This coming Wednesday, IDW Publishing launches a brand-new tory arc in its flagship Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics series in the form of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #7. The 23-page presentation is a strong start for this latest adventure from IDW’s flagship TMNT series. That is due in part to the story, which puts the Turtles in a new setting. The general writing within the story adds to the issue’s appeal. This will be discussed more a little later. The artwork exhibited throughout the issue puts the finishing touch to the whole. When it is considered alongside the issue’s story and writing, the whole therein makes Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #7 a strong start for this new arc and an equally good jumping on point for new readers. To that end, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #7 proves a presentation that will appeal equally to established and new TMNT fans alike.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #7, the forthcoming latest issue from IDW’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a solid continuation of the series’ “reboot,” which launched last July, and an equally strong jumping on point for new readers. That is due in large part to its story. Crafted by writer Jason Aaron (who led the way with the series’ first five issues, and who has quite the extensive resume with Marvel Comics), the story finds the “brothers green” in “The Sewers of Newark” (the issue’s title) instead of New York. This is revealed at the end of a flashback that takes readers back to the climax of Issues 1-5 in the issue’s opening pages. The Turtles have been made the “enemy of the people” by the media and a power hungry district attorney named Hieronymous Hale, who has a deep seated hatred of not only the Turtles, but of mutants and a direct tie to the Foot clan. The simple way in which Aaron tied those issues and their arc to this story is seamless and will be discussed a little more later. Even though the Turtles are now in New Jersey instead of New York, they still have to face the Foot Clan, who are no longer ninjas, but rather a power hungry militia type organization.
Dealing with the armed thugs — who are now going so far as to extort money from business owners and trying to arrest innocent people, thanks to their ties to Newark’s governing body — is not the Turtles’ only problem. Dealing with their own personal struggles continues to cause problems for the group. Following the events of the series’ first five issues, Donatello (who had been held captive in a mutant zoo of sorts) is still not fully himself. Michelangelo, ever the odd man out, remains so here, while as usual, Leonardo and Raphael remain at odds with one another. So, the guys have to overcome their differences once again in order to come together and stop the Foot’s criminal work in the Turtles’ new “home.”
Along the way, Aaron continues to seamlessly tie the new story arc into its predecessor, noting Casey Jones’ hospitalization at the hands of the Foot, which also happened during the previous arc. Additionally, Donatello’s surprise revelation in the issue’s finale (which will be left for readers to discover for themselves) is another direct tie back to that previous story arc. Those collective connections are of importance because of their simplicity and their role in keeping the series’ overall flow moving forward. To that end, the overall story featured here forms a strong starting point for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #7.
Getting back to that note of the writing, the simple way in which Aaron references the events of the series’ first five issues is a soft nudge, more than a push on readers. It encourages readers to find out what happened in those first five issues rather than making them feel like they have been left behind. On the surface, this may seem minor, but in reality, it is a big deal. That is because in so many studios’ graphic novel series, there is something in the writing that does exactly that – using that overt serialization. The serialization is here, too, but just not as overt as in so many other series out there. Rather, Aaron lets readers know they might want to check out those previous issues first while also ensuring this issue is its own tale. This is to be highly commended.
That Aaron was able to so smoothly tie Issues 1-5 to this brand-new story arc in such soft manner is just one example of what makes the general writing so enjoyable. The juxtaposition of the third person narrative style alongside the story’s actual execution adds to the appeal of the general writing. Thanks to the duality of that narration and action, readers are left to wonder until the story’s final pages, which of the Turtles is narrating what happens along the way while also being fully immersed in the story’s action. It creates a secondary sense of enjoyment that is just as important as anything else in the writing. That revelation as to the narrator’s identity will also be left for readers to learn on their own.
Speaking of the execution, Aaron ensures the action keeps moving even when the Turtles are not busy fighting this new version of the Foot clan. The tension between the “brothers” (which is nothing new to this aspect of the Turtles’ history) is still as tight as ever. This, even as Donatello and Michelangelo continue to serve as comic relief of sorts in their own deliveries. That overall progression of events on the streets of Newark and below does just as much to keep readers engaged and entertained as the way in which Aaron tied this story to the Turtles’ previous story arc. When the overall general writing and story are paired together, they give readers more than enough reason to take in this issue of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Putting the final touch to the forthcoming issue of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is its featured artwork. Crafted by artist Juan Ferreyra (who continues his run on the series alongside Aaron), the artwork here stands on its own merits. The look that Ferreyra brings to this issue is once again something of a sketchbook style look. One of his best moments comes early in the story as a giant video board displays the message, “Killers in a Halfshell.” The cracked screen is reminiscent of a scene that had played out so many times in Marvel Comics’ Spiderman series — that display crafted by J. Jonah Jameson declaring Spiderman to essentially be public enemy #1. Knowing Aaron’s connection to Marvel comics, one can only wonder if he and Ferreyra talked about that moment as part of the story here. There is something about the design there, the use of the brightly lit board against the dark background lit only by the lights from another building, that makes the moment stand out.
On another note, the sewer scenes are of their own interest. Case in point is the scene in which Michelangelo is trying to convince Donatello that his dead rat is not Splinter. Readers who pay close attention will note the moonlight shining through the sewer grate from above. The shadow and light showing on the wall is subtle, but so great to see in that subtlety. It shows Ferreyra’s continued attention to such a minute detail. It makes for its own aesthetic appeal.
On yet another note, the scenes in which Donatello explains to his brothers that Splinter was with each of them spiritually in the previous arc is another example of the strength of Ferreyra’s work. The look of Splinter’s appearance in each instance is a direct throwback to his appearance to the Turtles in the original TMNT move from so many ages ago. It shows a love for the TMNT’s legacy, giving its use and design style. This puts the finishing touch when it and the other examined moments are considered as part of the overall artwork. When the overall artwork is considered alongside the story and the writing therein, the whole of that material makes Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #7 a strong new addition to IDW’s latest run from its flagship TMNT series.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #7, the forthcoming issue of IDW’s leading TMNT series, is a strong new entry in the company’s ongoing franchise. Its appeal comes in part through its story, which is its own tale and a continuation of the “rebooted” series’ initial run. The way in which writer Jason Aaron connected that initial run to this new “chapter” is seamless. It ensures the story is its own entity while gently urging readers to get the back story leading up to this issue first. That he continued to present the Foot clan as a unique entity instead of the long running organization that it has been for years while also keeping the Turtles familiar in their personalities is also of note in the story’s engagement and entertainment. The story’s companion artwork puts the finishing touch to the whole. That is because of its rough design. That sketch book type design plays well into the rough situation into which Aaron has placed the Turtles once more. Each item examined here is important in its own way to the whole of this issue of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. All things considered they make Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #7 a welcome read for established and new TMNT fans alike.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #7 is scheduled for release in comics shops nationwide Feb. 26. More information on this and other titles from IDW Publishing is available at:
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