop back for Eric’sreview of the fourth issue with his fresh prospective.

Score: 4/5

P.S. If you enjoy that cover then check out Mouse Guard - The Black Axe #3 out now!

Comments

[Eric]

Awesome book I loved it