Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin II – Re-Evolution #1 is written by Tom Waltz & Kevin Eastman and published by IDW Publishing. Artwork is by Esau & Isaac Escorza (p. 1-11, 18-40) and Ben Bishop (p. 12-17), colours are by Luis Antonio Delgado and letters by Shawn Lee. Cover art (left) is by Escorza.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin II – Re-Evolution #1 is available from today, in print and on digital platforms where all good comic books are sold. Grab your digital copy from Amazon Comixilogy UK right here.
Synopsis
More than a decade after the Last Ronin defeated the Foot Clan, New York City finds itself in a state of steady decline. Now, the disparate gangs vie for economic and political control and that the chaos is taking its toll. It’s clear to Casey Marie that if something isn’t done soon, the city she knows and loves will be lost forever. So, whether they’re ready or not, she and her young pupils must raise a new coalition and lead the charge to keep the peace. Witness the rise of the next generation of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as they fight to restore peace to the streets they live below! Legendary TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman proudly presents the next epic chapter of The Last Ronin, reassembling the acclaimed creative team from the original monster bestseller for a second miniseries event!
Review
It would be impossible to argue against the impact of The Last Ronin storyline on the TMNT franchise. Heralded as one of the most successful storylines of all-time, it has become the stuff of legend. With a video game on the way and plenty of rumour about movie adaptions, it’s no surprised that IDW and the series’ creative team were keen to dig in to that world for more storytelling. So today fans can return to the future NYC for the first chapter in The Last Ronin II – Re-Evolution. But does it live up to the dizzying highs of the first series?
This first chapter opens big as the rebels, led by Casey Marie, continue to root out corruption in the city. The punches come thick and fast in the opening pages, visually dense and exciting. But also shrewdly catching us up on some of the events of the last decade. You see New York is still corrupt, possibly even worse since the fall of the Foot Clan. The rebels are struggling to maintain control and breaking point is on the horizon. But Casey Marie is a formidable fighter, a strong leader and is as dedicated to this mission as both of there parents. So she isn’t giving up without a fight. So fight she will.
Of course much of the success of the original The Last Ronin came from the mystery surrounding its central character. To this day those who haven’t read the book are away of rumours around which of the turtles as its central focus. This time around – at least so far – the story is more about legacy and continuing the mission of the previous generation. So Waltz and Eastman have set about introducing us to a new set of turtles. Turtles who aren’t quite directly descended from our Heroes in a Half Shell but who still carry the same mutation and history. The decision to introduce these new characters is the biggest swing The Last Ronin II is making in its first chapter. Think Star Trek: The Next Generation following on from the legacy of Kirk, Spock and Uhura. There’s ample chance to success and maybe even surpass. But also the danger of disappointment for TMNT‘s rabid fanbase.
Uno, Moja, Yi and Odyn, named after the number one from various languages, have all grown up since we last saw them. They’re now similar in age to when we first met Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello and Raphael. They’re also equally stubborn and independent as their ancestors. Importantly (and cleverly) Waltz and Eastman bring in these characters through a beautiful history lesson featuring artwork by Ben Bishop. For longtime fans it serves to connect the two generations together through a story we all know well. It also fills in a couple more blanks on the decade between stories. But knowing that The Last Ronin is so legendary amongst comic book fans, this sequence is the perfect ice breaker for those coming to The Last Ronin II without a fully functioning history of the franchise. From there the two stories coalesce as the new generation of Turtles join the fight and lead The Last Ronin II in to the first of what is sure to be many enticing cliffhangers.
This first issue has ample action. It opens mid-fight and ends in a very similar space. It has all the right hooks in all the right places in order to capture its audience. TMNT fans expect this kind of melodramatic good-versus-evil storytelling. But that decade of lost time means that The Last Ronin II has a lot of ground to cover and so this book is dense with dialogue. Be it narration, telepathic communication or simple conversation, there is a lot to get through and at almost 40 page it’s a lot to get through. It’s not a failing or a flaw at all. Just be prepared to commit wholly to such a rich and engrossing story.
Outside of Bishop’s beautiful flashback artwork for this issue is by Esau & Isaac Escorza with colours by Luis Antonio Delgado. Getting the gang back together is the perfect way to instil confidence in the reader that the story is in the right hands. There’s no major upgrades to the style or substance of the artwork. Just more of the incredible visuals we’ve all come to know. The young turtles, now fully fledged teens, all look great and have even more individual and diverse appearances. Casey Marie’s homage to her father also seems a little Shredder-like but also makes an impact on the page.
Verdict
A dense but dizzying first chapter in this new story, The Last Ronin II arrives at full speed and works double-time to catch fans up on the last ten years in future NYC.
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