Welcome to an all new edition of Parlay Points!
For this entry, a new era is ready to kick off for the heroes in a half shell. It is hard to believe that it has been 40 years since Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo debuted. Who knew at that moment that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles would eventually cross over into pop culture lore?
Comics. Animation. Movies. The franchise has gone through many phases. In the end, the comics have always been a constant amongst the fan base. With a new series launch coming, IDW is giving fans an introduction into the next phase of Turtle Power.
TEENAGE MUTNAT NINJA TURTLES: ALPHA #1 by Jason Aaron, Chris Burnham, Brian Reber, Tom Waltz, Gavin Smith, Ronda Pattison and Nathan Widick (IDW Publishing) greets readers in what is forthcoming.
Let’s take a closer look and see how things shape up.
TEENAGE MUTNAT NINJA TURTLES: ALPHA #1 by Jason Aaron, Chris Burnham, Brian Reber, Tom Waltz, Gavin Smith, Ronda Pattison and Nathan Widick (IDW Publishing) - Cover: Rod Reis
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
The book is broken up into two parts. The first story is “Long Way From Home” from Aaron, Burnham and Reber. It centers around one of the legendary TMNT, Donatello. Things have drastically changed for him since readers last saw him. Captured in an “Animal Safari”, the stakes are high to survive.
Aaron pens a strong return for a prelude that doesn’t miss. The dynamic of Donatello’s situation blends into familiar territory with humans vs. mutant. It reminds readers of what the Ninja Turtle is capable of when pushed. Pacing moves things right along to a close that readers won’t be able to handle the wit for the new chapter to drop.
Burnham and Reber provide a darker tone to the Safari’s shady side. Donatello’s reveal is given a near full page splash escalading events. Action sequences flow easily. This all drives towards a lasting impression of the final page. With how events are left, there will be much fans will want to find out about in the new reset.
“Monster Island” by Waltz, Smith and Pattison takes up the majority of the book. It is a great new reader friendly introduction into Mutant Nation. Old Hob and Colonel Wesley Knight are investigating a situation involving a new mutant. Can the reluctant pair work together to solve the case? Judging by the final image, there’s more developments on the horizon both need to prep for.
Waltz leans into the tensions of Hob and Knight. Their reluctancy to trust is a major point to this arc. It helps to move the story along to its’ closing pages. Once here, the pair change their demeanor to stopping the problem on the island. Its’ resolution keeps things open-ended. The story wraps up with a interesting ending that looks to pay off big when the regular series launches.
Smith and Pattison showcase the co-existence of human and mutant with the imagery. Hob and Knight’s tension is easy for readers to follow along with. Their reactions speak volumes of the shaking trust involved with this threat. The threat here makes a big entrance with a full page splash. This leads to great action panels that cap off with a eye-raising ending. The final page opens the door for what’s next as some new players enter an ever-growing landscape.
FINAL POINT: 8.4
If this is what to expect from Aaron’s run on TMNT, get ready for a legendary run. “Long Way From Home” welcomes readers into a world of dwindling hope and dangers with strong writing and art. “Monster Island” focuses in on the unique and evolving habitat of compatibility with mutants and humans. It should be a steady companion for the lead TMNT series kicking off later this summer.
Hit me up on ODPHpod social media and let me know your thoughts on TMNT: Alpha #1. Thanks for reading!