The end of the beginning.
IDW’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series hits a big milestone with this issue. And the occasion certainly feels momentous, as issue #50 effectively caps off the past four years’ worth of storytelling while simultaneously paving the way for new things. Even though the cover price is fairly high (despite the extra pages) and one of the key elements in this issue falls a bit flat, the overall package is satisfying.
Issue #49 set the stage for the final showdown between the Turtles and the Foot Clan, as our four heroes face off with Shredder’s mutants in hopes of challenging the top dog himself. It’s a brutal, violent issue from start to finish. And that makes a perfect showcase for Mateus Santolouco’s artwork. This series never really achieved its true potential until Santolouco gave it the visual overhaul it needed. It’s only fitting that he returns for this critical chapter. Every page is a fluid ballet where lithe ninja warriors clash with oversized, brutish mutants. The action is both graceful and hard-hitting. And nowhere in this epic battle does Santolouco neglect his expressive character work. Cory Smith also chips in here, rendering flashback sequences that, if slightly less flashy than the others, give the conflict a somber, wistful edge.
Warning: the following paragraph contains spoilers for this issue!
The one element of this issue that doesn’t quite connect involves the resurrection of Donatello. It’s less about the execution of the scene (Don definitely enjoys a memorable entrance as he shifts from Metalhead form back to his organic body) than the idea that the character’s rapid, whirlwind journey robs the moment of a lot of its impact. It was only six issues ago that Donatello “died.” His return as Metalhead followed shortly after, and now he’s already back to normal. It’s disappointing that Kevin Eastman and Tom Waltz weren’t willing to commit to that dramatic death – if not permanently then at least on a more ambitious, lasting scale. It’s one of several areas where the book has seemed to spin in circles recently.
End of spoilers!
That all being said, this issue does carry a lot of dramatic weight. Eventually the conflict shifts to a rooftop confrontation between the Turtles and Shredder. This scene is reminiscent (intentionally so, most likely) of a similar showdown in both the 1990 movie and the original Mirage comic. Waltz and Santolouco certainly put their own spin on things, however. The real crux of this battle is less the physical confrontation and more the psychological clash between Shredder and Splinter. The script really nails the complicated bond between these former brothers and now age-old enemies. The conflict builds to a terrifically emotional crescendo, one that pays off handsomely on the past 49 issues of storytelling. Never let it be said a TMNT comic can’t make you feel things.
As if this grand finish weren’t enough, this issue also establishes a promising new status quo for the series, one that should help the comic distinguish itself that much more when held against the various other incarnations of this franchise. This was a great Shredder story. Now it’s time to explore something new.
The TMNT team certainly went all-out for their 50th issue. This oversized chapter features a nonstop barrage of high-intensity, emotionally charged art from Santolouco and Smith and a dramatic conflict that pays off on year’s of TMNT comics. Unfortunately, the high cover price and the fact that one scene in particular doesn’t quite work prevents this issue from reaching its full potential.
