Review: TMNT #6 Review

We’re on the sixth issue of this series already so if you’renot hooked then you’re probably not going to be by this issue either. There’sno doubt that the first five were a lot stronger issues than this one, but itstill has a great mix of old and new elements that not only have a feel of nostalgiabut actually work within the modern story. There is however some hiccups in this issuethat some will find disappointing since the book has increased inquality for the past five months.

If you read the preview you’ll see that the book starts withthe Turtles following after members of the Foot Clan that are hot on the trailof a Frenchman. There’s banter back and forth from Donnie and Leo as the twocan’t seem to agree upon anything. They stay out of the way until SPOILER, theFrench dude takes a knife in the back. The Foot Soldiers drop a smoke grenade andleave the scene and the Turtles receive the Frenchman’s last words, “War iscoming.” After that Splinter drops some more knowledge bombs on Turtles andexplains how they were reincarnate into their current forms. Donnie isskeptical since he’s more of a turtle of science.

You’re going to have to read the book in order to not bedisappointed by that cover, but I will say the Mousers are back! The book isgood, but it’s starting to hang out too much on the origins of the Turtles andSplinter. Granted their still laying the ground work for stories to pay offyears down the road and I love that, but what was fresh and interesting forfive issues is starting to become common place which lessens the impact of thereveals. I’d really like to see a break in the story and just have some solidaction. Hopefully, that’s the plan for the next issue.

Edit: I was wrong about the color bands that was in the fifth issue, guess it didn't stick out as much as I would have thought. Thanks to writer Tom Waltz for pointing it out to me via Twitter.

There were two elements to this issue that threw me offinstantly. The first was the fact that we were in the present day storylineafter being left in the past previously and the second was the head bands. Iloved the fact that they were all wearing old school red bands and it seemed like it wasgoing to be something special when they received their colors. Unfortunately,there was nothing special about it since the colorist seems to have taken itupon themselves to fill it in.

The writing and art are still very solid, but I have to downgrade them both this issue. The past five issues have been either fives or foursand this issue just isn’t up to par which is a bummer. Even still the book isbetter than a lot of other titles out there and worth picking up. I’m not surethat this issue is the start of new storyline as it feels as if we’re justgoing to keep going with each new chapter. I like that a lot, it breaks fromthat feeling of the six issue story arc that has taken over the storytellingart form of comics. For that it gets kudos, but I really hope the next issue isbetter.

Score: 3/5

Story: Kevin Eastman and Tom Waltz

Script: Tom Waltz

Art: Dan Duncan

Publisher: IDW Publishing

Price: $3.99

Release Date: 1/25/2012

Review Links!
First Issue
Second Issue
Third Issue
Fourth Issue
Fifth Issue

Comments

[Anonymous]

The turtles got thier color head bands at the end of issue 5. Where you not even paying attention to the issue just before this one?

[Anonymous]

Your review loses all credibility since you don't even seem to remember that the turtles got the colored headbands in the last issue...

[Dustin Cabeal]

Thank you both for your... comments. Actually Tom pointed it out to me on Twitter, but I have a day job that doesn't allow me access to make corrections as quickly as I'd like. We've updated the review.

As far as discrediting my review, it's still not as strong of an issue as previous five have been. You both really latched on to one detail and didn't absorb anything else I talked about. Also Anonymous... #2, I didn't review the last issue check the name on the review.